Raven's Flight

In case it wasn't obvious from the name... This is a story about Ravenpaw. Be warned, I haven't read past Power of Three, and stopped paying attention after the first book of that. So, um-

After helping the Clan cats along their journey to the lake, Ravenpaw finds himself torn between his comfortable life with Barley, and finding his old friends and Clanmates. Then, with a dream from StarClan and news of BloodClan arising once more, the choice is made for him. Soon, Ravenpaw finds himself leading a band of refugees away from BloodClan's menacing shadow and toward a new life in the wild.

-That's the summary. I'm going to try to write this... and... yeah. Soo... That's it for my intro post, I guess.

Chapter One:

Ravenpaw awoke for the fifth time that night. The air quivered with prey-scent. Beside him, Barley twitched and mumbled in his sleep. Ravenpaw could tell his friend was dreaming; it wasn't the bad dream that had haunted him though, the one about Violet. That had left with Scourge and BloodClan's fall. But from the way the aging tom's black-and-white tail lashed and his foreclaws raked the hay, he was fighting something.

Shaking his black head, Ravenpaw made a note to ask Barley about it in the morning. Quietly, he turned and padded out the barn door, giving up on sleep.

The air was growing warmer. Newleaf was nearing it's end. Ravenpaw leapt up onto a wide fence post and stared out at the place where his old forest home had been. It would have been full of night-smells and sounds, full of life. Now the forest, from the Treecut place, all the way to the edge of HighStones, was covered in bleak gray spires of stone that spewed smoke. The rabbits had long been chased off the moor, and the river was sickened with Twoleg trash.
Seeking out his ancsestors, the young tom looked up at Silverpelt- who no longer shone quite so clearly as they used to. Even StarClan hated to be around here.

Remembering his old friends and Clanmates, his old life in the forest, Ravenpaw closed his eyes and curled up on the fencepost, falling asleep in moments.

~*~

Ravenpaw was standing on the edge of the moor, facing the Twolegplace. Something was strange about it, but he couldn't tell what it was. Suddenly, as clouds drifted away from the moon above, he saw it. No lights came from the foul place, and the smoke clouds- normaly billowing- barely puffed from the towers.

Then, a blood-curdling scream echoed across the moor. A thousand voices twisted through the air, making Ravenpaw hunker down and flatten his ears against his head. Then, with an earsplitting roar, smoke exploded out of the spires. A wave of red and black sticky, stinking liquids rose up from Twolegplace, swamping the remains of the old Clan territories, ending just at Ravenpaw's feet.

"Run," a voice behind him said. "Run, but take the others with you." He turned to see a tiny tortiseshell she-kit standing there, blue eyes cold and hard.

"Leafkit?" Ravenpaw gasped. His nurserymate had died of kitten-cough in her first leaf-bare.

"Yes, Ravenpaw. I'm here. But that's not the point. BloodClan is arising once more. Without the Clans to fight them, they will spread their reach further than ever Scourge could dream." Leafkit stepped up beside her friend and sat down, curling her tail across her paws, her gaze fixed on the Twolegplace, "An admirer of Scourge has taken over, gathering the remnants of BloodClan and forcing new members. She is determined to avenge him in her way, ruling over the lands that the Clan cats once held. Her reign will be long and bloody, and many cats shall die. Look."

Sure enough, the lapping tide was full of the broken, mangled bodies of cats and kittens, queens and toms. Ravenpaw closed his eyes against the sight, wincing. "Wha- what do you expect me to do? I'm not Firestar, I'm not Lionheart. I'm- I'm just me. I can't defeat her."

"I'm not asking you to, Ravenpaw," Leafkit said softly, butting the tom's dark shoulder. "I'm asking you to take Barley and the others, and run from here."

Then Ravenpaw's curiosity overcame him. "Who are these 'others' you keep talking about? I- I don't understand."

Leafkit let out a hiss of exasperation. "The other cats, mousebrain. The ones you need to rescue. Loners, mostly. They need a path out, and you're going to help them find it. You are going to lead them away from BloodClan and the Twolegs' polution. Now. Wake up."

"Wake up, Ravenpaw."

"Huh? Wha-!" Ravenpaw jumped up, then scrabbled to get a hold on the fencepost.

Barley laughed a little, his prodding paw still hovering above the fencerail. "What's the matter? Bad dream?"

"Uh, no. Not quite," Ravenpaw said, pulling himself back up. "You?"

Barley's bright eyes darkened a bit. "You... could say that, I supose. Now. Let's go catch some breakfast. I'm starved."

