Hello again everyone! I'm back with chapter 7 as promised. Before you start reading, I just want to thank my followers and reviewers for inspiring me to continue this story. Without you, I would've given up long ago on this story. Okay, now that that is out of the way, lets read!

Declaimer: All I own is Bear and the storyline, the rest of the credit goes to the Erin Hunters and Honey's creator.


Leafpool's POV

I felt Crowfeather's fur bristle as the sound drew closer towards us. The noise only grew louder until it drew too near for my mate's comfort, resulting in the gray tom lunging into the bushes where the paw-steps were heard from. Just when the former WindClan warrior disappeared from sight into the thick brush, the sound of surprised hisses and vicious snarls immediately were set off and a lithe figure tottered from the brier with Crowfeather struggling to keep a good grasp on the intruder. My eyes widen at the sight of the small figure. For it was a small, vicious, foul-smelling fox!

The almost black tom yowled when the fox drew his paw back and lashed out at him with its sharp claws piercing through Crowfeather's thin pelt, instantly drawing blood. Without a second thought, I leaped at the intruder, my claws unsheathed and ready for a fight. I landed on the fox's back and relentlessly strike at the creature's spine, making red fox collapse onto its side. As I fell to the ground, I landed painfully on my foreleg, yowling at the seeping pain evident on my paw.

Crowfeather wasted no time to regain his composure and lashed out at the fox's face. It didn't go according to the tom's plan though, for the out smarted him, and sank its brutal fangs into the gray cat's foreleg.

I shrieked for my mate's safety, attempting to lift myself off the ground, but it was too late. For the fox already got to it's paws, not letting go of it's victim which resulted in Crowfeather dangling from the fox's jaws, trying desperately to hold his consciousness as he was shook vigorously by his captor.

In time, the red fox finally released the tom when he seemed too weak to fight back, and threw him away as if Crowfeather were a piece of crowfood. It then turned its sight on me. I cringed in fear.

I saw my mate try weakly to get to his paws, but his legs buckled in each time he attempted to put his full weight on his legs. I hissed threateningly at the red fox, but it seemed to know that I was only bluffing. Trying to hide my fear, I kept hissing and lashing out at the creature. But in time, the intruder drew closer and closer to my being, ignoring my attempts to scare it off, and lifting it's paw into the air. I instinctually closed my amber orbs tightly, waiting for the impact.

It never came.

Opening my eyes slightly, I caught sight of the fox backing away with struggled snarls. I grew confused at this action. Only when the fox turned did I see the cause for the fox's behavior. Much to my astonishment, I saw an auburn-furred cat latched on his victim's back, clawing unrelenting with one paw as the other held on tight to the fox's thick pelt.

It was Bear!

The rogue continually lashed the creature until it yowled it's defeat, and slid off it's back. The fox wasted no time in giving one last glare at the cats before running away with the reddish tom clawing at it's hind-legs threateningly as it retreated. Only once the creature was out of sight, did the rogue let his victim go. I swallowed my nerves as I got to my paws, but my injured paw prevented me from doing so. Steading myself on my three good legs, I made my way towards my injured mate, checking his wounds.

Crowfeather slowly revealed his blue irises as I drew near, and tried to speak, but I shook my head in discouragement. I was too wrapped up in my check over to notice that the large rogue was gradually walking towards us. Only when I heard Bear's voice behind me did I notice his presence. "Did the piece of dung die?"

I rolled my eyes in frustration, answering in a strained tone, "No. Just a few scratches." Bear nodded his head. We stood in silence for a while, me still checking over the small toms wounds while the rogue watched impatiently. Once I wrapped up the last of Crowfeather's remaining wounds, I turned to the larger cat, "Do you have any injuries as well?"

"No way, I was too quick for the piece of crowfood to even lay a claw on me!" he responded in an arrogant tone, smiling at his latest victory. I could only roll my eyes at the tom's cockiness. All too soon though, the massive tom returned to his serious state, looking at me with such intensity that I shifted uncomfortably.

