It has been two days since Dapplepaw joined Frost-clan. And she and Onefoot were hunting on the forest floor for prey. They were talking as Dapplepaw still had a ton of questions to ask.
"Do you guys stay in the same camp all year round?" She asked as they were padding along.
"We usually don't since we move to the heart of the thick forest due to the freezing winters. But when summer comes, we usually try to remember where we had our camps before so we can easily claim it." Onefoot answered her question.
"You seem intelligent, but I thought the seasons were Leaf-bare and Green-leaf?" She mewed.
"Yes us cats in different parts of the world use different cultures and traditions. Like some in the lake territory use the code while some cats in the mountains of the land far to the east use some other code. And we use a hierarchy system to determine what cats are in what place." Onefoot mewed.
"Have you been to the lake territory where the original clans have used the code?" She mewed.
"No I haven't, but I was told about it through passing cats and travelers." Onefoot said.
Onefoot spotted something moving along the leaf litter, and he was able to determine what it was.
"Ever tried weta before?" He asked spying on the weta insect.
"No. I thought we hunted mice." Dapplepaw mewed.
"We do but we also mix insects with our diet since mice and birds aren't readily available." Onefoot mewed as he crouched as he stalked the weta.
Dapplepaw watched as Onefoot sneak up on the weta. She soon watched as he pounces on it by slamming his paws down squishing the weta under his paws. Onefoot soon picked up the weta as he mewed.
"Now it's your turn, follow how I did it." Onefoot mewed.
Dapplepaw began to crouch the way that she was taught by Onefoot. She began to sneak up on another weta. She leaped in her attempt of catching the insect but she fell short so she decided to give chase with Onefoot trailing behind her. She continued to chase the weta until something snatched the weta with its long pink tounge. The animal soon slipped back into its hole with Dapplepaw watching in wonder.
"What was that that ate my weta?" She mewed curious.
"That was a Tuatara. It's a lizard, it was here long before the clans and they will be here long after them too." Onefoot mewed. "And I do appreciate you trying your best catching that weta." Onefoot also remarked. "But you will get better. If you want tips and tricks, I suggest heading to the elders den where Tigerfoot could give them to you."
"That sounds nice." Dapplepaw mewed as she and Onefoot padded back to Frost-clan's camp.
When they arrived at the camp, Frost-clan was busy building dens to sleep in. Dapplepaw came along with the weta that they have caught.
"Well you're training your apprentice well." Froststar mewed.
"I'm teaching her how to hunt." Onefoot mewed.
"Maybe she can't hunt because her eyes aren't as big as ours." Lynxpelt grunted.
"That wasn't fair nor was it nice to say. Why do I need big eyes to hunt?" She mewed.
"You see kit. Many of the cats in this forest have large eyes because it helps us find food in the dark of winter." Tigerfoot mewed softly.
"Oh I don't about that." She mewed as she was ordered to help make the nursery den alongside Fernpaw.
"Go away. I had dibs on this den." Fernpaw mewed as she was digging out the den from the inside.
"I was told to help." Dapplepaw mewed to a grumpy Fernpaw.
"Fine, get some leaf litter from the forest floor." Fernpaw ordered as the nursery was just about done.
Dapplepaw did so as she padded off to find some leaf litter. She bumped into Longpaw as she saw he was carrying some of the same stuff that she was looking for.
"Anywhere I can find some of that leaf litter? Dapplepaw mewed.
"Leaf litter is everywhere in the forest, but you can take some from the giant pile that we are making." Longpaw responded as he showed her the giant pile of the stuff that was going to be used to make the dens.
"Thank you." Dapplepaw mewed as she collected some of the stuff and she returned to Fernpaw.
"You found some." Fernpaw said impressed by Dapplepaw as she took it as she began to spread it around in the den. Dapplepaw rushed back to get more. And she continued until the nursery was completed.
"That came out faster than expected." Fernpaw said surprised seeing how she was able to get help. "You see Mudtail digs out these dens and I usually put the bedding in. The nursery usually needs more bedding since we usually cover the kits with it." Fernpaw mewed.
"Rosepetal will surely need this." Longpaw mewed.
The three of them laughed they continued to socialize. But no matter how busy Frost-clan was, they always have to be alert to danger. A large dingo was stalking them, it was clear the dingo was a summer visitor from warmer lands to the north. It was clear it was ready to hunt Frost-clan and eat an unsuspecting cat. But as it moved forward, it steps on a hollow branch breaking it. Brambleface heard the crack as he raised the alarm.
"PREDATOR ALERT! PREDATOR ALERT! SCATTER!" Brambleface screeched as Frost-clan took off.
The dingo attempted to ambush but he fails miserably as Frost-clan scattered. Soon he took off for the riverbed down the hill of the forest as the clan melted into the undergrowth. Once the danger has passed, they headed back to the camp where they have discovered one of the conifer trees has been knocked over by the dingo when it tried to hunt them.
"What was that?" Dapplepaw asked puzzled.
"That was a dingo." Tigerfoot mewed.
"It's not just any dingo; he's Australovenator, the most infamous dingo of the forest." Fireleaf mewed telling Dapplepaw.
"He's the largest predator of the forest that would eat anything. But since he was spotted early enough by Brambleface he couldn't get us because he's no match for our speed and agility. Mudtail mewed.
"This forest isn't the paradise that we would always live in. It will be full of its dangers and hazards so we must always be alert." Onefoot mewed to his apprentice.
"Well you better train her harder so she doesn't become a victim of the forest." Froststar mewed to Onefoot.
"I will." He promised as he turned to his apprentice. "I think we've had enough training for one day so rest up for tomorrow or you can go visit Tigerfoot in the elders den, he's always got some good tricks up his pelt." One foot mewed.
"I promise." Dapplepaw mewed as headed off to help complete the apprentice's den where she will be sleeping in.