Merry Christmas!

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Rainpaw stopped at the top of the hill, with her nose to the air. The new-leaf air was still chilly, but the sun was shining. The rest of the patrol was still halfway up the hill. Rainpaw was supposed to be tracking a grouse. She had hoped that there might be eggs but Rowanwhisker pointed out that it was too early in the season for there to be eggs. Rainpaw might be able to find a distracted male, however, and that's what she was tracking nose. She certainly was not going to be the best tracker in the clan. She'd lost the track twice already and had to circle back.

"Don't go too far!" Harenose called.

Rainpaw rolled her eyes. Harenose had been made a warrior a quarter moon ago, when the first new-leaf shoots had appeared. Since then she'd been as bossy as an elder. But she didn't care today. Flowers dotted the whole moor, and long green grass tickled her whiskers. She'd been an apprentice for nearly a moon. New-leaf was nearly in full bloom. As Rainpaw stared over the moor, her eyes were drawn to the farms. The first time she'd seen them they were covered in snow. But she could see them clearly now. A meager number of sheep were circled by a black and white dog. After the great fire had burned the farms and nearly half the moor, Windclan elders talked about it all the time. They'd told Rainpaw the story more times than she could count. The elders also said that this leaf-bare had been the worst in many years. Although, Rainpaw couldn't know if that was true since that was the only leaf-bare she'd seen.

A cool breeze brought Rainpaw's attention back to her task. Grouse. She scented the air as concentratedly as she could, but could find no scent. There was another scent, one she couldn't quite recognize. It was... stinky, like Thunderclan cats or dog dung. Dog! That's what it was. Rainpaw's eyes widened and she shot off like a rabbit down the hill. She jumped over the long grasses and when she couldn't she slid as fast as she could between them.

"Rowanwhisker! Dog! DOG!" She stumbled to a halt in front of her mentor, who looked equal halves amused and annoyed. Rainpaw straightened up. "I smelled it. It's coming from there." She pointed with her tail up the hill.

Rowanwhisker lifted her nose to air. Her face changed in a heartbeat. She shared a glance with Wrenflight but didn't say anything. Instead, Rowanwhisker and Wrenflight took off at a sprint. Rainpaw raced hard after them. They reached the top of the hill, and just when Rainpaw thought that there might truly be no dog she spotted it. Walking along the moor was a dog. It was the first dog that Rainpaw had seen. They sounded scarier in the elder's tales.

Wrenflight stared down at the moving shape. "It looks wounded. We should be able to send it off."

Rainpaw glanced at Rowanwhisker. Would this be her first fight?

Rowanwhisker shook her head. "You haven't learned how to fight a dog yet. Hide in the grass. If needed you will run to camp." It was clear from her face that there was no use in arguing, but Rainpaw still felt she needed to try.

"You said they're just bigger!" Her protest went unheard by the warriors. "I can help!"

"You will." Harenose nudged her shoulder. "If we can't handle it you'll be the only chance we'll have at getting reinforcements."

When Harenose put it like that it still sounded like she was just a kit. Rainpaw knew she could fight. She opened her nose but Rowanwhisker shut her up with an icy glare. Fine. She'd stay down for now. She realized that the warriors were not charging. All three of them had their eyes fixed on the dog, watching it's every move. Their pelts rippled with muscle underneath and their claws gripped the earth. Rowanwhisker had explained that if possible they'd avoid a fight with a bigger predator unless it was trying to camp in their territory. A fight with a dog could end in death, she had said, and it was important to choose when to attack. Rainpaw matched their hard stare.

Observe, Rowanwhisker had told her. Listen. The dog was the color of dried grass. Its long pelt blew in the wind. Three smaller shapes traveled around its paws. Maybe this dog had pups. Rainpaw hoped that they weren't as vicious as an adult dog. The warriors would be outnumbered. But as they emerged from the patch of long grasses, Rainpaw nearly gasped. It was cats! Beside her, Harenose rocked back onto her hind legs then nearly stumbled back. Rainpaw shared a horrible glance with the new warrior but before they could even sort through what was happening, one of the smaller cats jumped up at the dog. Was it trying to defend its companions? The dog swung its massive head towards the cat and that seemed to make up Rowanwhisker's mind.

