Onwards, ever onwards. Time continues to run by, it's precise passage unknowable underground, only the increasing onset of aching paws and legs telling them that they've been moving for quite a while. Sparrow remains focused, holding little hesitation each time he directs their course down another tunnel, although even he seems to grow a little tired at it.

„We should be just about there. At last…"

The relieved sigh of Sparrow sparks some much overdo relief in Talon as well. If he is certain that they're almost there, it shouldn't be far now. At least if Sparrow's ability to orientate himself is as good as promised… Talon banishes the thought that his guide might not be as able and that they could be irreparably lost from his mind as quick as he manages, though an uncomfortable, cold shudder remains for several more steps. No, they must almost be there. The trip thus far has gone all as it should. No major undue surprises, a few smaller groups of rats that tried to defend their damp little nests, stink and darkness, but no true obstacles. Twice they adjusted their course to avoid larger swarms of rats, but none of the deviations cost them all that much more time, at least so Sparrow proclaimed. All goes well. All will go well. The stress has not left Talon for a moment the entire time and even the relief of hearing that they MIGHT almost be out feels like rain after a drought. Following the brown coated guide, soon they find themselves nigh a stacked pile of boxes. Large boxes underneath, forming a foundation, atop which smaller ones are stacked, leaving a climbable trail to a slit of sunlight descending down, one of the holes through which rain usually drains from thunderpaths. Sparrow sits down and huffs, visibly pleased with himself. Several others of the patrol, those who'd been on the scouting mission, all breathe up as they seem to recognise the place, causing a breath of relieved joy from the rest as well.

„So this is it?"

Talon turns to Sparrow, but finds Frost stepping up beside him, looking pleased up to the opening above.

„Yes, this is it. And the boxes are still here. I was worried a bit the twolegs might have moved them, but all still here."

Talon looks off down the tunnel, ears swivelling in the same direction. Twolegs are at work, further down that way. How or why, he neither knows nor cares to know right now. The boxes clearly have not been here too long, strong dark grey plastic, the dampness of the sewers barely upon it. Some of the smaller boxes are open, twoleg tools and lights laying around. This will all be gone when the twolegs finish up whatever they're up to down here, that much his lifelong experience living in twoleg place tells Talon.

„You neglected to mention our access out of the sewer might be dependant on the comings and goings of twolegs…"

After the long walk, Talon does not disguise his displeasure as he turns his head back just enough to shoot Frost a look from the corner of his eye.

„We saw them bring the boxes here from above. One of the fools even tried to reach out to touch us…"

Frost shakes his head at the memory with some distaste.

„But if they brought this much stuff, Kestrel expected they would be busy here a few days at least. Rare as it is, I kinda agreed with that. Twolegs don't seem to like unneeded effort. Wouldn't bring all this for some small, quick task."

With a slow nod, Talon looks up to their exit.

„Fair enough. Still, I'd rather get out of here. Is there someplace nearby outside we can rest a moment?"

Sparrow, freshly up on his paws again and stretching himself butts in

„There was that shaded wall right by the place, I think. Bit out of sight, but right by the meat place."

Frost nods slowly

„Yeah, that should do fairly well for a brief rest."

With a quiet grunt, Talon leaps up onto the larger boxes, looking down at the patrol, many sitting down to rest their paws a bit.

„We'll take a small rest outside. I want us as ready as possible for when we go in. For now, let's get out of the sewers"

