The AutumnClan patrol continued to escort the SpringClan cats in silence, the only sound that could be heard was the crunching of leaves under their paws and the occasional tweet of a sparrow or thrush. When they reached the AutumnClan border that backed onto no-clan territory, Whiskerstar bowed his head to Gorsetail and thanked him. The pale grey tom, black apprentice and other members of the patrol wished the new leader good luck before the disappeared into a wall of bushes. Whiskerstar flicked his tail at Flowerstem and Birdpaw, walking cautiously towards a line of strange objects that were covered in dirt but still shone in the sunlight.

"What are they?" asked the apprentice, taking a step forward towards the strange objects but her mentor stuck out his tail to stop her.

"Don't go any closer," he warned, sniffing the objects carefully, "they are Twoleg objects and they could be dangerous. I don't want anyone to be injured." He reached out a paw and touched one of the objects, which was round and spotted, and it rolled away down a hill.

"We should be on our way," said Flowerstem, looking up at the sky and the two other cats did the same, to see that the sun almost gone behind the horizon, "we have to get their by moonrise."

"How much further is it?" asked Birdpaw, looking at the brown and white medicine cat. The she-cat didn't respond and just leapt up the nearest tree, digging her claws into the bark and disappearing into the leaves. Leaves scattered all around the ground and one stick dropped close to the apprentice.

"She is strong!" said the apprentice, admiring the medicine cats strength, bearing in mind that all she did all day was sort herbs in the medicine cat den. For a few heartbeats, not much happened, but then leaves showered down and finally the brown and white she-cat leapt back down to the ground, shaking leaves out of her fur.

"I can see the cave from up there," meowed the medicine cat, pulling a splinter from out between her claws, "it should be no longer than an hour. If we move along now, we should be there before nightfall."

"Let's get moving then," said Whiskerstar marching to the front of the group again and weaving his way down the hill with Flowerstem and Birdpaw following closely behind.