ShadedOak followed Nettle though the forest, and she paused when they came to the DuskClan border. The scent of rogues was still fresh, telling her that they had just arrived.
"Let's go through the trees, it'll be safer," ShadedOak leaped up into a tree, the tom following nervously.
"Are you sure this is safe?" He looked down at the ground, shivering.
"As long as you don't fall, yes it is," She assured him, and began to move into clan territory, Nettle following nervously.
The tree-tops flashed by her as she raced along, keeping one eye on the ground. She glanced behind for a heartbeat to make sure her friend was following. He was keeping up with her quite well, actually. Pausing, she dug her claws into a branch to scan the ground below.
Seeing nothing, she continued to move through the trees. A flicker of movement in a small clearing below caught her attention, and she stopped moving. A black tom emerged from the undergrowth, along with the silver she-cat.
"There they are..." She narrowed her eyes, digging her claws into the bark. Raven was carrying a squirrel and crow, and the silver she-cat, a mouse. "Prey stealers!" She hissed.
When Raven and Ivy were directly below them, the small warrior dropped directly onto Raven's back, making him drop the stolen prey.
"Did you miss me?" She raked her claws along his spine.
"You!" The tom hissed, tossing her off with great effort. "You shouldn't be here!"
"Why?" She challenged, "I think I could belong here!"
Paw steps made her turn to see the silver she-cat running off, the mouse abandoned. Nettle flicked his tail in the direction more paw steps were approaching from. ShadedOak quickly pinned down Raven, then waited for the cats to approach.
"Intruders!" A black tom with dark-gray stripes hissed at them, fur bristling. "Their stealing prey!"
"Actually, this one was," The small warrior jabbed the black tom with a paw, claws unsheathed. "luckily I was there to stop him, or he would have gotten away with it."
"Darkclaw, relax. At least he didn't get away with the prey," a dark-gray she-cat stepped forward. "Thank you for what you did." She dipped her head respectfully to ShadedOak and Nettle.
Two of the patrol, including Darkclaw, went up and picked up the stolen prey, disappearing back into the undergrowth.
"My name is One-ear, I'm the DuskClan deputy," She introduced herself.
"I'm ShadedOak, and this is Nettle," A crashing up in the trees made her laugh. A blue-gray and white she-cat jumped down, looking guilty, "and that noisy badger is my daughter, Bluespark."
"I am not noisy!" She protested.
"Most of the time," ShadedOak flicked her over ear, then turned back to One-ear. "We'll be leaving your territory now." She shoved Raven in direction of the border, teeth bared. "Now you had better leave. If I see you anywhere near this clan again I will shred you!"
The black tom raced off, a disgusted look on his face. The DuskClan deputy chuckled, faintly amused. "Well, I'd think he won't be coming around anymore with you here."
"Actually, can I speak to you alone for a minute? I have a question for you," ShadedOak asked the she-cat.
Nettle and Bluespark reluctantly walked to the border, the she-cat with a bit of a suspicious look on her face. She glanced behind her to be sure that they were alone.
"Can you climb?" She asked, "I find it safer to talk up in the trees."
"Uh, yes I can," The dark-gray she-cat glanced up at the trees nervously. "But are you sure it's safe? Won't the branches break?"
ShadedOak chuckled, "Yes, it's perfectly safe. I've been climbing trees since I was kit, so I know that."
"Alright then..." One-ear followed her up to a tree, still nervous. The SkyClan warrior found a sturdy branch, where it met the trunk, making a divot where they could sit.
She took a deep breath, then looked the DuskClan cat in the eye, "I know I just met you, but I have a serious request for you. I just...have a feeling this is where I belong. May my daughter and I join your clan?"
"I-I don't know. I'll ask my leader today. Meet me at the border in two days' time, and you will know then." The she-cat answered, then climbed down from the tree silently.
Two days later, Bluespark and ShadedOak were waiting at the border, Nettle waiting with them to say his goodbyes. He touched noses with ShadedOak, eyes sad, but there was something else in them when he looked at her.
"Are you sure you have to leave?" He asked her sadly.
"Yes. I feel it in my soul," She answered, but added, "don't worry, we'll meet again. I promise."
"Good bye then...See you later," He turned, and disappeared into the undergrowth.
Her daughter sighed, gazing off into the distance for a heartbeat, "Do we have to leave Nettle? I was just getting comfortable there too..."
"I just know we have to...it's hard to explain. But I know we must," ShadedOak murmured. She was imeadiatly alert when the sound of paw steps approaching reached her ears.
A cream and white tabby emerged from the bushes, One-ear behind her, and padded over to where ShadedOak was waiting.
"So, the prophesized cat has come..." The DuskClan leader murmured.
"Wait a moment...'prophesized cat?' What's that supposed to mean?" The small warrior frowned in confusion. Then she sighed, "StarClan must really want to confuse me..." She shook her head.
"StarClan can be mysterious at times," the she-cat chuckled, "I'm Honeystar, DuskClan's leader. I heard from my deputy you had requested to join my clan."
"Yes, I did. It's alright if you say no, but I get the feeling it's a yes," ShadedOak murmured.
"Then your instincts are correct," Honeystar dipped her head in respect to ShadedOak. "I did agree, because I had the feeling you will help DuskClan greatly by joining its ranks."
"Thank you, Honeystar. You have no idea how much this means to me," The small warrior purred gratefully. "How much this means to my daughter as well. We've searched for so long for a place to call home forever."
"You will have my clan's protection. But you will have to earn their trust," The tabby warned. "Many of them are not fond to outsiders."
"That's fine, I've had to deal with all that before," The dappled-tabby answered.
The DuskClan leader nodded in acknowledgement, and turned to lead them to her camp. "Then welcome to DuskClan."