"How much further is it," panted Inky, dragging her paws along the ground again. Dawn looked over her shoulder at the younger kit and gently put down Sorrelkit, who mewed weakly.

"We are in SpringClan territory remember," she sighed, "camp is not too far away. We just have to climb this hill and then we should be able to see the camp."

"But that hill is huge!" complained the black kit, sitting down heavily, "I can't climb that!"

"Inky," called out Dewpaw, Sparrowkit huddled between his paws. "Come climb on my back. Angel can climb onto Birdpaw, and we can race up the hill. How does that sound?"

"Awesome!" squealed the two kits, running to each of the older cats, who gently put the younger kits at Flowerstem's paws. Dewpaw and Dawn crouched down, shifting to make sure the older kits were secure and comfortable, before they bolted away. Angel and Inky squealed in delight and dug their claws in lightly as the apprentices continued to run, just clinging on as they skidded to a halt. The young kits jumped off and the apprentices ran make down the hill, making a much slower trip up again as they had Sorrelkit and Sparrowkit.

"This is your territory?" breathed Angel once they reached the top of the hill. Both apprentices gently set down the younger kits and looked over the beautiful view. The grass beneath their paws was blowing gently in the breeze and created what looks like a green ocean. The grass was mostly covered by tall oak trees that had mostly lost their leaves.

"Yep," smiled Dewpaw, sitting down on the hill, "and you see that ring of bushes just over there? That is our camp."

"That is so cool!" squealed Inky, ready to bound away, "Can we go meet the Clan now?"

"No," warned Dawn, "remember, we have to wait until a patrol comes so we don't look like a threat."

"Um," interrupted Flowerstem, "I don't think we will have to wait long." They all turned to look where the medicine cat was pointing with her tail and saw the faint specks of about 5 cats coming towards them.

"Can you see who they are?" asked Dawn, squinting to try and see her Clanmates.

"I think one of them might be Whiskerstar," meowed Flowerstem and the former apprentice felt her heart leap in her chest, "and the others might possibly be Barkheart, Vineleaf, Stalkcloud and Shadeleaf." Dawn suppressed a purr as the medicine cat spoke each name.

"Shouldn't we go down there though?" asked Angel, "I mean, we kind of seem like a threat from up here. The sun is behind up and all they will be able to see from down there is our shadowed figures and the sunlight in their eyes." Dawn turned around and saw that in fact, the young kit was right, the sun was behind them and all that her Clanmates down below would be able to see would be the sunlight.

"Hello strangers up there!" called a voice, Whiskerstar's voice, and Dawn turned back around to look at the warriors below, "Please come down and if you decide to resist, we won't hesitate to give you some long lasting memories of us." The former apprentice felt Angel shrink behind her and Inky shivered, so Dawn swept her fluffy tail around them for support.

"Look Whiskerstar," the calico she-cat called back, "we have 4 kits up here, we mean no harm."

"We don't mean harm either," replied the tom, a slight layer of puzzlement in his voice at how this 'rogue' knew his name, "just simply come down here and talk to us." Dawn looked over her shoulder at the rest of the group and prayed that a fight wouldn't break out, before she began to walk down the hill towards the group of Clan cats.

"What business do you have passing through here?" asked Whiskerstar as she drew closer.

"I just merely came to drop off some former Clanmates," she replied, eyes locked with her old mentor's.

"I am sorry, but whatever game you are playing, it needs to stop now," meowed the leader impatiently, "we don't have time for this. I need to ask you to leave out territory."

"Would you still ask us to leave if I told you that I had a destiny like no other?" asked Dawn, slightly enjoying the puzzlement that kept building up in all of the warrior's eyes.

"Okay," growled Whiskerstar, "this isn't funny anymore. Leave. Now." His claws slid out and the other warriors began to form a battle position around him.

"Please, Whiskerstar," she smiled, not at all fazed, "it is me. Birdpaw."