And with that, the older tom leapt down and slipped inside the barn. Ravenpaw followed, but glanced over his shoulder at the Twolegplace.

Run...

((I'm copypasteing this from the other site I was writing it on, just to let you guys know.))

CHAPTER TWO:

Ravenpaw smiled contentedly, rolling over in the hay. Sure, the Twolegplace made living here difficult, but moments like this, when his belly was full and the sun was bright and warm... It seemed worthwhile.

Then a terrified screech reverberated through Ravenpaw's ear fur. Two tabby shapes, one yellow, one gray, bolted through the door. Barley leapt up, hissing in suprise and warning. The last time a group of strangers had come through here...

"Barley," the yellow she-cat gasped. "Barley... Help." She stumbled and fell into a pile of hay, sides heaving. Her tail sat at a painful-looking angle, and she was bleeding from a scratch above her eye.

"Violet! What's going on," Barley asked, scared for his littermate. "What happened?"

The gray tabby, who had turned to face the half-open door, was the one to reply. "BloodClan," he gasped. "They're back. Worse than ever. Tried to kill us both, but we got away." Ravenpaw could see that the tom was bleeding, and patches of his thick coat were torn out. "I'm sorry, we probably led them right to you.

Quietly, Ravenpaw padded up beside the stranger. "Well," he said, "If we'll be fighting here together, I'd like to know your name."

"You can call me Fuzz. What's yours?"

"I'm Ravenpaw."

"Nice to meet you, Imraven- Sorry, old habits; this really isn't the time for jokes, is it? Nice to meet you, Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw nodded once, tense. Barley pressed his nose to his sister's flank and stood with the other toms at the door. Suddenly, a violent barking sounded from down the path. The cats of BloodClan were here.

Five cats came rushing down the trail, two she-cats and three toms. But Ravenpaw, Barley and Fuzz were ready. Gathering himself into a crouch, Ravenpaw sprang at one of the toms, a wiry ginger with darker patches. Snarling, the other tom tried to get away, but Ravenpaw held him fast. He wouldn't give up his home again, not without a fight. The tom went limp suddenly, as if defeated. Ravenpaw almost went in for a nasty bite, but he knew this trick; he'd fought side-by-side with Firestar long enough to pick up on a few things.

The tom tensed again beneath him, realizing that his opponent wasn't so mouse-brained after all. Suddenly, a brown-and-white streak tore Ravenpaw free.

The startled tom looked up into the remaining green eye of a spitting she-cat. "Leave my mate alone," she snarled, pulling her head back for a bite to Ravenpaw's throat. Past her arching neck, Ravenpaw saw a long-haired tortiseshell she-cat dash into the barn.


Filled with an anger he couldn't place, the black tom snarled back and kicked the she-cat in the stomach as hard as he could with both back paws, claws fully extended. The BloodClan cat was flung off, sprawling in the dirt, gasping and bleeding.

Ravenpaw twisted over on the ground and leapt the tail-lengh between them. The she-cat struggled to her paws, facing him now, both crouching low. Over her shoulder, Ravenpaw could see Fuzz tearing the ginger tom's fur away as they fought. "Looks like your mate's in trouble," Ravenpaw hissed. The she-cat turned, providing the perfect oportunity. Ravenpaw dashed forward, bowling the off-balance she-cat over.

Before Ravenpaw could get a strike in, the she-cat smashed her hind legs into his belly, knocking the tom away. Quickly, she righted herself and hissed angrily, "Why not just kill me? You've had plenty of oportunity."

Ravenpaw's eyes went dark. "You're dying already. You're bleeding badly. Give up, and you'll be okay."

"Never, you whimpering kit!" The BloodClan warrior swiped at his ear, slashing it open.

The blood ran through Ravenpaw's ear fur, sticking it toghether and all but deafening that side. Spitting, Ravenpaw leapt at the other cat. She danced away, nimbly dodging the tom's attack. But he could see that she was growing tired. The slashes in her belly were bleeding worse and worse as she fought.

"I won't give up," the she-cat gasped, "I fight in the name of BloodClan and Blight, I fight for the memory of Scourge. Dying here, even at the paws of a weak kit like you, it's better than failure." Weakly, she jumped at Ravenpaw, but landed in the dirt besde him.

A huge black tom sprang at her dying form and bit into her throat, ending her shallow gasping. "There is no room for the weak in BloodClan," he spat. "No room for fools like you, either, Rat."

