Never fear, my children. I bring you an update after three weeks. Things are getting quite busy as I finish up this semester. In good news, these chapters will begin being published weekly the second week of May, so no more do you have to torment the bimonthly updates that occur during the school year

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Chase paced around Yew, slowly trying to take in all the information she had gathered from her eavesdropping session. Yew waited patiently and tilted his head, waiting for her to elaborate further.

"I don't understand. What has Moonkit-er, Moonpaw-done?" Yew asked.

"The cats are leaving because of her," Chase said, finally pausing her movements. She turned and stared at Yew, her breath catching in her throat. "She's a monster."

"I-I don't understand. She's so young. How could she be responsible-"

"Sometimes I think I should have killed that kit, like a fox should do," Chase murmured as she took a seat on the forest floor. "Apparently she did not kill her mother with her own claws, but the rogue she was associating with-her mate now-was hired to do the deed. Still, she must have had some part in it. I remember the blood on her paws clearly. She goes by Moonstar now, too."

"Moonstar?" Yew asked.

"Apparently Moonstar also killed her brother, Owlpaw. He was the other kitten I saved, and apparently an angel compared to his devilish sister. I assume she was exiled from the clan, and now she's apparently made her own clan and is threatening war on FoxClan and another clan nearby called SnowClan," Chase explained.

Yew's eyes widened in shock. "Killing your family like that? It's sickening," he said, shivering slightly. "But how much of a threat does she pose? She's just one she-cat."

"A she-cat who killed her mother and brother and now is running her own clan called MoonClan. Clearly she has power if she can force the cats from their clans. They must not feel safe," Chase explained. "She's vicious, and I'm assuming the cats she'll get to join her will possess that same attitude." Chase froze slightly, remembering one more detail that rubbed her the wrong way. "She-she has four kits now."

"That young?!" Yew exclaimed.

"I bet she's not taking great care of them," Chase murmured. "I don't think her mother was that good towards her, so she has no example of how to parent. Maybe I should..."

"Should what?"

"No. It's stupid," Chase murmured.

"You wanted to rescue them and raise them?" Yew asked, chuckling slightly. He coughed and corrected himself, as if he weren't mocking Chase's idea.

"It's dumb. You can laugh," Chase said, averting her gaze. "Even if I can communicate with them, it's better they're with cats. Maybe someone else will come along and help. I hope there are at least some good-spirited cats out there."

"I'm sorry, Chase. I didn't expect you to find out so much. She's a truly awful cat, not like any I've met before," Yew said quietly, shuffling his paws in the dirt.

Chase let out a long sigh and stood. It was finished. Her dreams of aiding the cats. She had the chance to bring some justice by slaughtering Moonstar, but she had hesitated. Her father wouldn't have. Maybe...maybe he was right in ways. Either way, the cats were leaving.

"Let's just go home," Chase decided.

"Are you sure?" Yew asked.

She nodded, wanting to forget about cats for a while.

...

Within a few days, the cats that had once occupied the woods and caused such annoyance to the other animals of the forest had vanished without a trace. Their stale scent was already gone, and the forest seemed to have more prey than before. Chase assumed her father was happy and that the other predators in the area were overjoyed. She was content eating a bit more, especially because it was getting colder.

Still, Chase missed the cats terribly. Her guilt over failing to stop Moonstar grew each day, and she thought again and again of what had brought her to Yew. They said they were going to change the mindset of the forest by uniting cats and foxes. But now the cats were gone before any conversation had taken place.

The forest was peaceful, sure, but Chase felt she had lost her purpose. She still had Yew, of course, and she loved him with all her heart, but she also had a passion. Living as a simple fox had never done much for her. Many other vixens would be content living with their mates and raising some kits in the spring, but that had never been the life for Chase and Yew.

Chase felt more confined to the den these days. She and Yew would still go out to hunt and walk around the woods, but there was not much else to do. He reminded her of the snow that would soon come and the entertainment that could bring, but it was still awhile away, and Chase had little to do in the freetime.

One afternoon, Chase sat near the entrance of the den, watching as clouds and fog took over the forest. It was entrancing watching the way the fog rolled through the hills and left bits of dew on the plants and ground. Yew had gone out for a morning hunt, though Chase had not been hungry and let him go alone. His parents and siblings had done the same, and she was alone.

Hearing footsteps, Chase pricked her ears, watching Yew return with a dead rabbit in his jaws. He walked past her and set the rabbit near her.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Not really," Chase murmured, her eyes still glued to the thick fog.

"Chase," Yew said, catching her attention. She turned and stared at him, noticing suddenly the concern in his eyes. He had not been speaking to her lately with that same enthusiasm they initially shared. She had thought maybe he was angry, but he only looked saddened.

"I'm worried about you," Yew said gently.

"I'll be fine," Chase responded, turning her head back to gaze at the forest. "What do you think it was like living at home?"

"I know it's disheartening that the cats have left. That was your dream," Yew said, scooting closer to her so that their fur was brushing. "It was mine too. At least you made it mine. Claw saw potential in you. He wanted you to use your talents to change the forest."

"Well, it seems Moonstar did that for me. Now there are no cats to bother us anymore," Chase grumbled.

"Then...then we'll find a new forest," Yew suggested.

Chase turned her head, staring at him in shock.

"Well, we have to keep up the language somehow, right?" Yew said, taking a bite of rabbit.

"Are you serious?" Chase asked. "Leave here? But this has been my home, and you only just moved here from another forest. It would be dumb, wouldn't it? Chasing after cats like that. You would have to leave your family, and so would I."

"Is that a problem for you to leave here and your family?" Yew asked.

"N-No," Chase murmured. "I've always liked exploring, but I don't want to drag you with me. We were just settling down and-"

"It doesn't matter to me," Yew argued. "I'll go wherever you go. I don't like seeing you depressed like this. I want you to fulfill your dream. I want to make that happen for you. So in a few days, let's get out of here and find some more cats, solve problems in a different forest. What do you say?"

"Are you sure, Yew?" Chase asked quietly.

"It's not a burden at all. I'm a grown fox. You're almost a grown one as well. What's keeping you here?"

"Nothing in particular, I suppose," Chase realized.

"Then, let's do it! Let's get out of here and explore!" Yew stated excitedly.

Chase smiled at him, feeling the slightest bit of tears gather in the corner of her eyes.

"Yes, let's," she said happily, smiling for the first time in what felt like forever. "I love you, Yew."

"I love you, too. I want to do whatever I can to keep you happy," he said, nuzzling against her.

"When would we go?" Chase asked.

"In a few days' time, I guess. I'll need to tell my parents. You'll probably tell yours." At the sight of Chase's annoyed face, Yew added, "Or not. But we might be able to pick up a scent or two and follow it. We can explore the cats' territories, get a feel for how they live. It'll help us with our mission."

Chase smiled warmly at him. "Sounds like a plan."