DarkMoss ran further into the unknown territory. She followed Thistle, who was following Sunfish, to what DarkMoss thought to be the rouge's camp.
"How far to the camp." DarkMoss asked.
"It's not really a camp, but it's quite far the last I remember." Thistle answered. DarkMoss pushed ahead, running next to Thistle. Snow started to fall heavily, in large flakes that speckled the night sky. Trees turned from oaks and maple to more of snow covered pine and cedar.

Thankfully, once the trees thicken up a bit, the snow was only deep in patches. The three cats where able to cover ground quicker. They entered a large clearing in the trees, the snow suddenly getting deeper with everything leap. DarkMoss felt something shove hard into her shoulder, throwing her into the snow. She tried to yelp in surprise, but something held her mouth shut.
"Don't say a word." A cat hissed at DarkMoss. The tan tabby continued to hold DarkMoss' muzzle into the snow. She shoved it downward until DarkMoss nodded her head.
"How are you even alive? He said you where dead." DarkMoss looked at the She-cat as she snapped at DarkMoss.
"What are you talking about?" DarkMoss quietly asked.
"How did you survive falling into the creek?" The she-cat places a paw on her throat, her claws barely touching DarkMoss' skin, sending chills down her spine.
"I don't know. Why where you there?" DarkMoss asked curiously, yet a bit frantically.
"That's not an answer." The tan cat pushed down harder on her neck, causing DarkMoss to choke.
"I really don't know! I was unconscious for most of it." DarkMoss started to cough.
"Perhaps I could kill you now, but that's not a good way to torture your little friend."
"Who are you talking about?" DarkMoss choked out, only making the she-cat push harder. DarkMoss saw her vision start to turn black. After what seemed like moons, the tan cat loosened her grip.
"Thistle you mouse-brain!" She snapped at DarkMoss, pushing her muzzle barely a mouse-length away from DarkMoss'.
"He killed my kit! Neither of you know how much pain that has brought me! And now I'm getting my revenge, after so long of waiting."

"Now, if you do as I say, I won't have to kill you, or petty little mate, or your precious little clan of yours."
"Why would I listen to you?" DarkMoss spat at the She-cat. DarkMoss had been fidgeting her hind legs slowly, trying to get them just right underneath the she-cats belly. Before she could answer, DarkMoss sent the cat flying backwards, into the snow.
"I will do anything to protect my clan. But I won't take orders from some mangy rouge!" DarkMoss lashed her tail as she watched the tan she-cat.

"Then say 'good bye' to that clan of yours. If I have too, I will kill each one of your stupid clan mates while you sit there and watch."
"You wouldn't dare." DarkMoss took a challenging step closer to the cat, her amber eyes beaming with curiosity.
"We started off on the wrong foot. Got any kin?" The cat changed the subject, her tone changing quickly.
"Why would it matter to you?" DarkMoss hissed at the cat.
"I seen you with that white cat, Sootnose? I think that's her name. What is she to you?" DarkMoss' fur pricked on her spine.
"No one." DarkMoss lied. Sootnose was her adoptive sister, after her mother, Hollyflower, had died.
"So you have no kin, what so ever?" The she-cat seemed to enjoy this, for some odd reason.
"What about Sageheart? She's your actual littermate, right?" DarkMoss tried not to change her face. Sageheart was her litter mate, although they went their own ways once their parents had died by a random coyote attack.
"Just another clan mate to me." DarkMoss' voice was a bit shaky, but she forced it to stay steady-ish.
"Oh really now?" The she-cat seemed intrigued by DarkMoss' statement.  "Be careful what you ask for!"
"Who are you?" DarkMoss snapped at the tan cat.
"You can call me Birch."

"If I find one trace of your sent on my territory I will rip your throat out. Don't think I won't hesitate." DarkMoss started to pad in the direction that Sunfish And Thistle had ran off without them.
"Where do you think you're going? I'm not done yet." DarkMoss lashed around, her claws unsheathed. She met Birch with her claws first. She clawed at Birch's muzzle with quickly planed blows, catching her off guard.
"DarkMoss!" A frantic voice called out.
"This is not over." Birch whipped away, running away into the near by forest. DarkMoss felt her ear sting, she ran a paw over it, seeing a bit of blood on it.

"Why did you stop?" Thistle came up to DarkMoss, panting.
"Nothing, let's get going." DarkMoss felt Thistle lick her bloody ear.
"Who." Thistle demanded.
"Birch, I think that was her name."
"What did she look like." Thistle asked as they headed towards the kits again.
"A tan tabby, battle scars, torn ears and a short tail, and an attitude like a fox that's half starved and covered in nettles." DarkMoss explained.
"What did you tell her." Thistle's voice seemed to become worried.
"She figured out that Sageheart was my littermate, but hopefully she won't set a foot on our territory." DarkMoss waited a few moments before continuing. "How much further?"
"I don't think it's that much farther, too many tree lengths to count, though."

"Can we start over?" Thistle admitted after a stretch of silence.
"What?" DarkMoss' breath was whipped away by the speeding cats.
"Like nothing ever happened, let these kits be a new start."
"I'm still not forgiving you after what you did." DarkMoss told the tom.
"I'm not asking for forgiveness. You can't ask anyone for that after what I did." Thistle looked away from DarkMoss.
"Then, let's make this a new start. I couldn't imagine my life without you in it, doing whatever you do." Thistle looked at DarkMoss, a smile creeping onto his face.