The attention of most is drawn towards Talon as he speaks, using the same loud-and-clear voice he does for announcements in his alley. Beckoning Frost up with him, to show the way from here on, the white tom wastes no time to leap up and begin climbing the smaller boxes. The plastic feels smooth and slightly slippery under their paws after stepping through the damp all this time, Talon letting his hind claws unsheathe a bit in his climbing for more certain grip. From the highest box, Frost easily leaps the little distance to the water drain and slips outside. After a moment and a look back to see that the patrol is collectively beginning to scale the tower of boxes, Talon follows Frost's example, reaching the drain easily and climbing forth from it. Blinking in the light outside, letting his eyes adapt to the brightness, his ears swivel, scanning his surroundings. Bit by bit the surroundings become clearer, a tiny dead-end side alley, not long, not wide, but shaded and populated by a few larger dumpsters mainly. A not very busy thunderpath connects to it, Frost sitting out by the edge, looking out from the alley. He follows the white warrior, whom turns his head towards Talon as he approaches, before swaying it outward as a sign to see what he's looking at. Before Talon even arrives by Frost's side, before he has a chance to see it, he smells it. The scent lies temptingly in the air, leaving Talon feeling saliva gathering in his maw. Meat. Not just prey, nor old, fresh twoleg meats. A rare treat and the air is thick with it's smell here. There is no doubt anymore, they arrived at the right place. Sitting down beside Frost, Talon's eyes soon focus in on their target, the direction of the smell simple to find. Behind large panes of glass in the front of the building, large pieces of meat, some bigger than even a dog could carry, neatly on display. But that's not where the smell originates from, the occasional opening of the door when a twoleg enters or leaves not enough to saturate the air like this. No, the smell comes from the side of the building, where Talon sees past a still twoleg monster the window, the open window Kestrel reported. As if on cue, a twoleg, clad in mostly white seared with some blood, leans outward on the edge of the window, pulling forth one of the foul smelling smoke sticks and sets fire to on side, beginning to blow smoke about.

„Exactly as you reported… good. Very good."

Eyes remaining fixed to the building, one of his ears sways in Frost's direction as that one chuckles

„Can't wait to see what we can grab from there…"

„We probably won't have time to make much of a selection. We grab what we can and get out. Things went well this far, I'd rather not tempt fate now"

Frost hums, observing the smoke breathing twoleg a while before nodding

„Yeah… makes sense. Besides, just about anything from in there should make for a welcome catch"

„That's what we're hoping for"

At last pulling his eyes from the meat place, Talon looks back, most of the patrol having emerged from the sewer by now, finding room to sit by the wall to rest or stepping closer to the same corner as Frost and Talon, drawn closer by the same smell. Raising his red yes to the sky, observing that sunhigh has been over for a bit now, the sun already descending very slowly, Talon's tail sways with some unrest.

„We rest now… but we can't rest too long. It took us much of the day to get here and we still will have to carry everything back. We can't idle long."

Frost nods slowly, stretching himself long, even thinned as he currently is muscles rippling under his short pelt as he does so.

„Probably best that way. I'll go check if everyone's out of the sewer by now."

Talon shakes out his pelt as he rises up to his paws again, slowly walking past the former second-in-command and towards the greater mass of warriors he brought

„Alright, you do that. Meanwhile I would like one or two cats to go keep an eye on the window from up closer. Get a look inside, figure out if there is any time it'd be safe for us to enter."

Raising his voice a little as he goes along, making sure his warriors hear him, he looks around expectantly. Rapidly, Grail steps forth, fuzzy tail held high.

„I will"

Talon nods slowly, before looking around again.

„Anyone else?"

A few moments later, Wax steps forth, a faint pleased purr emitting as he steps from the shade into the sunlight, it's warmth clearly welcomed by the long haired black tom.

„Sure, I can go. Just observing for openings for now, right?"

„Exactly. From on top of the still monster you'll probably have the best view. Just watch, see what can be seen, where the food is, when we might get in and out without trouble… It's rarely wise to challenge twolegs on their own turf, so I want if possible to be gone before anyone of them have much chance to do anything."

Calmly padding over to Grail, Wax nods, his white face turning towards their destination

„Got it. Should't be a problem."

Grail looks from Wax to Talon, a confident smile on her, for a moment allowing Talon to forget her injury as he sees the warrior, her thick russet fur holding a beautiful shine in the descending sunlight.

„We'll get it done."

