Fawn stepped over brambles and thicket as she sniffed around for more herbs. It was almost sundown, and she only needed one more herb before she could go back to camp. Talon followed, his heavy pawsteps becoming a nuisence to hear. She turned to him, trying to speak through her mouthful of herbs.

"Would you try to be a little quieter? You'll wake the whole forest with that stomping of yours!" Fawn gave her brother a look, and flicked her tail over his back, giving a light chuckle. "Remind me to ask Hutch to teach you how to stalk again, will you?"

Talon just ignored his sister, and followed her along through the woods, listning for more prey. He had already caught a mouse, but he and Fawn ate it, having been out since sunhigh. His sister insisted they save it, but once she heard Talon's stomach growl, she just had to give in.

Fawn's tail began to drag as she and Talon reached another brook. Both had never been farther than that, having seen a fox on the other side a few moons earlier.

Fawn began to make her way to the edge of the brook. She put one paw in the water, bracing herself for its coldness. She felt the water encircle her paw, and she watched a silver fish dart past her, swimming around her paw. She heard the crunch of the undergrowth as her brother came next to her. He put his paw in the water, and sat down on the bank, laying his kill beside him, and sweeping his tail protectively over it. Fawn dropped her herbs and cautiously waded farther into the water, letting it slosh over her legs. Her paws sunk deep into the sand, and she had to keep moving so they wouldn't sink completely in.

Talon watched his sister from the bank as she chased fish in the water. He laughed as she fell, water splashing over her face.

"It's not funny, Talon! It's really cold! You come out here and see for yourself!" She got herself up from the water and waded over to her brother, a mischievous look glazing her amber eyes. She looked wild, her light brown fur plastered to her skin, making her look more underfed. Talon shivered, then remembered who Fawn was.

"Oh, come on Fawn. Don't...it'll take me twice as long to dry off, you know that. My fur's longer than yours." He pleaded

"Oh, no, you're not getting off that easily!" Fawn tackled her brother, sending him into a shallow part of the brook. The two play-fought like kits, splashing around in the brook and tackling eachother.

Through the shadows, he watched the cats make fools of themselves. He knew who they were...they had only seen him once or twice before.
He laughed in annoyance as he bouded back to his mate, his red tail trailing behind him.

"They're here...just two of them. The older girl, and the younger boy... they're splashing around in the brook, making quite some noise. What mouse-brained fools." His mate nodded and padded over to him.

"I want to fight, I haven't eaten in days. You know it won't be good for the kits if I don't eat." She mumbled, gesturing to her swollen belly.

"You can't fight...do you know what that will do to the kits? They've been training for days now, the she-cat is getting better. They tom is aloof and wayward, but i bet the she would rip you to shreads. Your skills have depleated since you've been expecting. We don't want anything to go wrong when you kit. Hide here, and I'll fight them off." His mate just grumbled, looking hurt. He gave her a reassuring lick, and stalked out of the bushes.

Fawn suddenly stopped, her head raised in curiosity.

"Ugh, Talon! Have you been rolling around in fox dung again?? I told you they don't smell good, and their dung doesn't smell any better."

"It's not me! " Fawn sniffed again, and her eyes went wide with shock.

"Fox!" She yelled. The tom then came out of the bush and jumped on Talon. Faw spun around and lept on the tom, flipping him over so she had control. Her claw came up to his throat, and she gave the tom a thretning look. He loosened one of his legs and began to scratch at her underbelly, but she wouldn't have it. She brought him under the water, and then got on top of him, holding him under. The tom gasped for breath and struggled to writher free of her grasp.

Fawn was now on the bottem, but she and the tom were fighting on the bank. Fawn let out a bloodcurtling scream as the top ripped her fur clean from her sides, and raked his claws across her eye. Blood splattered across the bank, and Talon, injured by the tom fox, could only watch as his sister struggled to get up and fight. The tom was now on top of Fawn, his claws ready to rip at her throat, when a figure dashed out of the brambles and took him down, throwing him in the bank. The tom fox soon saw he was outnumbered, so he quickly took Talon's prey and scampered up the slope.

Hutch watched the tom go, then turned to Fawn. She was badly injured, and laying on her side. Blood trickled from her many wounds, and her right eye was open, unfocused, her left eye closed, and she struggled to find a breath. Hutch ran over to his sister, with a limping Talon close behind. the two brought water to her wounds, and carried her back to camp.