the winning choice was 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗘: follow his sisters trail, perhaps she found somewhere safe to lay low.

stonechatpaw's paws pounded against the earth as he ran, the greenery around him a blur of shadows and moonlight. the badger's growl still echoed in his ears, a low menacing rumble like a distant thunder, that spurred him onward, fear coursing through him like a hot fire. the scent of the badgers breath and the sight of it scarred body haunting his every step, and forcing him push harder, to run faster.

he hardly noticed the branches that whipped against his flanks or the undergrowth that tugged at his paws as he weaved through shrubbery and bushes. his mind has shut off, his instincts now leading him somewhere, guiding him through the maze of foliage.

he could still smell robinpaw's fear on the breeze. he followed it like a lifeline, trusting that it would lead him to safety — and to his sister.

the badger's monstrous footfalls seemed to slowly fade behind him, but stonechatpaw didn't dare slow down. he darted around a thorn bush, narrowly avoiding the sharp brambles, and leapt over a collapsed tree.

the landscape began to change as he left the territory behind him, the dense thickets and dotted trees giving way to open rolling, fields that stretched before him under the light of the moon.

stonechatpaw's raggedly gasped as he sped across the open field, the tall grass whispering against his legs as he ran. the border of their territory loomed ahead, he could scent the thick scent of his clan up ahead, just by a line of shrubs.

his eyes locked onto a lone tree that sat by the border, the scent of his sister grew stronger as he closed in on it, and he felt a surge of relief.

she had made it this far — she was safe.

but, as he neared the tree, his relief was tempered by the fear that the badger might still be close behind.

without slowing his pace, stonechatpaw reached the tree and leaped, his claws sinking into the rough bark as he scrambled up the trunk. his heart thundered in his chest as he climbed, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. the branches creaked under his weight, but he pushed himself higher, desperate to reach his sister.

at last, he found her perched on a thick branch halfway up the tree, her fur ruffled with fear, her eyes wide and shining in the moonlight. she was trembling roughly, her breaths short and raspy as she stared down at him, her face a mask of worry and guilt.

❝ stonechatpaw! ❞ gasped the she—cat. ❝ you're okay. i'm sorry i left you. i—i was so scared, and i— ❞

❝ robinpaw, it's fine, ❞ stonechatpaw panted. his fear seemed to fade slightly now he was beside her and he reached out and touched his nose to her cheek, trying to calm her racing heart. ❝ i'm just glad you're okay, ❞

robinpaw nodded, her breath slowly evening out as she leaned against him. the smell of fear that had clung to her was starting to pass.

they both fell silent, their ears straining for any sign of the badger below. but the night had returned to its usual quiet, the only sounds now the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of a cricket. the badger had either given up the chase or lost their trail entirely. whatever the case, they were safe for the moment.

stonechatpaw glanced around, his eyes scanning the dark expanse of the field below. from their vantage point, they could see the open land stretching toward the horizon, the faint outlines of hills and distant trees just visible in the moonlight.

for a while, the siblings remained in the tree, neither speaking, simply soaking in the quiet after the storm of their fear.

stonechatpaw settled into a more comfortable position on the branch, his body finally starting to relax as the adrenaline slowly drained from his system. beside him, robinpaw had curled up, her fur brushing against his, the last hints of her fear still clinging to her in the occasional tremor or twitch.

❝ do you think it's gone? ❞ robinpaw whispered after a long silence, her voice just a breath in the quiet.

❝ i think so, ❞ stonechatpaw replied, though he wasn't entirely sure. he didn't want to scare her further with the fact that he wasn't certain. ❝ we'll stay up here for a while, just in case, ❞

robinpaw nodded, her eyes flickering across the sky, at the horizon, where the first hints of dawn were just starting to show — a faint lightening of the sky.

they could see the colors beginning to change, the deep blues and blacks of the night giving way to purples and pinks, the stars slowly fading and twinkling dimly, as the sun prepared to rise.

stonechatpaw closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of his sisters body beside him.

the first rays of sunlight broke over the sky, painting it in beautiful shades of gold and orange. the field below them was bathed in soft light.

stonechatpaw blinked against the golden light.

carefully, he clambered down from the tree, his claws firmly gripping the bark as he descended. he paused midway down, ears pricked as he scanned the field below him. the shadows that had once harboured their fear were now patches of cool darkness under the sun. there was no sign of the badger.

