AN: Yuppers, another challenge! Read on! BTW- this takes place in the old forest.

CHARACTERS: Jade- A mangy looking dark brown she-cat. Both hindpaws are black. The only other splash of color on her would be a few white hairs making up a tiny star on her forehead. Sad amber-brown eyes. Kittypet

Flamespirit- Red ginger she-cat with a white heart-shaped patch on her forehead. Long golden stripe going from between her ears down to the base of her tail. New warrior

Oakblossom- Beautiful reddish brown she-cat with a white stripe going down her face. Her legs and tail are black. Medicine cat

Frecklepelt- Bulky white tom with brown specks all over his fur. Warrior

Littlestone- Scruffy white tom with a steel gray stripe going down his spine. Warrior

Rowanash- Brownish-gray tom. Deputy

Tiz- Slim white tom with enchanting amber-brown eyes. Rogue

Shadowcloud- Patched black and white she-cat. Crippled from an apprentice-hood injury. Queen

L~I~N~E~B~R~E~A~K

Jade's POV

I strained against the chain in my neck. Yes, in my neck. Sound painful? It's been there for six months.

I turned my gaze to the house. I heard the oldest male of the housefolk vacuuming inside. He had been the one to tie me out here, after he found his horrid allergy.

I heard a whisper of wind in the grass outside the fence, and lay down in the ten-foot circle of mud I was imprisoned in. I could barely see the outside world through the tiny chink in the wood.

My mind slipped into memories as I remembered my family; my mother, so soft, kind, trusting; my siblings, all dead except Tarzan, and he could be anywhere, really. I hoped he was being loved by his housefolk.

A flash of red awakened me from my thoughts, and I looked up. A red cat was balanced on the top of my fence. It gazed at me with a sad golden-brown gaze, then disappeared to somewhere else.

"No- wait!" I called, too late. I dropped my head to my front paws, getting a drop of mud to the face as I did. Disgusting.

Flamespirit's POV

I raced along the fences of Two-leg-place, back to the forest. I couldn't forget the look of utter sadness on the face of the skinny brown cat chained in that place.

I jumped off the fence, and ran into someone. A slim white tom- oh, no-

"Hey, Flamespirit. Long time, no see."

"Tiz." I growled. "What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing..." he said smoothly.

"Then get out of our territory."

He did get out, slowly, flirting with me the whole way. I shook my head and continued to ThunderClan camp.

Once I got there, I saw Littlestone on guard-duty. Don't take his belittling name wrong- he's small, but he's all muscle.

"Hey, Flamespirit." he greeted me in that hyper/nervous/endearing sort of way he has.

"Hey." I replied, brushing past him slightly to get in. He blushed slightly and fell over a bit.

"Oh, no." I began. "Don't give me that. You have half the she-cats in the Clan after you, and you don't need me, too. Go on now."

Impressionable tom. I muttered. It was true- all the she-cats LOVED him. Except me, of course.

I saw Oakblossom, the medicine cat, picking at her fresh-kill across the ravine from me.

"Hey, Oakblossom." I meowed as I came up to her. "What's up?"

She jumped slightly, then calmed down when she saw it was me. "Oh, hey, Flamespirit." she said, glancing at the warriors' den, then back at me.

"What's wrong, Oakblossom?" I pressed. "You're acting really nervous."

"Ah. Well, about that, I-"

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

We turned towards Eaglestar, the dark brown leader of ThunderClan. "Warriors, there have been reports of rogues on our territory. Does anyone have any information?"

"I do." I said, flattening my ears when everyone turned to look at me.

"Yes?" Eaglestar asked, her amber eyes narrowing at me.

"Yes. Mostly it's one rogue; a white tom named Tiz. He likes trying to find she-cats, but as long as they have a mate he leaves them alone. He keeps flirting with me." I said, staring at my red paws.

"Hmmm..." Eaglestar said, obviously thinking. "I think... well... hm... Let's run him off the territory whenever we find him!" she proclaimed at last.

The other warriors cheered, satisfied with Eaglestar's judgement. After they settled down, Eaglestar had gone back to her den.

I raced up the rocks, stopping outside the curtain of lichen that separated the leader from the world. "Eaglestar!" I cried.

"Yes, Flamespirit?" Her golden eyes suddenly blazed from inside.

"Can- can I come in?" I asked.

"I don't know; can you?" she left the question hanging.

I stared at her quizzically, then brushed through the hanging lichen into her dark den.

