Featherlight's lover

Chapter 6

Featherpaw was tasting the air until Nightpaw nudged her. He put his tail over her mouth and angled his ears upwards. Featherpaw looked up to see a huge sparrow on a branch above her. Featherpaw and Nightpaw moved quickly behind the tree so they won't be spotted under. Nightpaw quietly leaped on the tree and began climbing up towards the sparrow and leaped up snagging his claws in the bird's feathers. He brought it down with lots of pressure and quickly bit its neck. It made a surprised cheep and went limp in his jaws. Blazefire emerged from ferns and looked at them with a proud face. "Good job Nightpaw. You did well" he smiled and touched the tip of his ear with his nose. A burn of sensation tightened Featherpaw's chest so she walked off, bumping into Poleice. "So, killed any prey?" Poleice asked as Featherpaw looked into the blue eyes again," Keep staring at my eyes huh?". "Uh, not yet....no" she replied, embarrassed and looked away. He took a quick sniff of her wound on her muzzle. "Better not get to any more trouble" he muttered and walked away. Featherpaw trotted next to him, opening her mouth to taste the air again. She scented rabbit and began looking around until she spotted it chewing on grass but the rabbit already spotted her. Poleice took a big leap and caught the plump rabbit under his paws and bit its spine until it was limp. Poleice walked over to Featherpaw and dropped it at her paws. "Act fast when prey spots you Featherpaw" he said with a thundering voice," Come on Blazefire. Let's head back to camp." Poleice walked away again, leaving Featherpaw with the rabbit. Featherpaw gulped and carried the rabbit, sprinting after her mentor.

When they reached camp, Featherpaw brought the rabbit to the nursery. There was a distinctive milky smell coming from Hollytuft. "Hello Featherpaw, is this for us?" Hollytuft asked" Better bring it to Twigbranch first. Her kits will come soon." Featherpaw nodded and walked to Twigbranch, her body huge. Featherpaw placed the rabbit beside her head. Twigbranch purred thanks to Featherpaw and struggled to turn herself to reach the prey. Hollytuft looked over her kits and saw what happened. "Feed her Featherpaw. She can't reach it herself." Hollytuft called to Featherpaw. Twigbranch huffed when Hollytuft told Featherpaw to feed her. "I'm strong enough to feed myself" Twigbranch panted but still was struggling. Featherpaw started to tear to prey into portions like how Lilyheart did when she couldn't move her body and dropped it over Twigbranch's mouth. She chewed it hungrily as it reached her mouth. Hollytuft's kits finished eating and toppled over as Hollytuft climbed out the nest and walked over to Twigbranch. "I can do it for her but thank you Featherpaw" Hollytuft smiled. Featherpaw nodded and began walking out until she was ambushed by all of Hollytuft's kits. "Badger!" Echokit yowled. The kits began attacking Featherpaw as if she was a badger. Featherpaw decided to play along and pretended to be a defeated badger. She felt a kit's claws unsheathed and scraped her flank. Featherpaw winced, eyes wide and got up. "Okay, that's enough" Featherpaw nervously laughed and shook the kits off. "But I want a badger ride!" Emberkit whined and began climbing her pelt. "Sorry Emberkit, but I have to change the leader's bedding. Maybe next time." Featherpaw smiled and shook her off. But Brightkit sprang on her back too. "Can we help?" he asked excitedly. "Kits, get off Featherpaw right now!" Hollytuft said sternly and grabbed Brightkit off Featherpaw. "It's okay Hollytuft. They're just kits. Let them go outside and play." Featherpaw said and grabbed a ball of moss and tossed it in the air. The kits immediately ran to it and began scraping it everywhere. Brightkit soon wriggled out of Hollytuft's jaws and ran to it too. Hollytuft sighed, "Kits.." and walked to her nest to take a nap. Featherpaw sneaked outside before the kits noticed her and walked up the Highledge into the leader's den to collet old bedding. She pulled out the moss first and took it outside. 𝒀𝒖𝒄𝒌 Featherpaw thought, disgusted and went in to get out the bracken. Featherpaw took it all out to the forest and threw it into a river. She looked through the trees to find a good one and began to claw it. Featherpaw reached something soft and pulled it out. It was fresh moss and plenty. She kept clawing it until she had enough and took it back to camp. "Hey Featherpaw!" Jasperpaw called out behind her. She turned to see him holding bracken and ferns in his mouth. "Do you want this for the leader's bedding? This was extra from the warrior's den" he said muffled. Featherpaw purred, "Sure, that would be plenty". Jasperpaw and Featherpaw climbed into the leader's den and made him a new nest. Featherpaw's belly howled in hunger when they finished. Jasperpaw sighed, "Better take some fresh-kill for yourself". "Yeah, I was too busy not to care"Featherpaw chuckled and sprinted to the fresh-kill pile and took a vole for herself. She ate it with quick mouthfuls and groomed herself while Jasperpaw walked up to her. "Hey Featherpaw," Jasperpaw whispered, "Do you want to sneak out of camp with me?" Featherpaw looked at him surprised. "I- what if we get caught?" she said in a low voice. "We won't. I found a route out of camp." Jasperpaw whispered excited," Come on, just you and me." Featherpaw hesitated looked around the camp. Most cats were going to their dens to get ready for a nap after the sun sets and some were getting ready for midnight patrols. "Okay, fine. But we are coming back after sunset okay?" Featherpaw nodded. Jasperpaw smiled in agreement and led her quietly behind to warriors' den. There were steep rocky steps up the hollow, covered in vines. "Like this." Jasperpaw said as he demonstrated. He grabbed one sturdy vine in his mouth and began climbing up, step by step until he reached the top. "Now you try" he whispered. Featherpaw felt unsure about sneaking out of camp with no permission but grabbed the vine and climbed up. When she reached Jasperpaw, Featherpaw and him went through some brambles and soon veered to the forest. Jasperpaw walked silently through a place Featherpaw never explored before. They went towards a mountain, the wind blew against their fur. Featherpaw panted on the walk. There was a hole inside the mountain, the entrance was covered in moondew. Jasperpaw went in confidently, while Featherpaw walked in unaware of her surroundings. Jasperpaw soon stopped once the hole ended. There was a big cut-out of rock, showing the sunset and a big hill. On the rock ground was covered in soft bedding, as if some cat was living here. Blue flowers were everywhere, blocking out all the forest scents. "So? What do you think?" Jasperpaw said calmly. Featherpaw was mesmerized. "It's beautiful" she purred. Jasperpaw swayed his tail over the bedding," Sit down. Make yourself comfortable." Featherpaw sat down next to Jasperpaw, their pelts brushing as they watched the sun about to set. "This kind of been my hideout when I go out of camp, to see the sunrise and sunset."Jasperpaw said looking at the sun," I never told anyone about this. Not even Owlpaw." Jasperpaw looked at Featherpaw as she gave herself some embarrassed shoulder licks. "I'm honored to be the first one." she mewed quietly. Jasperpaw licked her ear and they both watched the sun set. Featherpaw felt safe around Jasperpaw that she even thought to herself if she grown feelings for him. 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚 Featherpaw smiled and rested her head on Jasperpaw's shoulder. It felt calmer then thyme could ever make. The sun fully set, and Jasperpaw and Featherpaw got up. "Ready to go back?" Featherpaw asked. His face suddenly became mischievous. "Not if I go first!" Jasperpaw yowled and ran out towards the camp. "Hey! That's not fair! I don't even know how to get back!" Featherpaw called back and chased after him, laughing.