{*Shaded Under A Willow Tree*}

Apollo padded along the forest, glancing around at the dense undergrowth. He suddenly scented cat. Forest cats...

Walking along the long line of scent, he carefully crossed it and looked around. Nothing happened. Apollo continued into the forest, scenting more cat scent on bushes and trees. He tasted the air and then leaped into an oak, scanning the forest floor. He spotted a flash of fur, he thought, but no cat appeared. "Hmm..."

Flicking his tail, the tom leaped to another tree, every-now-and-then looking down to see if any cats were nearby.

Willowheart spotted a loner in ThunderClan territory. He was alone...probably mistaking the scent line as a place where any cat would be. Her white and cream fur flashed out behind the bush as Willowheart stepped out. “What are you doing here? I’d advise you to step out of the territory while you still can. I wont tell my leader, but if other’s see you, they will.” The loner tom had white fur and striped legs and tail. Rather surprised that he could climb trees, Willowheart started thinking if she had underestimated some loners. Nodding towards the tom, she started to back away, her brown-tipped white tail flicking.

Apollo's ears pricked and he glanced down at a she-cat. He leaped down and dipped his sleek head. "Oh- I'm sorry. I've heard of clan cats and didn't know this was your territory. Sorry, again." He began to turn, about to pad into the undergrowth. "I'm Apollo, by the way." He mewed, glancing over his shoulder. His emerald gaze locked with hers for a moment, before he turned and padded away.

Willowheart frowned for a moment, before bounding over towards the loner again. “Sorry about that. I was rather...mean. I can be overprotective with the borders sometimes. What’s your name? I’m Willowheart. Of ThunderClan.” Her sapphire eyes shined warmly as she greeted the loner. “I’m not usually this territorial, I promise you. I won’t bite.” Willowheart had met Summer before, and another loner that shared her name, Willow. This one, though, she had never seen before. “Are you new around here? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. I might be wrong.”

Apollo turned and sat, his slim brown tail gently whisking the dust and grass. When she finished speaking, he flicked his torn ear. "Nah, you're right. I'm new to these parts, and I'm sorry again for intruding." He shook out his pelt. "Nice to meet you, Willowheart. Like I said, I'm Apollo. I live around the Twoleg-Place back there." He pointed his tail in the direction of Twoleg-Place behind him.

Willowheart nodded, before contemplating a bit. “Hm...former kittypet? I don’t have anything against them, but I heard that kittypet life is AWFUL. I might be wrong, but I like Clan life a lot better. It seems...way more exciting.” It was. Clan life was amazing. Everyone had their part to contribute in. Even if it may seem boring at times, Willowheart was loyal to her Clan, and her duty. “What does loner life feel like? I’ve met a drifter before, Summer. She was really nice to me. Summer goes around to places where no one else has been before. It sounds...fun.” The white she-cat sighed, hoping to meet Summer soon. Loners weren’t that bad, in her opinion. Some cats just...disliked them.

Apollo licked a paw and ran it over his torn ear. It looked like it had been mauled.

"Nah, again. I've met some house-cats, and their life does sound pretty bad. Also, it's great being a loner. You can catch whatever prey you want, eat whenever you want, do whatever you want, go wherever you want. It's great being a loner. But, then again, I guess I've never tried any other lifestyle."

He remembered his sister, Amara, who had once said she might go and live with these clan-cats. Apollo wondered if she ever did, and if he would ever see her contributing for a clan.