Thrush leapt at Horizon, scoring her paws down her back. Horizon spun and batted at Thrush, but Thrush was fast and smaller than her, so she managed to dodge most of her blows. She ran under Horizon and pawed at her belly, then slipped out from under her, bristling.
"Wow!" Horizon breathed. "You're amazing at this, Thrush! Maybe you should try practicing your hunting?"
Thrush nodded awkwardly. She hadn't been too good at hunting, but she could give it another try! She dashed off in a random direction and stopped, pricking her ears. She couldn't smell, so it was hard for her to pinpoint her prey, but eventually she saw a mouse gathering nuts on a crunchy leaf. Thrush dropped into a low crouch and began slinking forwards when something caught her attention. A faint red light in the distance, a small orb. Thrush glanced back at her prey, but the mouse had moved quite a while away. Thrush pulled herself forwards a little bit more, then pounced. The mouse squeaked and attempted to run away, but Thrush scooped it up and bit down on it's neck, killing it.
"Wow! Good job, Thrush!" Horizon purred. "Only twelve days in, and you've caught your first catch!"
"Look!" Thrush nodded towards the orb. "What's that?"
Horizon frowned. "I'm not sure."
"We should go see!" Thrush mewed.
"I don't trust it." Horizon sighed. "Still...I know that if I say no, you'll go by yourself anyways, so I may as well come for protection."
Thrush purred and dashed after the orb. She heard Horizon sigh and follow her.
She stopped as she came to the edge of a dark, shady forest. The orb went straight in. Thrush tilted her head, then made to follow it.
"No!" Horizon snapped, stepping in front of her. Thrush jumped and stared up at Horizon, who looked terrified. "What-?"
"That's the Shadow Forest!" Horizon sighed. "I knew it couldn't be trusted."
Thrush stared at the forest in awe. She felt oddly drawn to it, as if a tendril was tied around her neck, trying to pull her into the forest. She'd heard stories that living cats who went in there without giving something to the forest got trapped inside forever, and that evil ghosts lived inside. Still, it didn't stop her from wanting to go in. It didn't seem as scary as it sounded. "It looks...underwhelming."
Horizon sighed. "We don't go there, Thrush, no matter how it looks. Please, promise me you'll never go there."
Thrush sighed. "Alright, alright. I promise."
Horizon nodded. "Good. Now let's head back."
Thrush followed Horizon back, and spared one more glance at the forest. It seemed like every step she took away from the forest, that imaginary tendril pulling her to it tightened.