"Are you alright Leafpool?" I heard the weak voice of my mate, and turned my attention back to him, seeing him look pitifully at my injured paw "I'm alright Crowfeather. I just landed on my paw funny, I should be recovered within the next few sunrises. Thanks to Bear."

My mate's expression showed nothing but shock and hatred as he swiftly turned his gaze to the rogue. Bear seemed undisturbed when the smaller tom glared harshly at him, and washed his forepaw carelessly. I hisses silently at the hotheaded tom, making him swallow his pride and speak in a strained tone, "Tha-thanks for saving m-me and Leafpool."

"No problem." The larger tom replied, a smug smirk evident on his face, for he was clearly enjoying this.

"Why are you here anyway?" Crowfeather immediately asked in a bitter tone. That made the rogue instantly lose his smug expression and resume his serious demeanor. "I have come to ask of your permission."

I saw my mate narrow his piercing blue orbs in suspicion, "For what?" Bear unsheathed his claws angrily, looking as if he wanted to murder the mistrustful clan cat. "…For my mate and I to join you on your voyage."

"Crowfeather!" I hissed as the stubborn tom protested, silencing him with a strict glare before turning to the auburn cat, "Is there a reason?"

For several crucial moments, the large tom said nothing. It was when Crowfeather seemed fed up with waiting did the well-muscled tom reply, "I recently found out that Honey was expecting my litter. And after you guys explaining to us how life is like with no housefolk. I want that life for my kits." I didn't know how to respond to that.

"You do know that your mate is a kittypet right?" I faintly heard my mate critically ask his rival.

Bear glared at the former warrior, a frown forming on his face, "So what?! That has nothing to do with this! She'll leave with me."

"Really? Think about it crowfood. She lived her whole life with Twolegs, It's all she knows. Do you really believe that she would be willing to give up the life she chose for an arrogant and selfish tom?"

I wanted to scold the gray tom for saying this, but deep down, I knew that my mate was right. Why would Honey wish to give up on her housefolk to live in the wild when she lived all her life pampered by Twolegs and treated with nothing but kindness?

The rogue looked off put at this, but shook it off and glared once more at the almost black loner, "All she needs is a little persuading. Then she will more then happy leave those monsters."

It was times like these I wish I knew what goes through a tom's head. Did he really believe that a full on kittypet would leave the life she feels she has no reason too? Bear doesn't seem to think about how Honey might feel about this.

"Bear. Honey seems happy where she is. She has no reason to give up her dependence on Twolegs, only to have to live independently in the forest." I gently said, hoping what I said didn't anger the rogue too much.

The auburn tom snorted in disbelief, "Oh give me a break. Who would want live a life where lousy housefolk make their decisions for them?"

I had to agree with Bear on that, but kittypets really don't seem to care if they have a say on their life or not. "I don't know Bear, it all seems so sudden. Does Honey even know your asking this?"

For a moment, the massive cat had a doubtful look, "Well…no."

"You can't do this without her approval you know."

The reddish-brown rogue shifted from paw to paw, not seeming to know what to say. I could feel the former warrior smirking in triumph at his rival, and bit back a comment. Then the large tom stood up and stared at my mate and I with a determined gleam in his green orbs, "These are my kits. They deserve freedom, not a life of captivity. Honey has to understand that those Twolegs are only holding her back from the life of freedom she deserves."

Once seeing that nothing was going to change this rogue's mind, I released a sigh before nodding to the large tom, much to my mate's dismay, "Very well. But it is you that must persuade her into this."

Bear nodded in understanding, "Stay here until I return in two days time." Without another word, the massive cat disappeared into the shadows. I practically felt Crowfeather's glare at the back of my head as I watched the rogue's departure.

"Why would you agree to his demands?!"

"Because Crowfeather. I, in a way, understand. Who would want their kits to live a life without having a say in it?"

The small gray tom growled stubbornly as I turned my calm gaze towards him.


Well that is it. Hope you all liked it! And again, thank you for the inspiration. Until next time, see ya later! SilverWolf out