Chapter 3
Finding Refuge
Unknown Meadow
Some moons ago, six cats were chosen by their Warrior Ancestors to find their Clanmates a new home since the Humans are destroying the lake territory as it is with their monstrous machines. Six young cats; one from each Clan, each with their own unique skills.
Walking ahead of the small group of cats is a white and brown she-cat. Mothheart is the Medicine Cat Apprentice from LightClan. She is caring and helpful even towards those outside her Clan. Even when it comes to feeding time, she makes sure that the others in the group have fresh-kill before she takes something for herself.
Walking in the back of the group is a pure gray tom with brilliant blue eyes. Jayfeather is a young Warrior from CloudClan. He is smarter than what he gives off at times and is outstandingly great with herbs. He places the safety of his fellow group mates before himself; always looking for a safe and sheltered place to rest and eat at night.
Walking just a little ways ahead of Jayfeather is a bright ginger tom with amber eyes. Scorchfoot is the Medicine Cat Apprentice from SkyClan. He originally wanted to train as a Warrior when he was first Apprenticed. However, his Ancestors showed him a different path that he must take. Now, he works together with a few other Medicine Cat Apprentices to keep their group strong and healthy.
Next to Scorchfoot is a small ginger and white tabby she-cat. This young cat has a twisted right hind leg. She is Shallownight the new Medicine Cat Apprentice from LeafClan. She was originally born a HouseCat, but something called her and her brother, Stormpaw, to the lake home of the Warrior cats. She is kind and gentle though if pushed or provoked, Shallownight will not hesitate to stand her ground.
Walking somewhat behind Mothheart is a reddish-ginger tom with green eyes. This is Phoenixfeather, the current Medicine Cat of SunClan. His Mentor, Runningclaw, was supposed to remain the Medicine Cat until he returned home. However, due to unneeded circumstances, the old cat was killed by Whiplash some moon sago, leaving Topazshine of CloudClan to look after Phoenixfeather's Clanmates. He, of course, doesn't know of this just yet. Phoenixfeather is a caring and helpful cat, though he hates to see others hurt unless they somehow deserved it.
Walking beside Phoenixfeather is a blue-gray she-cat. She is soft-tempered until provoked. Bluetail is a young Warrior from WaterfallClan. Her fishing skills surpass those of other cats her age. She works well with those from the other Clans, but still thinks that hers is far superior to theirs. Bluetail is quick to make certain decisions before thinking through her options.
The six young cats are currently padding through a human's farm, weaving between the legs of many large and unfamiliar animals. "What are these animals?" Bluetail asked in a hushed voice.
"They are called farm animals,' a pure white tom answered as he padded over to the Warrior cats. He had mismatched eyes. His right is green while his left eye is blue. However, he is blind in his left eye.
"What type of animals? Surely, they are not all the same," Shallownight pointed out with a flick of her tail. The white tom licked his fluffy chest fur before he looked at the young she-cat.
"I don't know for sure what they are but I can give you a better idea of what they look like in other farms. The tall animals have long necks and come in many different colors; they also tend to be rather noisy. Humans tend to ride on their backs during the spring and summer months. The white and black animals give milk to the humans that look after them. Finally, the fluffy white animals are very bouncy and tend to run from the humans. I actually don't know what humans do with them," the white tom answered.
"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who are you?" Phoenixfeather asked in a voice that doesn't show his sheer disgust of the intruder. The white tom looked at Phoenixfeather taking no offense to the hidden venom in his voice.
"Oh my, where are my manners? My name is Fallen Snow."
"Are you a Warrior?" Scorchfoot asked.
"What's a Warrior?" the tom asked confused.
"Clearly, he has no clue on what we are talking about," Mothheart said in a whisper to the others.
"Are you lot hungry? I know a good place to hunt," Fallen Snow said happily. The six chosen cats looked at each other briefly looking back at the white tom with bright eyes.
"Yes, we are," Jayfeather answered for all of his fellow group mates. "We were looking for a place to hunt when we came across this strange meadow."
"Follow me then," the white tom said. He turned and started walking towards some shrubs further away from the grazing farm animals. The six young Warrior cats followed behind the tom not really sure if they could trust him or not. They have not seen another cat since they left their lake home. This cat just turned up out of the blue, why should they trust him? The answer was simple: he knew a good place to hunt and they were hungry.
Fallen Snow stopped just outside the patch of tall grass and looked at the six strange cats, waiting for them to catch up to him. His eyes are bright showing his happiness. "In here you'll find various kinds of prey such as birds, mice, voles, and even rabbits," the white tom said cheerfully before he disappeared into the tall grass. The Warrior cats looked at each other briefly before following the tom into the surprisingly soft yet tall grass. For a long while the seven cats hunted in silence trying to find something decent to eat.
Some time later, one by one the cats emerged with their catch. Jayfeather came out carrying a gray squirrel, two rather large brown field mice, and a gray vole in his jaws. He was the first cat to emerge from the tall grass. He sets his catch down on the ground at his paws.
The second cat to emerge is Bluetail. She is carrying a small blackbird and two water voles in her jaws. She sat across from the CloudClan Warrior and set her catch down at her paws. "You look like you hunted well, Jayfeather," she said.
"And you as well," he replied as he licked his chest fur down. The third cat to emerge was Scorchfoot who was carrying a rather large snake in his jaws. His eyes are sparkling as he dropped his catch on the ground.
"That was the best hunting so far since we started this journey!" Scorchfoot mewed happily.
"You seem extra happy, Scorchfoot" Mothheart said as she came out of the tall grass carrying a rabbit in her jaws.
"I have never found a snake this big in our lake home," Scorchfoot purred as he flicked his tail towards the dead boa constrictor. Mothheart lets out a purr of amusement as she added her catch to the pile that was steadily growing. Next came Phoenixfeather who was carrying a small bluebird and two brown squirrels.
"Did you hunt alright, Phoenixfeather?" Mothheart asked.
"I could have done better," the reddish-ginger tom answered. Shallownight stumbled out of the tall grass limping worse than usual. In her jaws are two gray field mice, but that's all.
"What happened to you Shallownight?" Bluetail asked her.
"I-I landed on my twisted leg wrong," she stumbled up to the others before she slumped to the ground in front of Jayfeather. Fallen Snow followed close behind Shallownight carrying three black mice.
"Is she okay?" the white tom asked concerned.
"She has a problem with her right hind leg," Mothheart answered as she sniffed the wounded leg. "She landed on it wrong. The entire leg is swollen from the incident.. We need to find a place to rest for a while."
"I have a place where you can stay for a while…" Fallen Snow said meekly to the Warrior cats. Phoenixfeather looked at the white tom gratefully.
"Please lead us there," he mewed as the others grabbed the prey. Jayfeather and Mothheart supported Shallownight on either side so that they could begin the walk to the nesting area that Fallen Snow would lead them to. "Fallen Snow helped grab some of the fresh-kill then led the Warriors to spot underneath a large stone ledge well hidden by several bramble bushes.
"You can stay here until you're ready to move on," Fallen Snow said, his voice filled with kindness after he put down the fresh-kill that had been in his mouth moments before in a small dip in the middle of the nesting area.
"Th-thank you…!" Shallownight said through gritted teeth, her voice laced with pain. None of her fellow Warriors said anything as they set their catch on the fresh-kill pile taking something to eat. Mothheart went to find dandelion to ease the pain, stinging nettle leaves to bring down the swelling, and poppy seeds to help Shallownight sleep.
