"There," Ravenpaw purred. She had just finished wrapping up Amberpaw and Ebonypaw's wounds with cobwebs.

"So now you're responsible for hunting and fighting for us?" Amberpaw scorned. "Bet you couldn't catch a squirrel."

"That's not nice, Amberpaw," Ebonypaw warned.

"I know," she huffed.

Ebonypaw lay down on her bedding, neatly placing her tail on her nose. She rested her head in her paws. "I'm going to sleep." She announced.

Amberpaw snorted before curling up in her own nest. Soon, both Amberpaw and Ebonypaw were snoring quietly.

Ravenpaw sat alone at the edge of the hollow, looking up at the full moon. "StarClan guide me," she murmured quietly before padding back into the camp. Lying on her nest in the hollow,

StarClan, why are you not allowing me to sleep? She thought tiredly.

Irritated, Ravenpaw stood up. Her blue eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, and she spotted the feather lying in a rock. It looked like it was sleeping too. Stifling a purr of amusement, she left the hollow again. She might as well hunt. Stealthily, she crept through the woods. As she had originally trained as a warrior, then learnt some more skills before she left, Ravenpaw's hunting skills weren't that sharp, but better than most medicine cats.

She opened her jaws, careful not to make a sound, and tasted the air flooded into her mouth. Ravenpaw padded forward, avoiding twigs.

Why in StarClan do forests have to have twigs? The moor is so much better!

Grumbling, Ravenpaw dropped into a messy crouch. Ebonypaw, being a forest hunter, had shown her the Shadow Technique. Ravenpaw decided that her WindClan skills; running through the moor and beating the rabbits in races, would not work in a forest. Ravenpaw pushed her hind legs in and gathered the muscles in her back legs. She leapt for the mouse, her paws pounding on the ground. The mouse squeaked in alarm and attempted to escape.

Without knowing, Ravenpaw started sprinting after the mouse. Her speed and lithe body quickly brought her closer and closer. She quickly slapped the mouse with a paw, stunning it, then nipped its spine so it . Satisfaction filled her body as she picked the mouse up by its tail and brought it back to the hollow. Amberpaw's snores reached her ears and she grunted. Did her companion have to snore so loudly?

Ravenpaw tugged the mouse closer and took a bite out of it. The flavor seeped into her mouth. She barely stopped herself from vomiting it out; rabbit tasted so much better.

Ravenpaw finished the mouse and decided to try sleep. After all, they had a long day of travelling tomorrow. She risked a glance at the feather, and fortunately, it was still on the rock. Curled up in her nest once more, she slipped into dreams.

"Hello, Ravenpaw." Ravenpaw opened her eyes to see the black shape of Ravenwing. As usual, he had stars in his fur and his green eyes gleamed with delight.

"What is it, Ravenwing?" she asked.

"The future has been decided," Ravenwing warned. "You will find out something on your quest. Neither you or Ebonypaw or Amberpaw are going to like it."

"Tell me, Ravenwing!" Ravenpaw begged. "I need to know! How can I prepare myself?"

"Blame her," Ravenwing replied bitterly.

"Blame who?" Ravenpaw begged. "Who is 'her'?"

Ravenwing's form turned into mist and Ravenpaw sighed loudly.

"Why can't you give me a straight answer, StarClan?" she yowled.

"Wake up, Ravenpaw!" Ravenpaw opened her eyes again to see Amberpaw standing above her nest.

"What time is it?" Ravenpaw murmured.

"Nearly sunhigh!" Ebonypaw mewed crossly.

"NEARLY SUNHIGH?" Ravenpaw jumped up. "Where's the feather?"

"It left at dawn," Ebonypaw informed.

"I watched it," Amberpaw boasted. "It was heading towards the Twolegplace."

Ravenpaw turned her eyes to the Twolegplace. "Then that's where we're going."

---

Dusk was falling by the time Ravenpaw, Ebonypaw and Amberpaw reached the Twolegplace. It was Ebonypaw that had made the prize catch that day; she had spotted the feather again. It had been waiting on the Twolegplace fence where Ravenpaw had met Peanut the kittypet.

"Maybe we should find somewhere to stay for the night?" Ebonypaw suggested.

"No," Amberpaw retorted. "Ravenpaw held us up so we must keep going until moonhigh."

Ravenpaw rolled her eyes. "Seriously?" she growled.

"Yes!" Amberpaw hissed. She stalked into the Twolegplace, following the feather as it drifted in front of them.

"Who's there?" A voice interrupted Ravenpaw's thoughts.

"I'm Ravenpaw," she mewed. "This is Amberpaw and Ebonypaw, my companions. We're on a quest."

Ebonypaw shot her a look, warning her not to say too much.

A small, black she-cat jumped out of the darkness. "Okay. I'm Salem. I greet all the newcomers to this Twolegplace, and I also deliver messages. I suppose you can say I'm the post man."

"Post man?" Amberpaw echoed bewildered.

"Yes, post man. Are you a complete mouse-brain?" Salem snapped.

"Um...we're not from around here," Ravenpaw explained. "We're wild cats."

"I heard that wild cats eat bones and kill kittypets for fun," Salem said warily. "Although I'm not a kittypet! I'm what you complete ruffians would call a loner."

Amberpaw puffed out her chest. "Nice to meet you, Salem, but we'd prefer not to waste time. Like Ravenpaw said, we're on a quest."

"No one goes past this point without having approval from me," Salem hissed, unsheathing her claws. Her bright green eyes flashed dangerously.

"Okay," Ravenpaw took a step back. "We're not looking for a fight. Can you give us the approval?"

Salem eyed them using those stunningly green eyes. "Why are you on this quest?"

"StarClan told us to." Ebonypaw replied.

"Permission granted. But let me warn you. This is a peaceful town. We don't fight here, even over prey. If your claws leave those sheathes, that might be the last thing you'll ever do." Salem warned. She must have noticed the surprised looks on their faces and she added, "All the loners in this city came from this one town with abusive housefolk. They'd claw us with sharp silver sticks, and they'd kick us with their paws."

"Right." Ebonypaw nodded. "Thanks for the permission." Ebonypaw led the way further into the Twolegplace and Ravenpaw trailed at the back.

"Salem has the heart of a Clan cat," Amberpaw remarked. "She's loyal and brave."

"But she's a loner," Ebonypaw mewed. "And I think she enjoys the life of a loner."

Ravenpaw purred in agreement. "At least we can stay in this Twolegplace without worrying about being attacked."

"Hey, you!" Ravenpaw spun around but remembered Salem's warning not to unsheathe her claws. She gritted her teeth and kept her claws sheathed. Calico fur caught her attention. Her spirits lifted. It was Peanut.

"Hey, Peanut!" she called.

"Hey!" Peanut responded cheerfully. "You three look a bit lost! Do you want to live in my nest for the night?"

"Sure, why not?" Ravenpaw responded.

"Are you sure we can trust this cat?" Amberpaw hissed quietly.

"Of course!" Ravenpaw growled.

Ebonypaw gave a slight nod. "Ravenpaw's right."

"Thank you, Ebonypaw!" Ravenpaw dipped her head.

"No," Ebonypaw snapped. "I don't believe you on trust, but I can sure believe that we're supposed to follow this kittypet."

Ravenpaw looked at Peanut closely, and to her amazement, the feather had landed on her ear!