When I break it's in a million pieces [solo]

The sun was already high in the sky when Yew finally stopped running. He didn't know he was even able to run that fast, let alone for so long, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Thunderclan was just a normal stretch of forest in the distance now, the same with Skyclan. Where do I even go? Amber eyes turned to glance up at the mountains, but he quickly decided against it. He couldn't leave Ivory or Eos just like that. Even if he didn't want to talk to them now, he might someday, and he didn't want to test his luck alone in the snowy mountains. If Asylum (or whatever was left of it) wanted him back, they could try find him, but he didn't want them, so he would make it as difficult as possible. He might come back eventually. Depended on how he felt.

A monster sped past, the stench so strong he could taste it. Its huge paws sprayed freezing cold puddle water up into the air, making Yew have to leap back in fear of getting wet. He was crouched in a bush on the edge of the northern Thunderpath, desperately trying to get his breath back and clear his mind. His sides still ached from the run, even though he had been here a good while, trying to decide on where to go. So far he had decided:

Mountains - no, too cold and far away
The ashes of Asylum - definitely not, he didn't know if it even existed and didn't want to take his chances
Thunderclan - not in a million years
Skyclan - they might let him in since he was family, but it was still a clan
Shadowclan - Ivory was there, but again, same issue as the last two

In conclusion, he had nowhere to go.

No-one around to impress.

Just no-one in general.

His eyes started stinging with tears, but he told himself that it was just the bad smell, until they started cascading down his face. It's not like anyone cares I'm crying. Or like anyone knows where I am. Curled up by the edge of the road, he lay there for who knows how long, feeling smaller than ever.

Despite his brain whirring in circles, he must've fallen asleep a some point, because when he moved again the sun was already setting. He was surprised that the monsters hadn't woken him up. Maybe he had been too tired to care. But he had to move. He knew full well that it wasn't safe here, and also temptingly close to Shadowclan, which he didn't like at all. Even if I did go in there, they'd probably chase me out. I hope Ivory escaped. Who knew, maybe he would bump into her at some point, wandering alone just like him. That thought gave him some motivation to get up and move on, leaving the marshes and pine trees behind him.

Only now, when he wasn't so exhausted, did he notice the scent of other cats where he had been.

A large group of clan cats, all waiting here for something. Mousehunt. He checked again, but now he was certain - the scent was from yesterday. He felt like this was somehow useful to know, but had no idea in what way. As far as he was concerned, as long as the clans where within sight but out of reach, he would be fine.

But it turned out the clans took up quite a lot of space.

He was following the Thunderpath in the general direction of the mountains, his only goal to get away from Shadowclan. The open moor looked nice, if a little cold and breezy, so he cautiously crossed over to inspect it. No sooner had he done this, however, when he scented the border markers. Clan. Of course. He scurried away again before a patrol spotted him: he may've been well rested now, but really wasn't up for a fight. Still, he carried on walking, wondering when their territory would end. Do they really need this much space? S'pose I'm one to talk. Asylum stretched from horizon to horizon. Of course, that had been when it still existed.

Eventually he caught sight of a large red building in the distance. Surely the clans wouldn't want something as Twoleg-made as that, and Yew only saw it as shelter. He scanned the nearby clan territory, trying to make a mental note of the borders. They would be useful to know if he was planning to hang around here. Which he assumed he was, since he didn't have any other ideas.

Just as he had hoped, the barn was warm and dry inside, and the scent of mouse hid at every corner. Cats had been here recently (possibly Asylum, but he couldn't be bothered to try and tell), but not for quite a while, so he decided it was safe.

I'll come back for your Ivory, I promise. Then we can run away together, maybe find mum if she wants to be found. And I can tell all about how dad is terrible and a disappointment and... He stopped himself, knowing that getting angry about the past would do nothing now. Everything will be alright.

He needed to cling onto that hope, because without it he was completely lost. It was the only thing holding him together.

But it was dangerous to be held together with one precarious string.