*turns and points with her nose, but freezes as she remembers her sister* *white flash*

Kelsey peered around an over large rock and saw several cats in a circle. The center of the circle was a bloody cat...

*white flash*

*shakes head, out of breath* It's that way, Darkpaw. ~Kelsey~

*nods and follows, but notices something was wrong*

~Meanwhile~

Briarpaw screams began to muffle out. She was dizzy. The room was full of smoke, and for a while she'd thought that she'd choke to death from it. But she hadn't. She was still alive, but she could hardly keep her eyes open. The room was spinning, the walls moving as though they were water. The light from the fire illuminated that the room was actually very small, and it had no ventilation. She was panting as she moved through the smokey, fire-lit room, wondering what was wrong.

*hears them stop but feels petalfeather close by* follow me! *she hissed and raced on ahead and i follow*

*peered up at large hill* It's steep, but we'll get there soon. *glances back at Darkpaw* I have no guarantee that she'll be alive. *pauses* What would you do? ~Kelsey~

*doesn't hear as i sped past her trusting petalfeather* how far!? *i growled and petalfeather mewed* we're close, she's losing it!

~Meanwhile~

Circling the room with no control of what she was doing or no idea, the boulder was suddenly pushed aside and several toms entered the cave. "Are you enjoying our Devil's Pepper?" one asked. Briarpaw screamed at the light and ducked back toward the shadows. The boys laughed as the boulder was pushed back into place.

Briarpaw was thrown to the ground. One of the toms clawed her back and climbed on top of her while the other, claws unsheathed, pushed her muzzle into the ground. "Be quiet you!" he hissed.

One of the toms smacked the other, leaving long bloody clawmarks. "How am I supposed to hear her scream with you pushing her face into the dirt like that?"

The other tom bared his teeth. "You heart the Watcher. We're going to have company. I don't want to invite them to us."

The other toms nodded as the first finished with her and jumped away. "Yeah, we should just leave her like so. Bring in the Jockeys later." And they trampled to the entrance. One, of course, stayed and took his turn.

*jumps up the rocks and bounds forward in front of them* You can't just trample in, Darkpaw! They're right around the corner! But if they catch you...they won't let you see your friend until StarClan! Trust me! ~Kelsey~

*hears the scream again and then i heard petalfeather's hiss* you and your friend get down behind there *she points to a rock and i mew at kelsey* get down!

*leaps behind rock* *looks at rock and gasps, holding back scream* ~Kelsey~

*looks where she was and grits my teeth*

~Meanwhile~

Briarpaw had been trained as the best warrior in all of the Dark Forest, surpassing every other apprentice trained. But she was no match for the Devil's Pepper. The strong scent in the smoke lured her, and she knew not where she was, who she was, or what had happened. All she knew was that the smell was thick, and warm, and lulling. It was just so sweet how could she deny such a thing?

The Jockey's had left a while ago. Was it a while? It seemed like just a moment ago, but that felt wrong too. Maybe it was almost a while ago. Yeah, that was it. She now had long bleeding scars to sport on her flanks. Her backside hurt tremendously and she didn't know why. Her memory was still failing her, it seemed. One of her ears was cut badly and bleeding. Being so woozy was a sport, it seemed. Without any warning her legs gave out and Briarpaw fellto the ground in a squeal of joy.

The boulder was pushed aside and the large, brown leader entered. He stared at her, then nodded. Two calico females stepped around him and came around to Briarpaw. They reached out with their paws and scraped some of the blood off of her sides and traced small markings onto her forehead and spinal column.

The leader nodded. "Right," he said. "Let's go."

*eyes were hurt* there has to be something we can do *i whispered*

*peers at rock and has a flash of memory* -the circle had painted the bloody and tortured cat in her own blood and they were each chanting at the body in the center. Then, the leader stepped forward and struck the cat with the killing blow- Elise *whispered* ~Kelsey~

*looks up at her and mummers* please tell me there is something we can do

~Meanwhile~

Briarpaw was dragged out of the room. The two she-cat stood just a bit behind and on either side of the leader who lead them up a long, staut hallway dug out underground where light was coming in.

"More fire?" Briarpaw wanted to say. She was still dizzy and high from the Devil's Pepper.

