Screefoot came to stand close to Amberleaf, imitating his calm demeanor and gazing critically at Briar. While she was relieved that the interloper was no threat (although it took a few moments to remember he was formerly one of them), his presence did make her tail flick in slight annoyance: his kinship with the medicine cat was unimportant. What mattered right now was that he was not part of BoulderClan, and therefore didn't belong here. It would take a lot of work to maintain a secure border, she knew, and Briar, as a loner, was not going to make it easy. Just by being here, Briar was setting an example for any loner or rogue who happened upon his scent. That example might to some be taken as a sign that BoulderClan was lax about their territory.
Patiently, the warrior allowed her deputy to do the talking. When he had finished, she added: "It is kind of you to bring a fresh kill. But really, you must be careful." With a tinge of warning in her voice, she said, "One day you may be caught by warriors who don't remember you, and you won't be so lucky."
--
Burrpelt would have loved to stay and entertain the kits, but he did have a patrol to join. Smiling amiably, he stood back up after prying the little ones off of his fur. "You will be fine warriors one day," he purred. "For now, you all have plenty of other opportunities to practice your stalking on." He waved his tail in the general direction of where other OakClan cats were. "Don't get in too much trouble while I'm gone."
Smiling, the deputy trotted from camp with his tail pointing skyward, his previous misstep forgotten in the joy of the kitten attack, to join the patrol.
--
Cinnamon was tired, very tired, and thirsty. With every step her paws felt a little heavier, and the only thing preventing her ribcage from showing itself to the world was her thick white pelt. She was grateful for it; her tiredness hardly showed except for a few small mats on her back. Her tail streamed out behind her and her gait was springy, albeit less than when her journey with Leaf had begun. Her friend and companion spoke to her, and she swiveled her ears to signal she was listening.
"A rest and a hunt would both do us well, provided we can catch anything." Cinnamon didn't want to say anything, but she was immensely glad her friend had suggested it. "But I'm doing well! Are you?"