❝ you can come down, ❞ he called up to robinpaw, who was still perched above, eyes watchful and wide. she nodded and began her own descent.

once they were both on the ground, robinpaw moved close to him, her breath steady but her body still tense. he offered her a comforting nudge, and she leaned into him briefly.

❝ we should get back to camp, ❞ he mumbled, ❝ before anyone notices we're gone, ❞

robinpaw nodded again.

they stepped quickly and quietly as they walked.

but even as the comforting scent of their own territory began to fill his nose, stonechatpaw couldn't shake the lingering unease that coiled in his belly. the distant echo of the badger's growl and the feel of the tunnel and its darkness shrouded his thoughts, making him twitch at every stray sound. his heartbeat drummed in his ears, loud and insistent, as if his body was warning him that they weren't safe yet.

they had nearly reached the edge of the clans training grounds, when the stillness of the morning was shattered by a sharp snap — a twig breaking under the paw of another. stonechatpaw's ears flattened against his skull as his fur bristled. beside him, robinpaw let out a startled gasp and she scampered behind him,  pressing against his flank as if seeking protection.

the bush rustled.

stonechatpaw instinctively arched his back, his fur puffing up as he prepared for whatever might emerge. his claws slid out, digging into the earth, and his eyes narrowed as two figures stepped out.

at first, all he saw were their silhouettes, dark shapes against the dappled light of dawn. but then their scent hit him — nettleclan. the tension in his body shifted from fear to dread as the identities of the cats became clear.

the first cat was a stocky tom with a coat of white fur marred by a scar that ran across his muzzle. his eyes, sharp and assessing, landed on the two, and it made stonechatpaw swallow hard. the second cat, a large black tabby, stepped forward, his own gaze narrowing as they locked onto the two apprentices.

it was rookwhirl, their father.

stonechatpaw's heart plummeted, his pulse quickening in a different kind of fear — one that came from the knowledge that they had been caught, far from camp.

without a second thought, rookwhirl bounded toward his kits.

stonechatpaw barely had any time to react before his father was upon them, the black tabby tom's eyes wide with alarm as he quickly checked them over. his nose twitched as he sniffed their fur.

stonechatpaw could see the worry etched in his dad's features. his tail lashed behind him with anger.

rookwhirl took a step back, his expression hardening as the initial panic gave way to anger. when he finally spoke, his voice was harsh, the sharp edge of authority slicing through the morning air.

❝ what in starclans name are you two doing? ❞ the tom growled lowly. his stare bore into then, which made stonechatpaw flinch under the intensity of his father's disappointed stare. ❝ do you both have any idea how dangerous that was? how reckless? ❞

stonechatpaw felt his ears flatten against his skull as he looked down at his paws, his throat tight. a strong, suffocating guilt clawed at his chest. he had never seen his father so furious.

robinpaw, usually quick to respond with a sharp retort, was equally subdued, her tail wrapped tightly around her paws as she avoided their father's gaze.

❝ do you understand what could have happened? you could have been killed, ❞ snarled the deputy. ❝ what if it followed you back to camp? what if it caught you? ❞

"We—" Stonechatpaw started to explain, his voice small, but Rookwhirl cut him off with a sharp lash of his tail.

stonechatpaw winced, and he dropped his jaw to talk,
when a flick of father's tail silenced him.

❝ i want to know who's idea it was, now, ❞ rookwhirl snarled silently, his nose nearing the two apprentices who cowered in front of him. ❝ and then, you'll be coming back to camp with me, to tell whisperstar what happened. and so you can be punished properly, ❞

stonechatpaw gulped shallowly and curled his tail over his body.

𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘱𝘢𝘸 𝘥𝘰:

━━ 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗘 ... snitch on robinpaw: it was her idea to sneak out after all.

━━ 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗢 ... speak up and take the blame.

━━ 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 ... remain silent, he followed his sister out of camp: they're both as bad as each other.