He turned to Ravenpaw. "Leave. You don't want to know what will happen if you don't."

Ravenpaw was shaking, he knew he should run. This tom was the size of one of the Twolegs' dogs! But looking up into those amber eyes, all he saw was the face of another bully he had run from, the face of Tigerstar, hs old mentor.

"No," the smaller tom hissed. "I won't run. I've done enough of that in my lifetime." Yowling out a battlecry, Ravenpaw leapt at the huge tom's face, claws out and fangs bared.

The tom's paw shot out and batted him aside like an insect. "I admire your courage, twig. But don't be a fool. I'll have to kill you, and neither of us wants that. Now run away back to your mother."

Ravenpaw picked himself up out of the dust, strugling to pull air back into his lungs.

The tom started to take a step towards Barley, who had just knocked a black-and-brown tom unconsious. Ravenpaw saw the threat and sprang again, hissing and spitting, landing hard on the tom's wide shouders.

The tom fell to the ground, sprawling from the added weight. Ravenpaw latched his teeth in the giant tom's ear, and scrabbled for a pawhold, his claws raking across the tom's face.

The tom bucked and yowled, blinded by pain and blood, and sent Ravenpaw flying into the barn door. A pain-riddled yowl echoed from inside.

Fuzz grabbed his opponent by the scruff and hurled him into a nettle-filled ditch before turning and bolting inside.

Half-consious, Ravenpaw could only catch peices of what was being said.

"Hardly worth the kits... Kill you now..."

"...and die!"

"Vixen! Retreat!"

"Never forget... Watch out, Twig..."

Then the world spun into blackness, and Ravenpaw decided it was a good time to take a nap.

CHAPTER THREE:

Ravenpaw awoke to Leafkit's face less than a paw-length from his own.

"Bwah!" The skittish tomcat stood up like he'd sat on a hedgehog. Looking around, he saw he was on the old border between ThunderClan and WindClan, with a starry mist falling about the tree-dotted hills. "Wh- what happened? I'm not- I didn't die, did I?"

"No, mousebrain," Leafkit sighed, already impatient with him, "You're just unconsious. There's someone who wants to talk to you." She turned and briskly walked off, pausing in the vague shadow of a stately oak to hurriedly beckon him with her tail. "Come on! We don't have a lot of time before your friends wake you up!"

Thoroughly puzzled, Ravenpaw trotted after her, breaking into a sprint to keep up with her seemingly easy pace. Who would want to talk to him? And why would they pick this place, of anywhere ThunderClan had roamed, to do it? And why couldn't he have just gone there, instead of having to run all over the place?

They were traveling steadily along the border as it had been when he left the Clans, but bathed in brighter light from the full moon overhead. A rabbit scuttled in the thin undergrowth; an owl hooted in the distance. A stream glittered, silver and shadowy, over dark stones, falling in pale spray. The air carried the sweet, bright scents of mid-greenleaf's plentiful prey and herbs. The forest night was beautiful, when you weren't fleeing or fighting or worrying. It amazed him that he had somehow forgotten that.

Ravenpaw was tiring as he charged into Fourtrees. Pausing to catch his breath, he stared up at the enormous oaks, symbols of the monthly truce between the Clans, that were long gone now, eaten by the Twolegs' advance. He had seen them up close so few times. He had wanted to go back sometime, but had kept putting it off. This was the last he knew he'd see of them, and he wanted to drink it in.

"Ravenpaw?" He turned, pulled out of his reminicing, and purred in delight.

"Lionheart! How are you," he mewed, stepping forward to touch noses with the former deputy.

"I'm fine, Ravenpaw," the great golden tabby replied, "but I'm not here to exchange pleasantries. I need to tell you something."

Ravenpaw blinked in confusion. "Well, what is it," he asked.

Lionheart took a deep breath. "Well, first of all, do you remember the story I told you, about how I found you and Graystripe in the forest when you were kits, apparently abandoned by your loner mother? Well... I did not just find you near the Windclan border."

"What?!" Ravenpaw was very confused. "What are you talking about? I remember you- or someone -carrying me into camp when I was a tiny kit! You set me next to Swallowsong and asked her to take care of me and Graystripe!"

Lionheart nodded. "That part is true, but... You were not abandoned by some rogue and left to die. Your mother gave you up."

