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The Abandoned Skydens — they really exist! So this odd tom was actually telling the truth back then.
Without bothering to be quiet, Larkwing dashed through the forest, her tail swaying behind her. Her paws stirred up the crackling, dead foliage with every step.
Out of sheer carelessness, she almost ran right past their makeshift sleeping place. Just in time, she came to an abrupt halt.
Cloverdapple poked his head out from under the bush, a half-surprised, half-amused expression glittering in his reed-green eyes. "What's happened? Did you come across something?" he enquired.
The branches trembled and then Splashfur appeared beside him. His ears twitched attentively as he eyed Larkwing.
Panting with exertion, Larkwing put down her captured vole. On shaky paws, she slid under the bush and dropped to the ground like a wet leaf. "I... I think I saw them," she mumbled.
"Saw what?" Cloverdapple asked. His voice resonated with interest.
"The Skydens." Overcome by tiredness, Larkwing dropped her chin to her front paws. Her eyelids began to flutter, but she forced herself to stay awake.
Cloverdapple twitched his ears. "Is that so? How are you so sure?" he meowed without appearing suspicious.
Larkwing paused. Right, what if I've got it wrong? The truth is that none of us have any idea what such a Skyden even looks like. Thoughtfully, she unsheathed and retracted her claws repeatedly. Nevertheless, she had a feeling that told her she had indeed seen the Skydens. They were tall and looked unnatural. If they weren't the Skydens, what else were they?
"Let's better wait until the others are back," Splashfur interjected, "then maybe Larkwing can tell us more."
Grateful for the light ginger tabby warrior's suggestion, Larkwing finally allowed herself to close her eyes. The constant walking and hunting today had really sapped her strength.
Just as she was about to drift off into a deep slumber, pattering pawsteps pulled her back into the waking world. It was Leafwind returning, with another vole in his mouth.
"I don't understand how you forest cats can catch anything at all with all these trees and roots," he complained. "This one literally ran in front of my paws. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have managed to catch anything here."
Sneering, Larkwing twitched her whiskers. "Right, you meadow cats—"
A warning glance from Cloverdapple silenced her. Almost a little offended, she pressed her lips together tightly. You meadow cats aren't used to hunting in the forest. That was actually what she wanted to say. Did Cloverdapple think she wanted to make fun of MoonClan? She wasn't even going to do that. At least she had no intention of saying anything nasty.
Yet at the same time, it was nothing but the truth. RoseClan, SnowClan and LaurelClan all had their territory in a forest. