Stupid stinki cat story meowww

1 - Mist

Cold, wet snow layered the ground so deep that Mist sank through all the way up to his chest. Every paw step was a struggle, though he would never let young Elk know that. "Hurry up." He growled over his shoulder. The smaller cat made leaps to catch up.

"Can we slow down a bit? The snow is-"

"Slow cats get left behind." Mist cut off the young cat's complaints.

"Where are we even going?"

"We're hunting. I told you this when we left."

They trudged along for a while longer until Elk spoke again.  "We haven't exactly done any hunting, yet."  He meowed, clearly irritated.

Mist snorted.  This young cat was more trouble than he was worth, and his non-stop whining made that obvious.  "Well, then, Elk.  If you're so perfect, head back to camp on your own."

They stood, facing each other for a while.  Mist got a sick feeling of enjoyment as he watched the irritability and anger fade from Elk's eyes as he realized Mist was being serious.  He nodded his head toward the direction of camp.

"You can't be serious- I- I'll freeze!"

"Well, you can either shut your mouth, or freeze to death on the trek home.  Either way, I'll finally have some silence to think."  Mist growled, starting to walk again.  After a few steps, he heard the grunting hops of Elk jumping through the snow to follow him.

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Mist shoved Elk through the barrier to camp, both cats returning empty pawed.  Elk held his head low and started to wander back to his den.  Mist looked around the clearing, wide eyes staring at him and Elk, excitement dimming to disappointment as the other cats realized they had returned with no food.  Mist stood there for a moment, not knowing what exactly to do.  He was thankful when his camp leader wandered up to him.  "Feather."  He meowed.

"No prey, huh?"  The fluffy grey she meowed, disappointed.

Mist shook his head.

Feather flicked her tail, signaling to Mist to follow.  As he did, she continued.  "I want to send patrols to the other camps to see how they've been faring, but this cold is too, well, cold to do so safely."  She broke off to think for a moment.  "I'm worried for them, you know?  Our streams have frozen and dammed themselves.  I just hope that the large river hasn't also.  That would allow for the South camp to be well fed.  If we get desperate, I suppose we could send patrols to and from the river."

Mist had hardly realized that he was now sitting in Feather's den, and only noticed when Feather turned to look at her mate and kits who were snuggled in the corner most protected from the cold.  "We won't get desperate."  He determined, too proud to admit to needing help from the other camps.  "We don't need colder, wetter paws than we've already got.  The snow will retreat any day now, and the streams will swell with water and swarm with fish.  When that happens, we'll all get our strength back, and feast whenever we choose."

Feather sighed and returned her gaze from her family back to Mist.  "The West camp is surrounded by pines, I'm sure they won't mind if we start hunting closer to them.  Prey may be escaping there to the sheltered territory."

Mist wrinkled his nose at the thought.

"I don't understand what your problem is."

Mist and Feather turned their eyes to Frost, Feather's mate.

"You act like North camp is better than the others.  Need I remind you that I was born in East camp?"  She got up carefully so as not to disturb the kit pile.  "You know, the ones who live in tunnels?  What did you like to call us?  Worms, was it?"  She let out a sniff and turned to Feather.  "Feather, dear, I think I'm actually going to go to the pines like you mentioned."  

Feather blinked at her affectionately and Frost returned the gesture with a lick to Feather's ears.  As she headed out of the den, she gave Mist a disgusted look.

Confused, Mist opened his jaws.  "What was that about?"

Feather gave Mist a once over and shook her head as if she couldn't believe Mist had to ask.  "Just go, and take Elk for some training."

Mist felt a disgusted expression fall over his face at the mention of his trainee, but he tried to hide it in front of his leader, walking out of her den and headed toward the den that Elk called his.