"It's true," came a quiet voice from behind one of the towering oaks. A beauitful gray-and-white she-cat stepped out and came to sit beside Lionheart. "My name is Softstream. You and Graystripe are my kits. Our kits," she corrected herself, twining her tail around Lionheart's. "I had to give you up because my Clanmates were suspicious. I hadn't taken a mate in Windclan out of love for Lionheart, and when I refused to name the father of my kits... I was so afraid they'd kill you... So I sent you away with Lionheart. I knew his Clan trusted him enough to belive anything he said, and I knew the two of you would be safe there. I'm sorry."

Lionheart pressed his nose to the smaller she-cat's ear. "You did what you had to," he murmured. "No one can fault you for that."

"But why isn't Graystripe here," Ravenpaw interrupted. "Shouldn't he be hearing this as well?"

"Graystripe has had enough problems as it is," Softstraem said gently. "We didn't want to give him any more by making him question his loyalties again."

Ravenpaw shook his head. "I still don't get it, though," he mewed. "Why do I need to know this now? Why wasn't I told before?"

Lionheart shook his head. "It needed to be said, but we didn't have a chance before now. You ought to wake up soon. You're missing something rather important."

Smelling blood, Ravenpaw came to with a start. Nearby, Violet was flopped over on her side in the hay, breathing heavily. Fuzz and baley sat beside her, both looking sad and worried.

Ravenpaw got groggily to his feet and came over to see what was going on.

Stopping beside Barley, he blinked in surprise. Apparently, Violet had been pregnant. Three kits lay next to her belly, all unmoving. One let out a weak mew, but nothing more.

"Don't just stand there," the she-cat shrieked, "do something! Make them move! Make them move..." Angry and afraid, she snatched up the mewling one and started licking furiously. He started moving a tiny bit, and Violet only redoubled her efforts.

Ravenpaw looked at Barley, who hadn't moved. The older tom shook his head. "We tried to keep the other two alive... but they were dead before they were born." Fuzz nodded in agreement and hung his head.

Ravenpaw sighed. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I... At least one will live."

But the sight of Violet, fighting to keep her little son alive, made things fall into place. He looked out the barn window at the blue sky above and decided he would do it. He would help those loners find a way out. He could be just as strong as his father, Lionheart, just as brave as his mother, Softstream, and just as determined as Violet. And he would be.

Resolving to tell Barley and the others about his mission tomorrow, he set about hunting, both to feed the five cats now living there, and to give him an opportuntity to think of a plan.

Aww, this is such a cute story! I look forward to future chapters.

... Cute?

I'll try and have Chapter Three up soonish. It could be next weekend, though, before I have time again. I also need to figure out how to word things. I have a basic concept, but I need to figure out how far in the plot to go.

Bleh, why am I describing a slightly violent story of survival as cute?

It's good. XD

It's excellent.

Thanks, guys. ^_^ And I'd meant 'Chapter Four.' XP

I'll add more to it later, but I need to get off soon.

CHAPTER FOUR

"You're what!?" Barley stared at his friend in shock and confusion.

"I'm... Taking a group of loners away from Twolegplace and heading towards the Clans...?" The more Ravenpaw said it, the crazier it sounded. "I- I mean, BloodClan knows we're here. They'll come for us again soon...." He trailed off, looking at Violet, who was nursing the little light brown tabby tomkit. They had named him Rabbit, and buried Fern and Pebble, his brother and sister, last night. "You... I would rather you came with me. I'll understand if you don't, though... I mean, I know how hard we fought to keep this place."

Barley shook his head and stared at his paws. "I just... I need to think about this. Give me some time, please?"

Ravenpaw nodded and touched his nose to Barley's black-and-white shoulder. "Take all the time you want, my friend. I... I know this will take a lot of thought."

Fuzz stood up from where he had lain in the hay, listening to Ravenpaw. "Well, I'll discuss it with Violet, but I think she'lll want to go." He turned to Barley. "Ravenpaw's right," he said, "BloodClan will return, and with a vengance. They'll come in larger and larger numbers until we're finally dead. I... I want to live to see my son grow up." He shrugged and looked again at Ravenpaw. "Do you want backup on this trip?"

Ravenpaw shook his head. "No, thanks. I probably ought to do this myself," he mewed, starting to walk to the door.

"Why," Barley suddenly asked as Ravenpaw passed. "What's making you do this?"

Ravenpaw sighed. "Um, a friend asked me to. I'll explain the rest later, once I'm... back." Home, he wanted to say, once I'm home. But it wouldn't be home for much longer, would it? No matter how much blood was shed for it. Sighing, he took an uncertian step out, and then another, until he was standing on the moor. Looking back at the farm, then towards the Twolegplace, he shook his head and padded on.

