John's POV

     I slipped through the fern barrier and immediately ran into Washington. "Sir," I said, shaking dust off my paws. "Could I talk to you? Privately?" He gave me a short nod and led the way to his den. After climbing the tumble of rocks and going through the entrance, he sat down.

     "Make yourself comfortable, John," He said, wrapping his tail over his paws. I sat down on the stone directly next to the entrance flicked my tail nervously. "What is it we need to discuss?" He asked, searching my eyes.

     "I need to leave. I can't stay here." I blurted out, shivering slightly. He opened his mouth before closing it again and sighing.

     "I won't question your decision, John," He said, genuinely sorry. "But I must ask that you go nowhere near Jefferson. I have no doubt he'd torture you for answers or kill you on the spot." I nodded and was dismissed. Washington offered to take me to the border, and I reluctantly agreed.

      Before we went through the barrier, Peggy bounded up to us and skidded to a stop. "Where are you going?" She asked, looking at me suspiciously.

     "I'm leaving," I said simply. "And I'm not coming back."

     "What!" She screeched, her eyes wide with shock. "You can't just leave us like that! We're your family!"

     "I was about to leave without saying goodbye, y'know," I said, ignoring her previous statement. She quickly ran about, yelling about how I was leaving. Lafayette immediately ran up and pressed his muzzle into my fur, tears streaming from his eyes.

     "You can't leave me alone, John," He breathed. "You're all I have left." I let out a small sigh and patted his back with a paw.

     "It's for the best," I said, glancing around the field. "Besides, you have Hercules."

     "Do you even know why you're leaving?" Lafayette asked, staring me directly in the eye.

     "Because of Alexander." I said, forcing the venom out of my voice.

     "And what did he do?" I opened my mouth before closing it again. I didn't even remember what he did. I flattened my ears against my head and sniffed lightly.

      "It doesn't matter," I snapped, turning away. As I slipped through the fern barrier for the last time, I saw Alexander out of the corner of my eye. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but instead turned away.

      Out in the forest, I ran across the frosted ground. Winter was coming fast, but I didn't want to be around much longer. I just wanted to go back to the simple life I led when I was oblivious to the things happening in the forest. Washington kept pace with me easily and stopped at the tree-line separating the human homes from the forest.

      "This is where I leave you, Laurens," He said, looking at me thoughtfully. "You will always be welcomed back with open paws." He watched as I leaped onto the nearest fence before turning away. Snow began to fall once again and I leaped into the yard. That's when I realized, "This was my old home,"

     I sniffed about, taking in all the familiar scents.  "John," A voice croaked from over the fence. I leaped back up to see John Jay staring up at me. "Well, I'll be darned. It is you." I let out a soft purr.

      "I have so much to tell you about the new kitten," He purred happily.

      "Do tell," I said before leaping into his yard, shaking snow out of my fur and following him to his "special spot" in the yard.

      He stretched out and started telling me how his folks brought home a new kitten a couple moons ago and they're inside. I laughed lightly at his enthusiasm and rested my head on my paws, forgetting about everything that's happened recently.

Angelica's POV

"I-is he really gone?" Evan asked, his voice trembling ever so slightly and his blue eyes wide with shock. Connor, who was sitting next to him, nodded.

"I don't blame him for trying to run from his problems." He said quietly, looking at the entrance almost longingly. I turned to see Alex sitting with Peggy. He looked as though he was crying. He shoulders shook and his breath came in ragged gasps. I wanted to help, but I didn't know what to say.

      "It isn't your fault, Alex," I soothed, taking the opportunity to press my nose into his fur.

      "But it is!" He cried, slumping to the floor and pressing his paws to his head. Peggy let out the briefest of sighs before ducking into her den and returning with a small bundle of herbs.

      "What's that for?" I asked, looking down at Alex sympathetically.

      "Shock," Peggy replied, nudging them towards Alex. "Eat 'em, they'll make you feel better." Alex looked at the herbs and, after a moments hesitation, he licked them up.

     He relaxed after a few minutes and fell into a fitful sleep where he'd cry for John every so often and apologizes would tumble from his mouth. James, his brother, offered to watch over him. Peggy allowed him to and made two new nests for Alex and James. Snow began to fall and Washington returned.

     He looked grave and solemn, but I didn't dare ask him what was the matter. I shook snow from my pelt and a lump of snow whizzed past my ear. I whirled around to see who had thrown it. Theodosia, Maria, and Samuel sat snickering in a little group.

      It turns out, the snow hit Burr and he was now chasing them around camp. All in good fun. It was almost as though John had never left and one of us wasn't reduced to a muddle of tears. I stepped carefully through the snow and into my den.

      Curling into my nest, I decided to take a break from life and have a brisk nap. What felt like a few seconds later, a paw was prodding my side sharply. It was Peggy. "What," I asked groggily, still half-asleep. "What happened?"

      "Alex and Connor are gone!" She exclaimed, dragging me out of the den. That's what woke me up. James was pacing the camp nervously, his paws crunching in the snow. Two sets of paw prints led out of camp and I sniffed at them, immediately recognizing Alexander and Connor's scent.

"Bring James, Aaron, Madison, Evan, and Peggy out here," I told Samuel, who had poked his head through the entrance to see if I needed help. He nodded diligently and returned shortly with the requested cats. Washington had come and was sniffing at the tracks.

"Alex was hysterical," James said, looking through the forest as if Alex would return that moment. "He woke up and started pacing around. I tried to coax him to come back to sleep, but he ignored me and ran through the entrance. I tried to chase after him, but he was too fast."

Washington returned after his examination of the tracks. "Connor seemed to had left long before Alexander," He concluded. "His scent is stale. Evan,"

"Y-yes, sir," He squeaked our, shrinking under his steely gaze.

"I want you to go look for him." He ordered. Evan swallowed nervously, but agreed nonetheless. He steadied his paws and began trotted into the forest, sniffing at tree roots for any scents. As he disappeared, Washington turned to Peggy and I.

     "Peggy, I know you don't normally go out, but I need you to help James, Aaron, and Angelica look for Alexander. His well-being is crucial." Washington said, entrusting her with the leadership of the patrol. She nodded, her tail trembling in excitement.

     "Let's go," Peggy said, her voice sounding rather strained. "Angelica, lead the way." I twitched an ear, acknowledging her order and began moving at a brisk pace through the forest. Following Alex's trail, we tracked him through the forest before snow began falling again. It began to cover his tracks and we raced to find where it ended before it disappeared completely.

Eventually, we caught the last of his trail at the tree line separating the human homes from the forest. James slumped his shoulders, sitting in the snow. "We've lost him," He said, staring down at his paws.

"We'll find him," Peggy started, shaking snow from her fur. "I'm searching the human place. Those who want to come can do so." Without another word, she brushed past James and headed into human territory. Aaron nudged James lightly to his paws and led him to follow Peggy. I brought up the rear, sending nervous glances behind me every few heartbeats.

"The paw prints are lost and his scent is completely gone," Peggy stated after a few minutes of sniffing at the snow and examining it. Her ears were pressed tightly against her head and she let out a frustrated snort. James seemed to be on the brink of tears and, I too, worried for his safety.

"Alex!" I cried out, pointing my muzzle to the stars. I strained my ears to listen for his voice, but as expected, I heard nothing but the sound of the wind howling and swirling around us.