The two set out, after a moment of observation crossing the thunderpath and hurrying over to the inactive monster. Immediately noticed by the twoleg at the window, no real reaction follows beyond it pondering the two warriors for a while, before eventually tossing it's burned down smoke stick away onto the pavement and returning back inside.

Returning into the small alley's shade and laying down amidst the rest of the patrol, Talon lays down his head for a bit with a quiet huff. It's been a long walk ad the icky feeling his paws got from the grounds they stepped has not faded. Hardly any snow out today, nor do there seem to be any patches of green to rub his pads off on. No matter. They got their target in sight now. As soon as they are rested up a little, they will get what they came for and get back home. The patrol around either sits or lies, all remaining fairly close to the others, talking, joking. A few try to predict what exactly they might find inside the meatplace, only to be contradicted by some equally unknowing, several rings of discussion forming. From time to time a rogue or loner pads by the alley, their astonishment and often curiosity cut short between the spontaneous guards, Frost and Owl, and they quickly continue walking. Though at times it seems to find a gap in his pelt, sending a small shiver down his spine, the cold is mostly on his legs currently. After a while, Talon rises back up, briefly shaking out his pelt before padding up to the thunderpath, right by Owl.

„I'll go see if our scouts found us a decent opening. The patrol stays here until I give sign to proceed"

Owl gives no words but a stern nod in response, turning his head to a few warriors who'd already been getting up and about to follow after seeing Talon rise to his paws. With a sway of his rugged old tail, Owl signals them to stay put, which they comply with fairly quickly, most simply returning to their circles of conversation for now. With looks in both sides and a moment to listen, Talon deems the thunderpath safe for now and quickly bounds cross, leaping up onto the monster Grail and Wax are posted on.

„Found anything useful for us?"

Grail turns her head and nods, visibly pleased.

„A few things. It's often shortly, but the twoleg does leave the room regularly."

Through the open window Talon sees the twoleg, at work at a large table, cutting away at a large piece of meat, slowly clearing it off around a huge bone with a single curved metal claw in it's hand. Wax chimes in, pointing into the room at a door to the left, only slightly open.

„And from there he keeps grabbing and bringing meat from and to. I bet my tail that's where we find what we seek. Long as the twoleg doesn't close it up, it should be quick and easy for us."

Talon nods, observing the door a moment, before returning his attention to the twoleg, whom finishes clearing almost all the meat cleanly off the bone, leaving it on the table for a moment before exchanging it's metal claw for a longer and straighter one, cutting apart the meat itself. Talon hums as he watches the bone for a bit. He's seen the bones of larger dogs before and this is well bigger still.

„I did always wonder what prey twolegs hunt… Must be enormous beasts, bigger than themselves"

Wax follows Talons gaze, his ear flicking before emitting a slight chuckle, perhaps genuine, perhaps just to mask the growling of his stomach, audible still behind his chuckle and words.

„Well, they seem to be through with the hunting part on this one. Right now I mostly care wether if tastes better than dog."

Talon throws a discrete look along Wax's body. The black tom's long fur obscures it somewhat, but he too has thinned over the past moon. Turning and stepping to the other side of the monster, in sight of Frost and Owl, Talon sways his tail for them all to come over. The two guards rushing into the alley, Talon turns to Grail and Wax.

„Next opportunity to go in, give me the signal. We know what we need to know, next chance we get we grab what we can and leave"

As the two warriors nod, Talon leaps down to the ground. Already Lantern, Sparrow and Hornet are crossing the thunderpath, more quickly following. Gathering them as they arrive, closely behind the inactive monster, out of immediate sight should the twoleg look out the window again, to wait. As Frost and Owl arrive last, Talon puts one of his reinforcing claws up against his lips, preventing discussions from coming up. Their wait is not long however, before Grail's head pops up above them, looking down the edge of the monster at the patrol.

„He's gone, it's clear now!"

„Good. Everyone, follow, now! We don't have much time, grab the biggest you can carry and get out! We gather by the sewer access after this. Now go!"

