'Fox!'

Brokenpaw stood frozen, his ears flicking as he searched for any signs of it being close.. Brownoak traced around the scent. "Faint, not very recent thank goodness; but a good scare am I right?" he joked looking over his shoulder at the reddish brown tabby, Brokenpaw nodded as his breathing steadied and he got feeling back in his paws. He walked up to his mentor's side as he regained the breath he lost.

They were on yet another hunt, but with the quietness of the other three clans there wasn't much to do otherwise patrol and train in the sandy hollow. Not that Brokenpaw was complaining though.

Brownoak signaled with his tail for Brokenpaw to follow, the reddish brown tom slowly followed him back deeper into the forest. But he felt uneasy, Twisted also came back with the scent of fox dung on her; of course there would be traces of it remaining, did he have to be so dumbfounded about this revelation?

But why was he always so uneasy, the scent always set off strange uncertainty. But he of course brushed it off and they continued on their hunt, he stepped away from Brownoak. The sturdy dark brown tom turned his gaze, but Brokenpaw caught a scent. He dropped into a crouch and prowled forward, he could smell it clear as day now.

Vole?

He perked up his nose as he smelled it, his tail raised as he continued forward to catch it. He spotted it and made his way carefully towards the small furry creature, he spotted it and continued forward. He leaped forward, and collided with another cat.

Brokenpaw got to his paws, pelt bushing as he saw the other cat getting to his paws. a tortoiseshell tom who seemed just as startled, and reeked of RiverClan.

"Trespasser!" Brokenpaw hissed, his tail lashing.

The tom backed off, his eyes showed fear. "P-please don't hurt me, I'm only over here b-because they told me to; I just want to get off here as soon as possible." The tom stuttered.

Brokenpaw raised an eyebrow, but he turned to see the vole had disappeared. "Looks like we're both out of prey!" he snarled.

The other tom hung his head. "I'm dead, I'm dead for sure and we would never see each other when they're done."

"Hey, honestly I'd rather not see you here again!" Brokenpaw snarled, his tail lashing as his claws unsheathed.

"N-no, I don't mean y-you, please don't hurt me!" the other tom pleaded, "I-I'm talking a-about…"

Brokenpaw saw that look in his eyes. "You got someone back at your camp, someone you want to get with?" he asked.

The tom shuffled his paws. "Not if they kill me, I never will… let her know."

Brokenpaw rolled his eyes. "Aren't you one of their rogues, why would they kill you?"

"They said this was the last straw, if I came back with nothing they'd kill me alone," the tom answered, "They never liked me, none of them at all; except her she's my only friend."

"Darkstar's not going to cover your back?"

"No, he doesn't give a frog dung about me."

"Only that she-cat, right?"

The tortoiseshell nodded his head, his ears drooped.

"Why did they send you into ThunderClan territory then, surely they'd know you'd… that's IT!"

Brokenpaw turned and whispered into his ear, the tom's eyes widened.

'Stars I hope this work!' Ace thought as he trudged back into the territory, his tail between his paws. The look on Shred's face said it all, she wanted his throat in her hungry… open… sharp jaws…

He swallowed his gut as he continued forward, golden eyes met his hazel ones as he met eyes with Bristle. "Well Ace, what do you have as your excuse this time? Flying birds swooped down and snatched it off the ground before your eyes?"

Ace gulped. "Well… I thought the vole scent went down into a badger den, the snarling jaws and hungry bites made for a thrilling sight to be seen; but they went after me and I had to maneuver to escape and not lead them back to all of you; I couldn't find the vole though." He lied, eyes down casted.

Both leaders seemed stunned and even maybe… a little relieved. "That doesn't change anything, there are bellies that will go hungry today and it won't be ours!" shred snarled, turning and leaving. "Go ahead and speak to that she-cat of yours, neither of you will get a meal… had you tried you both could've shared that vole."