Dreams In The Dark

Ch 1

I padded back to camp, icy wind buffeting my fur. I carried the crow and small mouse I was able to catch, knowing usually we wouldn't like crow but I couldn't exactly turn down the food when it practically sat on my toes.

I heard the thick snow crunching and glanced up the ravine to see Fireheart making his way down the slope. He was hunched and looked cold and miserable.

I blinked snowflakes out of my eyes and flicked my ears uncomfortably when I heard Fireheart's stomach growl.

I averted my eyes and headed into camp.

The wind was calmer inside but snow fell just as much, it's been snowing the entire 3 days since the fight with Windclan and almost all the prey had burrowed or left for warmer places.

I padded towards the elders den, knowing they would grumble at the prey choices but also I didn't want them out in the cold if they didn't need to.

I chirped in greeting to them as I pushed through the frozen branches into the den encased with snow and ice.

I glanced curiously at the ceiling of the den, watching the sun shine through the snow giving off a soft light. It was very pretty.

I set my prey down, suddenly uncomfortable when I was met with 5 gazes.

"Is that it?" One-eye grumbled.

"Tsk, crow?" Half tail added.

"Oh, hush. Crow may not smell good, but feathers are feathers. They'll warm my nest at least." Dappletail snipped at them.

"Thank you, dear." She added to me.

"Your welcome. I'll be heading out again, so I'll be back tonight." I informed them.

"Don't bother. This is fine for us today, best catch something for that rotten Tom." Patchpelt hissed.

"Must she? The queens could use the prey much more. Especially with how many kits we have this leaf-bare." Dappletail grumbled.

"I'll find him the smallest mouse I can." I purred back at her good naturedly. She purred in response.

"See if you can't find a rabbit for those poor kits. They need all the fattening they can get." She purred.

"*Scoff* a rabbit? This time of season?" Patchpelt scoffed. I dipped my head and left to the sound of their chatter.

I pushed out of the den, feeling a chilling breeze blow by me into the den and I briefly wondered if I could construct a screen of sort to cover the front of the den better.

Unfortunately I didn't have the time to be playing builder and needed to get back out hunting.

I padded towards the gate and Fireheart padded up to me, seeming like he was planning to join me, but soon I heard Tigerclaw call out.

"Fireheart, no need to go out again. Bluestar wants you to join the gathering tonight. We leave at sunset, so you best eat now while you can." Tigerclaw mewed, quite noticably only telling Fireheart. I dipped my head and headed out instead, not wanting to listen to them bicker about Fireheart's loyalty.

He wasn't the one being unloyal.

I scented the air as I padded through the snowy forest, wind dying down in the thickness of the trees. Regardless, I was glad for my thick fur covering my body. recently I even noticed I had long tufts growing between my toes and they kept my paws warm even in the deep snow. Of course my nose and ears were still cold but I fared better than Fireheart or Sandstorm.

I padded through the quiet forest, nothing stirring and I could faintly even ear the border patrol, which wasn't good. They weren't anywhere near me, but the silence and lack of prey made their voices carry.

I crouched and swiveled my ears, hoping to catch the slightest sound of prey under the snow and then

Ever so faintly

I heard the digging of a shrew tunneling through the snow.

Not taking a step so as not to startle it with the snow, I swiveled my head and narrowed down the spot I could hear it. Tensing my muscles I jumped high and squarely landed on the scrawny shrew.

I quickly killed it, wrinkling my nose at the small scrap it was.

"Nice catch!" Called behind me cheerfully.

I hissed in surprise, dropping the prey.

"Falconclaw! You scared the fur off me!" I hissed. I grumbled, knowing I'd scared all the nearby prey off if there'd been any.

"Oh, ya. Sneaking up on the great FleckedRiver? Impossible." He purred sarcastically.

"Hush, do you want to make hunting impossible? There's no birdsong to cover up chatter anymore. Prey knows every sound is a predator this time of year." I scolded, flicking my tail in irritation.

"I'm sorry, FleckedRiver. Don't be mad at me!" He purred, pressing against my side trying to appease me.

"Oh, get off me." I snorted, digging out the shrew from the snow and padding away, intent on catching more. I buried it under a tree and padded a few moments to get to a new area, Falconclaw following closely behind.

I made my way to Snake-rocks, knowing the cold would prevent snakes from being able to move too fast and mice liked to sunbath on the warm rocks. It should be relatively safe.

Next I knew, Falconclaw threw himself into the air and hooked a squirrel I hadn't even noticed out of the branches. He killed it quickly, so nothing was alerted. I nodded in a silent praise.

Soon we made it to the snow covered rocks, and Falconclaw buried his squirrel in the snow to cover up the smell of blood, before we both made our way carefully to the rocks. I kept my eyes peeled for any signs of snakes, knowing that would be a bad time.

I quickly spotted a mouse grooming itself on a small edge and without thinking lunged at it, killing it in one blow. I pulled back my paws from the ledge and dragged the prey back with them.

Just then I saw a shift of the grey rock behind the mouse and I flinched, jumping back in alarm as a large adder struck where my paws had been.

"FleckedRiver!" Falconclaw hissed, running over. Before the snake could retreat, the tall Tom pounced on it's head, pinning it to the rock and killed it.

He dropped it like it was hot, before turning to me and checking my paws for any wounds.

"Did it get you!?" He fretted.

"No, I saw it in time. I'm fine" I reasured, feeling my heart hammering in my chest. Probably from the close call.

"Do you want to go back to camp? Maybe Yellowfang should look at you?" He insisted.

"I'm FINE. Let's just catch some more prey." I mewed to him.

"Fine, but if you start to feel sick or anything we are going straight back! And regardless when we get back I'm telling Yellowfang." He confirmed nodding to himself. I groaned internally.

"Whatever fine. Now shut up, you are going to scare everything away." I hissed. I backed up a few fox-lenths away, a safe distance, before buying my mouse and crouching to watch for more.

By the time the sun had set, I caught another mouse, but unfortunately Falconclaw only had his squirrel. We went and retrieved my shrew as well and hustled back to camp, as Falconclaw informed me he was supposed to be going to the gathering.

As we arrived, I heard a few cats congratulate us on our catch and I felt awkward because it wasn't really much at all. It would be feeding the queens and Brokentail.

"About time. I thought I told you to leave hunting again for the others." Tigerclaw scolded his former apprentice.

"Ya, but we needed the prey." He responded easily, not intimidated by the warriors size. Well, they were practically the same size so it wasn't surprising.

"More like you couldn't pass the chance to hunt with FleckedRiver." Runningwind teased.

I uncomfortably averted my gaze, deciding to leave the conversation and padded past them, practically tossing the shriveled shrew at the blind tom we held captive before heading to the nursery.