Prologue
Lightning split the air. Sleekwhisker flattened her ears, lashing her tail. What prey in their right mind would be outside in this storm? she thought. Yarrowpaw sniffed the air, swiveling his head around. Yarrowpaw, like all apprentices in the beginning, was determined to be the best. Sleekwhisker recalled the small apprentice's ceremony, five days ago.
" We should split up. We may have a chance of catching something if we do. " Risingdusk, the deputy declared.
" Why do we have to hunt in this weather? No sane-"
" Not everyone wants to starve Leafpaw! " Yarrowpaw snapped shaking his paws. The deputy muttered something under her breath and walked away, ears perked. Sleekwhisker hesitated before picking a direction.
" Come on. Let's see if we can find and prey out here. " Sleekwhisker said, watching Whiteapple lead Leafpaw away. Yarrowpaw huffed. Sleekwhisker walked forward, heading towards the hollow where rabbits usually hung out.
" How can we find prey if there's no way to smell it? " her apprentice complained.
" Using your ears. Maybe be quiet and complain less. " she replied evenly flicking her ears as more lightning split the sky.
" Did you hear that? " Yarrowpaw whispered. Sleekwhisker stopped in confusion.
" No, " she said. " Maybe-"
" There it is again!" Yarrowpaw said, changing direction slightly and then promptly fell. Sleekwhisker sighed, squinting.
" Another tree gone. " she noted, walking over to Yarrowpaw. Yarrowpaw scrambled to his paws, sniffing the tree.
" Fox! " Yarrowpaw growled backing away. Sleekwhisker padded forward sniffing the newly fallen tree. She wrinkled her nose. Yarrowpaw leaped onto the tree, and slid down to the other side. A few heartbeats later he hissed.
" One's alive! " she heard him say.
" What? " Sleekwhisker said, confusion etched onto her face. She leaped over the tree and turned, staring at her apprentice.
" The rest are dead. Let's kill this one baby fox before it becomes a-"
" What? No! " Sleekwhisker snapped. Yarrowpaw turned around and stared at her.
" But foxes are dangerous creatures! " Yarrowpaw said, confusion clear in his voice. " We should kill it while we can! "
" Do you have no heart? I'm not going to kill a kit! We could just as easily let it live- " Sleetwhisker started. A loud whimper. Sleekwhisker lightly moved her apprentice out of the way and stuck her head into the space between the tree and the ground, managing to grab the kit. She slowly moved her head out, holding the whimper fox kit.
" Why should-" Yarrowpaw started, widening his eyes.
" The leader can decide. " she stated, her voice muffled by the fur of the kit. It wiggled and whimpered.
" It looks about 3 moons old. " Yarrowpaw said, tapping his paw against the ground.