~*~

Ravenpaw padded through the back alleys of the reeking Twoleg territory, trying to figure out what he was supposed to do. Most of the loners he ran across were broken, despirited-looking things, that never seemed to hear him as he walked up and began to speak. Suddenly, mixed with the trash and rats, he caught Leafkit's scent. Whirling, he chased after it, rounding a corner-

-and barreling straight into a long-haired gray tom.

"Hello," the stranger hissed, a malicious grin spreading accross his muzzle. "Who are you?"

"I- I'm R- Ravenpaw," Ravenpaw stammered, backing up a step. Why would Leafkit lead him into this?

The tom lost all pretense. "'Ravenpaw?' You're one of those filthy Clan cats, aren't you? I oughta bring your pelt back to Blight! In fact," he hissed, sinking into a fighting crouch, "I think I will."

Ravenpaw crouched as well, his ears going flat against his head. What was Leafkit thinking?! Was she trying to get him killed?!

Suddenly, a screeching ball of brown fur exploded out from the alley at the left, plowing into the tom's side. The tom tumbled down onto the stone. Scrambling up, he yowled and ran off, stumbling from a bad bite to the leg.

A pretty brown she-cat stood in his place. "Ravenpaw, huh," she asked. "Which Clan? No! Not here. It's not safe. Follow me." She leapt onto a windowsill, bounding from one to another until she was almost halfway up the building. Turning, she peered over her shoulder at Ravenpaw and chuckled. "Coming or not?"

"Uh, y-yeah. Sure," Ravenpaw answered, bounding up after her.

Coool. :3

Thanks!

And I think I'll just write a new chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE:

Ravenpaw padded after the strange tabby across a maze of rooftops and limbless trees. "So," he called, "what's your name?"

The she-cat stopped and turned, her green eyes surprised. "Oh, my! I'm so sorry; I must have forgotten to tell you in all the exitment. My name's Ivy, but I used to be Ivykit."

Ravenpaw cocked his head to the side, a bit puzzled. He knew firsthand that some cats weren't cut out for Clan life, but leaving as a kit? That didn't make any sense. Shaking his head, he padded forward until he sat next to the other loner. "So, Ivy," he said. "Um, where are you taking me?"

Ivy shook her head and purred in amusment. "To the others, silly." Then she paused and looked at Ravenpaw. "You are going to help us, aren't you?"

Ravenpaw blinked. Were Ivy and her friends the loners he was supposed to help? "Um," he replied, "I didn't know you needed help, but of course I will. You saved my life back there; I- I owe you."

Ivy purred happily. "Great! I knew that Starclan would never steer us wrong!" Exited, she leapt up and bounded across another rooftop and down into an old, half-rotted twoleg nest.

More and more confused, Ravenpaw chased after her. He leapt through a hole in the twoleg nest's roof, and blinked in surprise. Peering through a gap in the floor beneath his forepaws, he saw that there was almost a full Clan camp here! A she-cat watched a group of kits play from a shelf of strange stone balanced on top of a hollowed-out tree trunk with almost a full side missing; a tom brought her a mouse and lay down next to her. Another tom yowled a muffled greeting as a he and a she-cat padded in, each carrying a pidgeon.

Ivy smiled at Ravenpaw as he looked up. "Not too bad, huh," she asked proudly. "Storm and I remembred quite a bit of our old lives, and did our best to imitate with what we had."

"But," Ravenpaw asked, "If you're imtiating Clan life here, why did you leave it?"

Ivy's sparkling eyes grew sad. "We... Didn't have a choice. Storm and I were littermates, and our parents smuggled us out of Tigerclan when we were only about three moons old. They were afraid of Tigerstar, and afraid of what he would have done to us. They fled into the Twolegplace with us, and hid here. We all had to change our names, to hide from both Tigherstar and Scourge. When we found out they were both dead, we thought we were safe. But then... Then Blight and Bane took over." Her face a mix of emotions, Ivy looked down at the kits playing beneath them. "But then I had a dream. A huge raven, guiding us and a few other cats, on to a new place, a place where we can be free." She looked up at Ravenpaw, eyes blazing like twin green fires. "You were that raven, Ravenpaw. You're going to bring us to a new home."

Ravenpaw was a bit taken aback by Ivy's conviction. "I, um... W- Well, If I'm doing that, I should, um, go meet the others, shouldn't I?"

Ivy gave a brisk nod and led Ravenpaw down into the nest, calling out as she went: "It's Ivy! And I've brought the Raven!"

