Gingerkit followed Wolfrunner into the forest, Fuzzykit, Darkkit, and Lightkit beside her.
"Are you sure we are allowed to be out of camp?" Fuzzykit whispered, his head low.
"It should be fine as long as we have a warrior with us!" Gingerkit said, looking at Wolfrunner.
Wolfrunner looked back at the kits. "You're going to get out of camp someday, so why not today?"
Darkkit snorted. "I don't see what's so scary about the forest, Fuzzykit."
"Leave him be, who said he was scared?" Lightkit growled, her tail still on her brother's shoulder so he could guide her.
"It's obvious that he's scared!" Darkkit exclaimed. "If you could see, maybe you could tell too!"
Lightkit began to growl, but Wolfrunner silenced them. "Enough! Do you want me to take you back to camp?"
Gingerkit and the others shook their heads, even Fuzzykit did.
Wolfrunner stopped at a stream, signaling his tail to tell the others to stop. "This is the stream that runs through FireClan territory. Did you know that Blackstar was found here, and was saved by FireClan's first leader, Oaklight?"
Gingerkit's eyes widened. "Really?!"
Wolfrunner nodded, but then his ear twitched as the bushes rustled.
He stood protectively in front of the kits, his claws unsheathed. "Who's there?!"
Gingerkit stared in horror as a blue-gray she-cat rouge stepped out from the undergrowth. She huddled closer to her brother.
The rouge looked at the kits then back to Wolfrunner. She dipped her head. "I'm sorry if I scared you, I don't mean any harm."
Wolfrunner narrowed his eyes. "Do you know you're on FireClan territory?"
The she-cat eyes widened, and she limped closer to Wolfrunner. "No... I didn't know. But I am wounded, and I need your help."
Wolfrunner growled. "We don't help rouges."
The she-cat pouted, looking away. "I would think that a strong, handsome warrior like you would help a wounded she-cat like me." When Wolfrunner shifted his paws, the she-cat sat down to lick her paw. "I'm Bluefeather by the way."
Gingerkit felt her fur bristle. She couldn't help but dislike this cat. There was something off about her. But when she began to speak, Wolfrunner interrupted her.
"F-fine..." Wolfrunner decided, beginning to sound nervous. "You can come with me."
"Oh thank you!" Bluefeather purred, giving Wolfrunner's ear a quick lick.
Wolfrunner turned away without a word and led the way back to camp.
"What about our adventure?" Gingerkit called to the FireClan warrior. But he seemed to not have noticed, and was side by side with Bluefeather, deep in conversation.
Darkkit growled. "We had so much fun."
"At least we got a few glimpses of what the forest looks like." Lightkit pointed out. "Well, you guys did."
"But now we are bringing back a filthy rouge." Gingerkit protested.
Darkkit grumbled. "Let's see how the clan takes this."
"A rouge? With a clan name?!" Flashstrike's voice rang around the clearing as he narrowed his eyes at Bluefeather.
"Yes, mind explaining that?" Scorchpelt growled.
"Everyone back away!" Drizzlestar ordered, and the clan immediately followed her command. Drizzlestar looked at the kits to Wolfrunner then to Bluefeather. "First of all, why did you take these kits out of camp?!"
Flamepelt stood beside Drizzlestar, her eyes wide. "They could have been hurt, or something worse!"
Wolfrunner unsheathed his claws. "They were with me, so they were safe! And Bluefeather wouldn't have done anything to harm these kits!"
"Remember what happened when you left the camp as a kit?" Jaywing hissed, and Wolfrunner just looked away.
"Enough." Drizzlestar swiped her tail for silence. "Wolfrunner will be punished, by taking care of this rouge."
Wolfrunner didn't reply, so Drizzlestar continued. "Though I am curious on why a rouge has a clan name."
"We should chase her out! We shouldn't trust her!" Scorchpelt yowled.
Bluefeather met Scorchpelt's burning gaze without flinching. "You have the right not to trust me, but from what I heard, you were all once rouges too."
"She has a point there." Leapfrost mewed.
"I thought that by having a clan name, you would accept and trust me." Bluefeather began. "I need you're help. Please." She looked at her leg. "My leg is hurt."
Drizzlestar sighed, then nodded. "Wolfrunner, take her to Snowleaf."
Wolfrunner led Bluefeather into the medicine cat's den, and Gingerkit watched him go.
"As for you, kits." Drizzlestar turned her gaze to Gingerkit and the others. "You will stay in the nursery and not come out until tomorrow."
"But-" Darkkit began to protest. But Drizzlestar narrowed her eyes at him and he sulked towards the den. Gingerkit, Fuzzykit, and Lightkit trailed after them, their heads low.
"I knew it was a bad idea, going into the forest." Fuzzykit murmured.
"Try not to think about it." Lightkit mewed.
"We got Wolfrunner in trouble. Imagine what he thinks of us now." Gingerkit sighed.
"Wolfrunner won't be angry at us! He knows that it was his idea in the first place. He's a good warrior, and takes whatever punishment he gets." Lightkit said. "Just get some rest, we had a long day."
Gingerkit hoped she was right. She lyed down in her nest beside Fuzzykit, resting her head on her paws. But she couldn't help but wonder if Bluefeather really just wanted the clans help, or was there something else?