CLINK! CLANK! CLUNK! CLATTER!

   Chipmunk jumped at the sound as he eyed the cat that was sitting on the window sill with caution, trying to hide his nerve.

   SMASH!

   To Chipmunk's worst nightmare, the she-cat landed on the old wooden floor as she glanced around. Doing a sharp tail flick, her eyes widened as the expensive vase lay on the wooden floor in front of them.

   Chipmunk scrambled around the small room as he narrowed his eyes at the shattered vase. He was in trouble again...after the epic I-don't-want-to-take-a-bath incident.

   The darkroom must be very delighted for his owner's great return...Chipmunk thought as he let out a heavy sigh.

   Somehow, the she-cat was bearing a strange but somehow familiar scent. Her silver pelt shone under the sunlight that sneaked inside the dimmed room as her yellow eyes studied Chipmunk as if they could see through his eyes, knowing he was thinking at the moment. The white stripes of her pelt shaped like rivers as her white underbelly was clearly visible.

   The silver tabby was breathing rapidly as she mewed sharply, "Sorry about that strange thing which breaks easily. I was not aware of that, and I am sorry if that causes you any trouble,"

   A lot of trouble, as if I haven't had enough to deal with already... Chipmunk thought with bitterness as he scowled at the she-cat.

   "You haven't seen any cats out there? What are you staring at?" the silver tabby mewed, "I am here to warn you something and I have got limited time."

   No word came squeezing out of Chipmunk's mouth as his mouth was shaped like 'O' as if he had just eaten an orange directly. His head was spinning as he felt panic running over his body, freezing every muscle of his body.

   He managed to choke out, "What do you mean?"

   "A clan is coming after you," the she-cat told after she took a deep breath.

   A feeling of dread crept up from the pit of his stomach as Chipmunk asked with unsure, "After...me?"

   The she-cat's eyes widened as she stared at Chipmunk with disbelief in her eyes, "You really didn't remember, did you?"

   Before another question came rushing out of Chipmunk's mouth, she immediately murmured, "Good, at least he didn't remember the awful part."

   She raised her voice and continued, "Now listen, I can't tell you the reason yet, but just keep that in mind. Do not come out at night anymore."

   "Why?"

   "They want to keep you hostage and kill you at last."

   "Did...did I do anything wrong...?" Chipmunk's voice was trembling as he asked.

   "That is something for another day and I can only explain about the clans now. Unlike you and those cats that live here with two-legs that feed them like two-leg kits, we, the warriors live in a group which is well organized as clans-"

   "I-"

   "Don't interrupt me, Chipmunk. There are different ranks in a clan, which depends on a cat's skill. Obviously, there will be a leader who leads the clan, of course. A deputy - two deputies in our clan - will be the future leader. A medicine cat who will deal with all the healing and warriors, who hunt, fight and guard for the clan-"

   "W-"

   "How many times do I tell you not to interrupt me? For cats who are 6-12 moons and in training for a certain rank, they are called apprentices. For newly born cats who are below 6 moons, they are called kits. There are also queens who are she-cats that are expecting kits, and elders who retire from their position. Clear?"

   "...Actually...I have already known all of these..." Chipmunk mumbled quietly.

   Chipmunk was pretty sure that the silver tabby's heart had skipped a beat as she gasped. Then, her yellow eyes burned into Chipmunk's as she mewed, "How do you know?"

   "I...I...a cat taught me all of those," Chipmunk was staring at his paws as he mewed. He hated his short paws which were definitely a disadvantage when it came to climbing. Envy burn in his chest as he glanced at the she-cat.

   The silver tabby sniffed around as her pointy ears twitched back and forth. She mewed quietly which Chipmunk could barely hear her, "Cheese-It, not surprising."

   Chipmunk's head was filled with endless lists of questions which he was pretty sure that he would not get the answers for all of them. But he still asked, "How do you know? Why?"

   The silver tabby ignored Chipmunk's question, "I am here to warn you, stay away from Cheese-It. Get it? And keep this conversation between ourselves, deal?"

   "Wh-?" Chipmunk repeated his question but a loud call blasted through the thin air.

   "Morningdew? Morningdew!" A low voice echoed as Morningdew turned to the window that was spilled with a sunbeam, examining the pipes carefully. Chipmunk looked out of the window carefully as she caught sight of a black she-cat and a small silver tabby she-cat.

   "Yes, playing hide-and-seek! How awesome it is! As if we have a lot of time for us to wander around like we are mad." The small she-cat mewed darkly as they paddled through the small alleyway with unknown liquid lying on the ground that spread an awful smell.

   Morningdew took one last look at Chipmunk as she slid down the pipe gracefully and swiftly. She landed on the ground with a soft clunk.

   "Find anything?" The black she-cat asked seriously.

   "So far, none, Ravenstalker," Morningdew replied, staring straight into her dangerous green eyes.

   "See? I have said that it was a waste of time! Wasting my time looking around in this smelly place like a fool-" Receiving Ravenstalker's sharp glance, Ivorypaw looked away and shut her mouth.

