Chapter One
The forest was waking up, the easy dawn breaking over the horizon, red and pink rising up to crown the trees surrounding a long, narrow meadow. The oaks, birches and evergreens broke on either end of the green wonderland, making two tunnels: one to the gray-and-brown moorland, buffeted by a constant wind that the trees blocked, the other to a smaller, rounder meadow where things slept, dens peeking from under bushes.
As the birds began to sing a clear, warbling melody, a bushy-tailed little squirrel was starting its day. It scampered to the end of a branch straight out from its hole in the large, healthy oak it called home. It looked out over the woods, seeing with contentment the beginnings of a fresh spring day. Its nose twitching, it then leapt down from branch to branch until it had reached the ground. Then it scampered over to a berry bush, with fresh little treats just beginning to peek out through the leaves. Eagerly, the squirrel reached out and seized several berries in its clawed, hand-like paw. Stuffing them into its mouth, it noticed that the birds had quieted.
It didn't notice the green eyes lurking behind the bush. They bided their time, watching carefully, waiting for it to make a wrong move. They were careful, poised, and ready to spring.
And spring they did.
A single, clean bite at the back of its neck spared it any suffering, and the white cat cheerfully picked it up, lifting it gently in her mouth, and sat down to enjoy the sunrise. Her first catch as a warrior deserved proper recognition, after all, she thought, neatly wrapping her slightly fluffy ash-gray tail over her paws. Her warrior name was just perfect, she thought, purring- Ashtail. She loved it. She was so glad she wasn't Ashpaw anymore, and certainly endlessly happy she was no longer Ashie, the little rogue kitten who'd been abandoned down by the river.
"Nice catch, Ashtail."
She started, quickly spinning around to face the speaker. "Owf! Fank youf, Shafdowfstarf!" she mewed, surprised, then bent, embarrassed, to drop the squirrel.
The shadowy femme purred back at her. Her green eyes blinked warmly, sparkling in the new day's light. Her long fur was ruffled slightly at the shoulders, and she sat neatly, tucking her tail around her paws much as Ashtail had. It was Greenleaf, but still early Greenleaf, so the early mornings were still a bit chilly. "You're welcome," she meowed softly, and for a few minutes the two she-cats sat together, enjoying the dawn and the early birdsong. Finally, however, Ashtail stood. "Well," she meowed, emerald eyes sparkling. "I'd best be off. I think I smelled some voles on the way here. See you later, Shadowstar!"
She bounded happily off in the direction of a small den of mammals, not knowing that she left her leader with her head hunched over her paws, eyes wild, thinking I can't take this any more. They have to know the truth.
[x][x][x]
Yay! Done! Sorry for the terribly late update, just wanted to post this… my little break will be officially over in two or so more weeks, I think, so expect updates here and on Fleeting, and hopefully on The Changed, as well. Oh, and I may start an AU Kingdom Hearts one. School's out, so I have more time to work and stuff. :3 Ah, well, I tend to overwork myself, so before long I'll probably have waaaay to many stories going x.x Well, anyway. Thanks for reading! Reviews=love! c: