"I had heard many rumors about loners, but I had never seen one sleep that much, it seemed that you were going to hibernate," she meowed between giggles. I got up, once I could better see the cat standing in front of me, I was stunned.

"Whiteblaze ...... cloned himself?" I thought when I saw in front of me was a black she-cat with a white tail, ears and paws with one emerald green eye and the other brown. "Is this a clan cat joke, Whiteblaze?" I asked, rubbing my eyes as I left the nest.

Rays of light passed through the gaps in the rocky roof, forming small patches of light where the other cats gathered to share tongues, hunt or chat. Along with the warm morning light, the winds refreshed the camp accompanied by some flower petals that, brought by the wind, fell through these cracks.

“Whiteblaze is my brother. I'm Blacksmoke, nice to meet you Tigress. "I yawned, stretched my legs and tail to finish waking up." The pleasure is mine, Blacksmoke. "

"How did you sleep? How about the wounds? " Look at the scars that would remain on my side and shoulders, they still hurt, they already allowed me to move a little better than the day before. “Well, the nest was very comfortable. Regarding the wounds better, some poppy seeds would help me. They will heal soon, and you won't have to see me around here anymore. ” The black warrior wrapped her tail around her legs.

"... Don't tell me that my brother told you that?" She meowed with a sigh.

"No, no, no, it just seems like your clan doesn't host loners very often."

"Don't listen to my brother, he's always suspicious of other cats, he'll get over it ... by the way, are you hungry?" I whipped my tail in the air. "A bit…."

"Perfect! Crystalstar asked me to show you the hunting grounds. Follow me. There are some with spectacular views."

"Really?" I meowed, the truth is that I had never seen beyond the neighborhood of the two legs, the wheat field behind the barn during the sunsets and Nanny's garden. Seeing the warrior's enthusiasm piqued my curiosity. "Yes, you'll see." The warrior took the lead towards the rocky tunnel. "Where do you think you two're going?"

"To hunt". Hollyfur shook her tail and stood in front of us. "I'm sorry, darling, but Tigress is not yet in conditions to leap like a fawn in a flowers field. Her wounds need rest."

Hollyfur was right, in my state I shouldn't make efforts, but my mind wanted to explore the clan's territories. I had fantasized for years with the clans of the stories and now I had the opportunity to see them for myself.

"If you want ... I can go get you herbs? If Blacksmoke can show me around the area a bit, I'll know where and what herbs grow. That doesn't require any sudden movement, please ".

“Don't fear Hollyfur, I'll take care of her. I'll do the hunting. But are you sure you know what herbs to take, Tigress? "

"Honey, you don't have to worry about that, Tigress is a box of surprises. I leave it up to you, bring it to me when you get back"

“Yes Hollyfur” we both meow, we looked at each other and laughed, “come on! we still have time before sunset”.

We went down this rocky slope again, passing through a path in the middle of the forest until we reached a clearing surrounded by tall trees and bushes where a torrent of water could be heard. Blacksmoke often had to keep me from hitting myself for being engrossed in the landscape.

"Be more careful, Tigress." Blacksmoke meows. I wagged my tail in response.

“I'm sorry, it's just... I never believed that I could be in clan territory, the stories I've heard don't compare to this place. I'd jog like a kit if I could. " Blacksmoke chuckled lightly, her emerald and brown gaze sparkling with curiosity. "What is this place Blacksmoke?" I meowed, there were fresh smells of cats and prey galore. The gentle breeze sang a tune as the leaves moved gently.

“This is the sun meadow. It is a great place to hunt, there are usually a lot of prey around here. May I investigate the area a bit while you hunt? "

Blacksmoke was doubtful. "This area is frequented by ... undesirables. I won't be long, wait here for me, then we'll go for herbs."

I nodded. Blacksmoke disappeared into the bushes, the sun began to descend, and the black warrior hadn't shown any signs of life. Out of boredom, I went into the bushes to explore the herbs. It was much wider than it seemed, that forest seemed to surround the entire mountain where the camp was located. At least, that was the impression I had, after walking a bit I came to an area full of weeds and poorly maintained.

“Hmmm ... strange, I don't detect any odor, is this part of the echo clan's territory? It seems like it's been moons since no one is around here. ” According to the stories, abandoned land is land that the clans could name as their own in a short time. So, I went deeper into those territories while with the tail I collected spider webs, yarrow and celandine from the area. A ray of light passed between the treetops illuminating something golden in the distance, I got closer out of curiosity when, hidden among the leaves, I found a whole field of marigolds.

I raised my tail with joy, that herb was very useful for infections, especially if those muddy ones reappeared with those smelly claws that only rats would dare to touch. I started to grab as many as I could "Hollyfur'll be happy when I tell her about this" But mixed in with the smell of the marigolds was something else, an unpleasant smell that predicted problems for echo territories ... the smell of fox and quite recent. I took the flowers and quickly turned back to the sun meadow when my skin prickled.

Ahead of me was a fox approaching from the opposite direction, its jaws dripping fresh blood even though it wasn't carrying any prey. I hid in the first bush I came across and crouching stealthily fell silent. At that moment my reason failed, my head said to flee, on my own and wounded I would be easy prey, but my claws scratching the earth with fury wanted to scratch out one eye and feed it to the crows. When I saw the trail of blood behind the fox, my blood froze.

