It was very early in the morning. Stickypaw snuck out of the medicine cat den, excitement buzzing from every hair on his pelt. He hurried out the main entrance; miaowing a quiet excuse to the warrior on guard, Pandapelt. She purred and warned him to not be too long.

He scampered into the RiverClan undergrowth, until he reached a dead husk of a tree. Skittering down a tiny gap in the roots, he slowed down and made himself more known.

"Briar? Dusk? Are you there?" Stickypaw called. Two pairs of yellow eyes pierced his pelt.

"We are here. What is the problem, o healer?" Briar answered. There was a trace of mockery in his delighted, quiet bark. Dusk muttered something unintelligible and scrabbled in the dirt. Suddenly Stickypaw could clearly see the foxes.

"Ho- how did you do that?" Stickypaw asked. Shaking off the surprise, he spoke to them. "Briar and Dusk, I desperately need your aid. My ancestors have warned me of a great trouble which is soon to befall my Clan and territory. I wish you to kidnap me."

Briar looked at Dusk and asked him to explain. "I wish for you to kidnap me and take me. I need to disappear, permanently. But I want it to look natural and, I beg you do not take this offensively, foxes are of the utmost skill at breaking and entering our dens."

Briar and Dusk grinned, long canines glinting in the early morning sunlight. "It is rare we have a request to attack such a bountiful feast. But there is one snag, no? We are to be told to kill no cat, are we? That is fine, if you make this worth our while."

Stickypaw sighed, relieved. "I'll give you two fresh fish from our pile. I'll put them in the medicine cat den."

Dusk burst out excitedly, "Consider it done! I love fish; we can't seem to master the catching of them."

"Attack at sundown today. I'll scent mark my den from outside so you can smell it. Burst in and grab me. I will play dead after a squeal of agony. Dusk, can you grab me? Not that I don't trust you, Briar, I just know that Dusk has kitted and is as gentle as a feather on a cub's scruff.

"Briar, grab your fish from there. Yowl and exit, pursued by a cat or two, et cetera et cetera."

The foxes replied as one. "Done."


Greenflower had gone to make dirt, and heard a lumbering animal. Peering over a rock, she spotted the one creature she wanted to see. "Whisper!"

He looked around and sniffed. "Must be a cat. Emberfall? Firestar?"

"Greenflower," she whispered helpfully. "I'm a cat from RiverClan. Midnight told me you would help us like she did."

Whisper shook his head, sending dust billowing out. "With what? I'm not exactly as useful as Midnight was, but I will try. I am better at rescue than actual plan or fight. Although, I have learnt your tongue better than my mother. Pro'lly comes from hanging round here so much." The badger rumbled quietly.

"Whisper, I need you to, uh, steal a few kits from our camp. They're mine. Adopted. But Lionstar wants them killed, so I'm going to tell him I'm making them leave camp, and then we had hoped something might get them. Right in front of the camp. That's what we'd planned, anyhow.

"We'd like you to rescue my kits and take them to the fox den where Briar and Dusk reside. They have Stickypaw who will take them and look after them."

Whisper was unconvinced, but slowly nodded. "I know you would not misuse my trust in you. Yes, I will do this."

Greenflower thanked him and scurried off. "Tomorrow, at sunrise they are to be expelled," she called behind her. "I shan't forget," the badger responded.

Greenflower called her kits to her side. "Skykit, Dawnkit. Next sunrise, you are to be expelled from here. A badger will run to you. He is called Whisper and he won't hurt you. But you need to pretend he will. Squeals, growls and scary things like that work well. But, when he really picks you up, abruptly cut off your screams. Got it?"

The kits nodded, understanding in their five-moon eyes. They curled up and went to sleep, tails covering each other's noses, gulping down as much fresh fish as their tummies could hold. It was to be their last guaranteed meal for a while.