"Where? They can't be around here, I can't... no, they can't," Adderheart couldn't keep the flow of words from his maw as he hurriedly turned around. "They have to be near here... if they're close. If we can scent them then they have..." His words trailed off and he shook his skull sharply.

Pantherleap seemed to straighten his shoulders as he strolled forward, head tipping upward. "Hello? Vixenfeather? Milkfrost?" His words echoed loudly through the area around them and he took a few generous bounds forward. Adderheart could only haphazardly stumble after, huffing as though the very thought of the she-cats was exhausting to him.

"We aren't going to hurt you," the tawny tom clarified loudly, his ears pricking as he continued forward. "We're just questioning why you're here." Silence followed his words. Well, that was until a loud crunching of paws upon snow sounded nearby, and Pantherleap took off into the territory.

"Wait!" Adderheart had nothing more to do than launch himself after his mate, attempting to balance his figure as he awkwardly swerved around a few trees. He tried to ensure he didn't go crashing through the undergrowth, but his head pounded as he tried to follow his mate.

Eventually, he caught up to the warrior. Pantherleap had stopped himself at the border, almost perched upon his paws as though it'd been a swift stop. As though he'd caught himself after nearly passing it. Both of them scented the air around them and found that there was little information within the air. It still smelled like both of the elders. It still smelled like cats and the border in general.

"Hello? Vixenfeather? Milkfrost?" His call rang through the pine trees once more as moments passed, and the world went silent around them. The snow suffocated any other noises. Except for the mild crunching of paws upon crisp snow.

Realization jolted through the warrior, and he turned to his mate in a flash. "They're here... they're here."

"Where? Where?" Pantherleap demanded, though not necessarily rudely. He peered over the border, green eyes squinting as he huffed, pulling himself back. "Where are they?"

"Somewhere around here... I heard— I heard pawsteps. In the snow."

"Are you sure it wasn't a mouse or something?"

"What? No— why would a mouse be above ground...?"

"I don't know. I don't think it's them. They'd make a lot more noise, right, wouldn't they?"

"I don't know!" Adderheart burst out, and regret immediately filled him. "Sorry— sorry," he stammered instantly after, a new wave of anxiety rising within him. "I just— I don't know. I thought... I thought I heard pawsteps in the snow. It didn't sound like a mouse."

Pantherleap looked down at his paws, or perhaps the icy snow right past them. Shifting upon his own paws, Adderheart went silent, not knowing what else to say or do in order to help. If the elders were around, then maybe they were listening in on the conversation. Maybe they knew.

No, it was unlikely. Right? How could they know? Neither of the toms had told anyone within the Clan, and if somehow somebody knew, who was it? And how would the news have reached two elders within a group of rogues? Especially from a Clan that restricted conversation and positive, even neutral interaction, with such cats?

Sola and Salem.

"Do you know Sola?" Adderheart called, and Pantherleap looked to him, startled. "Or Salem?"

A loud crunching of snow sounded, and relief flooded him. I was right. Pantherleap looked back to him and appeared pleased but confused. The tawny warrior took a few steps to the left, scenting the air once more as he lifted his muzzle into the air. Adderheart watched, a chill traveling down his spine.

"Tawn? Do you know Tawn?"

More crunching broke the still silence of the air and another burst of something similar to excitement sparking within him. Yet as soon as the crunching sounded, it seemed to go silent. The elders would only move minimally. They were being careful.

"Or anyone else from your rogue group?"

That time there was no crunching. Pantherleap delicately padded past the border and stuck his muzzle further out, sniffing the air, and he pointed his tail in the direction that he had been walking. A frown rippled across Adderheart's features. I don't want to cross the border.

Not crossing it had been ingrained in him for so long that he couldn't help but feel a strong wave of disagreement as the warrior crept a little farther. Waving his tail suddenly, Adderheart shook his skull rapidly, and Pantherleap peered over his shoulder to look to him.

"What?" Pantherleap hissed, attempting to keep his voice low.

"Get back here! We can't have you doing that!" Adderheart answered with his tail still swishing back and forth. Anxiety now climbed within him, using his fur as ladders so it could inch up and up.

