Three moons had passed since the day Whitepaw had learned the borders and spots of ThunderClan territory.
Dreamcloud looked proudly at her apprentice. He was a brave, optimistic, intelligent, and enthusiastic apprentice.
"Acornfall, lead the hunting patrol," Stormcloud ordered.
Acornfall dipped his head respectfully at beckoned to Dreamcloud, Whitepaw, Snowfall, and Bristlefrost with his tail.
Dreamcloud padded over to Acornfall, Whitepaw, Snowfall and Bristlefrost on her tail.
Acornfall mewed, "I think we should hunt near the Sky Oak. There might be squirrels sheltering in the trees nearby."
Dreamcloud, Whitepaw, Snowfall, and Bristlefrost all nodded in agreement.
Acornfall led the way to the Sky Oak, followed by Dreamcloud, Whitepaw, Snowfall, and Bristlefrost.
Suddenly, a reddish brown tom stepped out.
Dreamcloud realized this was the tom from her dreams who killed Acornfall, and this is the same tom she had seen when Dreamcloud was about to go back to camp three moons ago.
Dreamcloud eyed the stranger warily.
"This is ThunderClan territory," Dreamcloud mewed, eyeing the rogue or loner cautiously, "Please get off."
"Okay," the reddish brown tom replied, "Or maybe, attack!"
Rogues charged toward Dreamcloud, Whitepaw, Acornfall, and Bristlefrost.
Dreamcloud hurtled herself toward a black tom with amber eyes.
Dreamcloud raked her claws along the black tom's cheek, her claws darkening into a darker red color.
The black tom launched flurries of blows on Dreamcloud's belly, Dreamcloud getting weaker and weaker at every blow.
Dreamcloud bit into the black tom's paw weakly.
The black tom yelped in surprise and pulled his paw out of Dreamcloud's grip.
Dreamcloud dashed behind the black tom and did a tail yank.
The black tom was thrown off balance and Dreamcloud yowled in triumph, about to do an upright lock on the black tom with amber eyes, when she felt herself being dragged off of the black tom by her scruff.
The black tom's eyes lit up with pleasure.
"Blue!" the black tom called.
Blue nodded at the black tom.
"Leap," Blue replied.
Dreamcloud got a quick glimpse of Blue. She was a bluish gray she-cat with blue eyes.
Dreamcloud noticed that all the cats in the hunting patrol were being dragged by a rogue each, and the other rogues were leading the way toward a barn that had been built eleven moons ago.
The rogues marched into the barn, their eyes shining with triumph.
The reddish brown tom sat down neatly, beside him even more rogues dragging out a huge silver, shiny, twoleg thing.
"What is that?" Dreamcloud asked with horror.
"A cage," the reddish brown tom replied smoothly.
"StarClan, help us!" Dreamcloud pleaded silently.
"StarClan won't help you now," Apple mewed as if he could read Dreamcloud's thoughts.
"Will we ever escape these evil rogues?" Dreamcloud wondered.
Then a feeling of dread washed over Dreamcloud.
"StarClan!" Dreamcloud yowled, staring at the faded StarClan spirits of Firestar, Graystripe, Bluestar, Ivystar, Moth Flight, Mousewhisker, Lionstar, Cinderheart, Yellowfang, Whitewing, Birchfall, Reedstar, and so much more cats.
"What have you done to them?" Dreamcloud yowled with shock and distress spreading over her like the RiverClan stream had swept away all the fresh-kill and tons of kits.
"Locked them up," the reddish brown tom replied coldly.
"Let them go!" Dreamcloud ordered.
"I won't let them go, but I will tell my fellow Clanmates to lock you up," Apple mewed.
"Clanmates?" Dreamcloud echoed, "Aren't these just a group of rogues?"
"Nope!" Apple let out a wicked mrrrow of laughter, "We are DeathClan."
Apple added, "We will bring you fresh-kill every day, and I know you clan cats or must I say you ThunderClan cats are obsessed with loyalty to ThunderClan, so I will give you a moon to think about my offer. Join us, and tell us where your camp is, or die."
Dreamcloud strained her ears forward to hear Apple mutter, "If these cats join us, we will attack ThunderClan, until they surrender and they will have to join us, and then we will attack ShadowClan with ThunderClan, until they surrender, and then SkyClan, and WindClan, and RiverClan, until we have all of the Clan cats, and then even StarClan will learn the ways of evil, and join the Dark Forest, and then all of us cats will live and kill mercilessly, but if it doesn't work, I try it over and over, and if all cats won't, I will kill all of the clan leaders, deputies, medicine cats can come with me and help sick cats and the wounded, kill all the queens, kits, and elders, along with apprentices, and the few warriors they have, and then at least we will have all of their territory to hunt in, plus the barn."
Dreamcloud was put in a state of terror as she, Acornfall, Snowfall, Whitepaw, and Bristlefrost were being shoved into the ginormous cage.
Before she curled up in the straw in the cage, which is at least what Lilystar called it, she made one last prayer.
StarClan, please help us get yourselves and us out of here!
