Instead of replying directly to Harepaw's barbed words, Screefoot allowed Pearpaw and Amberleaf to do the talking. For now, she'd decided, it was better to leave it to them: there was only so much Harepaw you could take in one day before resorting to returning his insults, and if she spoke to him again she feared she would. Besides, it was probably the nobler thing to do to ignore him anyway. So the only indication that she'd heard the apprentice was a flick in the end of her tail as she followed the patrol. The truth was that she was afraid, not excessively so, but enough that the thought of rogues in BoulderClan's territory made her pelt prickle.

It was just a heartbeat after Amberleaf started to speak that the scent of freshly-killed prey wafted into Screefoot's nostrils, followed by the smell of a loner or rogue. The fur along her back rose and stood on end, a reaction she couldn't at all help, but she acknowledged the deputy's instructions with a curt nod. Her assumption was that someone was hunting for themselves on BoulderClan territory, and whether or not the situation ended in violence that could not be tolerated. She followed the patrol at a tense trot with her ears pricked and her mouth slightly open to drink in scents.

––

Burrpelt did not appreciate Sharpthorn's treatment of the former kittypet, and his ears fell back slightly. He had wanted the warrior to say something, but he'd gone too far. As much as he disliked Sunflame's flirty behavior and lack of ability to take much seriously, he felt that, especially among fellow warriors, it was unfair to call names like that. Burrpelt himself had been, he remembered, practically just one step above "kittypet" status: his life in the barn, in the beginning with Screefoot, had been so easy that he and his sibling had been as fat as if they'd had twolegs lavishing food on them. Before he could voice his displeasure at Sharpthorn, Oakstar had (thank StarClan!) finished whatever business he'd had to attend to and joined with the patrol. Burrpelt nodded in agreement with the leader's reply to Sharpthorn's question and added, "We try to reason with them at first, and only if that fails do we resort to violence."

It was as they were heading toward the entrance that he addressed Sharpthorn. "Now, whatever quarrels you have with Sunflame, I do not want you calling him a kittypet to make your point," he told him. "That is in his past; there are no kittypets in OakClan. We are all warriors here and we all deserve to be treated as such." He turned his head toward the longhaired tom and gave a slight nod.

Before he could reach the entrance, and with no warning, the deputy felt tiny paws all over him. He let out a surprised mew, turning his head to see a whole litter of kits attacking him. Despite having been caught off guard by kits, the little furballs made him feel warm and fuzzy. Deciding that it would be mean to scold them off, he fell dramatically. "Ach! Noooo! You've got me!" he yowled. He smiled toward Oakstar, hoping the leader would catch his meaning–– he'd catch up with the patrol soon.

Boulderstar nodded in appreciation. "Thank you, Nettlefang", she meowed kindly. "We could really use your help." The clan leader had gotton a little tense. Thoughts of the runaway kit roaming in her mind. She hoped he was fine. "I just hope he is not in trouble. Let's go find the little rascal before someone else does it." Boulderstar fell into a rather quick pace. She needed to find Owlkit. She would never forgive herself if something happened to the little kitten under her protection. It was her clan, her duty, and Owlkit was her responsibility just as any other cat. Where would a little kitten go? Exploring the territory probably. She just hoped he knew where to stop...

Sharpthorn wasn't surprised at his deputy's request but gave a nod of agreement. You are the law so I must obey but now I fear your heart is too soft, Sunflame is a warrior by age not skill.Sharpthorn thought. He was about to voice his concerns when Spottedblossom's kits tackled the other tom making him decide to leave the conversation for later.

He then caught up with their leader that was leading the patrol. "Oakstar, if you will allow it I'd prefer to accompany the group up in the trees. From there it will be easier for me to scent and watch out for any incoming threats. Besides if you get ambushed or encounter another group I could attack from the sky, giving us the element of surprise," he offered. It took a lot of skill to travel from tree to tree but since the forest was dense all trees here were very close so it made the task a lot easier.

Having one cat unseen would be an advantage as most could underestimate the patrol and try to attack, only to find death from above. Sharpthorn would have preferred to have a companion up in the trees but he didn't know the other cats in the group well enough to know if they could handle it but he suspected at least one of them could do it without getting himself injured or being too slow to go at the pace those in the ground had.

---

Eelpaw was disappointed at Smokepaw's departure but after thinking it for a while realized it wasn't so bad, he'd get to spend some time alone with Witheredpaw who he found very attractive. "It seems it's just the two of us then," he meowed. "I do have to warn you the moves I'm about to teach you are very hard to master and may even leave you in love with me but shall we get going?" he joked as he made his way out of the den, waiting for Witheredpaw to follow.

