Hope ✓

Chapter Seventeen

It had been over two more moons since that night.

We had traveled so far from Bella's twoleg home, I wasn't sure we would ever find Shadeclan again. I missed my clan dearly, but it wasn't like I wasn't enjoying my time away from them.

Flick and I had battle trained quite a lot in the past two moons, and I realized I was almost as tall as him, now. He taught me a few moves and I taught him the moves I remembered from my training. With this training, I could easily defend myself without getting so injured. I was able to prove this when we ran into a few dogs who had strayed from their twoleg yard.

Bella was exploring and talking about the herbs we happened to come across. She said she might not be the best fighter, but she wanted to be able to help if Flick or I got hurt again. She told us about the herbs that grew in her twoleg's garden and how she used to help healing it's patients. Bella also mentioned she noticed how close Flick and I had become, and I hadn't really an answer for that.

The scarred orange cat hadn't visited me for some time now, and Flick said he hadn't seen him hanging around. I started to wonder if he had just given up, which I was relieved by this. I didn't need to worry about him when I was busy looking for Shadeclan.

It was just past sunhigh, and my stomach growled. I laughed. "Anyone else hungry?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah, we haven't eaten since before dawn." She said.

"Let's hunt, then." Flick suggested.

I nodded. "Okay, then we'll meet back here, right outside the forest, when we're done hunting."

We were currently in a pine forest, my specialty. I hunted good in other forests too, but I hunted the best in pine forests. I nodded and we each went in opposite directions.

I opened my mouth as I sniffed for prey. The forest was foggy and there was still snow on the ground, but I could still smell the prey. It had snowed for the past two moons, and I had grown adjusted to hunting in the snow.

When I detected the scent of a squirrel, I dropped into a hunting crouch. As I followed the scent, I was faintly aware of the scent of cat. It was unfamiliar though, so I ignored it. After a few heartbeats, the squirrel came into view. I smiled and pounced on it, giving it a killing bite.

My mouth watered as I picked up my prey but before I could turn around to head back outside the foggy forest, something barreled into me.

I hissed and unsheathed my claws. The scent of cat surrounded me and when I was able to stand up and turn around, I saw an unfamiliar long-haired ginger and white she-cat glaring at me, her hackles raised.

"How dare you steal our prey, filthy rogue!" She hissed.

I glanced at the squirrel which had been flung from my jaws and was now laying down about a fox-lenth away.

"I didn't mean to steal any prey." I said. "My friends and I are just passing through. We are searching for a group of cats, Shadeclan. Have you heard of them, or seen them around?" I asked the strange cat.

Confusion washed over the ginger and white she-cat's face before her eyes narrowed. "There is no Shadeclan, but how do you know of the clans?" She asked.

My eyes widened. "Wait, the clans? Do you mean to tell me I've wandered into clan territory?" I asked, a little excited. If clan cats lived in this forest, maybe one of them would know how to get to Shadeclan!

The unfamiliar cat nodded. "Yes, you have. Why would a rogue be looking for a clan? I'd better take you back to camp so you can talk to Wolfstar." She said and nudged me in the opposite direction of where I came in.