Blossom's P.O.V.

I opened my eyes to the sun blinding me. I sat up and shook out my fur. I was confused, it felt warm. 'This must be a dream...' I thought to myself as I stepped into the snow. It was wet yet not as cold as yesterday. I tipped my head to the side and looked up. The sky was blue and cloudless. I felt like leaping for joy at that moment. Finally a day without snow and the cold wind freezing my skin to the bone. But I just purred. Thorn was gone from where he sat, and Mini's kits were pouncing around. Venom watched the six bundles closely as they hopped in the snow. Froya and Sorrel were chasing each other while Ash and Raven chatter quietly while Crow and Sunshine stalk Sorrel and Froya.

Venom's kits were so tiny compared to Mini's kits. They must've just opened there eyes. I trekked through the wet snow, finally not having to hop through the snow like a rabbit. "Morning Venom!" I purred as I got up to him. He looked up from the six bundles and dipped his head, "Hello, Blossom. What a beautiful day, eh?" I nodded, "It is. I'm going to go hunt as much as I can for as long as I can," I explained, trekking through the soft snow. He nodded but didn't reply, just turned back to the three kits and watched them play.

I happily trekked through the snow, over to the entrance. I slipped through, feeling the slush of brown snow. Paws had gone through this entrance too many times today for this entrance to have clean snow under it. I shook it off and looked down the trail. Paw prints were imprinted in it. My heart pounded in my chest and I lunged down the trail. Leaning back, I slid on my paws down the trail. I felt so happy I could call out and grab all the Tribe cats to come here and try but I knew that they were still heartbroken from Mystery's accident. I spun around once and then my thoughts were interrupted by me tripping and rolling down the rest of the trail. The muddy-snow seeped into my patched pelt until I felt as if someone had drenched me in water.

I shook out my pelt, feeling the weight flying off my pelt. I opened my eyes to see Thorn and Mini standing in front of me. My pelt felt hot with embarrassment, so I stepped aside and avoided anymore awkward eye contact. I padded through the snow and sniffed the air. My tongue bathed in scents as prey scattered around our territory. 'What a unexpected way to wake up after a Tribe cats death...' I thought to myself, stalking to a spot where the snow was almost gone. A squirrel nibbled on a nut and I stalked forward until I was a tail-length away. Wiggling my haunches, I pounced onto the small creatures shoulders and killing it with a killing bite.

I felt eyes on my back, burning through my skin and into my soul. I narrowed my eyes and looked around; I craned my neck to hear what was around me but the only sound filling my ears were bird chattering around as they sung a song of newleaf. I couldn't see anyone, but I knew someone was there. Shrugging it off, I headed toward another scent with the squirrel dangling from my jaws. The scent of prey watered my mouth. I haven't had something to eat in days. I had been giving it to the apprentices and Shadow.

I tasted the air again and another scent bathed my tongue. A rabbit. Burying the squirrel, I stalked my way to another spot where barely any snow was and watched a rabbit pick at green shoots. Stalking closer, I stopped when I was barely a tail-length away and pounced. I landed clumsily, the rabbit darting away and towards the trail. I dashed as fast as I could but with no fresh-kill in my stomach, I could barely run. Out of no where, Shadow jumped at the rabbit and killed it with a killing bite. "Thanks, Shadow!" I purred, taking the rabbit and heading back for my squirrel. "No problem," he replied, heading back into the boulders and hopping onto one. I un-dug the squirrel and grabbed it, feeling a lot of weight on my neck. By the time I got back to Shadow, I was practically out of breath.

"Hey, Shadow," I called and he turned to me. "Yes?" He meowed, blinking. "Aren't you supposed to be with Leaf? I thought you haven't recovered yet." I prodded, jumping up with him and setting down the squirrel and rabbit. "She said since it is such a nice day, I should go out for a while. So I decided to watch for WindClan cats." I nodded and looked into WindClan territory. "Hopefully, we don't have to battle before the end of this moon." He nodded once and we sat in silence. I heard a crack of a stick or a branch and I whipped my head around. I narrowed my eyes and looked into our territory, searching for WindClan cats.

"Take these back to camp, I'm going to check this out." I murmured, jumping down from the boulder. Shadow obeyed and left up the trail, the squirrel and rabbit dangling from his jaws. My stomach growled. My stomach would have to wait. I stalked silently through the snow until I heard small murmurs. I tasted the air, unable to hear the murmurs clearly. WindClan scent was no where near here, the territory line was the only WindClan scent I could smell. Rouge bathed my tongue until I gagged. they smelt of twolegplace and crow-food. 'We haven't had rouges near for a long time...' I thought to myself, feeling surprised yet protective.

