Mistpaw's wounds burned, and her head buzzed, but she still found the little bit of strength it took to look up to see who had saved her from the large cream tom that was apparently named Scorch. It was the small white tom. The small white tom who had told her he was sorry when she was captured. The small white tom who had not participated in the bullying. The small white tom who refused to meet her in the eye. The small white tom who had just saved her life.

"What did you just say, Claw?" Scorch growled at him. "I-I said leave her alone." Claw stuttered a bit, obviously less confident. But he still said it. Even if he was scared. "You want to fight me next? Look what I already did to this piece of foxdung," he flicked his tail towards Mistpaw, then continued, "Doesn't seem so special now, does she? Yeah that's right.....I heard you talking to Vixen...'I know she's an intruder, but she seems....different....not different in a bad way, of course, but....well, I mean....'" Mistpaw's ears felt warm and could hear snickering coming from the crowd. Claw looked just as uncomfortable as she felt. "Th-that doesn't change anything! You leave her alone. Clear won't like it if you kill one of our hostages, will he?" Scorch opened his mouth to say something, but then turned away angry. The cream tom walked right up to Mistpaw and snarled in her ear, "This isn't the end of this....you just wait until you're not needed anymore." He turned to pad away before turning around and smirking, "You think you're brave, don't you? While I must admit that you aren't the worst fighter I've ever fought, I don't think you're brave. I think you're just plain stupid." he then padded away, flicking his tailtip back and forth.

"I think thats enough training for today, Scorch." said a voice behind Mistpaw, that she immediately recognized as the unsettlingly calm voice of Clear. Clear then turned and looked at Mistpaw. "You too. Claw and Vixen, I want you to lead her back to the den. She's in no condition to have battle moves practiced on her. Vixen, don't try anything unless she tries something. Though I doubt she will, with the state she's in. As for you, Claw. I only chose you because you are the calmest, and the only one who can keep Vixen under control. Don't think this means I approve of your little relationship. In fact, if I hear another word about it, I will personally claw your ears off, and well....let's just say, there won't be a prisoner for you to have a realtionship with." he said sternly. Vixen flicked her ear in agreement, and Claw hesitated a moment before nodding. "Well, off with you then!" Clear then hissed, and Claw and Vixen quickly padded towards her. Vixen grabbed her by her scruff, not even bothering to be careful not to sink her teeth into a wound, and heaved Mistpaw to her paws. Wincing with pain, Mistpaw kept her weight on her three paws, leaving the weight off of her sore shoulder.

For the first bit of the walk, Mistpaw walked alone, Vixen and Claw close behind,whispering with their heads close together. But as they padded through the forest, Mistpaw noticed Claw coming up to her. She continued walking, though once again her ears were growing uncomfortably warm. "T-thanks for saving me back there....from Scorch." Mistpaw said quietly when he padded up to her side. "I didn't help you fast enough. You're hurt badly. And I didn't really help. I only said a few words....." he mumbled. Mistpaw looked suprised, and her voice was disbelieving as she said, "What do you mean, you didn't really help? He would have killed me if you hadn't said those few words!" He looked down, a small smile of what looked like pride on his muzzle. "So...so why did you do it? Why did you save an intruder like me?" she asked him. His smile quickly dropped, and his head was still down when he said, "You heard him. He said it right in front of you. Besides, I couldn't have just let him kill you, could I?" "Well, thats what everyone else was going to do," she said quietly. "Well maybe I'm different from all of them." he said, looking at her. "Well you're definitely more brave," Mistpaw whispered, then gently licked his cheek. She continued limping, but he was no longer at her side. He was standing in the same spot, staring at her in shock.