The night felt long and cold. Kia kept her pace. She took he lead this time. Her claws were unsheathed, in case an enemy came out of the shadows. She stopped dead, picking up a scent. Her amber eyes slowly wandered the alley.

"Kia!" A voice yowled. She looked up and saw a mottled brown large tom leap down from a bin and towards her. Rufus's pelt spiked and Orto bared his teeth in a snarl.

"You're alright." He meowed kindly, giving her a nuzzle. Kia rolled her eyes. "Of course I am. I can take care of myself." She snapped and began to wash her right paw.

"Who's he?" Orto asked, tipping his mottled black and white head to one side. The tom straightened up, bracing his shoulders. "I am Pear. Kia's father." He meowed. Orto and Rufus exchanged a look together.

"Oh, we didn't," Rufus's mouth was silenced by Orto's tail.

"You lot have been through enough. Come Kia, time to come home." He rumbled as he turned to walk away.

"Sooo..is our trial over now?" Rufus asked rather hesitantly at the large tom's presence. Orto shrugged and turned, going home, holding a tuft of white and gray fur in his teeth. It was Orchid's.

"Father you said I could do this! You always do these things to me! I never get a chance to do anything!" Kia huffed bitterly.

Rufus stayed where he was. He padded over to stand by her side. "Um, with all due respect, I think you should give her a chance,"

Pear took a threatening step forward. "Are you telling me what a tom is supposed to do with his business?" He growled. Orto's scent wafted over Kia. He had come too.

"Father please." She meowed as she looked at her father, but her eyes gleamed as she seemed happy that her two companions were beside her.

"If it means that much to you. Fine. I love you and don't want you hurt." He mewed softly as he gave his daughter's ear an affectionate lick.

"Thanks." She purred as a sudden purr made her eyes widen and a cat stepped into the pale moonlight.

"Well well well! Seems you all have completed the task, I knew you could do it, and it was all Pear's idea." Meowed a pure white she-cat with a dark smirk.

"Pearl!" Orto sneered. The white she-cat strode over to him. "Oh, I thought you would be glad to see me Orto,"

He flung himself backward and hissed. "After I saw Orchid in a bag and dead?" He screeched. Pearl backed away. "Or-Orto...calm down now my love." She stammered.

"Shut up!" He yowled. "And I am not your love!" His voice carried pure seething rage. Rufus stood between his friend and the dark she-cat. "Orto, stop." He muttered.

"Oh I see, that she-cat must have corrupted yours mind." She growled. "Well don't worry my dear Orto, we'll have that fixed soon!"

Suddenly, Mystery was thrown to the ground with Poker and Mackey hovering over her. Pearl curled her lip. "What? Thought I wouldn't find out? You know, I could just kill her right now. What do you say?"

Pear suddenly shot to his paws yowling, "This wasn't part of the deal! You are killing an innocent," he stopped when Pearl flicked her tail and a few toms stood in front of him. "So what do you say...love?" She drawled with a vicious smirk on her maw.

Rufus curled his lip. He was bristling with fury. Orto and then Kia, who raced to her companions, stood together, backs arched, teeth bared.

Mackey's rose colored eyes turned to Pear. "And who cares about the innocent? We all know that son of yours is a real leader! Not you!" He snarled. Kia's eyes widened then formed into slits. "How dare you insult my father?" Her voice was hard and icy.

"Just what do you want from me Pearl?" Orto growled through gritted teeth. Rufus stared at his companion then their kittypet accomplice struggling on the ground. Again Kia stared down at her paws. "Let the she-cat go you fools." She growled lowly. Poker lashed his tail. "Tchah! Like we'd listen to you!" He spat.

"Maybe we should. She is useless. Now that she sealed her fate as being one of these hero cats." Mackey growled, his claws burying themselves in the she-cat's black and white fur.

"Those trials.." Rufus muttered. Pearl whisked her tail. "That's right, were all a ruse. It was delightful watching you run around like rats. But to you my dearest Orto, I'm sorry for what I had to do." She gave him a lick on the cheek, which the mottled tom recoiled from and took her two companions with her and disappeared behind a corner.