   Ravenstalker's glance was back to Morningdew as Ravenstalker narrowed her eyes, "Then, what were you doing up there?"

   Morningdew mewed calmly, "I just saw a cat who looked like Falconshadow. Then, it turned out to be a misunderstanding."

   Chipmunk did not know who to believe anymore as he was leaning against the wall, listening to the strange conversation between the cats.

   Morningdew was a great liar. Was she telling the truth to Chipmunk? Or that was just simply a prank?

   He did not know what he should do.

   The world was too big for him to think about every single thing...

   "You know what, I think May is avoiding me," Chipmunk mewed as his paws brushed on the cold concrete.

   The air was suddenly filled with silence as Rise and Surf glanced at each other nervously behind Chipmunk's back. Chipmunk could sense the tension of the thick air.

   "You two know something but you do not tell me?" Chipmunk rose his voice. He could not believe how much he had missed in a week.

   A week had passed since the sudden invasion of Morningdew and Chipmunk did not tell a single soul about what had happened. He was locked in a dark room for a week, as a punishment for breaking that vase.

   Chipmunk sighed deeply. Another week wasted in the darkroom because of something that he did not do.

   "N-no...we think that she is acting strange too!" Surf replied quickly, maybe it was too quick.

   Chipmunk narrowed his eyes but he kept silent.

   Cheese-It seemed to discover that Chipmunk was avoiding her, but she did not say another word, which was lucky for Chipmunk, as he did not want to spend extra time thinking of how to reply.

   His mind became a complicated maze with thousands of tangled pathways, each heading to different places which were kept unknown.

   "What are you doing?" Chipmunk was lying on the ground lazily when he heard the soft pawsteps of Cheese-It.

   "What am I doing, huh? I just think that you might want some freedom," Cheese-It's eyes shone as she replied with a wink.

   Chipmunk sat up and looked outside as a sound replayed in his head.

   "Do not come out at night."

   The lights along with the darkness that sneaked into the attic were stretching out their hands, calling Chipmunk to explore the thrilling city at night. He missed the stars that shone on the grey walls, the mysterious darkness that embraced him, and the gentle breeze that brushed through his pelt gently.

   "Stay away from Cheese-It."

   The light ginger pelted she-cat was staring at Chipmunk with a feeling that Chipmunk failed to recognize. She leaned closer to Chipmunk with an expression that Chipmunk could not read.

   An intense battle of whether going or not was starting in Chipmunk's head.

   "Are you going or not? This is your only chance." Cheese-It whispered as the mysterious city was calling for Chipmunk again.

   "Wh-what if I get caught?" Chipmunk finally found his voice as he mewed nervously.

   "My responsibility, deal?"

   Chipmunk's heart won the battle. He could not resist the thrill of having a walk after a week of imprisonment. Shooting Cheese-It a grateful look, Cheese-It stood on hind legs as she turned the doorknob which was out of Chipmunk's reach. Sneaking out of the room, he finally tasted freedom.

   "Hey, are you listening?" Surf mewed as he waved his tail in front of Chipmunk.

   Blinking his eyes, Rise studied Chipmunk silently as her moisty blue eyes were filled with concern. Chipmunk smiled nervously as he mewed, "I-I am fine..."

   Rise mewed quietly, "You are hiding something."

   Chipmunk lowered his tail with the very tip of the tail upward as his ears twitched with nerve. He did not feel like sharing. If he did, his friends would be on protective mode for the rest of his life.

   "If your owner mistreats you again, I am going to fight him with almighty Lord Surf power and sends him running away from his house. Then we can claim that house, throw a feast and everyone will admire me. A lot of beautiful she-cats will fall in love with me too. Then TV shows will go and interview me and ask me about how I can do that. I will reply, 'because I have to protect baby Chippy, he is the sweetest boy out there!'" Surf mewed as he pretended that he was fighting Grumpy.

   Rise rolled her eyes as she cracked up. Chipmunk snored as he raced after Surf, who was fleeing from the scene.

   Rise sped up as she mewed besides Chipmunk softly, "I...I...I...know that you do not really feel like sharing that whatever thing in your mind, but...just bear in mind that I am always here for you, okay?"

   Chipmunk nodded as he shot Rise a grateful look. Rise's eyes connected with Chipmunk's as she looked away shyly.

   "See? Lord Surf has a superpower so he can run faster than those-" Surf's confident voice rang from a nearby alleyway but it was suddenly cut short.

   Dashing down a narrow alleyway, Chipmunk sped up as he was worried about Surf. Along with Rise, he doubled his speed as his heart was racing and his instinct told him to hurry.

   He steadied his breath and tried to calm the panic but everything was spinning. Terror washed over him as his fur rose. Rise wrapped her tail around him. She closed the distance between them as she mewed softly, "Breathe, breathe, it will be over soon."

   Chipmunk could not stand the thought of losing his best friend as his mouth went dry. Trying his best, he rushed to the dark alley with Rise next to him. 

   His instincts were always right.

   Eyes.