Book 1: Echoing Voices - Warriors

Chapter 14

Drizzlepaw's POV

Auburnpaw was really beginning to get on Drizzlepaw's nerves. As if he wasn't annoying enough already. Auburnpaw would just stay silent whenever Drizzlepaw's asked a simple question, something like 'where should we stop?', 'can you hunt? I'm a little hungry', or 'we should rest' and that wasn't even a question. Auburnpaw just seemed to have this thing for ignoring.
"Y'know, I don't think we're going to find anyone." Drizzlepaw mowed.
Nothing.
Drizzlepaw's flattened his ears and scowled.
I wish Fishpaw were here. Drizzlepaw thought. No. She left you there to rot in the first place.
Drizzlepaw blinked and glanced over at Auburnpaw.
"Don't you miss anyone?" Drizzlepaw asked.
As expected, Auburnpaw didn't reply.
"Okay. What is your problem?" Drizzlepaw hissed and trotted up so he was in front of Aubunpaw. He stopped and Drizzlepaw stared the tom down.
"If we're going to work together you're going to have to talk at some point." Drizzlepaw was about to continue, but Auburnpaw actually spoke.
"'Yes. Now stop talking for once in your life." Auburnpaw snapped before padding around Drizzlepaw and continuing.
It took Drizzlepaw a moment to realize Auburnpaw had answered his question. Auburnpaw missed someone.
At least he has a friend or family member of some kind. Drizzlepaw let out a groan and followed Auburnpaw.
Since Auburnpaw had answered Drizzlepaw's question, he decided to stay quiet, for now.

Drizzlepaw laid on a branch that was up low in the tree, his tail was flicking back and forth continuously and his paws hung limply.
Auburnpaw was out hunting or something, Drizzlepaw didn't really care if he was being honest. His stomach felt as empty as a hole in the ground, but he just wanted sleep.
As Drizzlepaw was beginning to drift off, Auburnpaw got back with a Cole in his jaws. Nice and fat.
"Prey is becoming more scarce." Auburnpaw muttered gravely when Drizzlepaw jumped down from the branch.
Drizzlepaw flattened his ears and raised his muzzle, catching the faint scent of smoke still in the air.
"The fire is still there. The prey is trying to get away. If we're going to survive, we'll have to keep moving with the prey." Auburnpaw continued.
Drizzlepaw stayed silent for a while, not completely sure how to reply yet. The two apprentices dug into the vole, both of them not saying a word.
Drizzlepaw licked the blood from his whiskers and muzzle before pushing the rest towards Auburnpaw. There was more than half left, but even though Drizzlepaw was hungry, he didn't feel like eating.
Auburnpaw narrowed his eyes slightly and stood up into a sitting position.
"Aren't you still hungry?" he asked.
Drizzlepaw shook his head, "I'm fine." he muttered.
Auburnpaw's tail twitched, "Sure you are." he scoffed.
Auburnpaw finished the majority of the rest of the vole he pushed it back to Drizzlepaw, who had just been sitting their in awkward silence.
"Just have the rest and don't argue." Auburnpaw meowed.
Drizzlepaw slowly lowered his ears, "I don't need to eat the rest." he replied stubbornly.
Auburnpaw's eyes flickered with some sort of emotion. It might've been annoyance or frustration, but Drizzlepaw couldn't tell.
"Why do you have to be like that? Stop trying to be 'strong' and just eat the stupid vole." Auburnpaw snapped.
Drizzlepaw scowled, "Why are you getting upset because I won't eat?" he demanded.
Auburnpaw's jaw clenched, but he didn't reply for a while. When he opened his mouth, he growled.
Drizzlepaw thrashed his tail once, "It was just a question!" he grumbled.
A look of confusion flashed Auburnpaw's face, "That wasn't me." he muttered.
Drizzlepaw narrowed his eyes and glanced around slowly, scenting the air.
"Fox. That's good." Auburnpaw whispered sarcastically.
Drizzlepaw glanced at the other tom before following his gaze. Sure enough, there was a whole pack of foxes, five. Drizzlepaw's jaw dropped and his eyes widened as he murmured.
"We are so dead."
Auburnpaw shot a glance at the vole before he quickly scooped it up and dashed off.
"Hey! Just drop it!" Drizzlepaw called.
Auburnpaw continued to run.
Drizzlepaw let out a very noticeable growl and glanced at the foxes as they let out a snarl and launched themselves forward. Drizzlepaw jumped back in time before racing off after his compadre.

Drizzlepaw flattened his ears once he caught up with Auburnpaw, he was definitely feeling his injuries that he thought were healed.
"Drop the stupid vole! The foxes just want the prey!" Drizzlepaw called.
"We are the prey!" Auburnpaw snarled through the fur of the vole.
Drizzlepaw clenched his jaw tightly and risked a glance at the foxes. He managed to look just as the fox leapt forward to bring its jaws down onto Drizzlepaw's tail. Just in time, Drizzlepaw lashed his tail to one side, but the fox continuously stretched its neck out and snapped at his tail. Drizzlepaw flattened his ears and his eyes widened before he turned his head forward again.
"Do you have some kind of plan?" he demanded, panic laid heavily on his voice.
Auburnpaw didn't reply.
Drizzlepaw suddenly felt a sharp pain shoot through his tail.
Oh...

Drizzlepaw was yanked back and Auburnpaw didn't seem to notice — either that or he just didn't care. Drizzlepaw clawed at the ground and let out a yelp of agony, terror, and all the random emotions he was feeling. He felt the fox's fangs drive into his flanks and he let out a shriek of agony. Three other foxes chased Auburnpaw, who glanced back when Drizzlepaw let out a shriek.
Drizzlepaw couldn't tell how Auburnpaw reacted because on of the two foxes blocked his view. Drizzlepaw felt his blood pound through his body towards his sides. Everything just hurt. His neck wound was beginning to burn, which wasn't helping. The fox in front of him drew it's lips into what seemed of a devilish smile of satisfaction of its catch.
Drizzlepaw didn't dare move.
It hurt to breathe, but the fox holding onto him wasn't biting down hard enough to kill him.
This is where I die isn't it?
Drizzlepaw shut his eyes, preparing for the fox to just bite down hard or for the other fox to just launch an attack.
Neither happened.

Drizzlepaw's eyes flung open as the fox let out a loud yelp. The fangs that were in his flank were gone. He let out a long exhale and his eyes darted around. Something was crawling all over the foxes attacking it. It took Drizzlepaw a moment for his eyes to focus and see that they were cats. The pain in his flanks and neck just started to be come overwhelming and his head dropped a few times, he lifted it back up with an effort to stay away.
Drizzlepaw didn't have a good grip on time, but eventually, the cat chased the foxes away. He couldn't tell, but he could have sworn there was more than one cat for a moment. His vision faded to black before he could confirm it.
Auburnpaw...?