Ravenpaw's farewell

Ravenpaw had been so excited after the visitors that he didn't really look forward to falling asleep, but he awoke to find himself alone, with sunlight on a branch.

"Barry?" he meowed.

"Here," replied Barry, his black and white rear in sight first, dragging a squirrel through the leaves. "We caught you something to eat," he announced.

The faces of Bella and Riley appeared at the edge of the bushes. "We climbed a tree and drove it to Barry!" Riley meowed.

"Wow." Ravenpaw meowed, he was very surprised.He remembered that Firestar had told him about the SkyClan's natural skill for hunting.Maybe Bella and Riley fit in better than they thought.

They shared the squirrels and buried the remains in the bushes.Riley found his way back to the creek, and they set off.All cats are wary of sounds and smells in the woods.

Even so, Ravenpaw was startled by movement behind a holly tree, and three cats rushed out to block their path.Both are female cats: a long-legged ginger samurai next to a gray samurai and a small white cat who looks to be an apprentice because her paws are shaking and her eyes are wide open .

"What are you doing here?" The ginger she-cat roared, "This is the border of the Celestial Clan!"

Ravenpaw picks up the strong smell emanating from the holly bushes, and realizes they're only a fox away from the scent mark.

"We don't welcome you!" the gray warrior hissed.

"Yes! Stand there like a wooden stake, and leave quickly!" the little white cat said to help.The gray cat looked down at her in surprise.

"But it took us a long time to get here," Riley began.

"Then go back again," growled the ginger she-cat.

"Wait a minute," Ravenpaw begged.He walked up to Riley: "We come in peace. I am a friend of Mars, who saved your race. Do you know him?"

The three cats looked at him blankly.Ravenpaw was very frustrated.He hadn't expected SkyClan to forget the ThunderClan cats who had helped them months earlier so quickly.

Then the ginger she-cat said excitedly: "My mum used to mention that name. What do you think? Is he here?"

Ravenpaw shook his head: "Not here, but he is my best friend, I hope his Sky Clan friends can see me."

The ginger she-cat looked him up and down: "You don't smell like a Clan cat," she commented.

"You smell like cows."

"I'm not a Clan cat," Ravenpaw admitted, "At least not anymore. Listen, Ye Xing is still your Clan leader, right? Can we have a word with her? Tell her... tell her friends from Firestar Ravenpaw is here."

The warrior looked him up again, and then said to the little white cat, "Yunzhua, go find my mother." Yunzhua nodded and ran away.

Barry stepped forward to join Ravenpaw. "I'm Ravenpaw," he bowed his head and meowed, "This is Riley and Bella."

The ginger female cat flicked her tail: "My name is Fire Fern, and this is Plum Willow."

"Er...not a bad boundary," Ravenpaw stammered, trying to break the silence.

"How do you know? You didn't even see it." Mei Ziliu pointed out.

Barry met Ravenpaw's gaze and shook his head.It doesn't look like today would be a good day to make friends with these warriors.

Riley and Bella began to look a little uneasy when Ravenpaw heard footsteps.Cloudpaw runs back along the creek, followed by a brown and white tabby.She was not very young, but her movements were graceful, and her amber eyes were bright.She stood beside Firefern and watched the visitor.

"I'm Ye Xing, the patriarch of the Sky Clan." Her gaze met Ravenpaw's: "I remember Firestar mentioned you to me. You left ThunderClan, right?"

"Well, I left," Ravenpaw admitted, "I'm living with Barry now"—the black and white cat bowed his head—"and we brought Barry's blood relatives, Riley and Bella, to the here."

"Do you still live near the ethnic group?" Ye Xing asked.Crow Claw nodded. He was going to explain that the clan had moved away, but Ye Xing spoke first.

"Then you guys must have come a long way. It must be important, whatever it is."

Ravenpaw panicked.How could he get this calm, strong patriarch to let two total strangers into her pack?

He paused for a long time.Barry raised his head and blurted out, "My sister Violet's children want to be warriors. Can they join SkyClan? They've started training and they're doing well."