Her mentor charged towards the dog. Rainpaw leaped after her, trying hard to keep up with the bigger cats. But even if Rainpaw has ran as fast as lightning, she couldn't have stopped what happened. In the tall grasses another cat was hiding, and no one had seen it. The cat launched itself straight into Harenose. They tumbled over one another, but the cat had the advantage and in a blur of white and gray fur Harenose was kicked off. She stumbled back and fell to the floor, her hind paw lifted up in pain. Rainpaw scrambled to a halt, and changed directions. Rowanwhisker and Wrenflight were still heading for the dog- and another cat. The cat who had attacked Harenose was a cream colored she-cat with darker legs, face and ears. She was stalking towards Harenose, who was already on her feet. Rainpaw skidded to a stop beside her clanmate and hissed, but she wasn't the only one with help. A cat nearly identical to the she-cat bounded forward with a snarl. The only difference was that she had light-colored ginger patches on her face, like she had rolled in the red dirt near the farms.

Rainpaw hissed at both of them, her tail puffed to twice its usual size. "Are you crazy?" She demanded. That was the only possible explanation: these cats were crazy and that's why they were hanging around a dog.

The dog had its lips curled back, saliva dripped down its enormous teeth but it didn't attack. Rowanwhisker and Wrenflight stood between the dog and Rainpaw and Harenose, while, Rainpaw and Harenose faced the young cats.

"We're not the ones who attacked!" The tom snarled back.

Rainpaw fought the exasperation that flawed at her chest. "We we're trying to save you rabbit-brain!" Her words were a mix of snarls and growls, but they got the point across. Beside her, Harenose glowered at the cats. Rainpaw crouched, but did not attack, she didn't know how well these cats fought and she wasn't going to find it justyet. Observe. Observe. Observe.

The tom and she-cat shared a glance, but then-as if two cats and a dog weren't enough- a heavily pregnant cat emerged. And she emerged from right behind the dog. Rainpaw thought how weird it was. The dog seemed to have been guarding her.

"Stop! Stop." The queen trotted unsteadily towards the middle of the conflict. The dog cocked its head to her voice, and gave a lash of its tail. Although, it was more like it was wagging. Rainpaw noticed that the queen also looked like the younger cats. They must all be kin. "We aren't in danger and neither are you." Rainpaw begged to differ, from the look of the dog's jaws. "We are just passing through. We need a place to rest. We mean no harm." The she-cat's voice was strained. "We just need a place to rest for a couple of days."

The queen bowed her head to Rowanwhisker, who kept her stance. Wrenflight's lips were drawn back into a snarl. The dog emitted a low growl. Rainpaw tried hard not to flinch when she saw the row of teeth. The she-cat weaved between the dog's paws. "My name is Jewel." She had a delicate face, with blue eyes and pink nose. "These are my kits, Prince and Sapphire." The tom sat down with a few embarrassed licks to his chest. The she-cat only offered another warning hiss. Rainpaw marveled at their names and how strange they were. Jewel pointed with her tail to the dog. "This is Honey. She means no harm."

Again, Rainpaw begged to differ. The dog shook its massive body. This time, Rainpaw flinched at the movement. Rowanwhisker ran her tail down her side in comfort but all Rainpaw seemed to think was about the elder's stories about how dogs had mauled cats. A couple of birds flew past them, chirping to each other, and Rainpaw remembered to steel herself. Then the dog sat down. Without baring her teeth, Honey looked less intimidating. Unlike what the elder's said, she did not have black eyes but light brown eyes. She even had a gentle expression, at least for a dog.

"This is Windclan territory." Rowanwhisker said. "You are trespassers"

"My mother is pregnant and due any day now. This is the fastest way home." Sapphire did not have her mother's or Honey's gentle expression. Her face was set in stone.

Rowanwhisker flicked her tail. Wrenflight sheathed his claws and said, "You said you needed a place to rest. I cannot not promise anything, but I can take you to see our leader and get some food."

"We can hunt." Sapphire responded coolly.

"You can't," Rainpaw said, with a glance at Rowanwhisker. "It's against the warrior code. You're trespassers and you're not allowed to hunt on Windclan land." Rowanwhisker hesitated but then nodded.

"My apprentice is right. We can take you to see our leader." Although it was a suggestion, nothing about Rowanwhisker's voice made it seem so. "The dog must leave." It was a threat.

Prince stepped closer to the dog. "She won't leave us."

Rainpaw thought about Applefur's kits and those huge jaws, and glanced at Rowanwhisker. Her mentor was right. A dog had no place in camp. Jewel looked at the dog, and nudged it's huge shoulder. The dog in turn nudged her gently, but it still put Rainpaw on edge. Then it licked Jewel's head and butted Prince towards his mother. The dog whined loudly. Rainpaw flattened her ears.

Jewel gave her son a nod. "My kits and I will accompany you." Her tail twitched, but Rainpaw wasn't sure if it was from nerves or annoyance.