---

Venuskit was comfortable sleeping besides her brother and Shadowkit but unlike them, the loud noise the others made did wake her up. She was confused at first but clarity soon reached her and she shook her head in frustration. The small kit then sneaked her way out of the nursery without anyone noticing and crept out of camp when everyone looked in amusement at the other kits.

Venuskit was curious about what the forest was like, she remembered little of it but knew how to avoid dangers and where to not go. Her overprotective father guardian, Sharpthorn had made sure Stormkit and her learned all about it from the safety of the den, but for her that wasn't enough. The kit wanted to experience it for herself and as no one noticed the small kit slip out of camp she warily wandered the forest, hoping to find something interesting she could show Sharpthorn later.

Oakclan

Witheredpaw looked at the adult she-cat which entered the den and robbed the Smokapaw to herself, sighing she make a sarcastic look toward Eelpaw "Hoo-o! sounds promising, but a small warning charmer.... if you think that I'm easy... you will be surprised..." she meowed raised her tail high, and walked proudly out following the tom.

Vineshine sitted next to her brother Tigersky, looking the camp silently. Flicking his tail nervously Tigersky sighed for boredom "Maybe we could go hunting, what do you think?" he meowed quieltly, not even looking to his sister. Vineshine looked around the camp thoughfully "Better if we don't, Featherwhisker look like she have some thinks for you...maybe" she purred smilling.

Boulderclan

Copperpaw stopped after when his mentor stopped calling him to name the herbs she founded. Thinking he looked at the blue berries, taking a sniff "Blueberry?...wait no...they're juniper berries right?" he meowed loudly when remembering, gazing his mentor expectantly, was he right or not.

Aspenclaw shaked his head as the younger tom turned to help him "Noo noo! I am fine...don't mind about me...just lets move on" he meowed making a smile to him, mostly too tell him tha anything was fine.

Snowthorn looked at Brimpelt talking with his apprentice Granitepaw. She waited them to end their talk so they could go to the hunting patrol as the tom was promised.

@ViolentViolet@CLIW@CondorTheMole Oakstar nodded to his mate as she returned with Smokepaw. Looking around, it was quite the sizable patrol. Perhaps at the end of it, he would send a warrior back with Frostwhisker and Smokepaw then take the other two to check the river border. The stones were easy to cross for a well-balanced cat so he wanted to make sure that no loners or rouges had wandered into their territory.

His gaze then turned to rest on his daughter as she came walking up. "Go ahead. A hunting patrol would be good right now." he agreed, surveying his gaze around the camp to make sure it would still be secure during their time away. It would be good to have Witheredpaw on a hunting patrol since it would soon be her time to become a warrior. He flicked his ear to over hear the words his deputy said to Sharpthorn, regarding Sunflame and his former kittypet status. For now, the leader let his deputy handle it but it would be something he would remain plenty aware of.

He was just about to exit the camp when his deputy was tackled by kits. The leader gave an amused look before nodding in understanding. He headed out of the camp with his group, flicking his tail as a gesture that it was time to depart. The tabby leader turned his head at the sound of Sharpthorn addressing him. He nodded in agreement to Sharpthorn. "It would be a great advantage should we encounter trouble so feel free to follow us among the trees." he told the tom. It could be a difficult task to travel by tree but Oakstar had faith that the tom could do it and if he couldn't, he could always join the rest of the patrol on the ground.

Oakstar headed for the border at a reasonable pace, scenting the air for any sign of dangers that may await the patrol.

---

@ViolentViolet Petalwhisker nodded politely to Featherwhisker as the she cat headed out of the den. She looked over at Spottedblossom and shook her head. "I don't think so." she meowed and watched as the four kits headed out of the nursery. The gray queen let out an amused purr and shook her head slightly.

"They sure are an energetic bunch." She meowed. Shadowkit kept to himself quite a bit so he never caused much trouble for the queen. As for the other two kits she had taken care of since joining the clan, Venuskit and Stormkit, they seemed relatively controlled as well. What the queen didn't notice quite yet was Venuskit's disappearance.

---

@CLIW@AngelKitten Harepaw almost immediately unsheathed his claws at the mention of a cat other than a Boulderclan cat nearby. The tom seemed more than ready to fight and likely would have charged straight towards the scent if it hadn't been for Amberleaf's stern words. He listened but as to how well would have to be determined later. His fur bristled slightly and he appeared more than ready to put up a fight.

Pearpaw, on the other hand, folded her ears back looking cautious. She nodded to her mentor's instructions but it was likely she wouldn't be the one to attack first anyways. She preferred to avoid fights most of the time.