"It came from the sun meadow ..... but the only thing there was..." I thought, advancing through the bushes I got as far away as I could from that place. "Blacksmoke!"

"Blacksmoke, if you listen to me, answer me! You're in danger!"

By the time I reached the sunny meadow, Blacksmoke had just appeared with a couple of mice hanging out of his mouth. "Tigress, everything okay?" I sighed in relief. "Hey, calm down, it looks like you've seen a ghost." I opened my mouth to alert her, but the only thing that came out of me was the roar of my guts.

Blacksmoke laughed. "I'm going to hunt something else, and we're going, okay? Wait for me here."

"No, no wait!" I smoothed out my fur, but when I turned to see the warrior, she was already gone.

"For the star clan! She had to disappear with the fox on the loose!" I left the herbs and walked in circles. "I have to warn someone, I can't fight, but a single cat is no match for an adult fox!" I thought.

"What did you just say about a fox?" asked a golden tabby cat.

 Loner, what are you doing outside the camp? "Whiteblaze meowed. Behind him were two other warriors.

"Whiteblaze, thank Goddness, I have seen a fox in the territory" The white warrior wagged his tail with a serious face "Where?" "Up in the meadow, grown-up, and it's jaws were dripping blood."

"Don't move from here. Patrol, let's go!" Whiteblaze and the other cats disappeared into the street, so I kept walking in circles until it started to get dark, "I don't have time for this, I have to warn Blacksmoke!

I heard some trees shake abruptly and after that, it rang out a roar. "Oh no! What if the fox attacked her? Where is Whiteblaze? Blacksmoke may be in danger!"

I was starting to worry about what might happen to the she-cat, if she was really fighting the fox alone, there was no time to go back to the clan to warn them and Whiteblaze patrol had not returned either. So, I went into the bushes, taking the first tree within my reach, I began to climb. Jumping from branch to branch, I could see better what was happening, but my injuries came back to haunt me.

In one of the jumps I miscalculated the trajectory, ending up hanging from a branch, when I looked down I understood that that branch was the only thing that kept me safe from a certain death.

Beneath my legs rose a huge, wide, dark rift, this one apparently delimiting the Echo Clan territories to the other side. My heart pounded, thinking about what it would mean to fall there. I pulled out my claws and scrambled up the branch, hitting the log as hard as I could. "Why hasn't anyone told me that there is a bottomless rift in this place?" I thought. The growls and meows intensified as I followed my way, but when I got very close to the source of the meows, my suspicions were confirmed.

Blacksmoke was in front of the fox, she had an ugly wound on her leg and on her back that stank of blood, yet she showed no fear. She had the fox with its jaws pointing towards her neck. Taking a wrong step would be a safe, one-way trip to the Star Clan. Her neck and back bristling, claws drawn and a sharp look that, despite the fox had her cornered on the edge of that dark abyss with her attention, was fixed on the enemy without looking intimidated.

I jumped one last time to the branch just above them. Blacksmoke hit a pebble that fell into that bottomless, huge hole.

Old memories hit my mind, memories filled with blood, screams.... and a feeling of internal strong pain that blurry my mind, make me see silhouettes shouting for help. I froze, as my body refuse to obey. In an internal fight with myself, I look at the stars that were starting to shine. A strong growl help me to snap out of it, as I saw the young warrior trying to make that fox step back.

A stream of fury began to run through my veins. I unsheathed my claws with all my body, screaming to get rid of that creature. The fox charged with open fangs caught one of the warrior forelegs, as both start to fall in to the darkness of a death. An intense smell of blood filled the place, with a desperate attempt to free herself, Blacksmoke dig her claws in one of the fox's eye. In a growl of pain, the fox threw Blacksmoke up, freeing her from those jaws.

I tied my long tail around the branch and jumped towards the black she-cat.

"Hang on!" Once I was close enough, I closed my jaws around her black neck's fur. Some blood from the warrior wounds splashed out, blocking part of my vision. We were hanging right in front of that soundless void. I felt the fur of the warrior trembling under my jaws as blood trickled down my face, I saw safe land that we have to reach. 

"T-Tigress? But how did you.... ?! "

"Later, now swing!" I exclaimed between my jaws.

"What ?!" Shout, Blacksmoke bristling her tail. "Are you out of your mind?!" My ears shake as I could feel the branch begin to give way under the weight. 

"You just do it, trust me!" Without saying anything else she began to swing for when she reached the safe and I released her making her land at the foot of the tree, then I followed her, once both were in a safe zone I released my tail and landed near the warrior before the branch gave way completely and began to fall into the abyss. "That's.... the bravest thing that I'm going to do in my hole...... life" I thought. As I heard a few meows I ran back to the warrior. 

"Blacksmoke! Are you ok?! Don't move, let me see the wounds." Checking Blacksmoke wounds, the pain of my own wounds paralized me for a moment. "I'm so sorry! I should have told you before, I knew about the fox but I....." Before I knew it, something had collapsed me, breathing in my face as I placed one of his claws on my neck.

"I knew it! You KILLER!" Whiteblaze growled in fury as the other two kept Blacksmoke away from me. "I must have seen it coming ... you tried to kill my sister!"