I stalked closer until I could see a black and white pelt with a grey pelt laying down. A branch had fallen and I assumed the grey cat had something to do with it. "You mouse-brain! Now they're going to find us and kill us! Do you know where we are?" The black and white cat hissed at the grey cat. The grey cat sighed and sat up. 'What a cutie he is!' I thought, fighting a purr. "We're in Tribe of Rotting Skulls territory." He sounded more tired then worried. "And what do they do?" the black and white cat sneered, claws unsheathed and fur raised. "They kill without regret." The light grey cat sighed. Before the black and white cat could reply, the grey cat said more. "If you're so scared of these Tribe cats, then why did we come here in the first place?" The black and white growled and then calmed down a bit. I heard a cat creep up beside me and I looked over to see Shadow. "Because we're on the move. Remember?" The grey cat nodded and I stalked backwards a bit.

"We need to get Venom. I'll stay here, you go get Venom." I whispered and Shadow sighed, backing away towards the trail to our camp. I stalked closer until I was in reach of the two rouges. I wanted to say something but I was afraid of two things, them running away or them attacking me. My eyes slitted and I watched in silence as they talked low. Shadow and Venom finally came back just when I thought I was going to scream at them for being on our territory. Venom gestered with his head to go up to them and Shadow and I nodded. We stood up and circled the two cats. The grey cat just stared and the black and white cat unsheathed his claws again and snarled at us, lip curled.

"This is Tribe of Rotting Skull territory. What do you think you're doing in it?" Venom asked calmly. The grey cat replied before the black and white cat could, "We were on the move so we decided to stay here for a bit before we left again," He meowed, he was way calmer then the black and white cat. "And what makes you think that you can stay on our territory?" I growled and for a heartbeat, the grey cat and I held eye contact. I shook my head when Shadow pushed me with his paw. "We were only staying tonight. It isn't that big of a deal." The black and white cat hissed, taking a step toward Venom. "It is, actually. We don't want any other rouges that might follow you, stay here either. Now leave or I will kill you and your friend." Venom spat, unsheathing his claws. The black and white cat wasn't going anywhere.

Venom lunged at the black and white cat, arms stretched out. the black and white cat rolled away and pinned him down. Venom bucked him off and slashed at his face, beads of blood appearing just above his eye. Shadow dived at the grey cat and shoved him into the muddy-snow, dirty snow splashing everywhere. They grey cat striked at Shadow and Shadow striked back, blood splattering the brown and white snow. Venom and the black and white cat rolled in the muddy-snow while the grey cat and Shadow fought, claws everywhere. the black and white cat pinned Venom again and I stalked up to him, going on my back and bucking his side so hard he rolled into the fallen branch.

Venom quickly stood up and pinned him; Shadow was pinning the light grey cat as well. "For a couple of rouges, you're good at fighting." Venom panted, and Shadow nodded. "What's your names?" He asked, still over top of the black and white cat. "I'm Wolf and this is my brother, Moon." 'Moon... what a perfect name for him.' I purred to myself, the purr not too loud so they couldn't hear me. "We need more warriors and you two seem to be the fighting type we're looking for. Would you like to stay for a bit and see what we're like?" Venom offered. My eyes widened in shock. He doesn't know them and he's just offering them to come in? What if they bring enemy cats into our territory? What if they kill Mini's kits? So many bad things could come out of this yet he's just letting them walk on into our camp without getting to know them first. Well, at least Moon and I could get to know each other.

Shadow looked taken back and he let Moon stand up, Venom also letting Wolf go. "We hardly know these two and your going to let them join?" Shadow growled, narrowing his eyes. "If they don't like our ways and want to leave, I will let them. And if they do leave and bring enemy cats here, I will kill them painfully and let them suffer." Venom replied calmly, licking his arm where a small open wound was. I nodded but said nothing. "Well, what willl it be?" Venom asked, getting impatient. Wolf and Moon exchanged glances and Wolf spoke, "We will see what your Tribe is like." Moon nodded and Venom started padding away without another word. Shadow stood beside Venom while I stayed in the back. Moon and Wolf said nothing as we headed toward the trail.

I knew if I fell for Moon, something bad would happen, so I had to forget him and continue life as is. Trekking through the melting snow, we came to the camp. Venom led the two rouges into camp as if we were on patrol together. Strange looks were casted our way as Venom led Wolf and Moon in. Mini wrapped her tail around her kits, letting Sunshine and Crow stay behind her, while the rest of the warriors scowled at the newcomers. Wolf's fur on his shoulders and scruff rose in defence while Moon calmly padded behind Venom. 'How could Moon be so calm?' I wondered. 'If I were him, I'd be worried like Wolf!'