Dark watched helplessly as Owl was batted and shoved about the small nest of roots. Hawk wasn't letting up, usually he ignored Owl or shoved him to the side. After several more minutes the she-cat stood and shoved her aggressive brother to the side. Though she was sleeker and not as fluffy, Dark was more muscle than either of her brothers and unquestionably able to keep Hawk in check. "Enough, Hawk! It wasn't his fault!" She lashed her tail, yowling over the loud protests of her mouse brained littermate. Turning her head to examine Owl she sighed in relief. He was missing some fur, and looked rather shameful but other than that there was no lasting harm done. "And be quite! We don't know what is out here!" Dark pleaded, trying to reason with the young male.

Hawk hissed and yowled as his sister knocked him away. Protesting to full extent the fact that Owl was getting off for his crime again. Though at Dark's reasoning he fell silent. She was always the thinker. Flattening his ears in anger his own tail looked twice it's size. "We should have left him behind. Dark, we can barely hunt for ourselves and you want to keep that dead weight around?" He hissed at Owl, the said kit shrinking back further. "This is all because of him! If you had just crossed! If you hadn't been such a coward-!"

"ENOUGH!" Dark snapped, swatting Hawk hard upside the head. Sadly, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Hawk shrieked and launched himself at his sister. The two collided in a mess of fur and feline bodies. Owl scuttled to the side with a tired sigh. Hawk was right to be tense. As much as his littermates hated the Thunderpath it was also a guide in their lives. They had been following it, keeping well off it. Dreading that a monster would come and kill them too. Now they were in the middle of a strange place with danger... He let out a odd 'mert' of annoyance, as Dark and Hawk rocketed around the nest. Beating and tackling each other. It had happened enough as kits he could clearly remember Dark's black fur and Hawk's tabby speeding about their small dens. Their eyes bright with the mock fight, but this was hardly mock. A stress reliever, perhaps. He didn't even dare go towards the lovely smell of their kill. Hopefully Dust would return soon and help sort out the madness. Sniffing the air he caught nothing of Dust, she must have had to go a long ways.

Whistletoe Silverclaw
Current Location: Thunder path => Clan Boarders.
Interactions: @Phaesaris Owlkit

He came from the north today having strolled there to hunt a few days ago and now he had returned. Of course even he avoided the thunderpath as much as possible but today were an exception. Reaching it however he both listened and looked from side to side carefully from the safety of the woods before cross while it was clear. He knew very well what awaited the careless on this path... He had been one of those who cleaned an 'accident' up once a day when he had strolled by.

As he reached the river however he glanced to the lake and figured it was quite unfortunate that there was no central path. However he didn't want to swim across it hoping that perhaps the cats would understand, not that they really could do much to stop him without an entire army. Yet he would not make a fuss out of it if they actually tried to stop him. Having decided he crossed over the stones with ease and swiftness that probably was unreachable for any felines not of his size as even a rather tiny gap for himself was quite huge to a wildcat.

He went into Oakclan territory, passing quickly throug its boarders and along the lake towards Boulderclan. If any cat spotted him along the way he figured it would take them to long to assemble any proper counter to persuade him to leave, yet he preferred to not pass straight through it as that was just like asking for trouble. Instead Whistletoe marched to the boarder between the two clans figuring it would possibly be the best place to cross between them... However there was something there to catch his attention today. Yes. At first he had a hard time even noticing the small creature... But it was certainly too big to be a forest mouth and too clumsy to be a squirrel. It was a cat... A very tiny one at that, in fact he was quite certain that it was even 'tinier' than an average sized wildcat meaning it was either a dwarf cat or a kit. He guessed the latter as it seemed to be full way moving from boulderclan territory to Oakclan. And it didn't take a genius to guess where it actually belonged.

Whistletoe couldn't help but to refrain to pass up on such an amusing scene, and thus he hurried in close behind the kit probably moving at ten or more times its speed with his own steps. Then he leaped and gently landed with four legs around the kit and starring down at it. [color=green]"Bo!..."[/green] he roared, before sitting down beind it and gently trapping it within his grasp. "Well, hello there little furrball... You lost?... Well I must say its your lucky day that I found you before any other large predators did... Because your quite tiny if I say so myself....and even if you hardly suit for a snack, we larger predators aren't usually so picky when food is offered on a silver plate... " he said and purred loudly amused. "Its time to go home Kit. I shall escort you back to your clan so you have nothing to worry about. Now, do you want me to carry you or will you ride on my back?" he asked.

