The young tom shivered as he watched his friends pad away in the freezing rain. He knew he would be safe but he couldn't help but feel horrible for telling Firepaw of the danger in the Clan.
Keep them safe StarClan he thought as he padded away from his only home. Ravenpaw sighed and headed toward where Barley, the loner, lived.
"Ravenpaw," a tom's voice called him, "Ravenpaw. Wake up." Ravenpaw opened his eyes to find a black-and-white cat standing over him. Smells of mouse and hay reached the cat's nose as he shook his head.
"What is it Barley?" he asked, peering around. It appeared to be only dawn.
"You were dreaming again," the older tom meowed, sitting calmly on the wooden floors of the two-leg barn where they lived. Ravenpaw yawned, thinking. Yes, he had been dreaming.
"Oh," was all that the cat said as he joined Barley on the floor, leaving his cozy nest in the hay behind. He had grown sleek and well muscled since his kitten hood, his fur a bit thicker, the white smudge on his chest and white tipped tail always betraying his presence in darkness. Barley studied the young cat that had come to live with him moons ago. He liked Ravenpaw but the young cat's dreams frightened him somewhat.
"C'mon," Barley said, nudging Ravenpaw in the shoulder with his nose, "The two-legs will be here soon. We have to hunt now before they scare all the prey away." Ravenpaw nodded and followed the cat out of the barn and into the woods. Two-legs had been coming and doing whatever to WindClan's territory. Ravenpaw hoped the Clans were alright.
Suddenly spotting a thrush, Ravenpaw dropped to his belly. Birds were the only reason he hunted outside. The barn held plenty of food but Barley liked that Ravenpaw could catch birds. He held back a smirk as he crept forward, eyes staring at the bird. He dashed forward, claws extended and leaped, killing the bird with a quick bite. Flicking his tail proudly, Ravenpaw padded back to the barn where Barley sat with a squirrel at his paws. His eyes lit up at the sight of the thrush.
"Here," Ravenpaw said, dropping the bird, "I'm not so hungry anymore." The sight of Barley with the squirrel and hunting outside had brought back of the memory of his dream and the familiar ache of wanting to visit his old home. He love being here with Barley but…it wasn't the Clan.
"What's the matter?" Barley asked, peering at the younger tom. Ravenpaw merely shook
his head, tail drooping now.
"I don't want to talk," he said, slinking into the barn. Ravenpaw leaped to the door where a horse stayed occasionally and sat there, staring at the wall.
