NO ESCAPE. THE RUNAWAY

CHAPTER 12

DuskClan padded down the sides of the hollow to Fourtrees. CrowStar at the head with BlackBird, AlligatorCreek, AdderFur, MumbleStripe, OtterTusk, CougarPounce, FogPaw BumblePaw and EvergreenFrost. BumblePaw bounced up to HazelPaw with a purr. CrowStar hopped up the rock with a sigh. DuskClan was the last one there at the gathering.

"CATS OF ALL CLANS!" CrowStar yowled, flicking his tail for silence. "FinchStar...Your clan has had access to our rivers since last gathering's. One of our cats has spotted you near our rivers far too much. Hasn't the rain picked up since last newleaf?" He asked.

"It has. And we will not forget this alliance. Apologies for my cats choosing to drink your rivers instead of our own. Some of our cats can be...entitled." FinchStar bowed his head.

"Very well. Next order of business. We have invited one of our ally loner groups into our clan because of their home being destroyed." CrowStar began. Gasps arose from the crowd as he spoke. "They seem to get along but three has disappeared along with two other warriors, Sini, Lime, Heather, MountianCreek and DawnThorn from our clan of about four moons ago. They haven't been back for a while, and we've searched our entire territory. I was wondering if the rest of the clans had problems" He finished with a sigh.

"Our medicine apprentice HollowWood has disappeared." ReedStar muttered.

"VampireTooth went missing at the same time." CresentStar hissed.

"TurtleJaw here." HopeStar shook her head.

"And HawkTail here." FinchStar sighed.

"They must've all went together somewhere." CrowStar bent his head. Crest looked from side to side and shook his head.

"I knew nothing about this." He finally sighed.

"What do we do?" AdderFur muttered hopelessly.

"We must find them! Search Two-Leg place for all I care! We just need to bring them home!" BlackBird protested.

"We can't do that. We'll harm warriors looking for them outside of the forest. They're in the paws of StarClan." CrowStar bent his head.

"Very well...We can pray to StarClan that they come home safely." CresentStar sighed. The sun had begun to slowly climb above the horizon as the cats padded back to their own camp. HazelPaw and BumblePaw padded along together before having to go off into their own territories.

"BumblePaw! Pip, Pip we have to go!" BlackBird chirped.

"Right!" BumblePaw nodded, looked back then hopped off with DuskClan.

"Any luck?" PoppySnout asked once the cats got back to camp. CrowStar shook his head.

"I hope they return soon. LynxKit misses him." Honeybriar sighed. BlackBird snuck off with AlligatorCreek to find them. They padded to Tallpines and Two-Leg place but nothing.

"I don't want us to get injured, but we need to find them. They must've run off outside of the forest." BlackBird sighed.

"I know you want to search for them. But I have a duty. And I don't want to spend it looking for cats that I know are going to return soon. It's not worth getting injured for." AlligatorCreek ran off.

"Mouse-Dung! I'm looking myself then!" BlackBird hissed and sprinted off.