Soot and Fox padded up to me and glared at Wolf and Moon. "And who are they?" Fox spat, claws unsheathed. I shrugged, sitting down. "Some rouges. Venom, Shadow and I attacked them and because they were so great at fighting, Venom's going to let them stay." I growled, all though I thought Moon was quite the cutie, I knew it was a bad idea to let strangers into our camp. Soot gasped and shook his head while Fox snorted. "Venom's gone crazy, we all knew that. But this? This is mouse-brained." Fox hissed, sitting down as well. Moon started to feel unwelcome, his eyes darting from side to side and fur beginning to spike up along his spine. Wolf's tail lashed but he forced his claws to sheath. "I wonder who he's going to let in next, a Jagged Rocks warrior? WindClan warrior? One of these days, Midnight will have to kill him and become leader." Soot scoffed, tail lashing impatiently. I nodded not replying.

Venom jumped onto his den and summoned the Tribe for a meeting. "We have taken in two newcomers, Wolf and Moon. Blossom, Shadow and I fought them and they did well. I know it'll take some time to get used to them, but we need more warriors as soon as possible. And they seem to be the type." Venom announced, his head high. "He seems so proud. Sooner or later, one of these newcomers will murder Venom and take over. Like Killer." Soot whispered, eyes slitted. "Killer did no such thing, that's a nursery-tail." Fox growled, eyes narrowed and head low. Soot rolled his eyes, "Point is, a newcomer like these two could permanently hurt the Tribe."

I shook my head and laid down, the warm sun warming my fur and soaking deep into my skin. I felt happy inside for once, suddenly not caring about Wolf and Moon and how they could kill Venom or Mini's kits. The sun was now hotter then it was in the morning, probably twice as hot, and we still had tons of time before dusk. I felt warm inside and I felt tired and hungry. Venom kept talking but I decided to ignore him and head to the fresh-kill pile, picking out the rabbit I had caught earlier.

I dropped it in between Fox and Soot and gestured to it for them to eat it, and they did. I happily ripped the skin off and picked at the meat; the flesh still had a touch of warm in the center. My stomach hadn't felt so full in days, and I just wanted to sleep and not worry anymore. I looked over my shoulder to see Venom talking to Wolf and Moon, Midnight joining him, their heads together in deep conversation.

I shook my head. 'What has our Tribe become? A refuge where you just let strangers in?'

*****

Midnight's P.O.V.

After a brief discussion with Venom about the two newcomers, I padded out of camp and to the training center where the apprentices were training for hunting. Whip silently stalked through the muddy sludge and pounced on a stick, making no noise at all. Slash, his brother, stalked up behind Whip and leaped onto his shoulders, dragging him down. Whip yelped in surprised. I narrowed my eyes and padded into the middle of the training center. "Alright. Listen up." I announced, getting everyone's attention. "Wolf and Moon may have just came into the Tribe, but that should not have any affect on our training. Kink, take Whip and Slash out hunting while the sun is still out. The rest of you, start battle training. Use any techniques you can think of." Kink, Whip and Slash trotted off toward the clearing of rock cliffs and burrial places. Crows would be there for sure. "5 laps! Lets go! Dodger, Shadow, you too!" The two warriors exchanged glances and raced away, pacing themselves until they made their way around 5 times. Shadow was making a great recovery in the sun and with the exercise. He hadn't been out for at least a half-moon or less. I watched as the apprentices eased to a stop, Thrush still a bit behind.

They finished in a great amount of time, barely panting. "This practice will be different. We need to practice being quiet while running through tall grass." The apprentices exchanged glances and nodded. "WindClan cats are sneaky and fast and we need to beat them. Dodger, you go to the edge of territory and I will signal you when to turn around. That signal will be a wave of my tail, telling you that we will begin stalking." He nodded once, a tiny one, and bolted down the territory, ears flat. I looked at the apprentices and then to Kink. "Kink, stay in the rear so no one goes off." She nodded once and waited for all the apprentices to come behind me. I gestured with my head to follow, trotting to the start of the ferns, heather and long prickly grass that had started to show and stick up now that the snow was melting.

With my black fur I was panting and dying of heat already, barely walking 10 fox-leaps. I shook out my fur and felt the air hit my skin.

'Great pelt for leafbare, not greenleaf.'

I sighed silently and signalled Dodger to turn and he obeyed. I opened my mouth to talk low when the stench of twolegplace hit me like a stone. The smell seemed to be heavier then last time. I looked over to where they were creating twolegnests and my eyes widened in shock.

More and more nests had been made because of the great weather. Dogs pranced through fields and a few twoleg kits chased after them. "Midnight?" Kink meowed and I saw in the corner of my eye that when she turned to see what I was looking at, her eyes widened. "They're going to take our territory if we don't stop this." I hissed low. "Dodger! Come," I yelled and he turned, shocked. He padded up and looked to the twolegplace. Bangs and booms crashed through the air and I was sick of it.

We had to get rid of the twolegs, and fast.

"We're going to scare them off," I decided, voice serious. I could tell Dodger and Kink were surprised but they said nothing against it. "before it's too late."