As the three cats approached the border between BeckClan and DuneClan, all muscles were tensed,
"Best wait for a patrol. If none comes by Sun-High, we go in. I'm patient when I need to be, but not when my clan is in danger." Russetroar sat down and rolled his shoulders. Frostberry nodded softly and sat down with a lost and cowardly look in her eyes. Duskleap watched her carefully and flicked an ear. He moved closer and began to groom her shoulder gently with a soft very faint comforting purr. The anxiety that was inside Frostberry erupted from her pelt and melted away like the darkness fleeing from the sun. Russetroar watched them though calm eyes and his tail tapped the earth a few times. His large ears were angled towards DuneClan but his eyes were on his son and the scared medicine cat. It seemed as if everything was fine. As if they were sitting in the heart of their territory and there was nothing to fear.

Sadly the moment didn't last long as a large yellowish-tan cat came up a slope with cats on his tail. They seemed alert and Russetroar rose to his paws and stood tall on his side of the border, chest puffed out and chin held high. As the patrol got closer he picked out two of the three cats. "Hummingbreeze and Sunscorch," Russetroar spoke up and twitched his whiskers. Duskleap jumped a little not having noticed the patrol. He hadn't been paying attention despite the fact this was the very border his mother's blood had been sprayed on. His pupils were slits as he watched the cat's when his father introduced them and greeted them.

The three cats on the border stood with their hackles rising and eyes narrowed in distrust,
"What do you want?" Sunscorch hissed and flicked an ear. Hummingbreeze stood on her twig-like legs and sneered sadistically,
"Well well... of it isn't Russetroar." The snarl erupted from her throat and rumbled like thunder as she stepped out of the shade of Sunscorch. Duskleap flinched and shivered awkwardly unsure of where to look now. The she-cat's face was badly torn on the left side where fur no longer grew. Her ear was ripped up and fur matted in awkward positions clearly trying to grow but was unable. Russetroar's spine rose in a matter of heartbeats and his eyes lit a fire Duskleap had never seen before,
"Been a while love, come back to take the other half of my face?" The female giggled with such venom it was impressive.
"No. I'd rather leave you to suffer being hideous. Because unlike you, I have something called morals. I don't take a cats one true love, and for you, I know you are your own love."

"Beaten stars I am! And you made me a monstrosity!" Hummingbreeze snarled, her face twisting into an even more stomach-churning sight, "Glad I took your pe-" She snarled but stopped and recoiled when Sunscorch stepped in front of her. The third cat in the group pushed forward and dipped his head to Russetroar and the others,
"What do brings you to the border?" His voice was filled with a patient kindness it clearly took Russetroar by surprise,
"Er, we need to speak with Pearstar." The larger tabby nodded to the smaller dark ginger tom. The said Tom looked their little group over before looking at the slope behind and nodded, "I'm Copperstream," he introduced himself and Russetroar nodded, "Follow me." The tom turned and began to walk down the dried up grassy slope. Sunscorch glared before following Copperstream and nodded to Hummingbreeze, "Stay behind them..." he ordered the mollie.

The cats walked in silence and again Duskleap's ears were ringing and he shook his head. Hummingbreeze walked with such anger it was making him anxious and he really didn't feel safe. Why had Sunscorch cut her off earlier? What did she take from my father? Duskleap glanced back at the scarred she-cat only to meet her eyes and his fur spiked awkwardly, "Keep walking, runt." She snapped her pointed jaws at him and Russetroar growled moving to walk between the she-cat and his son. Duskleap glanced up at his father with a worried and soft look. He then looked at the path ahead of them and twitched an ear.

The ground under-paw went from dried dirt and grass to hot beads of sand with grass poking through. Duskleap had never felt the odd sensation of sand and his eyes lit up with excitement like the young dumb warrior he was. The tom bounced a little and got a weird look from Sunscorch but Duskleap could care less. The grass soon was gone and the cats were walking on sand, paws slipping in and out. Walking quickly was a little hard and his muscles were beginning to give a warm burning feeling. No wonder DuneClan cats were well built, walking anywhere was a good exercise.

