Chapter 2

Stonepaw hesitated. "When my sister and I were kits, our father took us away from camp, to keep us safe from a battle that was going on. And, suddenly he got attacked..." Stonepaw trailed off, remembering the attack. "He got attacked and he finally killed the cat that had attacked him. He was terribly injured and wounded, but he didn't stop there. He carried Flowerpaw and I very far away, but it was because he was being chased. He carried us until he was certain the chasers had lost him, and he suddenly collapsed. And his final words were 'May I call upon StarClan to watch these two kits. They have been granted apprenticeship by their father. Flowerkit shall now be Flowerpaw, and Stonekit shall be Stonepaw. I love you.' And... and he died. " Stonepaw finished.

"Do you even know the name of your birth Clan?" Thornstar tossed away any sympathy.

"No..." Stonepaw said blankly.

"They're certainly aren't ours!" Mudfur spat.

"You're right, Mudfur. As of now you are exciled from ForestClan territory! If we catch a single paw of yours on our territory after moonhigh, you shall be attacked." Thornstar dismissed them. "Now go!"

"But we don't know your territory borders!" Flowerpaw pleaded.

"Have you no brain? ForestClan! Our border is at the end of the forest! You fools! Leave my den at once!" Thornstar yelled.

Flowerpaw and Stonepaw left the den with their tails down. They heard several threats from Sandclaw and Mudfur on their way out of the den.

"The end of the forest?" Flowerpaw repeated. "We don't even know how long it will take us to get there!"

StonepawForestClan warriors, we wouldn't be in this situation!" His shoulder's tensed and Flowerpaw licked his shoulder.

"It isn't your fault you didn't know about ForestClan." She tried to persuade him.

"Ugh! How are we even going to get out of here?" Stonepaw asked.

Flowerpaw saw a ForestClan warrior eating a plump mouse. She realized how hungry she was and nearly fell on Stonepaw.

He looked at her crazily, "Flowerpaw?"

She winced, "Sorry Stonepaw."

"Don't be sorry! I have to find you some prey! Come on, follow me. Don't stop walking!" Stonepaw urged.

Flowerpaw desperately tried to move forward, and when she had reached the outside of the camp, she toppled over, breathing heavily.

"I'll be right back, I promise! Yell if you need me!" He raced off into the trees beyond.

Flowerpaw watched him go, and once he was clear out of her sight, she began to worry. She couldn't defend herself from an attack, nor could she have the strength to tell any cat who she was. If she tried, she might pass out. She had to find a hiding place, and fast. She could hear upcoming cats from a few tail-lengths away. She stood up shakily, and padded across the grass and weeds and lied down behind a bush. Flowerpaw heard something coming her way. She turned to see her brother with a plump rabbit. Stonepaw dropped it beside her.

"Hurry, eat up," he said encouragingly.

She nodded her thanks and began gulping down her first meal in days. She ate it quickly and instantly stood up. "Thank you," she said, licking her lips.

"Should we stay awhile, so that you can rest? Stonepaw asked, concerned.

"No! We can't! It's already almost sunset! We will be attacked after moonhigh, we have to get a move on."

"Oh.. yes.. I forgot, well let's head out," Stonepaw said, leading the way through the trees.

They passed several ForestClan patrols unseen, and wriggled through sharp weeds. Suddenly, they scented a different scent. Nothing close to ForestClan, they had no choice but to walk towards it, as it seemed to be all around them. They had followed the strongest of the scent, and were lead to a halting patrol.