Ye Xingmu is like a copper bell.The fire fern and plum willow beside them stand on end.Cloudpaw took a step forward and sniffed Bella's hair. "This cat smells funny," she meowed, before stepping back. "She can't be a warrior."

"Do we look like we're taking in strays?" Firefern snarled.

"I'm not a stray cat!" Riley snorted.

"Hush!" Ye Xing ordered, raising his tail.

"SkyClan respects your request. I admire you for making the long journey here. SkyClan is strong enough and prosperous enough. We don't need to recruit warriors from outside, as we did before. We have enough loyal warriors to stand It's on our side."

Ravenpaw felt as if the ground was cracking beneath it.She wouldn't even give Riley and Bella a chance!He imagined that Ye Xing would be a bit difficult to accept, of course, but he hoped to convince her with the determination and learning of the young cats.

"Is it because we're pet cats?" Bella meowed. "Because Ravenpaw told me that some of your warriors are still warriors. We're all day, I swear!"

Ye Xing blinked: "Sky Clan does have solar warriors, but they have been training with us for many seasons, I believe they are loyal to Clan cats."

"We can train with you too!" Riley argued; Barry stopped him by flicking his tail against the young cat's muzzle.

"I don't want to dampen their enthusiasm," Ye Xing commented to Ravenpaw.She tossed her head aside: "But why did you come to SkyClan? Why didn't Firestar accept Riley and Bella into ThunderClan?"

Ravenpaw blinked. "Because ThunderClan has left." He tried to say, feeling a pain that smothered the cat: "All the Clans left the forest. The forest was cut down to build a new ThunderClan, warriors Can't survive. I watched them go, but I... I don't know where they go now."

Ye Xing's eyes were cloudy: "Poor Martian and Shafeng, they left their homeland! I really hope they are safe, no matter where they are."

"I believe they are safe." Ravenpaw meowed.

"If something bad happens, StarClan might tell me, I suppose." Ravenpaw felt a twinge of shame as he noticed Barry glance at him.He rarely mentioned StarClan in front of his friends, perhaps because Barry thought his warrior ancestry meant nothing to him.

Ye Xing sighed and said, "I've been trying my best to keep the memory of Mars and Sandstorm alive in our clan." She murmured, "The Celestial clan owes them everything. But many seasons have passed, and neither are my warriors." The original samurai." She looked up again: "All friends of Firestar, we welcome, but only as our guests. We are always grateful for everything Firestar and Sandstorm have done. But we will not accept strange cats. Very Feel sorry."

She turns away, and it is clear that her welcome to her Martian friends begins and ends here.The other cats followed, except Meiziliu who stopped and neighed, "Don't steal the prey!" and trotted after her Clan cats.

Ravenpaw watched the disappearing warriors in dismay.

"They're mean!" Bella growled.

"They don't even give us a chance to show off our fighting skills!" Riley muttered.

"I'm sorry," Ravenpaw said, "I didn't expect her to be like this."

"Let's go back to the cave in the canyon." Barry suggested, "I don't think we can just wander around the border like this." He walked to Bella, whose tail was drooping on the ground: "I'm very proud of you." He told Her: "And you, Riley. You've learned so much on your travels! You're brave, strong, and smart. You're going to be great warriors. Right, Ravenpaw?"

"Yes, of course." Ravenpaw started walking back to the creek.His fur was on fire.Why would he raise the hopes of these young cats, only to find nothing but sore paws and travel-stained fur?There was a sharp pain in his stomach, and he staggered.

After a heartbeat, Barry came to his side and helped him up: "Are you okay?"

"Just tired," Ravenpaw snapped. "I'll be fine once I get to the cave."

Barry stayed by his side, babbling on and on until he was curled up on the dusty orange floor.Riley and Bella also plopped on the soles of their feet.

"I'm going to hunt." Barley said, "Stay here and rest."

Ravenpaw slept soundly until something prodded him and another spasm came through his stomach.Riley and Bella were standing beside her, eyes wide open.It was dark in here—Ravenpaw slept longer than he thought—but Barry was still curled up on his back, too.

"It seems like something happened!" Bella squeaked.

Ravenpaw pricked up his ears.Faint screams and roars echoed in the canyon by the river bank.