Sapphire bared her teeth. Rainpaw had a feeling she wouldn't mind a fight. "I'm staying with Honey."

Jewel scowled and shook her head. "Sapphire, they have food and you must eat."

But Sapphire shook her head. She rubbed her head under Jewel's chin. "Momma, you must eat. I can't leave Honey."

Rainpaw exchanged a glance with Harenose. This cat was giving up fresh kill for a dog? She was totally crazy. But Jewel seemed to understand. She gave her Sapphire a lick between the ears and nuzzled the dog and said a quick farewell.

"We'll be back by nightfall." And with that, Jewel and Prince were escorted back to camp by their patrol.

Rowanwhisker lead the patrol since she was senior warrior. Wrenflight flanked Jewel. Rainpaw noticed how wobbly she was on her feet. She must be due any day now, but then why hadn't she stopped? Harenose flanked Prince, who supported Jewel's weight with his body. Rainpaw walked behind them.

Jewel cast a worried glance at prince then glanced at Wrenflight. "I know... it seems weird. Cats traveling with a dog."

Wrenflight flicked his ears. "What are you even doing trespassing."

"It's on our way home. We told you." Prince answered him.

"With a dog?" Harenose snorted.

Jewel shot Harenose a glare that could have frozen the lake but then shook her pelt and sighed. "When I was young my mother died. Honey had pups around the same time as well, but they were mostly weaned. My house folk gave me to Honey, and she raised me."

Rainpaw froze mid track. A dog raising a cat? She scoffed. That sounded like a kit's tale! And a scary tale at that.

"So you're kittypets." Rowanwhisker didn't seem nearly as bewildered by this, but then again Rowanwhisker was rarely surprised.

Prince nodded.

"What happened to your two-legs?" Rainpaw asked Prince. She caught up with Harenose and squeezed past her so she flanked the tom. She figured he would be easier to interrogate than Jewel. And Rowanwhisker wouldn't hear her.

Prince looked away from her. "That's not any of your business."

Rainpaw glanced at Harenose, who shrugged. "Shouldn't you be home with them?"

Prince didn't answer.

"Don't you know that it's dangerous out here? A kitty pet like you-

"Shut up!" Prince rounded on her with a snarl. "Shut up you filthy-

"Prince!" Jewel scolded, at the same time Rowanwhisker snapped, "Rainpaw!"

Rainpaw ducked her head.

"Mind your manners Rainpaw." Rowanwhisker's tail lashed. "Why don't you make yourself useful and go tell Pebblestar what's happening."

Rainpaw lashed her tail only once. She wasn't being rude... or well, maybe just a little. She'd just been curious. But she ran ahead to warn Pebblestar anyways. The kits were ushered into the nursery, and the elders moved from their sunspots. Pebblestar jumped on the tallrock and received the patrol with Smokefoot and Snowcloud. Rainpaw settled beside Thistlefoot and Mudpaw.

Pebblestar looked down at the intruders and the patrol. The elders had gathered around their burrow to watch with their eyes narrowed. Rainpaw felt a sharp prick and whipped around. She came face to face with Sorrelkit, Applefur's red tabby kit. Rainpaw made a face and gave the tom a flick of her tail.

"Go back to the nursery." She chided to the small tom.

"No way. I want to see!" He ducked beneath her and peered at the strange cats.

Rainpaw rolled her eyes. Mudpaw chuckled beside her and drew his tail in front of Sorrelkit, letting him hide behind the fluffy fur.

"Let him stay." Mudpaw whispered. "We can protect him." He shot a look at Applefur, who was busy trying to wrangle the other four kits into the nursery. "Plus, Applefur looks busy."

Rowanwhisker bowed her head to Pebblestar. "We found them near the farm." She nodded to Jewel. "They were traveling with a dog." Confused meows rose from within the clan, along with gasps and hisses. Rowanwhisker continued. "They said they were just passing through."

Prince and Jewel looked out of place. While Windclan cats were slender and tall while Jewel and Prince had broad shoulders and strong legs. They looked more suited to Thunderclan than the moor. Price's tail lashed back and forth uneasily, but Jewel seemed to keep her uneasiness well contained. Rainpaw didn't fail to notice her unsheathed claws, though there was no clan cat that would have attacked a pregnant cat.

"I can see why you've brought them here, Rowanwhisker." Pebblestar jumped from the tallrock and approached the patrol. He peered at Jewel with curious eyes. "This is Snowcloud, our medicine cat. He helps heal cats."

"We don't need your help. Just let us go." Prince hissed.

"I don't think she'll be going anywhere." Snowcloud remarked dryly. His white tail dragged in the ground. He gave Prince a disdainful look and then sniffed at Jewel. "By StarClan!"