Owlkit's apprehensiveness gradually eased the farther he walked. Every step brought on a new wave of confidence, and his worry for his mother's reaction faded. Even the uncomfortable rocks gradually turned to dirt soft enough to cushion the kit's fragile paws. It seemed like nothing in the world could stop him.

"Boo!"
"AHH!"

A large creature bounded on top of Owlkit, trapping the him between its legs. The black kit thrashed around in panic and confusion before finally curling up into a tight black ball. His fur bristled and his needle like claws gripped the ground. "Please don't eat me!" he squeaked pitifully. Owlkit trembled, slowly opening up a single eye to stare at the creature that had trapped him. The longer he looked, the more it seemed like a cat. In fact...the kit blinked in surprise. It was a cat! But it was enormous, bigger than the largest warrior in his clan.

"Y-you're not going to hurt me?" he asked hesitantly, slowly rising up. Owlkit's eyes grew bigger at the offer to be escorted back to his clan, and he gave a timid nod. While the kit was far from ready to stop his little adventure, there was no way he was going to say no to this giant of a cat.

"Can I ride on your back?" Owlkit requested, his fear quickly turning to awe. "Why are you so big? What's your name? Wht are yiu doing here? Are you gonna join Boulderclan?" His tail lashed excitedly with each question. "I'm Owlkit, by the way."

---

Roseclaw gave a stiff nod of affirmation. "Not bad," she growled. "But not good either. A blind badger without a nose could tell the difference between juniper and blueberries." The words were harsh, but it was the closest thing she could to a compliment she would ever offer. Roseclaw crouched and began harvesting the herbs. "Juniper is particularly useful. Its berries can ease bellyaches and treat shock. The leaves are particularly useful for coughs. I expect you to remember all of this, or else." She finished and gestured for Copperpaw to carry them.

"Now, next we--" Roseclaw froze as her nose caught a faint yet familiar scent. One that should've been on the far side of the river. No...please don't let him be here. She had warned him many times not to visit, and still the idiot wouldn't listen. The medicine cat muttered an empty prayer, a hint of panic flashing in her amber eye before the usual irritation took over. "Sorry, Copperpaw." She turned in the direction of the scent. "There's been a change of plans."

---

Sunflame followed his leader through the dense woods. He kept up surprisingly well enough, though occasionally he did lag behind. Gone was his usual nonchalant mannerisms, instead choosing to remain quiet for the duration of the patrol. The kittypet jabs surfaced too many feelings he had tried to keep hidden with his jokes and flirts and, while he was indeed thankful for the deputy coming to his defense, his history was still too sore of a subject to really get over.

An odd scent shook the red warrior from his thoughts. The young warrior slowed to a stop and looked around, trying to decipher who or where the the scent was coming from. It wasn't Oakclan nor their rival Boulderclan, but it didn't seem like a loner either. Feline, but at the same time not. Sunflame's fur bristled in paranoia. "There's an intruder," he reported, claws sheathing and unsheathing.

---

The patrol was close. Briar's ears pricked in interest as he took note of this development. Perhaps it was time to drop a visit. If he was lucky, they would even remember his brief time as a member of Boulderclan. Though the loner didn't blame them if they forgot. He had stayed for less than a few days, and even then he spent most of his time outside camp. Being around so many cats like that felt so unnatural and, while Briar was generally friendly, felt uncomfortable sleeping in a den so full of other cats. But though he left, he held no animosity towards them. Quite the opposite really.

With a shrug, Briar continued to walk, following the scent until he caught sight of the patrol.

Whistletoe Silverclaw
Current Location: Clan Boarders => Boulderclan
Interactions: @Phaesaris Owlkit

The Ginormous feline purred in amusement as the small furrball whimpered in terror but slowly lit up in amazement. Hearing its question he mused before rubbing his nose atop the kits head gently. "No, I won't hurt you little one, at least not intentionally. " he said and lowered himself towards the ground, enough to let the little kitten climb on.

[color=green]"you may, but if you by any chance fail to warn me about needing your litterbox I swear being eaten will be the least of your worries" he mentioned before the kit had the chance to climb on. He then rose slowly after it had made it on his back and looked ahead "Im large because it's my size is in my genes. My name is Whistletoe Silverclaw, Captain of the Silverclaw Legacy. But no, Clan life is not for me little one. If this conflict will be resolved, it will be by the young ones like you. The tide of war may come... But perhaps when your old enough to command, peace can endure... Perhaps" he said as he walked towards the Boulderclan camp, Kit hopefully secure on top. Even if he moved at a average pace for himself it was still probably ten or more times as fast as a normal cat. It didn't take too long before he could see the leader and gang of Boulderclan, yet he approached them in the direction of the wind so they would have a bit of time to prepare if they felt like it. "Seems they are expecting us. " he said stopping outside the camp to let the kitten down, and to let the cats approach himself, as he could see the leader of the clan and otherss on full pace towards them. After letting the kit down he simply sat down to observe and to display his friendly intent.

