Enjoy!

"One thing we're sure of is that FoxClan is not aware of our existence. I'm positive they would've attacked us by now," Bramblestar meowed, standing by the exit at the head of his patrol. Foxleap, Hazeltail, and Seedspeck were all behind him, looking deadly serious.

Fogkit felt his belly lurch. He was so glad he wasn't an apprentice yet, and wouldn't have to go out there and face foxes, of all creatures. He could only pray to StarClan the foxes would be gone by the time he became an apprentice, in three moons.

"Oh, I wish I could go out there now!" Lakekit whined, padding up and brushing shoulders with Fogkit. The silver tom rolled his eyes. Of course, just the opposite of what I was thinking.

Despite his misgivings about ever investigating FoxClan himself, Fogkit was very interested in the whole issue, and kept himself posted by the thorn barrier all day in wait of the patrol's return. He glanced around camp: everyone was bouncing from paw to paw, and not because they had to use the dirtplace.

Smokypaw and Larchpaw both looked upset, but probably for different reasons. Smokypaw seemed genuinely worried for their parents, while Larchpaw was loudly complaining to his poor mentor how he should have gone too.

Lilyfern was pacing near where Fogkit was stationed. Seedspeck was her littermate, and Fogkit knew that the sisters were even closer than Beekit and Morningkit. Then again, Beekit and Morningkit weren't exactly two petals on a flower…

After a few eons, Bramblestar reentered the camp, one ear torn and bleeding. Briarlight gasped and dragged herself up to him with herbs she had gathered already in wait for their return. The brown tabby just grunted, allowing the disabled she-cat to tend to him before a few heartbeats before he broke away, bounding across the clearing with a trail of dressing flying off the tear in his ear.

"Where are the others?" Cloudtail asked, his white fur fluffed up nervously for his Clanmates.

Bramblestar met the senior warrior's glittering blue eyes for a moment, acknowledging his question but not answering it. Then he raised his head and yowled the meeting call. Ivypool urged Fogkit away from his warm patch of sunlight by the thorny entrance, and was crammed in by Lakekit under the Highledge.

"Foxleap, Hazeltail, and Seedspeck are still alive and well," Bramblestar began.

"Yes, but they're not here," Brightheart whimpered with some usually-unseen temper.

"They agreed to begin the first shift of this system we produced," continued the ThunderClan leader. He swept one large paw over his ripped ear, and a couple flecks of blood landed on the stone. "There will be three guards set up at either end of FoxClan's territory, as well as the middle of the border. This will count as a warning to the foxes that we're not messing around. If they make a move on one of the guards, that guard yells loud enough for the cat nearest them to hear. Then that warrior will immediately go back to camp to get help, and that would launch our first full-scale attack."

Berrynose's hackles were raised. "And the third guard?" he demanded.

"The third guard will be alerted by the second guard while he or she is going to camp to get help. The third guard will then go to help the first cat until backup arrives." Bramblestar's amber eyes raked over his cats, then he went on, "There will be three shifts: dawn to sunhigh, sunhigh to dusk, and dusk to dawn. When it is sunhigh, Rosepetal, Bumblestripe, and Icecloud will go. After them will be Berrynose, Toadstep, and Molefoot. We will continue this system for however long we need to. This could take moons, so get used to it. For now there will be no new warriors or apprentices acting as guards, and... Squirrelflight or another individual will let you know if you will be having a shift."

Many gulps sounded around the clearing. Fogkit was shivering. What if this went on so long, he would be a warrior and doing these shifts? It seemed odd that Bramblestar was doing this timid guard system, when they could just attack the foxes and drive them away. Unless they were really that many…

He snapped back to attention when he realized someone had asked a question, and Bramblestar was answering. "I'm not risking any lives if I don't have to yet. If we could just show FoxClan that we mean peace by not immediately attacking, and just keeping watch over them—"

"And your ear? Why is it torn?"

Bramblestar rolled his eyes and licked his chest fur. "I snagged it on a thorn tendril hanging from a tree branch while running back."

OoOoO

The patch of sunlight had moved from the fresh-kill pile to the center of the clearing, on the sunning stones. The elders were basking on there, naturally. Sorreltail's loud, raspy breath echoed against the stone walls as Brackenfur licked his mate's shoulder worriedly.