*pokes* This story's interesting... Continuuueee!

I will, and soon. I know what I want to happen now, I just don't know how to word it.

Ahh, I hate when that happens.

Blargh! So sorry it took so very long, but I'm in a writing mood at last. Hope you guys like it; writing for cannon characters can be tricky.

CHAPTER SIX:

Ravenpaw shifted uncomfortably under the eager eyes of the entire group. They had waited untill evening, when the last hunting party had settled, and the fresh-kill pile was fully stocked. Now he was expected to say something. "H- hello," he started softly.

A sharp voice cut him off. "This is the Raven you promised, Ivy?" A lithe white she-cat with brown tabby stripes on her face, tail, and legs padded forward. "He couldn't even find his way out of a twoleg bush," she continued, a troublemaker's smirk on her face. A wiry redish-brown tom stood behind and a bit to the side of her. His face was blank, but he let the mask slip long enough to shoot Ravenpaw a venemous glance.

"Shut your mouth, Frost," a low voice growled from the other end of the group of cats. "Ivy says this is him, and that's good enough for me." A heavy gray-and-white tom stood up, glaring. "And most of us agree. So I'd watch how you speak to him."

"And I'd watch how you speak to our only healer, Shard," the reddish tom spat. "She might not be quite so willing to help you next time you pick a fight with those dogs, littermates or not!"

"Quiet!" Ivy stalked forward, fur bristling. "Frost, Hawk, why do you two always insist on causing trouble? I'd have thought you'd want your kits safe." Ravenpaw was stunned by the calm she kept in her voice. "And Shard. Why do you always have to rise to their bait? Calm down now, or I'll make Storm-"

"Will not," a ginger tomkit called. "Storm never listens to anybody!" The kits beside him, a black she-cat and a gray and black tomkit, purred and nodded entusiasticly. Storm, Ivy's gray-and white sister, gave an embarassed sneeze and curled her tail around them. Ravenpaw assumed they were littermates, and all very proud of their mother's free spirit. He smiled at them- they reminded him a bit of how he, Graystripe, and Firestar used to be when they were apprentices.

Ivy sighed. "I know we're all on edge right now, but let's hear what he has to say. Ravenpaw?" Smiling hopefully at him, she stepped aside and gave him the floor.

"Hello," he repeated, a bit louder. "My name is Ravenpaw. I have been asked to lead you to a place where you can be free of Blight's rule, and Bane's shadow. My friends and I are escaping as well, and I, um... Well, I want to take you with us. It will be a long, hard road, but I believe we can do it if we work together."

A loud cheer rose up from the gathered cats, exitement and hope blazing in each one's eyes. Ivy padded up beside Ravenpaw and nodded happily. "Sounds like we'll be going with you, Ravenpaw. When do we leave?"

"Uh, tomorrow. That way, everyone's got a chance to prepare, and we're still not wasting any time."

Ivy nodded, and turned to the others. "Tomorrow, we leave," she announced. "Tonight, we celebrate!"

... *No comment due to being half asleep*....

CHAPTER SEVEN:

Fuzz's eyes widened at the sheer number of cats walking into the barn. "Ravenpaw," he whispered, "these are the loners you went for?! There are kits! Can they handle it?"

"You're bringing Rabbit, aren't you," Ravenpaw asked coolly. "I'm sure Violet wouldn't agree to go without him."

Fuzz grumbled, but nodded grudgingly. "Alright, alright. You have a point. But I'm still worried."

Ivy walked up and sat beside Fuzz. "Are you ready to go? I'm Ivy, by the way."

Fuzz inclined his head in greeting. "Hello, Ivy. I'm Fuzz, and I'm sure you've met my Violet and our Rabbit already. The other kits seem rather enamored with him." He gestured to where the little tabby kit was being thouroughly inspected by the older kits- the white-chested ginger tomkit and his siblings peering around an even older litter of three. Ravenpaw had seen them the night before, they were Frost and Hawk's kits: the callico she-kit was Bee, and the oher two- one black and one gray, and both with white underbellies -were Thorn and Thunder.

Ivy purred lightly. "Yes, it's been awhile since Fox, Night, and River were that small. And they were hardly even seen- my sister is very protective of her kits."

Fuzz nodded. "It's understandable, these days. Hopefully, once we're farther away, that won't be necesarry."

Ivy nodded. "Hopefully." She leaned around the gray tom to look at Ravenpaw. "How long until we leave? We'd better make it quick. I'm afraid a group this large would be spotted leaving the Twolegplace."

