Swirlstar woke in the centre of the camp, she had drifted off as she wondered if the toms would help there clan or not. She slowly got to her paws looking around the camp. She had to go on the hunting patrol at dawn but shadow heart had gone for her as she had been sleeping.
She looked around her eyes fixed on the elders den. She had to check that the toms hadn't sneaked off with the kit over night or are planning something. She padded to the elders den in the rock and saw the two toms meowing to each other and suddenly stopped as she padded in.
"What were you talking about" she meowed in curiosity. "How nice you are all being" bramble tail meowed "We haven't eaten that well sinceā¦I don't think we ever have"
Swirlstar smiled "Just don't try anything and you could be eating like that all day" the toms grinned enthusiastically clearly wanting that. Swirlstar flicked her tail for the toms to follow. She padded out into the clearing the toms following her out.
"You can stay out here for now" she meowed "Just don't go to the forest, remember we still need to watch you" the toms nodded and crouched down, the sun glistening down on the toms."
Swirlstar sighed happily before padding off, they didn't seem much of a threat even now they had been fed. She sat down her tail over her paws and nodded her head towards them. "You can take something each of the fresh kill pile" she meowed turning her head in the direction of the fresh kill pile.
The two toms got to there paws making there way to the fresh kill pile. Maybe she should take them out hunting, showing them life in Swiftclan might increase there chance in staying.
She padded over to them as they finished there vole and crow. "Would you like to go out hunting" she meowed "Shadowheart is coming back now" she gestured to the camp entrance where Shadowheart and flame paw padded down with a mouse and a vole.
There was a moment of silence before the two toms nodded. Swirlstar headed for the entrance, the two toms following behind. "Do you know how to hunt" Swirlstar asked
"I know it sounds stupid but many don't get trained"
"We know how to hunt" they both meowed "but not very well" bramble tail meowed after. Swirlstar nodded, "I will show you how we hunt in the forest"
She lifted her nose taking in the scents around her, she caught the scent of a thrush hidden among the undergrowth. She carefully slid into a hunters crouch and stalked forward the thrush scent becoming stronger. She quickly pounced when she saw a movement in the undergrowth and finished the thrush off with one smooth bite to the neck.
"Now your turn" she meowed to stone pool not looking him in the eye. He lifted his nose and scented a mouse, crouching low he stalked forward but as he was about to pounce he stood on a stick, the noise alerting the mouse and it scurried away.
"I always do that" he meowed sadly "We both do"
"Is that all" Swirstar asked. "All you have to do is watch your footing, make sure you don't step on anything that will make a noise and you both will be able to hunt. Remember not all hunts will be successful. Sometimes the wind might change so the prey smells you instead of you smelling it so it will run away."
They both nodded "Your turn bramble tail" she meowed. The bracken coloured tom smelt the air catching the scent of squirrel. He padded along before crouching and stalking forward to catch a squirrel.
He rose up with triumph the squirrel hanging in his mouth. "Well done" Stonepool meowed looking at his brother.
Swirstar nodded, "lets go take the prey back, we can go hunting again tomorrow. Maybe Brackentail you can go with shadow heart and flame paw takes a day off while stone pool comes with me"
They both nodded as they all padded back to camp. Stonepool lagged behind his head low. Swirlstar stopped still he caught up with her "What is it?" she meowed "Was it that you didn't catch anything"
He nodded "I can never do anything, I am useless"
"No, you are not" she meowed "You will learn tomorrow more about hunting" she put her tail on his shoulder to comfort him. He stopped quickly looking into her light blue eyes before quickly padding on to catch up with his brother.
When they got back to camp she padded over to shadow heart "You will be taking Brambletail on a hunting lesson tomorrow" she meowed "I will be taking Stonepool, we will let flame paw look after the kits and refresh the beddings"
Shadowheart nodded and Swirlstar made her way to her den. She crouched calmly in her moss nest, her mind set to rest, the toms weren't dangers, she could ask them to join the clan, but she had to find the right moment to. She calmly fell asleep knowing that they were safe and no sudden danger was to happen, at least she hoped.
