On the border with ThunderClan

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar padded silently through the territory. This was the place where the forest joined with the plains of Windclan, she had sucseeded in catching two, rather scrawny, rabbits. She shivered, even though her pelt was leafbare thick. She looked into the forest, thinking of how much prey the forest held and sighed, she would never take prey that was not rightfully hers.

[>>[S]ilver]

A large gray tom moved swiftly through the undergrowth, his large dark body bardly vissable in the black shadows created by the dark day. His shoulderblades moved rythmicly as he walked quickly through the forest, eyes and ears alert for any sound, any sign of movement. The winds whipped at his face and he picked up the faint sent of WindClan, their rabbity smell encasing him. He ignored it well, though, and kept on walking.

Suddenly, he stopped, his large form invissable in the overlaying shadows of two trees. His bright blue eyes narrowed to the tinyest slits and his ears swiveled to the origin of the noise that had just reached his ear. Instinctavly, he dropped into a croutch, so low any passing cat would never see him. His breathing slowed down untill it was so slow it seemed potentially fatil. He pulled his large paws over the cold ground, warmed only by the small amount of sunlight that had earlier touched it. He made his way over a mass of sticks, and finnaly saw his prey; a young spring hare.

Ashind made his move. He bunched his muscels; everything but him and the hare faded away into a unknown abyss. He sprung and flew through the air, his tail streaming out from behind him. The tom landed and killed the hare before it knew what was happening.

Ashind stood over his rabbit as if some sort of trophy, and scraped a bit of dark brown earth over it. His ears prickes again, another noise hit him like a bullet. Some one was moving in the forest. As if to say he was right, the wind hit him in the face, strapping his pelt to his body. There was a WindClan female somewhere around here. His pelt bristeled...On his territory? He walekd over to where the sent was coming from.

An ember-colored she-cat sat on the border line, looking into the forest. Waiting for someone, are we? He meowed to Emberstar, knowing right away who she was. The toms' blue eyes glinted as he padded over to her.

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar stood up suddenly, her pelt parted and blew backward; showing how thin she really was. Her eyes flashed defiantley "What do you take me for warrior?" she hissed, her amber eyes boaring into his blue ones, "I have set not one paw over the boarder"she had to say she admired his courage though, but she would not lower her guard unless she did...she wasn't made a leader on looks.

[>>[S]ilver]

The dark tom smiled. "I take you for a very powerfull leader," He said clamly, blue eyes shining with mischef. He flicked his tail as the wind picked up. He spotted how thin she was, and he looked worriedly. "Your thin..." He said, looking at how her ribs jutted out. He looked at his rabbit. "Here," He pushed the hare towards her with one paw, offering it to the leader and knowing he would get hell to pay, from his own leader as well as the one he would offer the thing to.

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar smiled and relaxed her fur "I am fine thank you" she mewed, he pushed the hare toward her and she looked at him, half dissaproving and half amusment "You'll get into trouble" she purred softly, "I wouldn't want that...although you are very noble to do so" she pushed it back gently.

[>>[S]ilver]

Thankyou. What is a leader such as yourself doing so very far from her own camp on her own? Asked Ashind, looking over the leader. She did look so very famished, her hip bones showed as did her ribs. He so wished she would eat...

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar sat down and ran a paw over her head and behind her ears "My Clan needs food, and it is not below a leader to hunt" she smiled at him, turning her head to a slight angle "My Clan is stong, they can and will survive"

[>>[S]ilver]

I have no doubt they are and they will, Emberstar. Meowed the large tom. He looked behind him. Something in the forest was moving. He could sent more ThunderClan warriors, a patrol maybe, comeinng towards them. He gasped silently and looked around, eyes serching for a place to hide. Perfect! His eyes rested on a lavender brush, smelly and large. He dove into it. "Get down" He hissed.

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar had dived in before the words had even left his lips. She felt him land heavily over her, his hot breath on her cheek and, in spite of herself, she gave a little shiver. She watched as a patrol walked to the border, one looked like it was about to overstep the boundary and a small growl formed in the back of her throat. Then, after marking the boundary, they turned away and started back...it wasn't long till they were out of sight and earshot, although their scent was still strong where they had been.

[>>[S]ilver]

Ashind closed his eyes and let out a low breath of relif. Reedfeather, Whitepaw and Cloudpelt hadn't spotted them. Slowly he crept out of the bush, looking cautiously around. No cat was in sight...He smiled and turned back to Emberstar. That was close. He meowed.

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar got to her feet and shook her ruffled fur, "Yes it was" she purred softly "Thank you for savng me back there I don't...I don't think I would have faired well if it had come to a fight" it hurt her to say the truth, but she was quite weak nowadays no matter how much she denined it

[>>[S]ilver]

Ashwind smiled and looked down. "I think you would have done fine. And if you didn't," He was purring softly, I would have helped you,

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar turned her head to one side, her soft amber eyes questioning "Thank you" she puased thoughtfully then mewed slowly "But then...you'd be fighting your clan for me" she sighed, and lowered her head, then lay down. She was exhausted, she hadn't stopped for days trying to feed her clan, all she had for her efforts were two rabbits and two squirrels.

[>>[S]ilver]

"Not directly, or course," He meowed, a hint of amusement in his voice and in his eyes. He flicked his tail towards his Clan. "Besides," He lowered his voice to a whisper, "There all a bunch of mouse-brains anyway,"

[*~[R]ose-[B]rennan~*]

Emberstar gave a small purr of amusment to show she partially agreed with him and gave him a quick lick on the cheek to show her gratitiude, then she realised what she had done and blushed scarlet under her russet red coat and dropped her amber eyes from his gaze.