Darkfrost's fury

Chapter 4

When Darkpaw emerged from her den, dawn light had barely began to seep into the sky, and a few stars glimmered overhead.
This is the day.

Outside the warriors' den, Jayleap was arranging the dawn patrols. Darkpaw arched her back in a long stretch as she watched Leafflight and Stemfoot lead one group and Ravenspots a second; she noticed with satisfaction that Ivywhisker wasn't among them.

She then remembered with a horrid jolt that she'd have to share the assessment with Snowpaw.
What if she tries messing up my assessment? Darkpaw worried.
She shoved her worries down. Snowpaw would be too focussed on her assessment to focus on Darkpaw.

She looked at the edge of the clearing, to see Ivywhisker and Robinclaw murmuring to each other quietly as Snowpaw yawned and looked bored in front of them.

Seeing as she had time before leaving to do her assessment, she padded over to Cloudspots, who had got his warrior name a moon ago, and purred. "I'm going to do my assessment," she announced.
"Wow!" Cloudspots exclaimed. "Good luck."

The news of her and Snowpaw's assessment spread through camp, and Willowfrost padded over to her and groomed Darkpaw affectionally.
Darkpaw purred in the comfort of her mother.

Though, the comfort didn't feel as warm as she watched Ravenspots come out of the warriors' den, ignore Willowfrost and Darkpaw, and padded over to wish Snowpaw good luck.
Darkpaw dug her claws deep into the snow to stop her pelt from bristling. No matter how many times she tried to ignore it, it still hurt to know that her father never wanted her as a daughter and favored Snowpaw more.

She looked up to see Willowfrost glaring at Ravenspots, and Darkpaw let out a purr of appreciation. At least one cat treated her like family.

Ivywhisker let out a yowl, "Darkpaw! Get over here!" And Darkpaw hurried forward, excited for her assessment.
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Once they were out in the forest, Ivywhisker nudged Darkpaw with her muzzle. "Off you go," she mewed.

As the mentors padded away, Snowpaw sneered with a purr, "Try not to trip, Clusmypaw."
Darkpaw let out a hiss, "Do you want me to remind you who attacked you when you last said that?"
Snowpaw let out a snarl. "You were just lucky!"

Robinclaw's yowl sounded from out of nowhere. "Are you two gonna keep fighting or are you gonna do your assessment?"

With one last hiss to Snowpaw, Darkpaw ran into the snow forest, searching for prey.

Darkpaw remembered an area of bushes filled with thick snow on them not far from where the mentors left them. There was plenty of shelter there where prey might be lurking. Her ears pricked alertly, her eyes scanning every paw step of the snow forest, she padded off in that direction.

Around her the forest was white and quiet, the only sound her paws breaking through the hard crust of snow, and now and then the creaking of a branch. Her breath billowed in a foggy cloud.

Fianlly Darkpaw reached it. It was covered with bushes and ferns, here and there the deep green of holly or the brown of bracken poked up above the white covering of snow. And, Darkpaw picked up a trace of mouse.
Perfect!

Setting her paws down carefully, remembering that a mouse would feel the vibrations of her steps before it heard or saw her, Darkpaw stalked between the outer branches of the bushes.
Keeping her tail well tucked in, Darkpaw flattened herself to the snow and crept forward. The scent of the mouse was stronger now, and before she had gone very far, she spotted in nibbling at whatever it was eating.
When she was close enough, she flung herself forward, and trapped the mouse  between her forepaws. It let out a thin, terrified squeal that broke off as Darkpaw bit down on its neck.