Wasp's Orchid

Chapter 2. The Pumpkin and the Ferret

The leaves rustled, the fall breeze flew, and the few remaining birds chirped. A perfect day for a hunt! The bush shook!- a small orange she launched onto a small mouse, squishing it and killing it in an instance.

The rush of the hunt filled the she with pride-
"Pumpkin'Paw!" A grey Tom called, "What did we say about hunting?" Pumpkin'Paw sat up looking at the mouse in disdain and scrunching her nose.

"I don't know what DID we say about hunting?" She sarcastically muttered looking to the side.
"Only warriors and their apprentices hunt. Now go find some moss for the elders!" He shouted, walking away.

"Meh meh meh meh mehmeh!" She mocked stomping her feet in a fit. She pounced around pretending to hunt as she went over to the river for moss.

As she was rushing around like a little kit she bumped into a cat-
Boof!
"Ope-" Pimpkin'Paw looked up, this cat was tall. She was fluffy and looked tired like she had barely slept. She seemed out of it as if she was in a different world. She blinked and looked down at Pumpkin'Paw with a weirdly shocked expression.

Pumpkin'Paw was almost old enough to be a medicine cat, but she was always short, so she was way shorter, than the random she cat. The random cat had a pelt of brown and whitish tan, like a wild ferret. Her eyes drooped down, and soon she yawned.

"Who.. are you?" Pumpkin'Paw asked tilting her head.
"Ugh.. I'm just wandering.." she whispered casually
"That- doesn't answer my question." Pumpkin'Paw said bored and a little bit peeved by the she's answer.

"Oh.. sorry." She murmured with a huff kicking at the dirt. "I'm.. someone. I don't fully remember my name, I left a long while ago." She looked up at the sky as she explained her boring backstory.

"Well, you're not supposed to be here!" Hissed Pumpkin'Paw.
"Oh. Well, I don't have anywhere to go.."
"Well that SUCKS because you're on MOSS TRIBE TERRITORY!" Pumpkin'Paw didn't care that she wasn't a warrior, she still wanted this cat off her tribe's territory.

Pumpkin'Paw charged at the cat, but the cat simply put her paw on Pumpkin'Paw's forehead and she fell on her back.
"Huff!"

"Sorry.." the cat murmured
"Y'know-! What.." Pumpkin'Paw realized something spectacular, if she couldn't beat this cat she should join her!

"Say.. if you help me with my training, and help me grab herbs and stuff, I'll give you whatever I hunt that day, and I'll hide you from the warriors and stuff! I memorized their patrol patterns and paths back when I was warrior apprentice!"

Pumpkin'Paw finished and looked at the strange she.
"Sure.. I can do that." She muttered with a very slight smile. Pumpkin'Paw smiled,
"It's a deal then!" She exclaimed sticking her paw out waiting for the she to shake.

The she sheepishly returned the paw shake invitation.
"But.. I need to call you something.. You look like a ferret.. and you always seem tired.. what about.. Ferret.. Nap?"

The she looked with a wide expression
"I.. like that name!" She seemed shockingly happy.
"Alright! Let's find you some shelter before one of the warriors, or WORSE my mentor finds you!" She said excitedly, with a tinge of fake dread. The two tumbled away with bouts of fun.

The strange she was a little slow but Pumpkin'Paw didn't mind much. They looked around before coming up at mossy rocks, one rock stood out. A couple of sticks and logs held up the rock created an area between the ground and the rock, large enough for a cat to fit relatively comfortably.

It was surrounded by the more rocks and leaves hiding that area and the other rocks were close by making it perfectly hidden from any other cats. Just to be sure the two cats leapt onto the rock making sure it as a stable roof.