"Why not?"

"...because!" His reply came from his maw swifter than he would've liked, but there was nothing he could do. "Please come back."

"Why don't you come to me?"

"No! No. I'm not doing that," he immediately answered, words tinted with a mild sharpness, and the tawny tom sighed softly. Making his way back to his mate, Pantherleap pressed against Adderheart as he finally crossed back onto the correct side of the border.

Adderheart's gray eyes momentarily drifted to the sky, and he was startled to find that it was almost sundown. Shadows now were jumping and dancing around the area, darkly grinning at him. He looked around, dark eyes narrowing, and he took a few bounds away, looking back to his mate. Pantherleap tipped his skull.

"Where are we going?"

"Back. It's almost sundown."

"We haven't caught anything."

"There's probably something on the way."

And in fact, there was something on the way. It wasn't anything too big, of course, but somehow a robin had yet to leave. Both of the toms had been confused when first seeing it yet there was little they could do except attempt to scale the tree and scare it out and onto the ground, making it easier to get to and, overall, catch.

Such was eventually what happened, with Pantherleap awkwardly jumping up a few pine branches and managing to get the red-chested bird down at least a little further. Adderheart was watchful and so he was swift to spring upward, swiping at it, and his claws caught before he slammed it down and put the creature out of its misery.

The travel back was silent. It would've been awkward if the two were not mates. But it was a comfortable, pleasant silence, one that carried warmth through its winds and contentedness through its breezes. The crunching of the snow beneath them barely made a dent in terms to the pleasant silence, and neither did the scuffling of small pawsteps, buried deep in snow.

Yet, when they arrived at the meeting spot, the two other warriors were not yet around.

Adderheart sat down and wrapped his tail tightly around his paws. Silence settled back upon them once more as the snow beneath his figure seemed to seep further and further into him, causing his figure to shiver after a few moments. Pantherleap appeared to have noticed this and so he settled down mildly close to him.

Now a little warmer, the tom pressed delicately against his mate's pelt. He didn't want to press too closely because if the two other warriors came back and spotted the two, it wouldn't end well, and so a small space was clearly present between—

"Adderheart?"

The tom sat up immediately, and Pantherleap swiftly sprung to his paws and took several steps toward the voice. Finchtansy stepped forward and her expression seemed clean enough. She didn't seem to be suspicious, but the rising anxiety within Adderheart was unstoppable.

"Yes?" Pantherleap answered for him, peering around the she-cat. "Is Poppyfur—"

His words swiftly cut off as the she-cat emerged and within her jaws, she clasped a mouse. Her expression was brightly decorated and she waved her tail excitedly.

"Hi!" She purred as best as she could, and Adderheart could sense the momentary shudder of the tom as she approached and accidentally brushed against him. Strolling right past, she claimed, "I think it's best if we go back now!"

Pantherleap seemed to go silent, so Adderheart rose and decisively nodded his skull. Poppyfur grinned and took off, followed by Finchtansy at only a minimally slower pace.

Adderheart pressed tightly against Pantherleap and the tom murmured something softly in response. He couldn't tell what it was, for the tawny warrior pressed his muzzle into his neck and Adderheart couldn't help but gently run his tail down the tom's spine.

"Are you okay?"

Pantherleap nodded mutely, pulling back with a harsh sniffle as he lifted a paw and rubbed a little too excessively at his muzzle and soon after his gaze. Adderheart watched with a softened gaze.

"Don't hurt yourself," he murmured softly. Pantherleap didn't say anything, and he took a few steps forward, tail swishing as he scented the air. Appearing to have smelled the two other warriors, he headed off towards camp, and Adderheart swiftly followed.

The travel back was fine.

Pantherleap and Adderheart didn't find it necessary to catch up to the two warriors ahead, and so they simply padded side-by-side. The latter's tail swished delicately around the former's and Pantherleap leaned gently into his pelt.

Above them, the sky quietly churned in acceptance to their movements, accidentally creating clouds to cover the sunset that was beginning to form within the sky. Above them, the warmth of sundown tried to peek through to show the two wonderful colors blossoming within the sky. Above them, the clouds and the sky fought to see who would show them their own display of warmth and acceptance.