"Do you think SkyClan was attacked?" Riley whispered.

"I don't know. Whatever it is, it doesn't sound like a good thing." Ravenpaw stood up and walked towards the cave door.

"Where are you going?" Barry also stood up and said in a low voice.

"Go see what's going on."

"Take me." Barry meowed.

"So do we!" Riley and Bella join in.

Ravenpaw sighed, "Okay. But don't talk."

"We'll be as quiet as mice," Riley promised.

Bella tilted her head to the side: "Really, the mice are very noisy. The mice scurry around and make strange noises."

"That's quieter than a dead mouse!" her brother neighed.

They walked across the creek, whose banks emerged among the trees.The screams of the cats grew louder.Ravenpaw passed the markings on the holly bushes, glanced at the other cats, and gave them a nod that it was okay to move on.Now they are in the territory of the Celestial Clan.Ravenpaw felt his hair stand on end, but he still walked forward bravely. Although the noise in the distance far drowned out their voices, they were still cautious.

He stopped when he reached the edge of the woods.In the starlight, Ravenpaw made out a huge black figure looming over the creek.Maybe a rock?Above the rocks loomed a pack of cats on the sandy cliffs, shouting angrily.Ravenpaw flicked his tail to attract the attention of the other cats, and then ran up the nearest cliff, which was very steep and ran down to a bunch of low lawns.On the far side, bright yellow lights flickered; that must be the Twoleg lair, Ravenpaw guessed.He walked to the edge of the cliff to look down, and although it exposed him, no cat noticed him.Barry, Bella and Riley slowly climbed up behind him, watching uneasily below.A cross-shaped path is distributed in the center of the canyon, and the cats switch back and forth, roaring.A pile of soft, dark-black figures was scattered; from the smell coming from below, Ravenpaw could guess that it should be a disturbed pile of fresh prey.

By the time Ravenpaw's eyes adjusted to the starlight, he realized that half a dozen cats were running towards the other cats, neighing and shaking them awake.More and more hats filed out of the nest, including several cubs that could barely walk.

"Take them back to the nursery!" cried a female cat.

"Poor children, they are far away from their mother at such a young age." A familiar voice mocked.

Ravenpaw looked at Barry.That's Pasha!He surveyed the canyon again, and this time he recognized the cats as the ones who had come to provoke him that night.Are they going to provoke the Celestial Clan?

"Samurai, come to me!" Ye Xing yelled, her creamy blotches gleaming in the dim light.Eventually, formations of cats gradually formed, and they drove off the intruders.There was a mocking sound, and the pet cats turned and scrambled back to the cliff.

"We'll be back!" the pasha yelled, and they were so close to Ravenpaw that they could almost step on him.

Ravenpaw and his companions crouched in the grass holding their breath until the footsteps of the kittens faded away.The SkyClan camp below fell silent, save for the sobs of kits being driven back to the nursery, and the elders complaining about cats disturbing their rest.

"Three days in a row!" one of them hissed.

Ye Xing comforted: "We will make them look good, I promise. Now go back to the nest and sleep."

"Wow!" Bella panted, "These pet cats have caused a lot of trouble for the Celestial Clan!"

Ravenpaw stepped back from the edge of the cliff.The strong SkyClan scent lingered on his fur, and he realized he'd been lying on the scentmark.

"Totally can't imagine having to suffer this every night!" Barry commented.

They went down the slope to the creek.

"I don't understand why these pet cats are going to their camp," Riley meowed. "SkyClan cats are warriors! They should be able to protect themselves!" Ravenpaw shook his head: "I think the pet cats may not have any Purpose.They're just looking for something. "

"Thank goodness, it's their trouble, not ours." Barley said, "The cave is there. You two go to bed. We're leaving tomorrow for home. Ye Xing has made a decision." He urged Riley and Bella went in and crouched beside them too.

Ravenpaw lay down at the mouth of the hole, his chest against the soles of his feet.Barry was right; there was no reason to stay here if Ye Xing wanted them to go.But he could never forget the image of the warriors trembling when they were attacked again.Can SkyClan really stop them?