Foxflame sighed heavily, he was on border patrol by RiverClan with Barkpaw, Honeyflower, Mousepool, and Blazepaw, the large patrol was specially arranged for the RiverClan border patrol, the smug fish-faces still acting hostile. Foxflame was worried for his leader, thinking about it he hadn't seen Duskstar out of his den for two sunrises. His scent had hung around the rocks in the mornings causing Foxflam to assume that he came out to stargaze.

The poor leader was just as troubled about his old apprentice's death as he was, possibly even more so. The whole clan seemed quieter to him, and to make things even worse Crowclaw was acting strange, not sad strange like Foxflame, but he ate less and less even though the fresh-kill pile was filled, declaring he wasn't hungry. The deputy seemed frail, and the clan had noticed Ivyleaf and Fawnpaw checking in on him frequently.

The other warriors ignored it, casting friends uneasy glances, but no cat dared to ask the respected deputy. The other clans always cast glances toward ThunderClan during gatherings, rumors not only about the kittypet recruits, but also about the noticeable fact of ThunderClan's growing death list. Bumbleflash seemed the most energetic of them all, the young cat full of wise pep-talks, helpful advice, and even helping around with everything, from helping to coax a kit to take its first bite of prey, convincing the elders to lay out in the sun and tell the apprentices and kits stories, to even advising cats to patrol.

Even though Bumbleflash was a young warrior, he talked sense, and his determinedly high spirit seemed to rub off on other cats near him. Foxflame respected the younger cat, it seemed he had aged three seasons in two moons, and most cats took his advice. As the river came into view, he shook his head to force away the tide of memories of that one fateful night. Foxflame frowned inwardly as more memories crossed his mind, especially from a few sunrises before when he had gone out on solo-patrol.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><>Flashback<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

The russet tom had been sniffing around the ShadowClan border, making sure he didn't tread across, as well as checking for straying ShadowClan scents. He jumped in surprise as a voice caught him off edge, "You on solo patrol to Foxy?" He stared across the border to see two stormy gray eyes gleaming from the shadows, amusement flicking in them, "Sorry, didn't mean to catch ya off guard."

Foxflame felt a rush of defensiveness flow through him and he meowed, "Well I didn't expect cats creeping through the shadows." The familiar bulky shape of Rotfrost padded out of the shadows to his side of the border, the ShadowClan warrior's shaggy striped fur flat and as calm as his controlled gaze. "My bad, but in my defense you are by the ShadowClan border Foxy."

Foxflame was about to snap back for Rotfrost not to call him that, but his words died in his throat as he let his head hang, turning to pad away. "Hey hey hey! I didn't mean any offense Foxy." Rotfrost said in that joking tone which usually accompanied him. Foxflame sighed, not finding the spirit to bicker with the ShadowClan warrior like he usually did.

Rotfrost frowned, his voice serious as he asked, "Whats the matter Foxy?" The russet tom stared at his paws and meowed darkly, "We lost two more cats..." Foxflame stopped himself, looking up at Rotfrost. The ShadowClan tom looked at his gaze in momentary surprise at the amount of distress and sadness that Foxflame hadn't even tried to cover up. Rotfrost's voice shook a tiny bit as he asked, already guessing the answer, "Foxy... where is Shadowspirit?"

The russet tom stared at him blankly, a broken spirit showing in his gaze. Rotfrost's stormy eyes hazed with an amount of grief that caught Foxflame off guard, the large ShadowClan tom bowing his head sadly. Foxflame's voice cracked as he told the other cat what happened, he knew that if this was any cat other then Rotfrost he wouldn't be saying this, but even though he was from a different clan, he was a friend.

When Foxflame had finished the two toms sat in a sad silence for a while, Rotfrost murmured quietly to himself, "Shadowspirit..." Foxflame pushed himself up and meowed, "I should probably get going." Rotfrost stood as well, opening his jaws to reply when a furious yowl cut him off. A patrol of ShadowClan warriors appeared, bristling and glaring at Foxflame in hostility.

One of them growled, shoving his face into Foxflames with a snarl, "Feeling curious today huh? Well curiosity comes with a price!" The cat leaped with a snarl, his clanmates staring at him in surprise as he attacked, but Rotfrost rammed his head into the cats side, sending him sprawling back ruffled, but unharmed. "Don't overreact frog-brain, this cat is on his own territory, in fact I was just telling him off, back to camp all of us, lets go."

Foxflame sent him a thankful glance, and Rotfrost winked as he herded the ShadowClan cats away, Foxflame almost grinning as he heard the ShadowClan tom lecturing the cat who had attacked him. Foxflame sighed and began to head back to camp, feeling sorry for the other tom, he had been pretty good friends with Shadowspirit, and seemed to have taken the news hard.

<><><><><><><><End Flashback<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>