Hi guys
Hi guys! Sorry I took so long with updating. With MAP testing and a super hard social studies assignment I just couldn't find the time. Anyways, with a day of no homework I figured I'd update it while I had the time…ENJOY Ch. 3!
"Shadow I want to go home!" Socks whined. "Why'd we have to leave?"
Shadow took a deep breath and sighed. He figured it was no use lying to her anymore. He was the one who dragged her out into the forest because of his mistake and she deserved to know why she was taken away from the only life she knew.
"Our twolegs are dead Socks." Shadow managed to mumble. "You saw them lying on the floor in the house just as well as I did. Unfortunately, we have to accept that they're gone and move on." The black tom hoped he sounded more courageous than he felt. "Now enough with this sad talk and lets start thinking about where we're going to live. We have the whole forest to pick from" Shadow meowed trying to sound enthusiastic.
Socks straightened up and started looking around. There were plenty of trees to protect them and bushes to hide in temporarily, but they needed a place to stay permanently.
"How about over there?" Shadow suggested flicking his tail towards a large bush. Checking to make sure Socks was following, Shadow bolted towards the spot. Skidding to a stop, he examined den. The bush was at least two cat-lengths long, and about a tail-length off the ground. Over head were thick branches with soft pine needles that would protect them from severe weather. Crawling underneath, Shadow noticed a hole in the ground on the far side. Curious, he padded over and peeked down. It was a fairly big hole; big enough to fit three cats. Crawling back out, Shadow called over Socks who was playing with a ball of moss.
"Looks like we've found our new home!"
The moonlit sky cast an orange glow onto the forest, making shadows dance along the night. Shadow looked up into the starlit sky and sent out a silent thank you to anyone up there. Giving his black chest hair a lick, he got out of the den and crawled out from under the bush. A low growl in his stomach reminded them of how hungry he was and the tom instinctively dropped into a crouch. Twitching his ears to the forest sounds, he managed to pick up the faint scuffling of a mouse nearby. With a swift bite to it's neck, Shadow killed the prey and ate it vigorously. After giving his muzzle a thorough washing, he decided to take a walk through the forest to clear his thoughts.
How long will we be able to last out here? Shadow wondered. What happens if that bear finds out where we are? Or if we run into a fox, or a badger or a-
Faint meows in the distance interrupted his thoughts.
More cats? Shadow wondered. Cautiously, he followed the source of the sound until he was behind a bush and could clearly hear them speak up ahead.
"Can you smell anything Icepaw?" a female voice asked.
There was a slight pause before a young kitten meowed, "Well, there's the faint scent of squirrel, and I smell a nearby vole." There was another pause then 'Icepaw' spoke again. "I think there's a cat around here."
Shadow's muscled tensed as he anxiously waited. It was only a matter of time before they found him, maybe if he just gave himself up he'd be less threatening. Deciding this was the best thing to do, he stepped out from behind the bushes.
The instant he stepped out a white streak flashed before him knocking him off his feet. Thinking fast, he unsheathed his claws and raked them against the side of his attacker. The white kitten was faster though and darted out of his way before Shadow could counter him. Glancing around, he saw the cat preparing to spring and braced himself for the attack. The minute she sprang forward, Shadow jumped into the air and landed squarely on her back. Within an instant they were in a flurry of tooth, fur and claw.
"Enough!" screeched a loud voice, and Shadow instinctively let go.
The white kitten that attacked him padded over to sit beside another cat and glared at him.
"H-hi." Shadow stuttered nervously to the three cats standing before him. Next to the white she-cat was an older queen with brown tabby fur. The last cat was a gray and white tom with piercing blue eyes.
"Who are you and why are you on ThunderClan territory?" The brown cat demanded.
"I'm S-s-shadow and I'm on what territory?" Shadow meowed.
"You're on ThunderClan ground kittypet." The tom spat. "Go back to your twolegs and we'll spare you." He dug his claws in and out of the ground making Shadow back up.
"I can't go back to my twolegs." Shadow admitted quietly. "They're dead."
The other cats stared blankly at him for a minute. Finally the white kitten broke the silence by meowing, "So where do you live then?"
"Under a bush a little ways over there. I decided to take a walk because I couldn't sleep and heard you guys meowing and decided to see if you could help me." Shadow pleaded.
The two older cats gathered in a conference whispering quietly. The little white cat however padded forward and looked him up and down with a hint of disgust.
"I'm Icepaw." She declared. "I'm training to be a ThunderClan apprentice." She puffed up her fur proudly and stared expectantly at the black tom.
"What is this 'ThunderClan' that you keep speaking of?" Shadow queried.
Icepaw's jaws dropped and her ice blue eyes got wide with shock. "You don't know what ThunderClan is!" she exclaimed. "Well, there are four clans that live in the forest; ThunderClan, ShadowClan, River-" she stopped short as the other cats returned.
"You were brave Shadow to have come out yourself and fight. For that, we'll give you the option to join us. It's an honor to be in a clan and our leader will make the final decision on whether you're privileged to it. Meet me here tomorrow at sunhigh if you are interested." The tom meowed flatly. Then flicking his tail, he ushered the others to follow him back into the depths of the forest, leaving Shadow alone in the clearing.