"What is it?" Rowanwhisker asked.

"Her kits are due any day, tomorrow at the earliest." Snowcloud flicked his ears nervously. "I wouldn't recommend you going anywhere. Much less with a dog."

Rainpaw gasped a little, though she wasn't sure why. No pregnant queen should be traveling so close to giving birth. Jewel sat down with a sigh.

"I know."

Prince gave his mother a startled look but she only ran her tail down his back. Pebblestar blinked slowly.

"Please, allow me and my kits to rest for a few days. Until my kits are born. We can leave after that." The words tumbled from her mouth like a rabbit from a burrow. Prince gasped, but so did the clan. The end of her sentence was interrupted by murmurs from the clan.

"She's a rogue. How do we know she won't harm us?

"She's pregnant." Grousefoot snapped at Honeyfur. Rainpaw watched silently as did her mentor. It was not her place to speak.

But it was all the clan needed to start shouting their opinions. "They look like kittypets." Sorrelcloud said. "Why don't they stay at the horse place with Caterpillar and Ninja?"

"Or to Thunderclan!" Oakfur sneered.

Pebblestar raised a paw to quiet them, and the shouts subsided into murmurs. He looked at Jewel and Prince.

"I will talk with my elders and senior warriors before making a decision." Pebblestar turned away, but then paused. "However, the dog cannot stay. Smokefoot, take a patrol."

"No!" Prince threw himself towards Pebblestar. "Honey's our only way home! And she's our friend. She's family!"

Smokefoot snarled and jumped in front of Prince. "Dogs are a menace. They don't belong with cats."

Although Rainpaw couldn't help but agree, she felt bad for Prince and Jewel. Even worse for the warriors who were going to face that dog. Rainpaw shivered. Any fight with any dog would have big injuries, but they'd also have to fight Sapphire. Or maybe not. She nosed Sorrelkit away from her and stood.

"Wait! They can... communicate with the dog." She sounded stupid saying it but it would help her clan mates. Rowanwhisker was staring at her from where she stood, but as usual Rainpaw could not read her expression. "If they convince it to leave... then we don't have to fight."

Prince glowered at her. Rainpaw glared right back at him. "Stop it! Honey won't leave without us."

Pebblestar glanced at Jewel and Rowanwhisker. "Is this true? Can they communicate with the dog?"

Rowanwhisker nodded and after a brief hesitation so did Jewel.

"She's won't hurt anyone." Jewel pleaded. Her breath was labored and Prince hoisted her steady with his whole body. He was nearly as big as her, but she was still taller. She must have been heavier too, with the kits and all.

But Pebblestar only shook his head. "A dog is a threat to my whole clan. If you can get it to leave peacefully then all the better, but my warriors will make sure it leaves nontheless."

Jewel turned away from him and was about to say something when Snowcloud beckoned her with his tail. He offered her some strengthening herbs, and she kindly accepted. As she padded towards the snowy tom, she turned back towards Prince. Rainpaw was just close enough to hear, and close enough to feel like she was eavesdropping.

"Tell them to go home. You should go with them too, I'll find my way. I always do." Her words were hoarse, but firm.

"Momma, I would never leave you." Prince whispered back. "After the kits are born, we'll find home...I promise."

Rainpaw trotted away, unwilling to hear how their family would be torn apart. Deep down, she thought maybe Pebblestar shouldn't have even needed to talk with his trusted warriors. Or with the elders. How could they even question letting a pregnant cat stay? At least, Rainpaw wouldn't have given it second thought. But that was not the warrior code. So instead of thinking about how Jewel must feel letting her daughter and the dog leave, she joined Rowanwhisker.

"Can I come too?" She asked hopefully. She was eager to see how Prince would communicate with Honey, and what Sapphire would say and do.

"No."

"But-

Rowanwhisker cuffed her ear gently. "Rainpaw, I think you've had more than enough excitement for one day. You've still got chores to do." Rowanwhisker nodded towards the elders. "And it looks like Thistlepaw might need some help with the bedding in the apprentice's den."

Rainpaw sulked as her mentor left with Prince, Smokefoot, Jayfur and Pheasantface. She glanced towards the elders, who had taken their sunspots back and now lay outstretched in soft grass. Lovely, mouse-bile and half finished stories. Maybe this time Squirrelbreeze would actually finish telling her about the first time when she encountered a dog. Rainpaw was sure it was nothing like hers.

—-

so. Is this a super long chapter or what? It took forever bc I've been so busy. Anyways, question for you guys would you guys like longer or shorter chapters?