Talon rushes forth, through under the monster and leaps up to the open window, before dropping off into the room, trusting Grail's report blindly. Within two heartbeats, more cats jump into the room. Taking a quick look around as he does so, Talon rapidly moves towards the door he saw, pleased that it remains slightly open. Cold air gushes forth from the other side, but as does scent. Meat, many kinds, much of it! Talon tries to push the door open with his head, finding it a good bit heavier than it looks, growling as he doubles down on his effort. Only very slowly does the door open, before Gash joins in, soon to be followed by Hornet and Spider. As the door opens more and more, warriors push past, some even leap over the four cats pushing the door, entering the cold room. After a grateful nod to Gash, Hornet and Spider, Talon too enters the room, though the sight makes him stop in his tracks for a brief moment. In open plastic boxes, hung on hooks or dangling from metal staves above, meat. So very much, som pieces large enough to bury a large grown hound under.

„Woah…"

Talon's attention is drawn in by Grail as she pads in, her pupils expanding at such a scene.

„There's enough here to last all Bloodclan two leafbares… if not more."

Talon nods, turning his head back to see several other cats observing the nigh unreal room in awe, a few however already on trying to reach some of the biggest pieces they can conceivably carry. Right, they don't have time to gawk.

„Grab what you can carry! We don't stay a moment longer than needed!"

Quickly turning to Wax, whom is standing in the doorway and was going to enter, Talon stops him with his tail.

„Stay outside, we need someone to give alarm if the twoleg comes back. If this door closes on us, we're trapped"

Nodding briskly, the black warrior with the white face backs away

„Hurry then, he's never gone long."

Looking around for a heartbeat to find something good that no-one else seems to have their eye on already, Talon soon finds that he might be able to reach some of the sausages hanging from the staves above if he climbs some of the stacked boxes. Such a rare treat out there in the dumpsters, here they hang in the dozens, in the hundreds even! Rapidly going to work, he leaps up, up the red plastic boxes, that seem to be filled for the most part with shredded meats. Taking a generous bite from the contents of the highest box, eagerly gulping down the chilled food, Talon reaches out, slowly able to pull on the long string of sausages. Much to his displeasure though, his one pawed pulls do not manage to pull much more of the long string down towards him. Beneath, several warriors are racing off and out of there already, sizeable pieces of meat between their jaws as they get out. There is no time to lose… Looking up at the steel on which the precious food is wound, Talon briefly prepares, lowering himself, before leaping up high to it. Clamping down his jaws around one of the sausages, he finds himself falling down, pulling some with him. Landing with a thud on his paws and startling Spider as he was passing with a plastic bag, seemingly filled with finely shredded meat. Looking around, Talon briefly inspects the fruit of his labor. The very sausage he sank his teeth into tore, everything beyond it remains hanging up there. Everything past it however has successfully come down. Five whole sausages and the torn one. Not as much as Talon wound have liked, but then again, only so much he can carry himself and still a lot of food. He picks up his string roughly in the middle, partially winding the rest around himself, Scourge knows he wouldn't want to drag this food over the sewer floor when return.

Right as he turns to leave, as many others already have, his fur stands up on edge at the shill sound of Wax's howl of alarm. Immediately following Wax's howl, the loud, clearly displeased voice of the twoleg thunders through both rooms. Talon races, rapid as his legs can carry him, hearing behind him the hard pawsteps of every other warrior remaining. The initial fear coursing through Talon lessens a little as he and the others still there get out of the death trap that is the cold room, only to instantly reignite as the twoleg stroms forth on the opposite side of the table. It's not heading for the door, it's heading for the window! Breaking into a desperate sprint, Talon dashes forth towards the window, only to see the fat paw of the twoleg already reach for it's handle by the time Talon is close enough to leap up to it. With a furious howl, usually friendly face distorted with rage, Wax storms in from the other side of the window, leaping into the twoleg's face with his claws unsheathed. Briefly, the twoleg is staggered, letting out a bellowing cry as Wax's claws dig into it's thick cheeked face. An opening, a last chance. Talon turns his head, beholding the remaining warriors. Hornet and Spider, Grail and Soot, Rat and Owl.

