Tall buildings and flashing yellow lights surrounded the CavernClan cats as they padded along a narrow, stony path. It had been a day since Hollypaw had joined the Clan, and they finally knew where they were going. Witheredstar had chosen the twolegplace where the first cats of the Clans had lived, hoping that maybe a little hope could be restored in the CavernClan cats.

But what is hope when we have nothing to fight for? Nightpaw sighed, thinking to himself.

As if his thoughts were heard, Graytalon came to pad beside him. "We fight for survival, Nightpaw. Don't ever forget that. We are wild cats, and we are trained to survive. If we aren't, then we're just a bunch of lowly kittypets. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be a kittypet?" Graytalon's challenging amber eyes rested on him, and he shrunk low to the ground.

"N-no..." Nightpaw stuttered with a shake of his head.

"Good," Graytalon stalked off towards the front and placed himself beside Hailpuddle. He knew the warriors were good friends. Perhaps the two had been mentor and apprentice?

Nightpaw shrugged the thought off. He missed his log. He missed the place were he always could go to think, his den, the forest, his home. And now it was all gone. Taken over by a group of nasty rogues. His clanmates' injuries had been treated, though not fully. Some had already begun to grow infected, and the foul stentch was strong.

And not only that, but he missed his fallen clanmates. Applepaw, who would never receive her full name, Briarsnout, Cavetail, Palespots, and... Wrenkit. Another stab of grief for not only himself, but for Finchkit and his family. His best friend had lost his sibling, and was heartbroken. The tabby tom was padding along at the back, now, his head down.

With fewer prey in the twolegplace, the Clan was beginning to grow hungry, also. He could see that the ribs were beginning to show in the strongest warriors, and he suspected it would only be soon before any of them died of starvation. Hollypaw had suggested eating kittypet food, but Witheredstar had turned down the thought in less than a heartbeat.

The large group swiveled around corner after corner, keeping close to the wall. Sparrowsight had told them that the weaker cats should stay in the very middle of the group, and the stronger on the outside. Nightpaw appreciated how smart the deputy was, and how strong he could be, even after loosing his kit.

Suddenly, the mass of cats halted. Nightpaw stood up on his hind legs and tried to peer through the heads of his clanmates. He could see Witheredstar up ahead, face to face with three cats. One he recognized as Stormstar. The other two were a honey colored she-cat and a white tom with black siamese markings. Each had an astonished looking face.

"What are you three doing here?" Witheredstar growled.

"The same as you, I suppose." The honey colored she-cat snarled back.

"Calm down, Amberstar," the white siamese tom mewed. "We were all driven out by those StarClan forbidden rogues."

"We can take your Clan to our camp in the twolegplace. It's not too far, and there is prey. Well, more like fish. It isn't the most tasty, and only mouse-brained warriors eat it." Stormstar mewed to Witheredstar. He saw the siamese tom flatten his ears.

"Well you could move out if you don't appreciate the prey that StarClan has given us," The white tom shot back. "You won't be missed my any of my warriors, that's the truth."

"StarClan? StarClan has abandoned us, Troutstar!" Stormstar whisked his tail around. "C'mon, Witheredstar. Our medicine cats will be able to heal your wounds. Thankfully, Dustshine has found some herbs in twoleg gardens and clay pots."

And so, the CavernClan cats began to move again. And it was like this for some time. He was astonished that all the Clans had been driven out of their homes, and were now left to fend for themselves. Nightpaw paced himself beside his siblings. He usually found comfort there, but was sometimes lonely. Robinpaw and Rubblepaw had always been close and cared about each other more than they ever did him. He knew they saw him as a weakness.

Hollypaw trotted up to his side, however, and brushed her tail along his spine comfortingly. He looked down at his paws, thinking. Ever since  Finchkit's sibling had died, the tom grew more distant, and it was Hollypaw who usually came to him. He was grateful to the she-cat but missed Finchkit's company dearly.

Finchkit had came to overcome the shock with some help of thyme. But the kit was always depressed now, similar to Darklily. Nightpaw broke away from Hollypaw and his siblings and went to join the kit. Perhaps he could cheer him up?

"Hey, Finchkit," he mewed when he neared. He tried to keep the sadness in his voice from showing.

"Hey," Finchkit responded, his yellow eyes dull as he looked at Nightpaw. "What do you want?"

Nightpaw shrugged the rudeish question off. "Nothing, really," he laid his black tail on Finchkit's back and sighed. "I miss you being happy... Maybe we could play a game while we're walking?"

Finchkit brightened a little. Nightpaw couldn't tell if it was natural or forced. "Sure. What game?" Finchkit stared at him expectantly.

"You choose."

"Well, we can't play moss-ball, because there isn't any moss..." Finchkit's voice trailed off as he looked around. "How about we play tag? Wait, no... The other cats will get mad at us.  How about we do something useful? Like hunting?"

Nightpaw pondered on the suggestion. Kits weren't aloud to go outside of camp until they were apprentices. But, then again, no camp had been made. Besides, they would be helping the Clan by giving them food. "Why not? You're almost six moons anyway."

Finchkit gave a tiny nod, though Nightpaw knew he was excited. Nightpaw led him to the outside of the group, where Wavemist, Antbite, and Acornfall were stationed. Nightpaw dodged the warriors' paws, and was surprised that Acornfall didn't stop them from leaving the safety of the huddle.

So, Nightpaw and Finchkit bounded along, making sure they stuck somewhat close to the group. After all, they didn't want to get lost in unfamiliar territory. Nightpaw sniffed around the stony buildings, catching the faintest hint of mouse --- at least something that smelled like mouse.