It was cozy; dark, but cozy. Eaglestar was sitting in a nest of moss and feathers, calmly staring at me.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well, today I was in Two-leg-place, and-"

"WHAT?" Eaglestar looked horrified. "You were in Two-leg-place? Whatever for?"

"No reason except curiosity. Anyways, I saw a cat."

"Wow, really? What kind of cat was this, Flamespirit?" she asked sarcastically.

"A kittypet, tied by a linked metal wire, in a ring of mud. She looked so sad, and thin, and-"

"What do you want me to do, Flamespirit?" Eaglestar sighed, interrupting me again. "It is no business of ThunderClan what Two-legs do with their kittypets."

"I want to rescue her and bring her to the Clan." There! It was out.

Eaglestar stared at me in slack-jawed wonder. "Uh-hum, what was that?" she asked hoarsely.

"I want to rescue the kittypet and offer her a place among our Clan." I repeated.

"Welllll..." Eaglestar stared into space. "Depends." she finally grunted.

"On what?" I asked impatiently.

"On whether or not she wants to."

I stared at my leader in shock before squealing, "So I can, if I want?"

"And if she wants." Eaglestar reminded me.

"Thank you!" I wheeled around and ran out of the camp.

Jade's POV

I stirred from my nap and stood up. A thick chunk of mud was stuck to my belly-fur. I growled and began licking furiously at it.

A soft thunking noise interrupted me, and I looked up wearily. The same red cat from before was standing in the yard, the golden stripe down her spine glowing in the sunset.

"Hello. My name is Flamespirit, from ThunderClan. Do you want to join me, or stay here?"

I stared at her, trying to comprehend. "Well, yes, I would love to leave this dirt-hole, but I'm chained to this post here, and believe me when I tell you it is impossible to break."

"Not if you bite it right here." she said, pointing her tail at a new weak link. Problem is, it was right by the collar I was wearing.

"Flamespirit- that's right, right?- I can't get that, it's too close..."

She deftly leaned in under my chin and bit the link hard. It promptly snapped, releasing the tension on the chain and sending me tumbling back.

I rolled my neck, relishing the feel of freedom. Flamespirit looked at me, a satisfied look gracing her fire-hued features. "There, that's better, right?" she asked sympathetically.

"Yeah. Now let's get, I hate this place." I said.

"Oh, by the way... what's your name?" she asked awkwardly.

"Jade." I replied, before jumping on the fence and waiting for her to follow.

Normal POV, three moons later...

Leafstone stood proudly outside the warriors' den, gazing around the camp. She saw Shadowcloud, the crippled queen, with her kits outside the nursery.

A flash of scarlet distracted her, and she saw Flamespirit trotting towards her. She turned towards her friend and mewed a greeting.

Rowanstar called a summons from the Highrock, his deep yowl resounding across the ravine. He had become leader after Eaglestar's death in a border skirmish. He had named Frecklepelt as his deputy.

He beckoned to Shadowcloud's kits with his tail, and said, "Today we mark one of the most important instances in a Clan cat's life; becoming an apprentice. Heartkit, Sunkit, please come forward. From now till ever, your names shall be Heartpaw and Sunpaw. Leafstone, despite coming as a malnourished, wounded kittypet, you have blossomed into a strong, promising warrior. That is why you are to mentor Heartpaw. Flamespirit, you are a spirited young warrior, but your compassion and great heart compells me to entrust to you Sunpaw. Both of you, pass on the skills you learned from Eaglestar to these young cats, and form them into great warriors of ThunderClan."

"Heartpaw, Sunpaw, Heartpaw, Sunpaw!" The Clan's proud calls echoed through the forest.

Leafstone bent her head and touched noses with the young Heartpaw. She took a deep breath, gazed into the tabby's trusting blue eyes, and said, "Let's do this thing."

AN: Not counting Author's Notes and Character Intro, this story totals 1558 words and almost three pages.

All these cats were inspired by actual horses, except Eaglestar, which is my mom's warrior name. Here:

Jade- Jade (obviously)

Flamespirit- Boudica, the inspiration for my pen-name (may she rest in peace).

Oakblossom- Harley, or Lady Sugar Chex, who resides at OHC.

Frecklepelt- Dollar, or Harry's Freckled Dollar, one of our old horses.

Littlestone- Our current horse Concorde, and yes, all the girls love him.

Rowanash- Banjo, who has a full name, but I don't know it. Harley's intended.

Tiz- Tizoc, the crazy Arab stallion at the end of the row.

Shadowcloud- Dixie, or Dixie-Lou (I think). She really is crippled, but they can't breed her, sadly.

So, that's that! Review please!

~ Bou