Chapter 4

Vole hunting


A/N – Later on in this story, if I ever use the terms laugh or smile, my cats can somehow do that okay? Oh and when I say whoever's point of view, I know its not actually a point of view, but the story just switches. So R&R and let me know what you think, even if it is a flame. I haven't gotten any reviews yet!


Silverpaw padded out of the den the next morning, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

She was heading over to the warrior's den to find Duskpelt, when a ball of fur barreled into her.

Dawnflower, who was lying at the front of the nursery rose to her feet. "Murkykit! Don't bother the apprentices! I'm sorry Silverpaw, he's a bit energetic at the moment."

"That's alright." Silverpaw mewed. "Nice to meet you, and you too Murkykit."

Murkykit was busy smoothing his long bluey/gray fur down until he heard her voice. He lifted his head and blinked at her with his tongue still poking out. He scampered across to his mother where he hid behind her as she ushered him back into the nursery.

Duskpelt came up to her, his tail held high. "We're going hunting with Sparrowpaw and Wolfheart." He announced. "It's time to teach you how to hunt properly, even if we don't start on mice."

Sparrowpaw… Silverpaw thought, remembering the tawny tabby and his mentor who she had met that first time in the forest.

"Okay, when are we heading out?"

"As soon as they join us." Duskpelt meowed.

While they spoke, Wolfheart made his way towards them with Sparrowpaw following in his wake.

"Duskpelt, Silverpaw." The large gray/black tom greeted, dipping his head slightly.

"Wolfheart." Duskpelt answered.

"Hi." Mewed Silverpaw. Sparrowpaw blinked in response and replied, "Hey."

"So are we ready to head out?"

"Yes."

The cats padded out of the tunnel and bounded off in the direction of Sunningrocks, as Sparrowpaw had informed her.

When they got there, Duskpelt turned around and asked what they could smell.

"Mice. And a strange scent." Silverpaw mewed. "I can't put a name to it."

"It's a vole, like a mouse, but different." Sparrowpaw supplied.

"Yes, you are correct. Do you know how to catch voles at Sunningrocks?"

Sparrowpaw shook his head.

"Well I'd be surprised if you did, I haven't taught you yet. Hunting a vole needs patience." Wolfheart continued. "Scent closely, how many would you say there are around here?" he asked Sparrowpaw.

Silverpaw opened her jaws even though she wasn't asked and drank in the air, there were multiple different smells, in various places around the terrain. If you were quiet enough, you could hear the voles scrabbling on the rocks.

"I would guess about three or four." Sparrowpaw stated.

"Good, now let me show you how this is done."

Wolfheart took up a position next to one of the small fissures in the rock. He sat there silently, not twitching a single whisker, almost like a statue. He maintained this position for a few moments until a small head appeared from the fissure, sniffing the air. Wolfheart pinned it down with a paw against the rock and killed it quickly with a bite to the neck. He padded back over to them with it clutched in his jaws before dropping it on the ground and sweeping leaves over it.

"Right, who wants to try next?"

"Silverpaw?" Duskpelt nudged her; "Do you want to try?"

"Oh, err… yeah, sure!"

Silverpaw sat next to one of the extremely miniature chasms and waited as she had seen Wolfheart do. Soon enough, a little head appeared, it looked around and spotted Silverpaw, letting loose a high-pitched squeal and trying to dive back underground. Silverpaw panicked, and poked her paw into the fissure, scooping out the vole and sending it flying a short way where it landed near Sparrowpaw. He blinked in surprise when it landed, and then it proceeded to try and run away. He pounced on it and ended its life.

Duskpelt blinked at the vole and then looked at Silverpaw. "Nice catch." He murmured.

"Uh…"

Suddenly, Sparrowpaw burst out purring. "You had me scared there for a moment! Chucking voles at me."

Silverpaw blinked before starting to purr herself.

"Well all the prey has probably run off by now. We may as well take our catch back to the Clan." Wolfheart meowed.

"There's no sense in that Wolfheart, why not enjoy the sun while its still greenleaf. We have most of the day and can catch some mice on the way back."

"Good idea Duskpelt."

The mighty toms padded over to the Sunningrocks and flopped over, basking in the sun like snakes.

Silverpaw followed and lowered herself down, purring as her pelt soaked up the warmth, Sparrowpaw was doing the same thing not far away. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Now this, is heaven…

-()-

Thunderpaws p.o.v

Thunderpaw looked up from what he was doing to see his sister padding into camp alongside a tawny tabby tom that Thunderpaw recognized as Sparrowpaw. He had finished training a few moments ago, finding it easier and less fatiguing than last time. As Silverpaw dropped her catch on the fresh-kill pile he got up and changed direction to go talk to her.

As he got closer, he found that Silverpaw was laughing at something the tabby tom had said. He was glad she was forming friendships, he himself had befriended Blackpaw. Although he was slightly jealous that they weren't spending as much time with each other as they used to.

"Hey Thunderpaw!" she meowed when he approached.

"Hi Silverpaw, Sparrowpaw." He said, nodding at the latter.

Sparrowpaw returned the gesture. "Hi."

From across the camp Wolfheart signaled with his tail to get Sparrowpaw to come to him.

"I'll see you later Silverpaw. Bye Thunderpaw."

He padded off, leaving the two alone.

"So, what have you been up to?" Thunderpaw meowed.

"Oh, not much, we were hunting voles before."

"I saw, I've just been training a lot. Featherwing's a great mentor."

"Yeah, so is Duskpelt. Are you enjoying Clan life?"

Thunderpaw nodded. "Are you?"

"Definitely, I'm glad we came."

"Me too."

They sat there for a moment before Thunderpaw stood up. "Well, I- I gotta go. Patrol with Blackpaw and that."

"I'll see you." Silverpaw licked her brother's muzzle before padding off elsewhere.

Thunderpaw was unpleasantly aware that they were not as close as they had been.

Would Clan life tear them apart?

/\\/\\/\\/\\

Whiteherb padded down the steep slope, taking care not to stumble on the many pebbles littering the sides of this dip into the land. Down at the bottom of the dip was a pool of starlight. He reached the pool and looked down into it, the ripples on the surface smoothed out, and the shadow of two cats appeared, standing side by side and flicking their tails while the pool swirled around them, making the images break up.

"Aided by metal…" The words blew hauntingly in the wind as Whiteherb shivered and looked up at the sky.


A/N – Yeah so that's chapter four, sorry it's so short but I wanted it to end on that line. I've kind of had the idea that maybe I'll write less, but update more often. I hope that it works, but if I write a long chapter then that's just a bonus isn't it!