Fogkit stayed in the chilly shade by the 'kill pile, nevertheless. He kept his wavering blue gaze on the sky until he could barely look at it anymore. The sun had gradually risen over the treetops and was now at its highest point in the sky. Sunhigh.

The prickly barrier shook, and Foxleap, Hazeltail, and Seedspeck walked into camp, greeted happily by their closest kin. But then up came Rosepetal, Bumblestripe, and Icecloud, all grim-faced. Rosepetal exchanged a forlorn glance with her brother, Toadstep, who was going out later. Bumblestripe stumbled forward, flanked by Dovewing and his daughters. Icecloud rubbed her muzzle against Tigerheart's and touched noses with each of their kits.

"This is more dangerous than the Gathering, isn't it, Daddy?" whimpered Beekit, her tail dragging on the ground. Fogkit felt terrible for his kin, and left his spot to meet them.

"I'm afraid so, my little bumble bee," Bumblestripe murmured, leaning down and flicking his long-torn ear rapidly, the only exhibition of his buzzing nerves. But then he raised his head, licked Dovewing's cheek, and added, "However, I must serve my Clan. And you know your Daddy's strong," he added with a smirk, nudging Morningkit, who appeared to be in a haze. "I doubt I'll return with a hair less than I did when I left."

Bramblestar emerged from his den and bounded down, racing across the clearing to get to the departing guards in time. "I wish you all good luck," the dark brown tabby meowed, waving his tail vigorously. "I'm sorry you must go through this, but I believe this is the best way to keep ThunderClan safe. I know Firestar wouldn't have gone straight to fighting as a solution."

Rosepetal flattened her ears. "Will this 'FoxClan' really move out when they see we're, like, guarding their territory? Aren't we technically helping them?"

Bramblestar's optics flashed. "N- no, we're watching the foxes to make sure they don't try to expand the border."

Icecloud's eyes were misty as she strode by the broad-shouldered tom. "And you don't have to base your decisions off of Firestar's."

Before he could reply, she had disappeared into the tunnel. Bumblestripe frowned and dipped his head to Bramblestar before following her. Rosepetal left last, after muttering something to Toadstep. The black-and-white tom marched away with a small scowl at the ThunderClan leader.

Squirrelflight had turned up at Bramblestar's side, and her plumy tail was draped over his square shoulders. "You're just trying to keep them safe," she comforted him. "It's always difficult for new leaders."

Dovewing and the others had retreated to the fresh-kill pile, but Fogkit slid through the undergrowth lining that part of the camp, keeping his ears pricked to their conversation.

"But Squirrelflight, it's been moons! It's been over six moons since I took lead of this Clan, and I still don't know if I'm doing the right thing," Bramblestar muttered. He lifted his muzzle to the sky. "At times I wonder if I should visit the Moonpool with Jayfeather for guidance."

"There's no reason to do that," Squirrelflight protested gently. "You seem so focused on leading like my father did. You know you've heard the stories about the confrontation he faced for having an improper deputy ceremony, let alone for being a former kittypet. At least you don't have that to deal with. You and Firestar are the best leaders I've seen."

Bramblestar smirked, but he looked significantly happier as his tail curled over his back. "We're the only leaders you've lived to see!"

Fogkit stopped listening to them, already feeling guilty for eavesdropping. Casually he slipped out of the brush and made his way over to where Ivypool and Lakekit were crunching on a thrush.

"Oh, thank StarClan," Ivypool mewed, detaching Lakekit from the prey and pushing it over to Fogkit. "Your brother slurped down most of it like he hasn't had food in seasons, but have another mouse if you'd like; there seems to be a surplus of fresh-kill today. Where were you?"

"Yeah, I saw you there when Bumblestripe and the others left, but then you were gone," Lakekit grunted, licking his chops.

Fogkit kept his mouth full for as long as possible, but their eyes seemed to burn holes in his pelt. He swallowed and sighed. "The dirtplace. Honestly, you might as well have a cat follow me and report back to you every place I've been."

His mother frowned. "I just didn't see you. How would you feel if—"

Just then, there was an abrupt yowl from the heart of the forest. Fogkit felt his blood run cold, and instinctively he hared over to the thorn barrier, juice dribbling down his chin.

Moments later, Rosepetal was running around the clearing, shouting, "Help! Bumblestripe's been attacked!"

Oh, great...