The Rise Of Sun-Clan | The Mountain Territory, #1

Chapter 23~A New Clan-Mate?

Pine'Snout  ran through the Rocky Mountain path, trying to hunt for rabbits and birds.

The light patter off his foot steps overlapped with the sound of wind rustling the leaves, birds chirping and the water drop churning. 

He paused, his ears perked, as he gazed around the clearing.

He spotted a bunny, hopping around and nibbling on clover. He pressed himself down into the moss and ferns, stalking forward. He felt his fluffy tail brush against the twigs that scattered the forest floor. He then, watched as the bunny lifted its head and gazed around alertly. He sprung forward, tumbling out of the bushes and landing in front of the bunny. It made a screaming sound, startling Pine'Snout. His eyes widened, as he snapped at the rabbit, rolling to his paws. He managed to grab a hold of it, biting its neck. 

He sat up. "I didn't know bunnies could scream. . " He shuttered. 

He made his way back onto the path, gazing around.

Rustling arose from the brush, his hues landed on the sound maker. It was a lithe, young tom with wounds covering his flank. 

"Whose there?" Pine'Snout snapped, as he dropped his prey onto the ground swiftly. He fixed his vision to the figure moving towards him. Pine'Snout hissed, his hackles raising.

"Wait,-wait,- wait." The figure stopped and dug their claws in the ground helplessly. "Hey hey hey- don't hurt me I think I know you." The wound covered tom got closer and Pine'Snout realized who it was. 

"Hawk!"  Pine'Snouts face lit up. 

"Aha! I do know you"  Hawk grinned. 

"Sorry I didn't realize it was you!" Pine'Snout made an awkward laugh. 

"Hey- uh. . you look hurt. Do you want to come back to my camp?" Pine'Snout couldn't help but stare at Hawk's wounds. Some of them where bleeding, some where starting to scar, others just looked mangled up. 

"No. I don't need or want  help" Hawk looked at his wounds.

"You do now. Come on! Now." Pine'Snout grabbed Hawks scruff and dragged Hawk back to SunClan's camp.

The two entered together.

Hawk gazed around in awe, grinning. 

After a moment, Hawk trailed along after Pine'Snout. 

"Violet'Leappppp someone is hurttt." Pine'Snout whined as he got to the medicine den. 

Adder'Flare was talking to Cotton'Paw, however Adder'Flare looked behind Cotton'Paw and stared at Hawk, she got up and went to the med den with them.

 Violet'Leap jumped up from her nest, "What do you need Pine'Snout?" Violet'Leap smiled and looked at Hawk.

 "Who's this?" Violet'Leap looked at Hawk and her smiled dropped.

 "Its a loner named Hawk. He's my friend!" Pine'Snout let go of Hawk's scruff and made an awkward laugh when fell to the floor. "Ow. Well thanks," Hawk grumbled sarcastically, shifting his paws and sighing.

"Okayyy?. . erm. . - did you tell the leader?" Violet'Leap helped Hawk get up. 

"Listen. You go tell Python'Star and i'll get your friend all fixed up." Violet'Leap guided Hawk to a nest. 

Pine'Snout ran off in search of Python'Star. "Python'Star?" Pine'Snout called as he stood there, scanning the clearing. The warm breeze filter through his fur, as he grinned, running towards the leader once he saw the tortoiseshell dame.

"Yes, Pine'Snout?" Python'Star replied, as she smiled at him. She sat with her paws tucked under her chest, resting on the sun-heated stone of the HighRock. She looked down, her tail flicking softly and curling around her arms.

"I found a loner in the woods, his name is hawk, and he's in the medicine den right now, and can he join our clan? " Pine'Snout rushed out, grinning excitedly. 

"Oh- my! Well. . . shouldn't I meet him first? Just uh- to make sure he isn't rude or dangerous?" Python'Star got up slowly, and leapt down. She walked towards the medicine den, trailing after Pine'Snout, her eyebrows raised.

Hawk had a bunch of pinkish stained cobwebs fastened on his gushing wounds. "Hello-," She took a moment to remember the tom's name. ". . Hawk, I'm Python'Star. Leader of SunClan, and daughter of Ferret'Brim and Tyrannidae'Shift. I was told you would like to join our clan. Now that someone. ." She glanced at Pine'Snout sarcastically. ". . . Invited you inside our clan, I assume that you might like to join?" Python'Star looked at Hawk waiting for an answer. "Oh how was that? I've been working on introducing myself." She whispered quickly.

 "Uh. . good? - and. .  sure! I would love to join SunClan." Hawk's smile widened. 

"How old are you, and do you have any experience?" Python'Star asked softly.

"Erm. . " Hawk counted on his paw. "23 moons? I can hunt, and fight pretty well." He grinned.

"Well then we will have a ceremony when you are finished being healed," Python'Star turned, looking at the herb shelves, padding out of the medicine den and sat on the HighRock. 

Python'Star bounded up the HighRocks, bouncing up and skidding into a vault at the tip. "All cats old enough to run the mountains join me under the HighRock please!" Python'Star yowled.

Soon most of the clan gathered under the HighRock. "Today we are going to welcome a new warrior, Hawk. From this day forward, you will be known as Hawk'Runner within your clan.'' Python'Star placed a paw in front of her, and welcomed Hawk in front of the high rock. 

"Well. . uh. . hello!" Hawk'Runner grinned.

"Hawk'Runner, eh? Sounds familiar. Old names." Hawk'Runner whispered to himself.

          ~ The twinkling stars rolled in as Python'Star dismissed the meeting ~