The sun was still rising in the sky the next day when Trail walked over to Scythe's prison from the Windclan camp. The assassin's leg was still caught in the fox trap, and he seemed to be asleep. An unfamiliar Windclan tom with light grey fur had his paws pressed on Scythe's head, keeping the sleeping rogue from moving.

"Hello," greeted the Windclan cat. "Are you here to watch him with me?"
"Yes," Trail answered.

"I'm Goosewind," the warrior introduced. He looked a bit younger than Trail.

"I'm Trail." the loner dipped his head.

They sat together in silence for a while, watching the sleeping Scythe, always keeping their paws pressing down on him.

"Shadestar was okay with you watching him?" asked Goosewind.

"He wasn't too happy," Trail admitted. "But Tallclaw convinced him I could be trusted, seeing how long Scythe has been tormenting me for."

He glanced down at the white rogue. It was true; Scythe had been after him for moons. Trail was once again tempted to unsheath his claws and make the slumbering assassin feel justice. Shadestar had stated he would be meeting up with the other Clan leaders to decide what to do. Since Scythe had left scars in all the Clans, it was only fair they all got to decide. Trail wasn't sure what he wanted them to choose. Did he want Scythe to die? To stay stuck in the trap forever? He didn't know.

An image flashed through the brown tom's mind of Scythe bleeding out with Trail's claws in his throat. It made him shiver.

Goosewind was shivering beside him as well, but Trail realized it was because of a cold draft of wind that had blown through the moor.
"It's always cold, damp weather around the lake these days," the young warrior grumbled.

Between them, Scythe's stomach gave a small growl of hunger.

"I guess I'd better hunt for him," Goosewind sighed. "Keep your paws pressed on his head so he can't try anything."

Trail did so, and Goosewind ran off with the startling speed all Windclan cats had.

As soon as he had crested the hill and disappeared from sight, Scythe's eyes opened.

"Good, he's gone," the rogue spoke. "Now we can talk."

Trail pressed down harder on Scythe's head. "What could you possibly have to say to me?"

"I don't see any way I can escape," Scythe stated meekly, rounding his eyes in such a false expression of pity it disgusted Trail. "So, since I'm stuck here, I might as well talk to pass the time. Don't you want the opportunity to speak with the cat who's been trying to kill you?"

"You haven't just been trying to kill me," Trail hissed through gritted teeth. "You murdered Pepper!"

"Oh, Pepper? That was a sloppy kill. I've murdered much better than that. I wouldn't have rewarded myself a mousetail for killing that kittypet."

Trail's head spun. He had to fight to keep his temper under control. Scythe talked so casually about killing. As if it was a game, or something to be proud of.

"I must say, though," Scythe went on. "I studied up on the stories about you for quite a while before first going after you. Almost all of them were about how amazing the legendary Trail is, always living on his own, always independent. I wouldn't have expected that cat to be bowing to the Clans, which you used to claim you'd never even go near."

"You said that already. And what does it matter?"

"You inspired me, Trail."

His paws nearly slipped off the rogue's head. How could he possibly have inspired the assassin?

"For too long to remember, I've been killing whoever other cats ordered me to," Scythe went on. "My claws and skills were used at other's whims. But when I was sent to kill you, I discovered the stories of Trail, who never needed anyone. You inspired me to be independent as well. I decided I'd stop being paid to kill. You were going to be my last hired murder. Wouldn't that have been fitting? The cat who inspired me to stop taking orders from others, would have been the last cat I killed under someone else's orders."

Trail could hardly process what was being said. If he was the kind of cat who would inspire rogues as evil as Scythe, should he be different?

"Who sent you?" he asked finally.

Scythe's yellow eyes stared straight into Trail's. "I was hired," he said, "By your mother."