Alone #2: The Ebony's Roots

Chapter 5

Ebonywind first heard Cloudstalk's yowl. She grumbled but stood up reluctantly. Knowing they were going to be hunting, she stretched quickly and waited for the others to rise. Small snowflakes drifted to the ground and Ebonywind's paws were almost frozen from the snow.

"Alright," Cloudstalk mewed. "Ebonywind, you can lead a hunting patrol. Take three cats. I'll lead the other."

Ebonywind couldn't have been more grateful of her and Cloudstalk's friendship despite the whole Clan disliking her. She eventually chose Frostdapple, Foxpaw and Slategaze for her patrol. They had all been rather nice to her.

"Slategaze, why don't you ask Foxpaw some questions, after all, he's only an apprentice," Ebonywind suggested.

"Don't tell me how to train my apprentice!" Slategaze hissed back before dropped her head. "Sorry, I know that he was your old apprentice. Thanks. Hey, Foxpaw?"

Foxpaw looked up from where he was sniffing some bracken for prey.

"What can you smell?" Slategaze asked.

"Bush, you guys and...a badger!" Foxpaw's tail lifted high defensively.

"Badger attack formation!" Ebonywind yowled and the cats formed a circle around Foxpaw, who was the weakest.

A black and white badger lumbered out of the bushes, roaring. It was massive, a little larger than Ebonywind and the cats in her patrol combined.

"I don't think this badger is happy..." Frostdapple stepped backwards slowly.

"I don't either," Slategaze breathed, her jaw open in shock.

Ebonywind put up a defensive stance, growling. The badger swiped at her with a massive forepaw that was the size of an apprentice. It missed, but barely.

Foxpaw charged at the badger, ignoring Slategaze's cry to stop. The badger simply swatted him aside. Foxpaw fell from a height, crumpling into a tree.

Frostdapple and Ebonywind attacked flank to flank while Slategaze attacked from behind but the badger, covered in long gashes and blood, didn't run. Then Ebonywind noticed something. "It's pregnant!"

Frostdapple stopped mid-attack, causing the badger to turn its attention to her.

"Go back to camp, I'll hold it off! Get Foxpaw!" Ebonywind commanded the cats.

Frostdapple flicked her with a tail before running off with Slategaze and an unconscious Foxpaw.

"Hey ugly!" Ebonywind shouted at the badger. "I can beat you-"

She was cut off by having to dodge as a foot tried to step on her.

Time to run.

A few days later, Ebonywind listened to Cloudstalk. They were having a 'semi' Clan meeting.

"There isn't any prey left here," Cloudstalk growled. "We have to move back."

"I agree," Ebonywind dipped her head respectfully before speaking. "We've had to fight foxes and badgers for the prey here and there isn't much left. It'll make more sense if we leave."

"We have to stay! Rowanstar ordered us!" Speckleflower argued.

"We're staying," Slategaze agreed calmly.

"I'm the leader of this mission, and I say we're leaving!" Cloudstalk snarled before proceeding to walk away from their camp.

Ebonywind shrugged before following her and gradually all the cats followed.

"You're back!" Rowanstar greeted them cheerily. "Leaf-bare has eased a bit, so it's fine. I was going to send a messenger anyways."

"I told you so," Cloudstalk hissed to Speckleflower.