Ravenpaw nodded, his face growing somber. "Yes... We should leave. Is everyone ready?"

Ivy nodded. "I belive so. But- Didn't you say you had another friend waiting here?"

Ravenpaw winced. "He... Decided not to come, I guess. I can understand, though. This is his home. From the beginning, I was only staying here awhile." He shook his head and stood up. "Come on. We need to leave. Frost's litter is too big to carry- they'll have to walk. We can take turns carrying the rest." Fuzz and Ivy nodded, and fell into step behind Ravenpaw as they walked towards the group. Word of their departure spread quickly, and the group set out into the late afternoon.

Ravenpaw looked longingly over his shoulder at the barn, wishing he could have said goodbye to Barley. But perhaps it was better this way. If Barley had still been there, waiting for him-

"Hey!" Ravenpaw snapped his head around, making Fox squeak, to see Barley approaching through the long grass. "You're leaving without me?"

Ravenpaw set the kit down and butted his old friend's shoulder. "I- I thought you'd decided to stay!"

Barley laughed. "And let you wander off into danger? No way! You should know me better than that by now."

Ravenpaw nodded. "That's true. Come on, let's go." Purring happily, he picked Foxkit up again and they were off once more.

I know, mostly dialogue and not a lot happening in this chapter. Sorry. But I had a thought. I'm intending to start an RP that takes place a couple generations after this story, and I'm getting impatient with myself. XD

Would you guys mind if I wrote up the RP, despite the spoilers?

I wouldn't mind.

I wouldn't mind either.

Alright, then. I'll write the character list up and start work on stuff. It should be up by next week. (I think I'm going to clog Pokefarm with yet another Warriors RP. XD)

Got it up! Yay! It's here.

Woo-hoo! New chapter!

CHAPTER EIGHT:

"Nuh-uh," Bee said angrily. "I'm not going in there! It's dark and creepy."

"Come on, Bee," Night sighed. "Please don't be afraid. There's nothing bad or dangerous in there. Ravenpaw said so."

Thorn snorted. "So just because some stranger says something, you belive it? What's in your head? It's certianly not brains."

"You're just a bunch of scardey-mice," Fox snapped. "Scardey-mice, scardey-mice," he sang, dancing around in a little circle.

"Am not," Bee whined. Thorn just let out a low hiss in answer.

"Then can we please go in," Thunder asked from beside the cave entrance. "They're probably waiting on us." River nodded in agreement, already half-turned to go on.

Fox, not to be outdone, dashed inside like a ginger bolt of lightning. Night just sighed and followed, keeping pace with a terrified Bee and an angry Thorn. The two toms fell in on either side of them, smiling at eachother briefly before peering into the dark ahead.

"Where were you," a worried voice snapped as Storm padded forward from the shadows. "We were so worried. You can't just wander off like that! Not down here."

"It's okay, Storm," Night piped up, taking a step forward. "We haven't been in here long enough to get lost."

Storm sighed. "Well, just stay with the adults from now on, please? It's hard to see down here, and you all blend in rather well."

Fox, a bit past Storm now in his impatience, rolled his eyes and made a slight 'hmph' noise. "Can we go now, Storm," he asked loudly.

"Alright, alright," Storm sighed. "You kits walk in front of me. I want you all where I can see you. Fox, River, keep an eye on Night. I can't see her as well as I can see the rest of you."

The kits, now hurried along by Storm, padded along as before. Eventually, after the tunnel twisted and turned and backtracked on itself so much that the younger kits were about to lose it, they emerged into a grand cavern, full of silver light.

"This is the Moonstone I was telling you all about," Ravenpaw mewed, though Ivy, Shard and Night were the only ones who seemed genuinley interested. "We can speak to StarClan through it."

Thorn and Hawk amost snorted in unison at that. Frost gave the black tom's back a withering look, mouthing the words 'Oh, not you too.'

Ravenpaw stiffened and took a deep breath, trying not to lose his temper. Frost and Hawk had been teasing him all day, and he was about at his limit. "If you don't belive me," he said, keeping his voice carefully level, "you could always sleep next to it."

Ivy shrugged and curled up beside the glowing white stone. "Come on," she yawned. "It's just a pretty rock. It's not going to bite you."

"Scardey-mice, scardey-mice," Fox sang again-- under his breath this time --as he trotted forward to lay down beside Ivy. River and Night joined him, yawning. Storm and Shard then fell in, followed by a very tired-looking Thorn and her littermates. Barley, Violet, and Fuzz, carying Rabbit, all curled up together a bit away from it. Looking at the rapidly-shrinking amount of space, and then back at Frost's sneering face, Ravenpaw shrugged and stepped forward, pressing his nose against the cool stone's blazing white light.

