NO ESCAPE. THE RUNAWAY

CHAPTER 4

MountianPaw woke up the next morning, his fur pricked, and the smell of rabbit carcass entered his nostrils. He stood up and saw that DawnPaw had given him breakfast while she chomped down her magpie. MountianPaw bowed his head as a thanks and swallowed it with a few ravenous gulps. OtterTusk flicked his tail to CougarPounce, mentor as he padded over to MountianPaw.

"You too will be training together today...we'll be learning the borders and remarking them...especially in DawnClan territory..." He growled.

"Okay!" DawnPaw smiled and bounded to her mentor's side. OtterTusk was much stricter then CougarPounce which made MountianPaw jealous in a way. They arrived at the border of DawnClan, it looked to be what used to be Sunningrocks, but much more moss like. They call it Mossrocks now. Across the way MountianPaw could see NightMoth with another cream-colored tom he did not recognize. Without hesitation MountianPaw bounded across the river.

"Mom!" MountianPaw shouted with a purr as he rubbed against side. OtterTusk rolled his eyes.

"MountianPaw I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion but we're on a training session...I'm sure blood or not your loyalties lie in DuskClan..." OtterTusk hissed.

"I beg your pardon, but I only sent my son to stay safe! If he wants to see me then let him!" NightMoth snarled.

"So, his loyalties do not lie in DuskClan! Traitor!" OtterTusk growled.

"His loyalties lie where his loyalties lie! He is not a traitor do not judge him from what he's been through!" NightMoth snapped. MountianPaw's ears flattened as he lowered his head.

"I- I'm sorry OtterTusk..." MountianPaw trembled. Fear pricked inside him.

"OtterTusk!" BlackBird snapped and slid down the hill to stand between the fighting warriors. Relief flooded over MountianPaw. "NightMoth is a friend...we all know MountianPaw's loyalties lie in DuskClan...but DawnClan is an ally...If MountianPaw wants to say hello to his mother...leave it..." BlackBird ordered.

"But he- "OtterTusk began.

"No...that was an order...OtterTusk head back to camp and treat the elder's ticks while you're at it...CougarPounce can be in charge of the two apprentices training..." BlackBird bowed his head. OtterTusk snarled and followed BlackBird back to camp. CougarPounce gave a sympathetic nod to OtterTusk then turned back to the apprentices.

"You better get on with your training...I'll see you later!" NightMoth purred and slowly padded away with the cream-colored tom. The three other cats padded towards the large training hollow.

"This is the training hollow...where we will mostly train..." CougarPounce announced. "Ah look at that! BlackBird and his apprentice FogPaw are training...good opportunity to practice your fighting techniques..." He bowed his head as the two apprentices slid down the hill and bounded next to FogPaw.

"Ah...Good opportunity FogPaw...how about you three take turns trying to pin each other...MountianPaw can go first...try pinning FogPaw and FogPaw will try and dodge..." BlackBird ordered. MountianPaw flexed his muscles into a crouch as he slowly circled. FogPaw watched carefully as he looked between his opponent and his mentor. Once he looked at his mentor again, MountianPaw sprung off his hindquarters and toppled over onto FogPaw to pin him to the ground easily. FogPaw struggled to get him off but eventually was able to kick him off.

"Well done MountianPaw...I'll report this to OtterTusk...I know he'll be proud of you..." CougarPounce purred. MountianPaw smiled.

"Yes...FogPaw next time watch his stance...if he looks like he's about to spring do this...MountianPaw...how about you try pinning me?" BlackBird insisted. MountianPaw dropped to a crouch, shifting his weight as he finally sprung off his hind legs and tried pinning BlackBird to the ground. BlackBird dodged as MountianPaw ran into a rock.

"Oh! Okay!" FogPaw smiled.

"How about we try some hunting instead...we'll come back later!" CougarPounce smiled and stalked off. As the sun began to set, MountianPaw was stalking back to camp with DawnPaw after a hunting party. They were hunting by MossRocks, so they had to pass by the thunderpath to get back to camp. A dark-furred she-cat with her glaring yellow eyes, stared directly at the two, just like a monster would. MountianPaw's fur pricked with fear, he wanted to go confront the she-cat and ask why she is so close to DuskClan territory but, he told himself to keep going. He tried to see through the darkness of her fur-coat or even tried opening his mouth to taste the air for her scent but, nothing. Seems it was too dark and too far away. The she-cat stepped off the fence with a growl. MountianPaw started to canter faster back to camp as the she-cat leaped in the air and flipped MountianPaw on his back to pin him to the ground with a growl.

"Who are you?!" The she-cat growled. It was not a clan cat...or apart of the main loner group that DuskClan is allied to.

"Who are you?" MountianPaw whimpered. DawnPaw blowed an sheathed paw at the she-cat blowing her over and off of MountianPaw.

"Leave him alone!" DawnPaw snarled. "We don't want trouble...we're heading back to DuskClan camp now...Just let us go..." DawnPaw bowed her head calmly. MountianPaw stood.

"Names Rain...since you asked...I'm a part of the Cobra League" The she-cat bowed her head and leaped off over the fence. The apprentices headed back to camp with an uneasy sigh, they curled in the apprentice's den and decided to sleep it off.