Starlight Destiny Part 4

Dawnstar emerged through the camp entrance and the cats of Roseclan circled around her. "Starclan was no help, they do not know where Sunpaw is, or even if she's dead. They know nothing of Fang's group of cats either." she mewed angrily, mostly just frustrated. Thornmask, Quailwing, and her kits looked unsure and worried for their kin. Cats dispersed into dens to sleep. Moonshine stayed and looked to the stars, sighing. 'Sunpaw...where are you? Am I left alone now, with...' she thought, but was interupted by the crack of a twig. Moonshine froze. A pair of eyes glinted in the shadows, but were gone with a rustle of bushes. Stepping slowly towards the Warrior Den, Moonshine kept her eyes on the spot where the eyes had just been. She finally reached the entrance and padded swiftly into her nest. Dawn came quickly, and every cat began to wake at the start of a new day.

Meanwhile...

Sunpaw woke up in a small den made of twoleg stuff, with a hard barrier blocking the only way out. Straypaw lay with her head down in the den next to her. "Straypaw!" Sunpaw yowled out with a fear she was dead. "What!" Straypaw mewed, irritated. Sunpaw sighed with relief. "OK good...but why are we being held here?" Sunpaw mewed. "I...I think the twolegs are trying to mate us" she mewed worriedly. Sunpaw looked horrified.

"We have to get free" Sunpaw said, looking determined. "I have a somewhat useless plan" Straypaw mewed. "OK, what is it?" Sunpaw asked. "On three we charge and attack these hard barriers, starting from the back of the den." Straypaw explained. Sunpaw shrugged and the two backed up. Flicking their tails, they counted in their heads...One...Two...Three! Sunpaw saw it like an enemy and slashed through it. Straypaw crashed headlong into it and fell backwards with a grunt. Sunpaw sat up on the furry ground of a twoleg nest. "Hey! How come you got out!" Straypaw whined. Sunpaw looked back at the den, the barrier had just fell away like water where she slashed it. "Don't worry, I'll get you out" she mewed to Straypaw.

When they were both free from the trapping dens, they sat and rested. "Straypaw...we have to rescue the others." Sunpaw mewed with certainty. Straypaw looked ready to protest, but shook her head in agreement. They stood and padded to an open window. Sunpaw flicked her tail for Sunpaw to follow. They lept into the morning air, sweet and refreshing. "The wooden den" Sunpaw mewed as behind the nest it loomed above them. "I'll try to bury into the den like with the other ones" Sunpaw mewed. She struck her claws against the side, first the wood blackened, then fell away as ash. Her strokes became fiercer, enlarging a hole big enough for the largest cat. Straypaw went in and yowled. "We made a hole in this den's wall! Quick, let's all get out off here!" She whipped around and darted outside, the rest of the cats following. Sunpaw and Straypaw waited at the entrance and watched the cats disappear into the forest. Mewling was heard inside the den. Sunpaw slunk in, to see three orphaned kits wailing. "Straypaw!" Sunpaw called. She came in and saw the poor scraps of fur. They both scooped a kit into their jaws, but despaired as the last one couldn't be picked up. "Straypaw, take each kit to a hollowed tree in the forest, one by one. I'll watch the rest." Sunpaw said as she set her kit down. Straypaw nodded and dashed out.

Minutes later Straypaw returned for another kit. Sunpaw then heard a monster coming into the twoleg den. "They're coming!" Sunpaw mewed. She then picked up the last kit and followed after Straypaw, to the tree. Breathing hard, Straypaw and Sunpaw lead the kits in. "Straypaw, these kits are going to die...they are too young for fresh-kill, they need milk!" Sunpaw worriedly exclaimed. Straypaw looked grim, but motioned for Sunpaw to come inside. The five of them settled into a comfortable position, and slowly drifted into sleep.