"Ravenpaw," a warm voice called. "What are you doing here?" Ravenpaw looked up to see Firestar padding forward out of the starry trees, led by Bluestar and Lionheart. "It's great to see you," the ginger tom continued. "We just got settled in our new camp. And you brought friends! This is great, Ravenpaw. I'm happy for you."

Ravenpaw looked over his shoulder to see every member of his and Ivy's band behind him, watching him expectantly. "Yeah," he mewed. "I did. And that was why I wanted to speak with you."

"Oh," Firestar asked, sitting down a tail-length from his old friend. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Ravenpaw sighed, "we can't live in the Twolegplace anymore, or anywhere around it."

"Why," Firestar asked. "What's going on? Were you chased out too?"

"You could say that," Ravenpaw sighed. "It... It's a very long story. I hope I'll be able to tell you later. But my question is, well, can we come to live with ThunderClan?"

Firestar looked shocked. "I... I don't know what to say Ravenpaw. I mean, I really want to say 'yes,' but... You're just too big. ThunderClan can't take in this many cats all of a sudden. Things are strained already. Maybe... Would you be willing to split up the group?"

"No," Ivy shouted, leaping to her paws. "We will not split up! We have stood together through Scourge's fall, and through Blight and Bane's rise! We have fought and won and lost together! We--"

"Now hang on, Ivy." Violet's voice was quiet, but steely. "Maybe it's not such a bad idea. I mean, you and Storm are my friends, and Rabbit seems to love you all. It would break my heart to leave you, but I need a safe place to raise my kit."

"And we don't," Storm countered. "I understand, Violet, really I do, but we're just as safe as any other Clan."

"So we're a Clan now," Barley asked, amused. "When did that happen? Look, Violet," he continued, his tone growing serious. "I-- I'm not going to tell you what you can and can't do, but I owe Ravenpaw my life at least once over. He's my friend, and I can't leave him."

"No leave," Rabbit chirped happily from between Fox and Bee. "No-leave-no-leave-no-leave!"

Fuzz sighed and shrugged. "His mind's made up, Violet. And I'm inclined to agree. I know Ravenpaw and Barley. At least, I know them better than I know this 'ThunderClan.' I'd rather raise him here than there."

Firestar purred quietly and looked at Ravenpaw, whiskers twitching. "Well, there you have it. ThunderClan can't very well permanently house a whole other Clan! You're going to have to stick together."

"Alright, then" Ravenpaw purred back. "So how was--"

"Firestar, it's time to go," Bluestar sighed. "I'm sorry, but maybe you two can chat another night." She padded forward and touched her nose to Ravenpaw's forehead. "I'd have named you Ravenblaze," she said, "if you had stayed with us. Graystripe, Fireheart, and Ravenblaze. Yes, that was it. Wear that name now, and wear it proudly." Smiling a bit sadly, she stepped back and padded away. Firestar followed her, and looked back over his shoulder before dissapearing into the trees. "'Bye, Ravenpaw," he called. "Er, I mean, Ravenblaze. Maybe we can talk again sometime."

"Maybe," Ravenblaze whispered as his friend's fluffy red tail vanished. "Maybe."

Now it was Lionheart's turn to say goodbye. "You've made me proud," he murmured, touching his nose to his son's ear. "Your mother too. You've always made us proud."

Ravenblaze, unsure of what to say, closed his eyes and smiled, as Lionheart's scent faded from his nose and the scents of stone and his friends grew stronger.

"Hey sleepyhead," Ivy's voice purred in a whisper. "Get up. The kits are itching to leave, and you need to see the look on Frost's face."

Ravenblaze opened his eyes and smiled. "Let's go then," he yawned, standing up and stretching. "We've got a territory to find."

"So what should we start calling ourselves," Ivy asked as they started padding towards the enterance. "Don't we need a Clan name?"

"We'll know it once we find our new home," Ravenblaze answered. "I mean, RiverClan lived next to the river, and WindClan's territory was always windy. 'Till we see our camp and our territory, we'll just be us."

"Okay," Ivy said as they joined the others in the tunnel's mouth. "We'll be us. Whoever that is."

Great chapter!

Thanks! I wanted to get a little more exposition on the kits, given that we've already seen a bit of everyone else. Did I manage it well?