Amberleaf nodded to the others, noting Harepaw’s aggression. That was to be expected; he could only hope that the apprentice would not attack without Amberleaf giving the word. As the scent grew stronger, he was certain that it was vaguely familiar, and when he came into sight of the loner he recognized him immediately. Maybe some of the other cats wouldn’t remember Briar, who had been with the Clan for only a few sunrises, but as the deputy, Amberleaf was well aware of every cat who was in the Clan or had been in the past.

“Briar,” Amberleaf mewed calmly, coming to a stop a few tail-lengths away. “What brings you to BoulderClan’s territory? Again,” he added, allowing some disapproval to color his voice. He didn’t really mind the beige tom and didn’t feel threatened by his presence, especially since he had family within the Clan, but they couldn’t just allow Briar to roam their territory whenever he felt like it, much less hunt within it. It would set a dangerous precedent for other loners and even rogues.

@Phaesaris@OtterTerror@CLIW

---

Nettlefang fell in behind Boulderstar, appearing more confident than he felt that they would find Owlkit safe and sound. Outside the camp, he caught the scent trail headed towards OakClan’s border and waved at Boulderstar with this tail. “I think he went this way,” he called, following Owlkit’s scent with his jaws open. It was somewhat fresh, so the kit couldn’t have been gone for too long. Hopefully he didn’t venture into OakClan territory, but even if he had, surely those cats wouldn’t harm a helpless kit? Still, better to find the little troublemaker as soon as possible.

Soon, a strange scent that Nettlefang couldn’t quite place flooded his jaws on the wind, and he caught sight of a much larger feline walking towards them. He stopped in surprise, fur starting to rise as he prepared for an attack, but relief washed over him when he noticed the small bundle of fur on the lynx’s back. “Owlkit,” Nettlefang said quietly, thankful for the kit’s safety. He looked to Boulderstar to address the visitor, seeing as she was their leader.

@KahleenCuthald@Iatos

Boulderstar raised her head high as she saw the large cat in her territory with the little Owlkit on his back.
The kit was back safe. That was the most important thing at the moment. Boulderstar gave the stranger cat a nod. Although he was on their territory unauthorized, he brought back the little kit. And nothing weighted more than the safety of her clan mates. So she decided to approach the tom with authority yet kindness.

"Thank you for brining the little runaway back. If I may ask, where did you find our Owlkit?" Meowing the name of the little kit, the leader turned her head to Owlkit and gave him a stern look, her tail twitching angrily. She was not amused by his little adventure. And she would have a word with him about this.

Boulderstar scanned the body language of the other cat. It didn't seem he was about to put any of them in danger. But she was still rather careful.

Whistletoe Silverclaw
Current Location: Boulderclan
Interactions: @KahleenCuthaldBoulderstar and Co

The Lynx mused only more as the leader approached him, in return he looked to her even if he had to look down to do so. "At the boarder of the two clans, heading into Oakclan territory" he replied honestly before purring slightly to himself. "Consider yourselves lucky I was the one who found him. There's other predators stalking those parts at times and those wouldn't hesitate to stop for a free snack. " he said as he frowned slightly before shsking his head slowly.

Looking to the cats present it was obvious that they were putting together a search squad. "However It just happens that I still have business with you. A proposition if don't mind listening" he said and looked towards the southeast.

"There's a rabit den not close from your south boarder. Of course theres only a few of them now, and I don't mind leaving them alone to grow... But for cats your size I assume that they can be a problem if not a threat. I propose a unied hunt, your Warriors can lure them out of their dem and I help you kill them, i take one rabit as my reward and you can split the rest... It should suffice for a feast for your clan.... But I leave the choice to you" he said and glanced between the warriors present.

The she cat touched noses with her mate once more before he left the cavern with the others in search of the small kit, her tail reaching around the two kits with her and flicking Sagekit on the back of the head lightly. "You do not worry Ravenfeather like that. She's been nothing but good to you." She scolded the kit, acting like a mother already even though her own kits had yet to be born. It bothered her rather easily when any of the kits disrespected the older Queen, or worried her since they were children. They should have known better by then, but none of them paid enough attention, or thought about what they were doing before they went wandering off.