The camp came into view and it was a little breathtaking. Most BeckClan cats never got to see the walls of DuneClan and it's utter beauty. It was as if the waters had receded far enough or pushed hard enough that an abandoned ship had been given to the DuneClan cats to make a sanctuary. Torn and dirtied cloth swayed in the breeze high up on what looked like branchless trees. Lots of wooden vine-like articles hung in loops or just strands and the scent of fish emitted from the ship. Cats lazed in the sand in the shadows of the ship and a few became alert as the group passed and entered into a large gap in the damp wood. Once inside, Duskleap tried to take in everything he could about what he saw. Not to plan an ambush or anything, but to pass this story to the elders so they can fill the kit's minds with wonder. The canopy above stretched high over most cats heads and an ominous whine sounded from somewhere in the ship. It sounded like the wood was an elder complaining about its bones aching. Around the ship, the floor had nests made of what looked like hollowed-out trunks with a cold grey martial holding the planks together. A pair of cats laid in these nests sharing tongues but some of these barrels would be on their side with three cats laying in the palm leaf nests. Littered all over the floor was round shiny golden pebbles that apprentices passed around to each other in a game. When Duskleap stepped on one it was cold and hard, nothing like BeckClan's mossballs.

"Pearstar." Sunscorch called as he leaped up on a ledge and padded on a slightly slanted board before coming to a stop by a medium-sized hole. Sounds of shifting inside the hole showed life before a white head with a creamy muzzle poked out, "Sunscorch?" her almond-shaped amber eyes looked over her warrior then to the group of cats below, "BeckClan?" the leader slipped out of the den and stood to her tall legs and easily leaped down to them in two bounds. "What brings you to our camp?" Pearstar's eyes squinted at Russetroar with special skepticism.

"Can we speak with you, your medicine cats, and your deputy?" Russetroar rose his chin in a defiant way. Pearstar flicked an ear before galloping over to a square hole in the ship with a crumbling and bending slope, "Ivysnag and Nettlebite." she called into the hole. A sandy colored tom hopped up from the shadows and shook his pelt, brown eyes looking at Frostberry with interest. Ivysnag walked up the wooden slope and met Russetroar's eyes.

"Why is BeckClan scum here?" a scarp voice spoke from behind Duskleap. The small tabby whirled around and looked up at a tall black tom that had narrowed golden eyes. Pearstar gave this tom a sharp look before leaping up back towards the den she slipped out of, "Come with me." she said. Russetroar nudged Duskleap away from the scary black tom and looked ahead at Nettlebite who padded in front of Frostberry.

After all seven cats made it into the den they sat around Pearstar's nest. There was a lot more space in the leaders den then Duskleap thought there would be. His eyes flicked to a fallen two-leg thing in front of a rectangle with a shiny round ball in the center on one side. The nest that Pearstar sat in was made of palm leaves, feathers, and moss from the little trees that grew on DuneClan territory. It was in a dent in the wood planks and was big enough for a second cat and possibly kits. That's how big the nest had always been for DuneClan leaders. The black tom from earlier moved to sit by the nest. He sat down and his curled tail rested in his back still,
"Why are you here?" He demanded and Pearstar's tail slapped his hip,
"Excuse Flyswirl. How can we help you?" The leader asked in a kinder tone. Duskleap shuffled closer to Russetroar as Frostberry began to shake. What was wrong with her?
"StarClan has sent me a prophecy." Frostberry shivered, "One that tells us BeckClan will fall."

"And how are we apart of this?" Pearstar flicked an ear. Her eyes showed no hostility or any sign she was happy with this news.
"We can save our cats. In the dream, StarClan mentioned this was the last sunrise for BeckClan. The mountain crumbled and crushed every cat... but if you assist us and let us stay with you, out of our mountain... there's a chance we can survive!" Frostberry stood to her paws speaking in utter desperation. Her different colored eyes were begging and even her stance showed she was ready to fall and bow if need be. When silence gripped the air, Frostberry did what her body wanted. She lowered herself down in front of the leader in such a pitiful weak way, Russetroar growled.  Pearstar rose her chin and stared down at the mollie with unreadable eyes.

"Your elders, queens, and apprentices may stay for one night." Pearstar finally gave in. She stood to her paws and nudged Frostberry to her own silver paws, "Don't beg. It's not a good look on any cat." The leader said before looking at Russetroar, "One night. Nettlebite and Ivysnag will have them all in their den. You may return home now." Pearstar sat back down in her nest as cats began to exit. Russetroar met Pearstar's eyes,
"Thank you."
"I'm not like Spiderstar was. I hope you know that." Pearstar suddenly said, "He was an idiot to order murder as a way of protecting borders. I hope she rests well." Pearstar dipped her head. Russetroar opened his maw to say something but no words formed. He closed his mouth before dipping his head and leaving the den, following his son. As they made their way back towards BeckClan territory, Russetroar smirked and cuffed his son, "Bile for ten moons." His voice rang with kindness and Duskleap huffed indignantly.