Below, the snow moved delicately to ensure their pawsteps were even, showing its approval of their more-than-friendship. Below them, the rocks and the dirt underneath the snow tried their best to shove through to show their recognition of their actions; yet for that to happen, they had to shove past the snow, and so that could barely happen with the clouds and the sky fighting.

At their sides, the trees waved back and forth as though allowing the two extra room for whatever they wished to do. At their sides, winds and chilly breezes created a small safe space, unwilling to touch the two cats, seemingly inching closer and closer together as if they were forgetting where they were. As if the whole world was fading away and the only thing that mattered was that they were together.

And in front of them, the camp entrance suddenly seemed to loom overhead, and instantly the two separated.

Adderheart slipped into the camp, swift to dart for the fresh-kill pile and drop it off before returning to Pantherleap's side. The tom seemed tired, eyes dulled as they swept the clearing. Finchtansy and Poppyfur were nowhere to be seen, and as much as Adderheart wanted to go straight to the warrior's den, a sharp tone split the clearing.

Instantly, Cougarstar was racing to the two with his lips drawn back.

"Get into my den," he ordered, and in a much more venomous tone, he snapped, "now."

Pantherleap straightened up and instantly padded to his den, whereas Adderheart stiffly followed, anxiety quickly rising as it clamped around his throat. Does he know we went hunting? I can take the blame. It was my idea, right? It was now. Is it now? I don't know. What if he hurts Pantherleap? Did someone see us?

Familiar pangs of panic rising quicker and quicker as he padded closer and closer to the leader's den, he paused to inhale shortly before slipping in.

He didn't like it. The den smelled strange, and Tinydust almost seemed to be brooding in the corner, her tail swept around her figure as she watched the two enter the den. That was it. It's just us four? What are they going to do? He wondered nervously, tail swishing anxiously behind him. His throat tightened and he sat down near to the exit, Pantherleap seating himself near to the tom.

"So," Cougarstar spat, "mind explaining why you smell like blood and those faulty elders?"

What? No, we didn't see them, only smelled them— it wasn't us! We didn't—

"So?" Cougarstar prompted once more, lifting a paw and jabbing it at his brother. "What do you have to say? Did you find them?"

"Yes," lied Pantherleap, "we did."

"Did you kill them, then?" He snapped.

"No," Pantherleap answered, "we didn't."

"Why not?" The leader hissed, "don't you know what they did to our Clan?"

No. I don't know what they did, I think that's your issue... We didn't— we didn't do anything—

Pantherleap appeared to gain some form of footing. "We didn't kill them, but— we did get a few scratches in," he explained, "they got away."

"Really? How? What did you do to them?"

"Scratched— scratched them," Pantherleap answered, voice momentarily shifting out of its usual pristine steadiness. "They got away, back to their camp. We think they were in our territory, and maybe they—"

That's not— no, don't, don't—!

"They got away?" The leader hissed, lifting a paw to slam it back down. "Why did you let that happen?"

We already— already said they got away. Why isn't he listening—?

"It wasn't our fault," Pantherleap replied, "there was another patrol. They saved—"

There wasn't—! There wasn't—! It wasn't us, it's not our fault—

"Another patrol? Tell me the whole story, not in these dumb parts!" The leader spat, turning to Adderheart with a fire blazing within his green-tinted eyes. "Tell me what happened. And don't split it up weirdly like he's doing," Cougarstar ordered, spitting out 'he' like it was a curse.

At first, he was silent. What could he say? Everything that his mate had said was a complete and total lie, and there was no way he could easily go back on any of it. Now that the tom had created a story for it, he had to go along with it. But how could he make sure that the information lined up? I can't. I can't do this, I can't—

Panic surged within him, clamping harshly down on his maw and his reasoned thoughts. Everything seemed to shatter around him. Sounds and words cut out. His vision blurred instantly, yet he couldn't tell if there were any tears. And yet, he could see Pantherleap lower his skull. No, no— don't! Don't put— your head down, you're— you're so much better than—!

