Chapter 7
BushClan / Tumbleheart
Ever since the Wild Storm, hunting had proven to be difficult. All the prey had gone into their holes, the snow was deep with hard pieces of sky-ice that Tumbleheart learned was called hail. So much had changed in one moment. Their efforts had been futile and now she was trudging through the snow to hunt again. Leafbare had been hard before, but never had it been so drastic.
It was only the previous sunup when hunting was rather easy for a leafbare. Then the Wild Storm came, forcing all of the prey into hiding. Their paws freezing as they scoured their territory for any sign of prey. All they had was the half-frozen fresh-kill in camp. Even those were hardly able to feed them all. They were spread thin for the evening meals.
With a heavy sigh, her tail drooped. Looking around, she tasted the air, trying to find some sign of prey. Nothing but the frigid air was around her. Licking her lips, she wondered just how far she would have to travel to find anything for her Clan. Lashing her tail, she pressed on, following the familiar paths that the rest of the warriors had made. Their numbers had dwindled since the battles, so the kits were their only hope to swell their ranks.
Perhaps, I'll get one of them as an apprentice. I wonder which one I could take under my paw. She thought idly as she stalked through the familiar passage. Birdkit wouldn't be so bad. Neither would Cinderkit or Bubblekit, although, that's a generous thought. We don't even know if Bubblekit will get over his sickness or get greencough.
A strange scent wafted over her nose. Blinking, she perked up, parting her jaws only for a rank stench. Her tail curled in apprehension. Her green eyes widening in horror. It was a scent she had only picked up once or twice. Unsheathing her claws, she looked around, feeling exposed. The reek was fresh, that much she knew. Creeping forward, she saw the paw prints. Egg shaped with distinctive pads and claws.
A fox had passed through here. If I follow those prints I could end up leading it to camp! I need to tread carefully. She thought as her mouth became dry. She veered off her path, making a new one to a tree, circling it before climbing up onto it's thin branches. They bowed beneath her weight, but she stayed near the trunk, searching. No flash of russet fur or a flick of a black-tipped bushy tail.
Worry filled her from within. How could she ever find a fox even in this strange spindly-tree forest? There was plenty of weeds and bushes for the fox to hide. Squinting, she peered at the forest below, noticing there was a lot of paw prints. A whole pack of foxes had gone through the forest. She couldn't tell how many and that was what scared her more.
"I need to warn the Clan." she murmured, looking to head down, before seeing a young tom-fox. Their fur was dull and she could see their ribs as they stalked beneath her paws, sniffing where she had been. Her fur fluffed out twice it's normal size as a hiss began to grow in her throat, threatening to come out and expose her hiding place.
The fox twitched their whiskers, sniffing where she had climbed, rearing on it's hind legs as amber eyes glinted up at her, spotting her instantly. It's lips peeled back to reveal thin and sharp teeth. It let out a yipping bark, deafening to her ears as she let out a strangled yowl of fear. The fox's blackish-brown paws protracted their claws to dig into the thin tree.
Fear made her heart pound as the fox began to try to heave himself up at her. Amber eyes slowly going wild with hunger. Panic coursed through her as she let out a deafening screech, taking the fox by surprise. It fell back on it's haunches as she lashed her tail dangerously, eyes wild with fear. Growling, she managed to find her voice.
"Stay back you mange-pelt. Stay back if you know what's good for you!" she spat, trying to be threatening.
However, the fox began to try again, this time gaining purchase on the icy bark. The fox was climbing up at her as drool dripped from it's maw. Terror filled her from her very core as it climbed higher and higher. Tumbleheart fixed her terrified gaze on the fox's hungry ones. She launched herself from the branch, leaping over the fox who jumped awkwardly, jaws snapping just a whisker away from her. She crashed onto the snow clumsily. Pain seared through one paw, but she ignored it as she bolted through the snow.
Kicked up snow flying as she pelted through the forest, crossing over the path to camp and bounding into the brush. Hard on her paws was the fleet-footed fox that was sprinting after her with excited yips. Her tail was curled behind her, trying to keep it from being in biting range as she raced through the snow, heading deeper and deeper into the brush. Burrs caught on her pelt, but she kept pressing on and on.
The fox let out a strangled cry, more paws thundered around her. It was a trap! She realized in horror. Gekkering erupted all around her, whooping calls echoing all around her as her lungs burned, her muscles screamed for her to stop, yet she forced herself to keep moving. At last, she could scent the boarder of BushClan territory. With one last push, she flung herself into a bush, fighting her way through the branches and through the other side.
Without looking back, she ran into the short-cut grass and bounded over the small gray-stone cliff onto the flat black-stone. Her paws slapping painfully on the hard surface as the ground quaked with the pelting feet of the foxes. Snarls and sharp barks echoed around her. In the corner of her eye, she could see the long-legged fox, yellow eyes glaring as she kept running.