Riversong removed her tail from the kits, curling it over her own paws and watching the remaining warriors within the cavern camp. Her annoyance with Sagekit was clear, even as her own mate was gone, though her worry never faded. Owlkit was small, easy prey for a fox or, more likely, a raptor. He may not have even gotten for before falling or eaten by something and she knew what kind of devastation that would bring to Ravenfeather.

---

The tom stood as the apprentice paced around him, talking as if he had all the time in the world and for the second time that day, the former rogue realized he was given the most ignorant and idiotic apprentice of them all. He would have much rather have had to answer to the idiot Amberleaf then to deal with this dim-witted apprentice. When the grey tom was finally done talking, Brimpelt was sitting down, his tail curled over his paws, watching something in the distance very intently. Gradually, he forced his attention back to the bore he just had to suffer though speaking and nearly just killed the kit there and then instead of subject those in the clan who were actually worth time to the useless blather this one was spitting out.

The warrior looked at Granitepaw, eyes focusing on him with such sharp attention he could have cut him, and what appeared to be a sly smirk twisted his lips upward, uncovering sharp canines. "Go tend to the elders Granitepaw. Check them for flees and ticks, change their bedding and bring them breakfast. Any word of complaint and you'll never learn to be a warrior." He didn't sound threatening, or call him names this time, instead his order was as firm as that of any respectable leader, and he turned around to walk away from him again, refusing to waste anymore time. "Let's go Snowthorn, we have a fresh kill pile to stock."

---

The soon-to-be apprentice settled back on her ledge when the warriors left the cavern, her eyes closing as if she was just going back to sleep though she was listening to everything she could hear. Granitepaw was being scolded by Brimpelt, and Riversong was clearly worried about Owlkit. The she-cat, who's pelt matched her nameksake, listened to the mentor-apprentice pair and scoffed quietly at them. The tabby tom could have done much better with an apprentice, herself being the top choice with Harepaw just beneath that. Both had drive and an attitude to match the rogue leaders, though the dolt of a male that bounced around as if he owned the place made her regret coming back here. She had never had much choice in the matter when she was found in clan territory by a ready to attack patrol. If she had refused she would have been chased from the hunting grounds she quite enjoyed, and thus put out of the place she had called home.

With her arrival at the clan she had quickly befriended Brimpelt, having pegged him as the one worth following, and she hadn't been the only one either. Timberfoot had been one of the rogues to come to the clan with the rogue leader, and was also a very respected warrior. Brimpelt had been quick to spot out the difference with Leopardkit, with her abnormal size and solitary attitude, he had begun training her in secret, knowing she may not have a worthy mentor soon. If he was ever leader she was to be his right hand, and most trusted, with his former second dead after a battle with the clan. They both intended to place him at the top of the clans, officially or not.

Standing then, with fewer warriors in the camp, she looked up toward the top of the cavern at the hole in the ceiling, but thought against climbing out it with so many cats able to watch her. If the kits did something stupid trying to mimic her the Queens would blame her instead of the kits stupidity. Leopardkit turned her attention to the cavern floor and jumped from her ledge, unafraid of any injury from the high fall and her rapid descent upon the dirty floor. Once down she glanced back at Riversong watching her, though the young cat didn't care to be seen as the walked straight toward the tunnel that acted as the main entrance to their camp. The place was harder for kits to wander out of unlike the Oakclan camp, and as the young cat walked out she wondered if she should go visit one of the rogues, or perch upon the Oakclan boarder until someone found her. Perhaps something interesting would happen then.

Boulderclan
Copperpaw looked at his mentor confusedly "we...what? " he meowed confusedly, turned to look at the direction where the roseclaw looked at "What is it? what do you mean change of plans? " he meowed annoyed. He hated that he was kept in the dark, without being told the matter and his mentors panicing reaction interested him even further. Taking a sigh he waited for an answer when unfamilliar scent reased his nose " ...is it that cat...what you're afraid of? probably it's just a dumb kittypet that is lost " he meowed confidently.

Snowthorn overheaded the conversation with Brimpelt and Granitepaw. She slowly followed Brimpelt when the tom asked them to leave. Quietly she glanced at the young apprentice before she looked back to the warrior "Um! Arent you a little harsh for him...I mean it's your apprentice...eh responsibility after all" she meowed silently lowering her head just as she would have said something foolish.

“Sorry, Riversong,” Sagekit muttered, looking appropriately chastised and shrinking against the queen’s fur as she pulled the kits in close with her tail. He wanted to do his own exploring, but now was clearly not the time when Ravenfeather was already worried enough about Owlkit. Willowkit seemed to be thinking the same, since she was content to sit next to Riversong, even if she did appear a bit restless.

