"Nice catch, Squirrelflight!"
Leafpool called as Squirrelflight leapt on a shrew. Squirrelflight smiled and picked up her prey and padded over to Leafpool. The soft crunching of the leaves underneath her soothed the ginger she-cat. Leafpool smiled at the fresh-kill, then sighed. Squirrelflight frowned. "Still not used to being a warrior?" Leafpool looked up at her sister. Squirrelflight had kept an urgent secret that Leafpool had Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze.
Leafpool had not been exiled, but her punishment was that she was changed into a warrior.
"No," The brown tabby murmured. Squirrelflight glanced at the ground in thought. She looked back at her sad sister. "Would you like me to teach you how to hunt?" Leafpool gave a ginger smile. "Sure," Squirrelflight touched her tail tip to Leafpool's shoulder and started padding away, Leafpool picking up the shrew. As the leaf litter crunched under their paws, the cool Leaf-Fall air chilled Squirrelflight's sodden paws.
Her ears twitched as she heard a birds call in the distance, and forced herself not to chase after it. The ginger she-cat stopped abruptly, Leafpool almost ramming herself into her sister.
Squirrelflight turned to look at her. "Smell the air for prey," She instructed. Leafpool instantly obeyed, opening her mouth to drink in the air. A moment later, she scented the warm tang of mouse. "I smell mouse," The brown tabby whispered.
Squirrelflight kinked her tail over her back, and padded toward the scent. Leafpool followed, brushing her tail against the earth. Squirrelflight looked over her shoulder and gave a sharp look at her. "Don't drag your tail; the prey will hear,"
She warned, then started following the scent. Leafpool raised her plumy tail off the ground and followed Squirrelflight. The scent of mouse was strong. She could see the small body off it rustling through fallen leaves.
Squirrelflight flattened her tail, Leafpool crouching. She glanced at her sister. Squirrelflight tail was rippling, barely making a sound. Leafpool pawed toward the mouse, putting her paws where there were few leaves covering the earth. Leafpool looked over her shoulder at Squirrelflight. Her tail was over the ground; attack. Leafpool's paws tingled with excitement. The tabby leapt out of the coverage of bushes, and barely touched the mouse's tail. It quickly ran away, leaving a disappointed Leafpool crouched on the ground. Squirrelflight padded over to her and sat.
"I swear, you will catch one next time. I promise."
