"Frostpaw, are you awake?" Sofie asked, prodding Frostpaw with her paw.

Frostpaw blinked and nodded sleepily, slowly standing up.

"Let's go," she yawned. Her fur was damp and cold; the rain might have started again while she was dreaming.

Sofie led her out of the Moonstone cavern. Frostpaw was filled with hope that StarClan was really watching over her now.

A faint scent of a rabbit hit her nose and she tried to follow it by scent.

Frostpaw didn't see any rabbits but she spotted a bird. She pounced before the bird could take off and killed it quickly.

"Share?" Frostpaw asked, putting the bird near Sofie, who nodded gratefully.

Frostpaw had been meaning to ask Sofie if she had met StarClan, but she decided against it. They needed to focus on the journey.

After finishing the prey, they set off again. They walked in silence, none of them having anything good to say.

Frostpaw took that moment to look at the surroundings. The light blue sky was dotted with white, fluffy clouds. The young apprentice wondered what would happen if she touched one of the clouds. Would it be as fluffy as moss? Or nothing but cold dampness?

The golden circle of light was quite high in the sky. A few birds were flying past the sun, and its brilliant light seemed to make the birds coated in gold.

Frostpaw focused her attention on what is in front of them. The land was pretty much barren; only a few spots of dried grass decorated it. Further ahead, Frostpaw could see faint outlines of a Twolegplace.

"So... did you see StarClan?" Sofie broke the awkward silence.

"Yes," Frostpaw replied, facing her. "It encouraged me to continue the journey, however difficult it is." She paused.

"How about you?" she asked slowly.

When Frostpaw spoke the seemingly wrong words, Sofie stopped walking.

"Did I say anything wrong?" Frostpaw asked anxiously.

"No," Sofie shook her head. "I had a dream but I'm not sure it is from StarClan."

Frostpaw was about to speak but she quickly stopped herself. I shouldn't pry.

"Hopefully we could get to that Twoleg area soon," Sofie mewed, "if I remember correctly, there is a bit of a forest behind the area."

Frostpaw nodded.

~~~~

By the time they reached the Twolegplace, the sun had already gone down, away from sight. Frostpaw could hardly see her whiskers, and her heart thumped with fear as she remembered what happened when Timberclaw showed her a tunnel.

It made her more wary of the darkness that day.

"We need to find shelter," Sofie's voice conforted her.

"Where?" Frostpaw asked.

"Somewhere away from Twolegs," she replied.

Frostpaw jumped as she heard a dog bark. "Maybe that cave looking thing over there?" she suggested.

"It's worth a try," Sofie mewed.

There was another bark and a sharp hiss that made Frostpaw quicken her pace.

After what seemed many moments later, they reached the cave. It was dark, but they will be safe in there for now.

Frostpaw lay down on the fairly soft soil and immediately fell asleep.

~~~~

When Frostpaw woke up, she realised Sofie was still asleep. Careful not to wake her, Frostpaw padded out of the cave.

Is there any prey in this Twoleg filled place? she wondered.

She lifted up her nose to taste for any scents of prey, but there was none, only a faint scent of a bird.

What if we stave here? Frostpaw tried to ignore the dreading thought.

"Frostpaw," a voice called her.

When she turned around, Sofie was beginning to wake up. "Did you find or scent any prey?"

"No," Frostpaw replied.

"Then you two should get out of this place," a different voice growled.

Frostpaw saw the newcomer. It was a tom, with sleek black fur and white paws. His tail was slightly longer than hers, and the tip of it was white.

"You don't belong here," he hissed, unsheathing his claws.

In a flash, Frostpaw tried to remember the battle moves that Timberclaw taught her. "Maybe we would leave if you let us," Sofie mewed.

"You trespassed," the tom snarled. "You two aren't leaving here without a scratch or two."

Frostpaw gulped, tensing and dropping into a crouch.

"Why can't you let us leave here in peace?" Sofie questioned.

The tom's voice dropped to a soft and menacing purr. "You obviously don't plan to leave so soon."

"We don't have to fight!" Frostpaw blurted out.

"The kit says we don't have to fight," the tom sneered, then his voice became angry. "Enough talk, you are distracting me aren't you?" he snapped just as Sofie leaped onto him.

"Sofie!" Frostpaw yowled, pouncing near the tom and swiping him away before he could hurt the loner.

"The kit wants to fight now," the tom growled. "Bring it on."

The tom charged at her as a voice shouted in her head, Use the leap-and-hold move now!

Frostpaw immediately obeyed and leaped onto the black tom, clawing clumps of fur off his back.

He yowled and twisted so fast that Frostpaw couldn't react. She was pinned down within heartbeats and she felt a surge of panic.

I'm trapped!

"Move one step and the kit is dead," he threatened Sofie.

What do I do? Frostpaw asked in her head, hoping for a reply.

The only reply was from another cat. "Get off, rogue," the cat snarled at the tom that held her down.

The tom widened his eyes in shock and surprise as the newcomer pounced onto him as fast as lightning.

The cat had pinned the black tom and raked his claws on the tom's face. As quick as the cat came, the cat left.

Frostpaw was speechless. Sofie glanced at her to see if she was alright while the black tom simply lay down on the ground, blood oozing out of his wounds.

Who was that cat?

"You two can go," the tom spat to them, trying to stand up but failed.

Despite his attack and hostility to Frostpaw and Sofie, Frostpaw couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for him.

"Wait!" she called out to Sofie. "We should help him!"

"I don't need help!" the tom snarled as Sofie replied with a puzzled voice, "Why?"

"We can't leave him here, injured," Frostpaw insisted. "That would be wrong, one way or another."

"Okay," Sofie sounded hesitant.

Frostpaw turned to him. "I know how to treat your wounds. What's your name?"

"Why should I tell you?" the tom snapped in reply.

"Would you rather walk around with that injured leg of ours?" Frostpaw asked icily.

"Fine," he muttered, lifting up his head to face her with his dark blue eyes.

"Bitumen," he mewed reluctantly. "My name is Bitumen."

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A/N: So... what do you think of Bitumen? ;)

Managed to get a chapter out sooner. :D