One moon had passed since the Dynasty and the Clan cats had been driven out of the ravine camp. Now, they resided in the Twolegplace, risking their lives to enter the forest and hunt. Ravenflight was thin and her belly growled as she prowled the streets of the Twolegplace. The Dynasty cats had it easy; some of them were ex-kittypets, rogues or loners, and knew how to hunt in Twolegplaces. But the Clan cats had no experience, save for Johnwatcher, Midnightcall and Lilacblaze.

"Hush!" Amberclaw commanded.

The light ginger she-cat had gotten the hang of hunting in a crowded space really quick and was attempting to teach Ebonywind and Ravenflight. The former had no interest in learning to hunt, spending her days lying in the sun daydreaming, while the latter found it difficult to hunt, being used to a wide-open moor.

"What's wrong?" Ravenflight tilted her head.

"Probably a false alarm," Ebonywind yawned. Ravenflight narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her. Ebonywind had been missing last night. Again. Almost the fifth night in a row, now that Ravenflight thought about it.

What was her sister doing every night? She couldn't be training; Ebonywind hadn't improved at all.

A terrible scent drifted their way, making all three of them freeze. Ebonywind now looked alert and her tail twitched in almost happiness. It was as if the silver and tan she-cat wanted a battle.

Dark, Ruthless, Bloodmoon and Crowspirit leapt out from behind some bins, ready for battle. Amberclaw snarled her defiance, taking on Dark. Ruthless headed towards Ravenflight and the two black cats sparred. Bloodmoon and Crowspirit attacked Ebonywind, who seemed to be faring pretty well. Even though she acted lazy and tired during the many days and nights they had spent in the Twolegplace, Ebonywind was winning the two rogues without any trouble.

Ravenflight focused on Ruthless, quickly dodging her claw strike and retaliating with a leap and kick. Ruthless hissed in frustration, her yellow eyes narrowed to slits, and rolled underneath Ravenflight, scratching at her belly. Ravenflight howled in pain before letting herself fall down on Ruthless, squashing the larger cat.

Ruthless rolled around, making Ravenflight lose her grip. Now, she was the one pinning Ravenflight down. Ravenflight easily pulled Ruthless off her so that they had swapped positions again. She risked a glance at Amberclaw, and to her horror, Dark's reinforcements were here. There seemed to be more cats than last time.

Dark must've been busy during that moon, recruiting more rogues, Ravenflight thought bitterly.

"We need to go!" Amberclaw yowled.

Ebonywind knocked Bloodmoon and Crowspirit's heads together before racing to the camp, her tail waving frantically, whether out of fear or anger or whatever, Ravenflight didn't know. Ravenflight swiped Ruthless on the cheek one more time with her claws before joining Amberclaw, nodding her head. They fled together, following Ebonywind.

When they reached the Dynasty's camp, they found that Ebonywind had already rallied every cat, and they stood together defensively.

"Dark! This is enough!" Autumn called to him, her claws out and scraping on the stone. "Dynasty of Truth and the Clan cats, attack!"

As one, all the Dynasty of Truth cats attacked. Ravenflight stopped Amberclaw and Ebonywind and they watched the battle from a distance. Dark and his rogues were winning, Ravenflight realized. They had to run. The Dynasty could be wiped out.

"Ebonywind! Go help Autumn with Dark!" Ravenflight ordered.

Ebonywind gaped at her. "Do I have to?"

"Yes!" Amberclaw growled impatiently. "Go!"

"Please, no," Ebonywind begged.

"Fine, but we're talking about this later. Amberclaw, you go. Ebonywind, you go start telling the cats to flee." Ravenflight glared at Ebonywind before speaking. "I'll go help around too."

Ravenflight jumped into the battle, helping Ember of Sunset fight off a huge dark gray tabby tom with green eyes. Ember dipped his head in thanks, but Ravenflight was already gone, helping Thorn.

In the end, the Dynasty managed to flee without any big injuries. Silver Light dashed around as they sprinted away from the battlefield, checking injuries and patching up wounds. Ravenflight began to help silently, but she was unable to tear her eyes away from Dark's. They were full of malice but were somehow soft at the same time.

"We'll take refuge in this barn," Autumn decided once they had travelled until sunrise. "Dark won't find us here."

"That's what you said last time," Midnight Eclipse reminded her softly.

"Amberclaw, Ebonywind, come over here," Ravenflight called her sisters over to her. "We need a family talk."

"Fine," Ebonywind grumbled. "Over here," she pointed with her tail to a secluded corner of the barn.

"What's up with you?" Amberclaw growled once they were out of earshot of the other cats. "Why are you so...so...different?"

"I'm not different!" Ebonywind shot back indignantly.

"Yes, you are!" Ravenflight pressed. "You don't sleep with us anymore. You don't even sleep anymore. You leave every night and come back late, tired and exhausted. You're crankier than Amberclaw!"

"She's right, you know?" Amberclaw snarled.

"Alright, I'm sorry," Ebonywind hung her head though she didn't look sorry. In fact, Ravenflight suspected she was rolling her eyes.

"This has got to stop," Ravenflight warned in a low tone. "Otherwise we'll leave you behind, just like we almost did with Amberclaw."

Amberclaw nodded solemnly. "It feels terrible."

Only now did Ebonywind looked panicked. "No! I mean...no. I'll stop."

"Good," Ravenflight mewed curtly. "Make sure you do."

She cast one last glare at Ebonywind before joining Autumn in deep conversation, Amberclaw right behind her.

What will happen now? Dark isn't going to stop chasing us. I know that. Autumn does to. She's lying to her cats. I must help her. But how? It'll only stop once Dark is dead. Once Dark...is dead...Once Dark is dead. I must kill him again.