AN: Sorry for this chapter's shortness! I wasn't sure what else to add, and I desperately needed to update. So here it is, chapter six. Again, sorry for not updating lately /= I've been writing in the Tron fandom more often now, and ideas keep coming to me for it XD

Chapter 6

Her wings brushed against the undergrowth as she stalked a small mouse. It was nibbling on a seed - the last of greenleaf's crop. Soon leafbare would come upon the forest, bringing with it snow and colder weather. The prey seemed to sense the change and took the opportunity to find more food before the frost came.

Riverspirit was on her first hunting trip as a warrior. She had gone with Squirreltail and Longtail, but both cats went off on their own. So that gave her a chance to practice hunting with her wings.

The mouse was oblivious to the danger that was only a fox-length away from striking. Riverspirit's tail flicked from side to side as she studied her surroundings. If she struck now than she would likely scare any prey that might be around. But if she waited, the mouse could get away before she had a chance to strike.

With a shake of her head Riverspirit leapt forward with her claws unsheathed. Her wings flared from beneath, lifting her to an angle. The mouse had dropped the seed it was nibbling on and made a run for it. Riverspirit didn't give it a chance to flee as her claws caught it.

Within a heartbeat the mouse was dead at her paws. Riverspirit let out a satisfied purr when she buried it near a charred oak.

Heartbeats later she found a squirrel digging through soil as it searched for leftover food it might have stored earlier in the season. Riverspirit's eyes narrowed into tiny slits as she dropped to a crouch. The squirrel's tail was flickering angrily as it continued it's pointless search.

Riverspirit took a step forward and was about to lung when she heard a branch snap. The squirrel looked up in alarm, than panicked when it picked up her scent. It swarmed into a tree, sending scraps of bark into her pelt. Riverspirit's tail lashed in frustration when she turned to see that Longtail had returned from his hunt.

"Sorry, I didn't see the squirrel," he admitted sheepishly.

"It doesn't matter," she muttered. "Did you catch anything?"

"I caught a sparrow and a vole," he replied. "Not much but it's better than nothing."

"Maybe Squirreltail caught something," she meowed. As if the dark ginger she-cat had read her thoughts, Squirreltail returned with a pair of mice.

"This was all I caught, but it looks like we have enough to bring back," Squirreltail said after dropping the mice at her paws.

Riverspirit unearthed the mouse she caught earlier and picked it up. Squirreltail and Longtail were already heading back to camp with prey in their jaws. And all she had caught was a measly mouse, one stupid mouse! If Longtail hadn't returned she could have caught the squirrel.

She tried not to think about it when she padded through the gorse tunnel entrance. At least they caught any prey at all.

Most of the camp had been repaired after the fire that happened a few days ago. Riverspirit noticed that the apprentices' den was bigger than before, and the warrior's den had been expanded. Larchwing and Birchnose were sharing tongues outside the den while Sootpelt trotted over to the nursery.

All in all the Clan seemed relatively normal since Riverspirit returned to her life as a warrior. She was thankful they had accepted her despite her strange appearance. The only ones who seemed to ignore her were the other apprentices, but she didn't mind.

Let them act like a bunch of kits, she thought with a snort of amusement.

Riverspirit thought back to the fun times she used to have with her old denmates. She missed those days, when she could just live a carefree life. Back than she didn't know any better as she had played with them. But that was in the past, and it was time to move on.

She was a warrior now, and that meant she would have to sleep in the warrior's den tonight.

"There's going to be a Gathering soon," Sorreltail announced after finishing a mouse she had picked from the fresh-kill pile.

"It should be an interesting one," Brackenfur added as he sat beside his mate.

Curiosity surged through Riverspirit as she listened. She wished that she could go, just to see Ravenpaw again. Suddenly she wondered what her sister was up to, or if Ravenpaw even cared that something had happened to her.

Does she even think about me? Riverspirit wondered as she gave her paw a thorough wash.

Either way, she was going to find out what had happened to Ravenpaw. Now that the Clan knew she was alive, Riverspirit wanted to see Ravenpaw more than ever. Even if it meant going behind her Clanmate's backs.