The cat dragging her smacked her muzzle to indicate that the she-cat shouldn't talk. They brought her forward, painted in her own blood and sick from the Devil's Pepper.

*glances at him with worried look then peers back* oh, they're coming up from underground. -whole congregation s brought forth and circles a small stone circling- I think it's starting. ~Kelsey~

*growls and mews* i want to do something

*flicks tail* We have to wait, I think. *eyes widen as she remembers sister* But I can't watch this again. We need back up! We need--*falls silent* StarClan! We need StarClan and--*smells air* These ones. *flicks tail as three cats appear*

*lifts eyes and glares, smiling* ~Fernsniffer, Briarrose, Stoneface(not smiling)

~two more cats appear, lightfog, a light gray she cat and Flightpaw~

*bares my teeth* dark forest cats *i hiss quietly*

*smiles* But Briarpaw is wanted. Preferably alive. ~Briarrose~

*nods* ~Stoneface~

*glances back and forth* I'm lost! Who's--oh god it doesn't matter! We just have to get Briarpaw out of there! ~Kelsey~

I don't know, but I felt this song appropriate. I'll be RIGHT BACK ON! Give me a moment to swim with my father.

*sighs* can we just save her?

~runs up to the two cats~ I'm here to help. -Flightpaw
*nods* Some of the cats here are untrustworthy. *looks at Darkforest cats* -Lightfog

*petalfeather comes* let's do this *she mewed*

~smiles then gets serious~ Why are the dark forest cats here? *unsheathes claws* -Flightpaw
Calm down Flightpaw. They have a just good of a reason to be here as you do. -Lightfog

*petalfeather rolls her eyes* i am from starclan, not the dark forest

*looks at Petalflower polietly* I meant THOSE three over there. They're nothing but *grumbles* -Flightpaw

can we save brairpaw before she dies please *came my voice*

Of course! That's the whole reason why we're here! Let's go! *goes in the direction of Briarpaw* -Flightpaw and Lightfog

*petalfeather follows behind me*

*smiles and runs out with them* ~Dark Forest cats~

What happened to waiting for me? I'm the one being sacrificed xD ~Soyala~

*looks back*

~keeps going in the direction of her~ -Flightpaw & Lightfog

this is it *i mummered*

*looks towards Darkpaw* We can do this. I've had plenty training. -Flightpaw

*sees the entrance*

~focuses~ Let's save her. -Flightpaw

*Kelsey waits behind and watches as the leader turns his head at the oncoming cats* *he smiles* -we were expecting you!-

*nods*

~Meanwhile~

Briarpaw lay groggily into this stone circle that she had been thrown into. She wasn't sure if it was stone, though, because it was bouncing. Around her she knew that something big was going on. Was it a party? There was screeching and chanting and all sorts of noises. She lay there wondering as her conciousness receded.

*sees it without anyone knowing*

*jumps out and follows the fighting cats* *stays a bit back, seeing Briarpaw and thinking of Elise* ~Kelsey~

*jumps in front of fighting leader* ~Stoneface~

*his eyes widen* The Mountain Guardians! *all Congregational cats stop fighting and bow* ~congregation leader~

(brb dinner)

*darkpaw pads in with petalfeather* what's going on with them?

The congregation all stood and stared as Stoneface lifted his head. He was now joined by Fernsniffer, who had a strange look on her face (almost fear, was it?) and Briarrose, who looked more than confident. "Mountain Guardians," said the leader. "We were not to be late on our sacrifice until these wranglers came around. We were about to deliver the blow!"

Stoneface's face--usually so stoic and unfeeling--was one of rage. "That is not the cat to be sacrificed!" he bellowed. "She is needed alive."

The congregation began talking in all out confusion. "Then," said the leader. "Who is to be sacrificed?"

Stoneface smiled and indicated Kelsey with his tail.

*my eyes widen and i pick up brairpaw and take her away from the leader*

~growls and steps in front of Kelsey~ You're not taking anyone eles, Dark Forest scum! -Flightpaw
*stands in front of her also* -Lightfog

*stares at unconscious Briarpaw and looks with wide eyes as the congregation all stare at me* Uh...Darkpaw? ~Kelsey~