He waved his tail to Finchkit, ordering him to move more cautiously. Finchkit obeyed, and dropped into a lopsided hunting crouch. Nightpaw didn't bother to fix it, though. The prey could be gone by that time! Cautiously, Nightpaw crept forward, his belly fur brushing the stone walkway. He could hear the squeaks of the mice, and the beady, red eyes of some of them.

A rank scent came along with it, too. Ahead he could spot the rotten cores of apples, and the brown peels of bananas. All sorts of twoleg junk piled up into a huge mass of garbage, and Nightpaw tried not to loose his breakfast. Finchkit let out a tiny growl and pounced on something nearby. To his dismay, it was only a leaf.

The mice had looked over, and their long snouts were twitching. One set his beady eyes on Nightpaw and came charging forward, some other mice close on the leader's heals. It was then that Nightpaw realized that they weren't mice, but rats!

Nightpaw swiped his claws across the first rows throat, sending them flying. A sea of rats flung themselves on Nightpaw, and he screeched in terror. "Help me!" He yowled to Finchkit as the brown tabby stood wide eyed. He batted at the black, nasty smelling creatures. He hoped he had at least killed a few to take back.

Teeth gripped in Nightpaw's scruff, and he felt his body drag along the stony floor. He immediately got up, shaking a few clinging rats off his pelt. The bites he had received stung, and he pelted out of the alley, picking up a few rats on the way. Finchkit was in front of him, panting as they pelted off. They had lost the rats, and he could hear them chanting in victory.

The two cats finally made it back to the group, where they were immediately taken back in and scolded. Though it wasn't too harsh, and that was because they had brought back prey. Finchkit dug into the prey now, probably grateful to have something to eat after the epidemic.

Finchkit was surrounded now by Darklily and Sparrowsight. He received licks from all over. Finchkit wasn't too badly injured and only had a couple bites on his hind leg. Nightpaw, though, was secluded, with many rat bites that burned like fire and stung like nettles.

Maplewish had come to comfort her kit, and lapped gingerly at the bites as they walked. "What were you thinking, Nightpaw? You put not only yourself in danger, but also Finchkit! Hasn't his family been through enough?"

Nightpaw dipped his head submissively. "We thought it would be good to serve the Clan. Since everyone's starving... And. Acornfall didn't stop us! She just looked over and didn't do anything, so I thought it was fine!"

Maplewish's green eyes lit with surprise. "Did she now?" The calico stomped off in the direction of the brown she-cat. Nightpaw was half grateful that Maplewish was out if his fur.

When they arrived at the camp, many smells filled Nightpaw's nostrils. He could detect the scents of Dustshine, Mistpaw, and Blazepaw. The other Clan scents were unfamiliar to him, though. Some smelled of fish and others of heather and wind. A new hope restored, Nightpaw immediately made his way to the group of LagoonClan cats sitting near a dark river.

Shadowflurry's paw quickly stopped him, though, and he was led away. He entered a cramped den that smelled of herbs, and he quickly felt at home. He knew that this must be the medicine den, though he didn't detect any signs of Dustshine or Blazepaw. Instead, a small, elderly white she-cat sat, sorting through some herbs. Nightpaw quickly knew her to be Littlespark, the CreekClan medicine cat.

Littlespark turned her graying face toward him, what he recognized as burdock root in her jaws. She quickly ambled over on small, but sturdy legs and sniffed at his pelt. She immediately began to chew the root into a poultice, so Nightpaw sat down and waited.

Once it was done, Littlespark spat the poultice on to her paw and began to rub it in on his many bites. She then patched it up with cobwebs, and Nightpaw felt much better. "Come see me tomorrow so I can check on those," the old cat rasped.

Nightpaw nodded and scrambled out of the den, giving a nod to Finchkit as he entered. He took a deep breath. The air wasn't as rank here, but it wasn't like it was in CavernClan camp. Though Nightpaw was grateful, he still wished for his old home.

His stomach rumbled, and he looked around the bustling camp. A meager pile of prey was beside an old willow tree, and the black and gray tom made his way over. He quickly found a mouse and crouched down to eat. He hungrily gobbled up the while thing in less than a few minutes.

Suddenly, he was pounced on and pinned. "Nightpaw!" Mistpaw's gray face hovered over his, and he looked into her green eyes.

"Hey Mistpaw," he responded, slithering out of her grasp. He felt his ear tips burning, and he began to wonder if Mistpaw noticed. Even if she did, she didn't take any note. "What's up?"

"Oh, you know. Dealing with the whole being driven out of your own camp thing." Mistpaw's playful tone grew quiet and it hinted grief. "But, I'll get over it. Besides, we can always take back our home."

Nightpaw simply nodded, now aware of Hollypaw's approaching paw steps. "Who's this?" Hollypaw sniffed at Mistpaw's pelt, and the she-cat flinched a little. "Is she from a different Clan?"

Before Nightpaw could respond, Mistpaw jumped in. "Are you even from a Clan? You smell like those nasty rogues."

"Of course she's not from that group. She's a CavernClan cat at heart. Besides, don't we all smell different now? After all, we are in the twolegplace." Nightpaw quickly meowed. He didn't want Hollypaw to be known as one of the rogues. That was CavernClan's business and CavernClan's business only.

"If you say so," Mistpaw mewed. "Anyway, I'm Mistpaw. You are?"

"Hollypaw," the cream tabby responded. Turning to Nightpaw, she added: "Graytalon and Sageheart wanted us on a hunting patrol. Care to join?"

"Sure." Nightpaw padded after the cream tabby, aware of her pelt brushing softly against his. He didn't mind, though, for he was grateful for Hollypaw's warmth.

A/N:
So, a lot has gone on in the past few chapters. Id just like to say another thank you for all the reads on this book! I really appreciate it! Perhaps if I reach 100 reads I'll do a special Q&A with the characters, or even a contest of some sort!

~Marshmellow