Fireheart and Sandstorm had been out hunting for a long time and so far they had caught a mouse, a squirrel and a blackbird between them. I wasn't much but it was leaf-bare after all. They were just making their way back to where they had hidden the squirrel within some tree roots when Sandstorm suddenly stopped, tasting the air. She turned and looked at Fireheart, seemingly paralysed by fear. "Badger." She stated shakily, confirming Fireheart's scary suspicion. With a flick of his tail to encourage Sandstorm to follow, he turned and ran.
She had vanished. He had paused to take a breath and turned to speak to her and she was gone, there one heartbeat, gone the next. He almost broke down in worry and fear but forced himself to search for her as there wasn't time for him to fetch help. "Sandstorm!" He yowled, his voice thick with fear for the she-cat. He carried on running.
The sight he saw as he turned into a dark clearing made his heart turn into a frog and jump into his throat. A huge, female badger had Sandstorm cornered and was growling at her as loud as a twoleg monster, with its needle-like teeth bared. The badger's cubs were lying in a squealing heap behind her and it was when Fireheart saw them that he had the idea.
He launched at them, growling and yowling like a fox in a fit to get their mother's attention before darting between her hefty legs and shoving Sandstorm into the bracken. He then took a swipe at the badger's side as he dashed passed it. This confused the badger as it wondered how one ginger cat could be in two places at once! The badger didn't follow, however as the natural mothering nature kicked in and it started to tend to its cubs. Fireheart then back tracked and approached the clump of bracken, that he had pushed Sandstorm into, from behind.
Sandstorm was lying inside, panting heavily. Without hesitation, Fireheart bounded over to her and licked her cheek affectionately. She purred and licked him back. They sat sharing tongues in the bracken until sun-high. "I was so worried about you!" Fireheart had gotten out between licks. Sandstorm had simply continued to purr as loudly as a Lionclan member. They got up, shaking off bits of bracken and padded out into the leaf-bare sun, feeling the chilly air penetrate their pelts. Then they returned to the group they had left, carrying their fresh kill and leaning on each other for warmth.