
"Don't worry, it's an authorized hunt." He reassures me. Violetpaw saw a deer and they're trying to bring it down." My eyes widen. She allows him to go on the hunts, but usually stays close to the border, pacing, waiting for his safe return that might never happen. "Where's Hazelleaf?" I ask him, peering around the dense foliage. "Even if it had seen you, you would have caught it," I mew earnestly. It smells fresh, unlike the usual prey we eat. "Where'd you catch this?" I ask, sniffing it. By two moons, only two moons, I remind myself. We aren't supposed to see each other, he's older than me.

I stifle a purr and quickly pad over to the handsome tom from my perch in a cedar. I turn and see Galepaw approaching me, a rabbit in his jaws. "Everpaw!" A warm whisper cuts me out of my stupor.
