I raised my head as I was escorted through the alley. Everything was in place, now I just had to make sure the plan went exactly as planned.

-

I nodded, "That's what he said." I told Bella and Winter.

Bella shook her head. "Are you sure you can trust this other cat? We don't even know them or who they are."

I sighed. "Right now, this is our only chance of getting out of here. Unless you or Winter have a different plan, I don't see any other option."

Winter nodded. "If anything goes wrong, I'll stop them. I still have a few good fights in me."

I shook my head. "Winter, you're coming with us."

"I'm sorry Lavenderpaw, but my place is here." Winter replied.

"Really? You want to stay here, where your only meal is every two or three days? Where you are forced to watch cats die?" I asked him.

The white cat just looked down. "I don't want to be of any trouble. This plan is risky enough without me joining you."

"Winter, I promise you won't be any trouble at all. In fact, you could probably help us." I said to him.

"If anything goes wrong, I'll stay behind to help."

The three of us turned to face the the skinny she-cat. She had once been a beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat but now looked mostly to be just skin and bones. Her blue eyes shined brightly, though.

I stepped forward. "I'm sorry Birch died, I don't want you risking your life for us." I told her.

"My name's Maple. I gave birth to mine and Birch's kits in here, but Aster made them fight the older kits to the death as soon as they could walk. If I die helping you guys, then I'll be reunited with my mate and kits in spirit but I'll also die saving someone. I don't want to just die in another battle Aster would force me into." The tortoiseshell she-cat said.

I hesitated, but nodded. If risking her life and dying to save them was what would make Maple happy, then who were they to argue with that? I turned back to Winter.

"Please come with us, we could really use your help." I asked Winter.

Winter sighed and agreed, but looked unconvinced.

"It's settled then. After my meeting with Aster, I'll be brought back here and then we can all escape." I said.

Bella nodded. "Let's just hope this works."

-

Now I just had to make sure the meeting with Aster went smoothly. What could she possibly want from me? Did she want to talk to me, or fight me?

I entered a secluded area in the alley, the entrance surrounded by those silver stumps. The cat who escorted me in announced our arrival before they entered, just as the senior warriors sometimes did and the deputy before entering the leader's den back in Shadeclan.

Once we entered, the cat escorting me backed out of the den. I turned to watch him leave when I heard a voice.

"Lavenderpaw."

I turned back around to see where it was coming from. When I couldn't spot anyone, I padded forward. Soon enough, I saw a familiar figure near the back end of the secluded alley.

I dipped my head and sat down. "Aster."

Aster smiled. "I hear you're a clan cat?" She stood up and started slowly towards me.

I nodded. "I am." I answered.

"What's a clan cat doing all the way out here? I thought there were no clans nearby."

"There aren't; a twoleg captured me and brought me here." I responded.

The brown and black she-cat looked me over. "You're seven, eight moons, right? You must be an apprentice."

I hid my surprise and nodded. "I am." How did this cat know that she was an apprentice just by her age?

Aster smiled and sat down in front of me. "Which clan are you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

I looked at her warily. What was with all the questions? "Shadeclan." I answered. I was afraid to lie to the black and brown she-cat.

Aster flicked the tip of her tail and nodded. "I assume you wish to return to Shadeclan, correct?"

"Yes, I was just on my way back home when I accidentally stumbled onto your territory." I responded.

Aster tilted her head. "Yes, about that . . . why were you traveling with my son?" She asked.

I thought back to Flick's story when we were first captured so I could match mine to it. "He told me he wanted to travel with us so he could protect us. When we lost Bella, he lead me into the twolegplace." I narrowed my eyes. "He didn't even warn me he was leading me to your camp, he didn't seem the least bit bothered by it."

Aster grinned, showing her teeth. "He didn't? Oh, I'm sorry about that." She held in a laugh. "I knew Flick hadn't left me forever. I almost had to make Cliff the next leader, can you believe it?"

"Why do you want Flick to be the next leader, anyway?" I questioned. "What makes him so special?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out." Aster said with a grin.

I flicked an ear but nodded. "Was that all?" I asked.

"Yes, I believe it was." The black and brown she-cat flicked her tail and a black and white splotchy she-cat emerged from the shadows. "Domino will escort you back to your den. Thank you for your time."

I dipped my head respectively and turned around. Domino padded up and came up behind me. Once we were out of the secluded area, the black and white she-cat began to walk beside me.

I spotted Flick and he gave me a reassuring nod before entering Aster's "den". I sighed and padded along with Domino. At least I knew this was the right cat, and not just some stranger.

We silently made our way back to the prisoner's den, making it seem like we weren't in any rush. The time seemed to stretch out forever but we eventually made it back to the den. Domino shoved me in harshly and followed me in.

Once we couldn't be seen from outside, we both rushed to the back corner where Bella and Winter were waiting.

"Winter's coming with us." I told Domino.

The black and white splotchy she-cat shook her head. "Flick said specifically that only you and Bella were to escape."

"Please, Domino. We promised Winter we would help him get out. It's only one extra cat." I pleaded.

"Now I don't want to be of any trouble-" Winter started.

"Winter, I already promised you wouldn't be any trouble." I said to the white tom before turning back to Domino. "Well?"

Domino thought it over then sighed. "Fine, but no more. I don't even know if we'll be able to get just you out at this point if we stall any longer."

"I'll watch the front. If anyone gets too curious, I'll create a distraction so you can get out." Maple said, a little ways away from us.

Domino nodded. "Okay, let's go." She said and darted over to what I think Bella called a door. There seemed to be a smaller door inside it with a hole in which Domino entered her claw. After jiggling it around, I heard a click and the black and white she-cat pulled her claw back out before going through the mini door.

"A cat flap!" Bella said with a smile and followed after Domino.

"Are you sure I should come with you? I don't want to slow down your journey. I'm not in the best shape right now." Winter said to me.

I sighed. "Winter, look at me. We want you to come with us. You said you've been in here the longest, which means it's your time to escape. If you don't come with us, you'll just live the rest of your life in this miserable place; regretting not coming with us and wondering if you would've actually been happier escaping from here."

Either something I said or something in my expression lit a spark in Winter. He nodded without uncertainty this time, with a smile.

"Let's go catch up with the others." The white tom said before disappearing through what Bella had called a cat flap.

I turned to look at Maple. I hoped she actually did find her mate and kits when she died. I knew she couldn't believe in Starclan since she wasn't a clan cat, but what did other cats believe in after death?

I shook my head, that didn't matter now. Right now, I had to stay focused on the task at paw.

I turned around and darted through the cat flap. I almost panicked when I didn't see the others, but then I realized I could just follow their scent; so that's what I did. I followed their scent all the way to the back of the twoleg den. I spotted Winter climbing through a broken window and I smiled. I was almost there!

I ran to the window and climbed out of it. I hadn't realized how far up we had gone. Had we need on a hill or something? We seemed to be on top of the twoleg dens now.

That wasn't the thing that shocked me, though. What shocked me was when I noticed the four of us weren't alone up here. In fact, Domino had stopped.

"Now where do you think you're going?"

In front of Domino stood three familiar cats; Flick, Cliff, and Aster.

Uh oh . . . busted . . .

What happened to coming up with an excuse, stalling, Flick? Couldn't you have stalled for a little while longer?

Or maybe he lead his brother and mother there on purpose?

What do you think of Winter and Maple? Any comments on Lavenderpaw?

I'm so sorry for not posting for an entire week I've been busy and updating this slipped my mind. Not that many people are reading this anyway, but still.

What are your predictions as to why Aster wants Flick to be the next leader so badly?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

//Word count: 1719//