Not far from the BoulderClan camp, Nettlefang listened to the lynx speak. He was relieved beyond measure that Owlkit was safe even after wandering into OakClan territory and that none of those cats had found him first. He thought that the proposition of the lynx was a strange one, even more so the mere presence of the larger feline in the Clan territories, but that was for Boulderstar to decide. He certainly was not about to chase off the visitor after he’d safely brought back a missing kit.

Boulderstar seemed like she could manage out here, and the queens were no doubt worrying about Owlkit even now. Better to put an end to that as soon as possible. “I’ll take Owlkit back to Riversong and Ravenfeather,” Nettlefang mewed to Boulderstar beside him, walking forward to examine the kit. Owlkit looked unfazed and maybe even excited by his little adventure, but it would be up to Ravenfeather to lecture him for his behavior. Nettlefang simply picked up the kit in his jaws gently and padded back to camp.

It wasn’t long before the warrior deposited Owlkit before Riversong. “This little one walked all the way to the border with OakClan. Thank StarClan he’s safe,” Nettlefang mewed to his mate, looking relaxed now that the cause for alarm had passed.

Sagekit and Willowkit perked up as soon as the other kit had appeared, and they set upon him eagerly as he was placed in front of them, chattering quickly as they asked one question after another. Even though Riversong and Ravenfeather had warned them of the dangers of leaving camp, they were both excited and eager to hear about Owlkit’s exploration.

“Did you go all the way to the lake?” Willowkit’s eyes were shining as she imagined seeing the entire territory and the expanse of water laid out before her, like the warriors and apprentices often described. She, of course, had not been born in the camp and had seen some parts of BoulderClan’s territory before, but she had never been as far as the lake with her birth mother.

“Did you see a fox? Or a badger?” Sagekit chimed in, equally animated.

---

Quite some distance east of the Clan territories, Leaf and Cinnamon were traveling through the forests together, as they had been for a few days. Leaf still wasn’t sure where their goal was. So far, the areas that they’d passed through were either unlivable or already occupied by aggressive cats. The young loner didn’t think those territories were worth the fight, nor did she imagine the possibility of victory, so they had moved on. The hunting was sparse so far, and Leaf’s strength was beginning to flag due to the constant walking, sometimes running from danger, and not always having enough food in their bellies. There were mountains in the distance, and for now the pair of she-cats were heading in their general direction. Who knows what they would find once they reached that area?

“How are you doing?” Leaf gazed at her companion without breaking stride. “Should we stop to rest soon, or hunt?” she questioned, wanting to gauge how Cinnamon was doing. Leaf would force herself to press on no matter the challenges, but she worried about her friend.

Screefoot came to stand close to Amberleaf, imitating his calm demeanor and gazing critically at Briar. While she was relieved that the interloper was no threat (although it took a few moments to remember he was formerly one of them), his presence did make her tail flick in slight annoyance: his kinship with the medicine cat was unimportant. What mattered right now was that he was not part of BoulderClan, and therefore didn't belong here. It would take a lot of work to maintain a secure border, she knew, and Briar, as a loner, was not going to make it easy. Just by being here, Briar was setting an example for any loner or rogue who happened upon his scent. That example might to some be taken as a sign that BoulderClan was lax about their territory.

Patiently, the warrior allowed her deputy to do the talking. When he had finished, she added: "It is kind of you to bring a fresh kill. But really, you must be careful." With a tinge of warning in her voice, she said, "One day you may be caught by warriors who don't remember you, and you won't be so lucky."

--

Burrpelt would have loved to stay and entertain the kits, but he did have a patrol to join. Smiling amiably, he stood back up after prying the little ones off of his fur. "You will be fine warriors one day," he purred. "For now, you all have plenty of other opportunities to practice your stalking on." He waved his tail in the general direction of where other OakClan cats were. "Don't get in too much trouble while I'm gone."

Smiling, the deputy trotted from camp with his tail pointing skyward, his previous misstep forgotten in the joy of the kitten attack, to join the patrol.

--

Cinnamon was tired, very tired, and thirsty. With every step her paws felt a little heavier, and the only thing preventing her ribcage from showing itself to the world was her thick white pelt. She was grateful for it; her tiredness hardly showed except for a few small mats on her back. Her tail streamed out behind her and her gait was springy, albeit less than when her journey with Leaf had begun. Her friend and companion spoke to her, and she swiveled her ears to signal she was listening.

"A rest and a hunt would both do us well, provided we can catch anything." Cinnamon didn't want to say anything, but she was immensely glad her friend had suggested it. "But I'm doing well! Are you?"

