CHAPTER TWO

In Eternal Silence

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The soft crunch of pawsteps in the snow was the only sound that could be heard as the patrol set out to hunt. Blossompaw was at the back of the group with Mintpaw by her side. The rules were that everyone had to hunt with a partner nearby, lest they get completely lost in the whited out landscape. They would all diverge as soon as they were far enough from the Clan, each cat going off with their chosen partner. Before this system had been put in place, many cats were lost when they went out hunting in the icy forest. They were found dead days later, frozen and covered in snow, like a statue of ice.

Blossompaw knew exactly where her mother had been found dead. It was down by the edge of the dried up lake. Her blood had leaked all over the ground and froze, and her eyes were plucked out by ravens. No one sat vigil with her because of the stench. There was nothing left of her insides. All her meat and guts had been taken by the scavengers of the forest. There had been the disturbing faded scent of ShadowClan by her that day. No one could shake the feeling that maybe they were so desperate that they became scavengers themselves, and feasted on the flesh of a fallen ThunderClan she-cat.

The group began to break up, two cats going in each direction. Blossompaw and Mintpaw continued to walk straight ahead, neither of them saying anything because one had to hunt in total silence. That was another rule that Eaglestar had made. No cats may utter a word as soon as they left the camp, lest they scare away the valuable prey that hid in the woods. The apprentices could wait to speak to each other until they got back to camp.

Mintpaw sniffed the air, looking around. She crouched into hunting position, her tail lashing back and forth as she inched slowly towards a cardinal that was perched on a low hanging branch. When she got close enough, her eyes flashed, and she launched herself into the air. She caught the bird by the wing as it was preparing to take flight, and she pushed it to the ground. She smacked it with one paw, claws unsheathed. This stunned the bird enough to let Mintpaw bend down to bite its fragile neck.

As much as she wanted to congratulate her friend for her kill, Blossompaw held her tongue. She didn't want to frighten any other birds who were in the area. The cardinal hadn't had time to make enough noise to scare them away. Blossompaw admired her best friend's skills. She was an excellent huntress, and would be very valuable to the Clan in their time of need.

Unfortunately, there was the chance that this bird was the only prey that any of the cats would bring back. They were lucky just to have that. Mintpaw didn't bury the bird in the snow, though, as foxes were clever enough to dig it up. She carried it along with her, guaranteeing that she would not lose it to any other animals.

They continued to walk until their pads were cold and sore. They couldn't tell where they were, and they had yet to come across anymore prey. There was an familiar yet unidentifiable scent in the air. Blossompaw could taste it in her mouth. Mintpaw couldn't smell or taste anything in the air with that bird in her mouth. Blossompaw would have asked her to confirm the scent otherwise, but she remembered at the last second that she was forbidden to speak.

Her ears pricked as the sound of dry leaves rustling on a branch caught her attention. Perhaps another bird had landed, and the apprentices would bring back two pieces of prey for their starving Clan. She narrowed her eyes and tried to get the animal in her sights. A dead bush shook nearby her, and without thinking she pounced and caught her claws on something furry and dark. There was a horrible hiss, and she felt a paw smack her face, leaving stinging lines of claws. She was pushed into a tree, knocking her head against it and sliding down into the snow.

Blood was dripping into her eyes. She saw it before they closed. Darkness overwhelmed her, and even though she struggled to keep her consciousness, she couldn't. She was injured in deep snow, with her attacker right next to her.

She couldn't call for help.

She wouldn't want to scare the prey away.

Today I will fall.