A/N: Nothing to say really. Except...enjoy!
Sorry about the length of my chapters, again...
Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.
Chapter 2
Maple's Misfortune
Maple uncurled in her den, yawning quietly as she pulled herself to her paws. She shook scraps of moss, from the bed of moss she had made before she fell asleep, off of her pelt, and tilted her ears to the entrance for a second. After determining no one to be outside, she dashed out of the den, tore through the reeds, ferns and cat-tails hiding the entrance, and skidded to a stop at the stream. She twitched her ears once before lowering her head and drinking a bit of water. As she raised her head again she shook droplets off of her muzzle. She opened her muzzle slightly, taking in the scents quietly.
Maple dropped into a slightly awkward crouch as she scented a mouse. She moved slowly, knowing there was no room for error. She hadn't hunted anything faster then a mouse before, and, if she was lucky, she probably wouldn't have to. As she drew closer she could practically see each individual brown hair on the mouse's little body. She leapt, and the mouse looked up moments too late. She placed her paw on the mouse's tail, killing it quickly before it could make a sound. Then she grabbed it and dashed back to her den, brushing through some damp ferns from a recent rainfall as she did.
As she was returning, Maple thought that she heard something in the bushes, but thought nothing of it. She turned around, scanning the bushes before tearing down into her den again. She stopped as she reached her bed, and sat down in it, dipping her head and taking a bite of her newly-caught prey. She finished it in no time, her hunger satisfied.
She heard a rustle in the bushes above again. Her ears twitched.
'Should I...?' She wondered, tilting her head, 'I don't know...'
Making up her mind, Maple padded outside, and looked around, moving away from the den. The light brown she-cat couldn't even blink before she was barelled over by something. She did the only thing she could in a situation like this: She let out a paniced yowl.
Shadowpaw's head snapped up, his eyes flicking towards Maple's current position.
"What...was that!?" Lilypaw asked, her eyes wide.
"I-i...it-...Maple!" Shadowpaw stuttered, dashing off.
Lilypaw looked confused for a second, before dashing off as well. They had been hunting, and Firefeather and Ivyclaw had returned to camp before them, so the prey was left alone.
Shadowpaw burst out of the bushes, bristling. He studied the scene inquisitively, then sniffed the air, a growl rippling from his throat.
"Shadowclan..."
Because, cornering Maple against a tree, was a ShadowClan cat