"Thanks for not eating me, Whistletoe," Owlkit mewled as Nettlefang picked him up. He stared at the large cat in unhidden awe and waved a small paw as he was carried away. The little kit was fascinated by the powerful cat. There was no one like him in the clan—no, in the whole forest! He shivered in excitement. Wait until his mother and siblings heard about this. Speaking of which...

Owlkit grinned when he spotted Willowkit and Sagekit. He scampered to them as soon as he was set down, his fur fluffed with excitement. "You won't believe what happened! I saw something better than a smelly badger. I saw a cat as big as...as the mountain!" It wasn't true, but it wasn't false either. Just something to make the story exciting. "And he almost ate me but I managed to fight him off and he became my friend and it turns out his name was Whistletoe and I got to ride on his back and..." The black kit continued his exaggerated ramblings, oblivious to the hysterical queen behind him.

"What in the name of Starclan were you thinking?!" Ravenfeather dove onto her kit, covering hum with frantic licks. "I told you to never leave camp on your own, and what did you do?!" She sighed and gratefully nodded to Nettlefang. "I'm sorry for this troublesome kit. Thank you so much for bringing him back."

---

Ripplepaw remained light on her feet, her steps nimble as she dodged her mentor's blows. Several times the hits connected, but they were light and quick. Only because this is training, she chided herself. In a true battle, I would be dead. Ripplepaw feigned to the left before sharply lunging right towards a small opening. Her small form collided into Nightmist's as she aimed to tackle her mentor.

---

"Kittypet, no," Roseclaw said as she raced through the undergrowth. "Dumb, very much so." Her pace quickened as she heard familiar voices up ahead.

Briar offered a sheepish shrug and nudged the dead bird forward with his paw. "I just wanted to pay a visit and share some news. Sometimes I forget how strict you lot are with your borders."

"Just like you forgot my multiple past warnings." Roseclaw stepped out, scowling at her kin. The two were truly polar opposites in temper, yet outside they were near undistinguishable. The same sandy pale fur, same small frame, even the same stubborn glint in their eyes. The medicine cat flushed as she glanced at the patrol, clearly trying to hide her embarrassment. "Briar, what are you even doing here? I told you before and I'll tell you again: leave!"

The loner smiled crookedly and waved his tail. "Just wanted to pay a visit. And look, I brought a gift!" His smile wavered at Roseclaw's persistent scowl. "I promise I'll leave soon. I really did just want to see you and warn you that there's been some strange scents around your side of the river."

Granitepaw
Current Location: Boulderclan camp.
Interactions: @ViolentViolet Brimpelt

Having come to an halt the apprentice watched and waited with patience for his Warrior teacher to finish talking and assigning him to his duty. Well tick duty and take care of the elders. However the apprentice reacted with surprising joy to this and nodded before saluting. "Yes sir!" he callez audioably as he really had no complaints about this assignment at all.

Before running off with a happy bounce to his step he sneered back at Brimpelt. "But don't dare slack off while I'm gone... I be keeping my eyes on you..." he said pointing between his eyes and Brimpelt with his paw.

After that he ran to the medicine cat to report for duty figuring that he would need to see them for instructions on how to perform his assigned duty to his best capabilities. "Warrior Apprentice Granitepaw reporting for Flea, tick, and bedding of the elder duty ma-am" he chimed saluting once more.

≠=====≠

Whistletoe Silverclaw
Current Location: Boulderclan camp.
Interactions: Lots of Boulderclan cats really.

Hearing thank you's from both the kit and the cat who came to pick the kit up he let out a soft amused purr. "Good bye little kit" he said as if it was final, because it was likely they would never meet again. Nodding to the care taker in return before turning his attention to the rest of the cats.

Yey he kept patiently waiting for the leader of this clans response to his proposal, yet he thought he might have heard some cats talking about strange scents which he could very well understand. Looking into the clan living places from where he sat he found it rather curious that they could all live together like this. He wondered what this place would look like if cats like him lived here like this... Certainly it would mean a lot less to hunt now, small animals stuck together to make them strong and increase security. And big ones like himself went their separate paths to not clean the land of hunts.

Yet his attention snapped back to some cats toying with what looked like a dead bird, one cat seemingly not amussed by this as much as the other. "Oh.. Free food, don't mind if I do" he said as he approached the cats in the distance and picked up the bird the Loner had caught... After all he was not one to turn down unwanted food. "Thank you, your gift is graciously accepted" he said purring slightly as he walked off with the bird just like that. He then threw the bird into the air before chomping down on it while waiting for the leader. After all all this waiting around made him hungry... And the cats were even starting to look appetising.