(The above picture, is a picture of Cloudpaw)

She heard the young cats getting closer and closer. *Oh no.... No.....* She clung their, to afraid to move. She tried, tried to make herself jump, and run away, but the fear was too overpowering.
     They were right below her now. "Hey up there!" Said the one named Owlpaw. Poppy tensed. "Come on! We're not gonna hurt you!" He said innocently. She saw him get bopped on the nose by the other apprentice. "We're supposed to scare her away! Not make friends!" She hissed quietly. Poppy shrank away. "I'm just being reasonable." Owlpaw argued. He turned back up to the tree. "Come on! If you keep sitting up their, you'll have to sleep with the birds." He said. Poppy smiled, despite the current circumstances. She slowly snaked down the tree.
    When she jumped to the bottom, she hid halfway behind the tree. "Am I that scary?" Owlpaw asked, who seemed to be proud of himself. He received a paw to the face from the other apprentice. Poppy bristled. *They can't be trusted.* She convinced herself. She bolted, going as fast as she could. "Hey, wait, come back!" Owlpaw yowled. Poppy didn't slow, or look behind her, until she got to the city. 

   She only realized that she'd left the mouse back in the woods, when she arrived at the scrap heaps. *Fox dung.* She cursed in her head. She'd have to scavenge then, unfortunately, scrap heaps are notoriously more dangerous at night. Sinister Alley cats came out at night, and let no one eat, except themselves.

    She neared one that, no one favored. It wasn't the best food, but some was better than none. As she searched for her meal a few cats, came around the bend.

Two Tom's, and one She-cat.

All glaring at her. "Hey, scram." The She-cat said in a low, husky voice. The other two didn't look that pleased either.

"No one's claimed this one yet." She said defensively.

"Well, we do. Get." Said one of the two Tom's, this one was a light cream, with a nasty scar on his battle worn muzzle. 

"I'm not moving." She said stubbornly.

"Well, we'll just have to make you then, won't we?" Said the She-cat, her voice as sweet as honey.

They all sprang at the same time, as if they could communicate telepathically. She didn't even have time to get into a defensive position.

One Tom pinned her down by her tail, the other, knocked her feet out from under her. The She-cat, slashed at her face.

Poppy yowled, as she felt blood well on her muzzle, she kicked out behind her, slamming into one of the Tom's muzzle. The other one, the cream one, hissed at her. The She-cat, sprang at her, Poppy sidestepped, but accidentally ran into the cream Tom, who bit down on her hind leg, hard.

She yowled, trying to twist away, as pain consumed her hind paw, but he only gripped tighter. She curled up, and kicked as hard as she could with her other hind leg. The Tom let go, cursing.  She tried limping away, but he knocked her over, standing on top of her, paw raised.

"Leave her." The She-cat said. "She's been taught her lesson." She said smoothly, as she picked out a few scraps.

The Tom snorted, and let her go. Her fur was puffed up, and her eyes were wide. She didn't try to hide her fear, as she limped away, as fast as she possibly could.

She headed away form the alley, not really sure where to go. Anywhere, except the alley. She found herself wandering it the woods. She didn't care about Mapleclan anymore. She was to tired to turn back, so she found a place to sleep, a slightly sheltered cave, which consisted of a long, flat Rock, that was leaning against a tree. She collapsed, and fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.

That night was not greeted by pleasent dreams. But a chaotic one.  Claws, angry cats, and blood. A blood river.

She was kicking in her sleep, and heard strange voices. "I think I found her." Said a strange, distant voice.  "Up......"

"Wake......"

"Up...."

"Hey, wake up!"

Poppy's eyes snapped open, to the comical sight of the young brown Tom, Owlpaw. He has moss and dirt covering his fur. "Hey Cloudpaw! I found her!"