"I d-don't know, th-there was a big, scary— scary thing, an-and the el-elders were trying to r-run away... so we tried to— tried to get them away but then we had to— to hurt— hurt them, so then... then... then they ran away from us an-and then they screamed-d, and then-n nobody— nobody knew what was h-happening because I t-told them that Willowdapple's new l-litter is named after th-them—"

And then it was all over.

Cougarstar immediately sprung to his paws, spitting out words traced with venom. But did he hear them? No. Words went over his skull but he did feel, watch, notice... everything, as the tom lifted a paw and scored his claws down his face.

Yelping like a little kit just out of the nursery, Adderheart stumbled up and backward as a paw rose to his face.

"...did you say?!" Cougarstar's furious words were spat out like a curse, his paw lifting once more, and the blood that edged the outermost parts of his paw almost made him want to vomit.

"He didn't mean it!" Pantherleap rose instantly, and the tom insisted, "Willowdapple would never do that!"

"Stagkit and Featherkit is... is..." the leader stopped, lips drew back, eyes blazing furiously as Adderheart shifted further back. Cougarstar hissed, "Vixenfeather! Bring me her immediately!"

"She didn't— it's n-not—" Adderheart blubbered, attempting to get some form of words out. She couldn't be punished. She'll know it was— was me. It's not— my fault! I didn't— didn't mean to do—

"Stop stuttering!" The leader spat, "no wonder nobody likes you, you can't even talk correctly!"

Pantherleap whipped and snarled furiously at his brother, who leaned back with a surprised expression.

"You snarl at me?" Cougarstar asked, lifting a bloodied paw to his chest with his eyes widening in mocking fear. "I can kill you like how Pheasantstar did to your siblings," he spat, stalking forward as he lifted a paw and poised it above his brother's skull.

"D-don't! Don't! It was m-my fault, I suggested it—!" Adderheart huffed out, lifting a paw as he rubbed at his cheek, only to find that he smeared the blood further. His ears rang loudly, as though a half-silent protest to get away.

"You're talking like you know what you mean!" Pantherleap hissed, narrowing his gaze, "our siblings!"

Adderheart didn't even seem to register the conversation going on. It was all too much. He hadn't meant to say that. I wasn't supposed— supposed to tell— or say anything— she will hate me—! She will make— make this Clan hate me—!

Everything spiraled from control.

"I hated them the second they were born. They were less superior than me in every way; all runts. I don't know why you and she survived—"

"Stop! Stop!" Pantherleap shouted, snapping at the tom with his jaws.

"Stop— fighting!" Adderheart protested, unsteadily rising as he shook his head harshly back and forth, eyes wide with tears bubbling at the edges. "Don't hurt h-him—!"

"You know she's alive. They were talking about her!" Cougarstar snapped, voice a simple spray of venom as he snarled in a finalizing way. "Now shut up!"

"Never—! I won't let— let them go!"

"Stop f-fighting, s-stop—!"

Cougarstar turned to Adderheart, simply snapped his jaws, and then whipped back to his brother before bringing his hefty paw down upon the tawny tom's skull.

Rage and horror erupted within Adderheart, and before he could really even recognize what was occurring, he was launching toward the tom, and his own paw had slapped the leader's out of the way.

"Get aw-away, I s-said!"

Pantherleap cowered below, his ears pinned to his skull, and the fear in his eyes was enough to make Adderheart want to cry. But now— now I have to be the strong one. For all— all the times I wasn't. I can— I can do this. I'm capable— His thoughts were lies but lies that were enough twisted by some form of confidence that he was able to turn and face Cougarstar.

"Don't you ever get in my way again," Cougarstar warned, voice low as he looked down at his bloodied paw. He lifted it and sliced it across Adderheart's cheek, who flinched and shut his eyes, a shudder trailing his spine. "Both of your punishments, alongside Willowdapple's, will be decided tomorrow."

Tomorrow. One day. That's— that's it. We're done. I'm— gone. Everything, everything I— it's—

Cougarstar's eyes burned with a furious hatred as he towered over Adderheart. His final words allowed a true, burning fear to enter the tom's system. A genuine, ultimate and controlling phobia.

"Sleep in the elder's den. Both of you."