„Now! Go!"

Talon waits for no reply, leaping up to the window, watching with concern as the twoleg throws Wax off of itself, holding it's bleeding face and stumbling back towards the window.

Hornet and Spider both quickly pass, their leaps almost clearing over the window and down the other side in one go.

Slightly disoriented, it reached for the handle, speaking what could only be curses in it's unintelligible tongue.

Grail gets up and passes, quick as her paws can carry her, leaping off the other side. Soot, displaying uncharacteristic rapidity of movement, is right at Grail's tail, worry and thankfulness aplenty in his eyes as he passes the threshold.

It's hand finds the handle, pushing the window shut. Letting anger course through him, Talon slams himself against the glass, intent on being as much an obstacle as possible. For a brief moment, it slows the closing, before the twoleg simply uses more force, Talon being pushed back with ease. Through the window, Talon can see Rat, standing on the window cill, dropping his loot in terror as the window closes too far for him to pass anymore. With a hiss, Talon tries to hold against the twoleg from the other side of the window, to no avail at all. Until it screeches once more. Looking amid the hard breathing his effort has worked up, Talon can see Owl, hanging from the twoleg's wrist by his teeth. It whirls around, slamming the old veteran warrior against the wall, upon which he relents his grip and falls dow. But the twoleg is distracted, for just a moment. Under Talon's continuous pushing, the window opens just a bit more. Rat, the terror of this experience still plain upon his face, pushes through the gap, with no food but his life none the less. Talon watches the warrior leap down, distracting him from the twoleg's hand grabbing the lever yet again. Caught unaware, the red eyed tom is flung down as the window closed with force, a loud bang sounding at the impact. Talon barely manages to land upon his paws, shaken a few heartbeats, breathing hard. It takes a moment for his thoughts to return to him. Wax, Owl, still inside. Got to get them out. Must get them out!

Leaping back up to the window, leaving his prize on the floor by the monster, Talon rams against the window, only to be greeted by the immovability of it. Panic spreads through Talon, stepping back a step before trying again. And again. Pain flares in his shoulder after the third attempt was as pointless as the last two. Locked, damned foxhearted coward twoleg locked it… Peering through the glass, Talon sees his two warriors. The uproar has drawn in more twolegs, now three of them in the room, trying to chase down the two cats. Wax and Owl dash out of the way each time one comes close, but it's clear that Owl's impact against the wall does not aid him now. The old veteran warrior's face disfigured with intense pain each time he makes a dash. This won't last long, they won't last long… With a snarl, Talon rakes his claws repeatedly across the grass. Faint traces, nothing more. Panic, fear, it screams in Talon's mind as he strikes the glass, again and again, a flurry of swipes that'd disassemble a badger if it stood still enough for it. Faint lines in the glass, each strike doing nothing to aid the two cats inside, nothing but obscure Talon's vision through the glass a tiny bit more with each strike. Each swipe, the panic dies down a little more, in it's stead a haunting realisation a lesson remembered. Where is the line drawn… Panting, Talon casts one last regretful look through the scratched glass, his stomach bound into a knot, his mind still racing, but a cold feeling, an icy understanding chilling his heart. There is nothing more to be done here. They got what they came for. The clan, the faction will survive. Nothing more can be done here. They did what had to be done. Slowly turning away, sliding down off the window cill and picking up the food he came here for, regret stabbing at his sides with each step he takes, he pads slowly towards the rest of the patrol. They did what had to be done. Talon did. The patrol did. Owl and Wax did. What had to be done. Just once Scourge could have been wrong. But of course not. Talon wanted to be leader. Wants to be leader. As Scourge predicted, today a lesson is learned. Time to go home, cats are starving.