She was gasping for air as she pelted, her legs feeling weak as she made the poor choice of leaping onto the fence. She toppled over onto the other side, slamming onto the ground on her side. Her paws flailing as she fought for air. Scrabbling sounded off on the other side as a fox jumped the fence, hooking their paws on the thin wall of wood. With every ounce of her energy, she tried to get to her paws. Her legs felt as weak as kit-legs as she stumbled forward, panting.
More foxes jumped into the garden, some barking quickly in succession as they sniffed around. A she-fox had found her, dark brown eyes glinting in the sunlight as they locked eyes. The she-fox parted her jaws, seeming to be startled as Tumbleheart froze in horror. Their ears were erect, rotating forward and back with swift flicking motions as the she-fox sniffed at her, taking in her fear-scent.
"S-s-stop..." Tumbleheart whimpered as her legs gave out beneath her. Exhaustion taking over her body. "P-please..."
A soft mewling noise came from the fox, it was a strange sound that she could almost understand. "Scared... very scared..." They seemed to say, confusing her. It was a fox, yet they seemed to speak cat. The she-fox turned away, barking something that made the other foxes grunt and huff angrily before hopping into another garden to expand their search. An older tom-fox shook his head, looking at the she-fox with a distrustful stare, before letting out a screeching call, that eerily sounded cat-like. With dread, Tumbleheart realized she understood what it was saying.
"Kitty, where ever you are, we will find you and eat you alive."
.
Tumbleheart had stayed hidden until the sun was setting, by then the foxes had gone, even the strange she-fox. Fear kept her rooted to her spot, trembling with hunger and feeling tired as she lowered her head. Looking ahead, she spotted an unfamiliar russet-colored tom. Fear filled her once again as she forced herself to her paws. Her legs shaking as she stepped into the open, her muscles ached from being pushed so hard and fast.
"You need to go away from here." she mewed weakly. "There are foxes a whole pack of them. They are hunting down cats."
The tom blinked, confusion filling his gaze as he padded up beside her, placing his tail over her shoulders. "I know, come with me. I'll help you get somewhere safer to rest. Viscous things, aren't they?"
She nodded meekly, following his guidance without question. She had no idea who he was, but he was trying to help her. So he had to be a good cat, right? She needed to get back home, but she could only follow like a tired kit who had been naughty and left the camp. Trembling, she pressed close to him, taking in his unfamiliar scent.
"It's going to be alright." the tom meowed, "I won't let those mange-pelts get you. I promise."
"Please don't." she whispered hoarsely, padding along side him into a thorny bush.
"These will keep us safe for the time being." the tom explained as the strange sweet-smelling flowers tickled her nose. "It's a rose bush, the thorns will keep even hungry foxes away, leaving us a nice place to rest and sleep."
"And food?" she mewed.
"Don't you worry about that none. Just rest. When you wake up I'll show you to Luna's place. Her den has a way in so we can have something to eat without anything able to get us."
Tumbleheart nodded, sinking against the thorns. They pricked her skin painfully, but she was too tired to care. Her eyes drifted closed, the tom staying close as she fell into a deep, deep sleep. The horrific day had gone without casualty, but none could tell just for how much longer it would be until the foxes returned to finish what they started.
Her dreams were filled with the vicious fangs and mewling foxes that taunted her. Their russet bodies chasing and hunting her down. Finding their way to her Clan and ripping apart kits and elders alike. More than a few times she had jolted awake, only for brief moments to sink back into restless sleep. Back where the foxes haunted her with snapping jaws and claws raking through her fur.
Her paws twitching had often woken her, but the gentle purr beside her reminded her that she wasn't alone. Feeling more and more comforted, her dreams began to calm down enough for her to fall into a peaceful slumber. Drifting ever farther away from the nightmares that plagued her racing heart as the deep purr of the tom soothed her.
For the first time in moons, she felt like she belonged somewhere. Perhaps she didn't belong in the Clan, no matter how hard she worked, but she felt she belonged right here with the russet tom. He was close to her and his masculine scent invaded her dreams. So much so, she could see the pale tortoiseshell that was her mother, walking along unknown gray-stones with a thunderpath close by. Only to stop by a Twoleg den's garden.
Her brown eyes glinting with yearning as she hopped up onto the fence. Her tail swaying impatiently as she waited. Her jaws moving as she talked to herself, seeming to be excited and happy. The den had no color, seemed like all the others even, but a feline-shaped shadow moved by a strange clear-ice square. Was there a flash of green eyes? She couldn't tell. She wanted it to be green-eyed. However, she wasn't so sure, even as the dream melted into nothingness. Leaving her with more questions than answers.
Author Note:
Tumbleheart has been attacked and the foxes are still hunting her down.
Will she take this as a sign to look for her father's origins?
Or will she head back to let the Clan know of danger? Who is the tom who found her?
Find out when we return to her side of the story.
Thank you for reading! - NightSky
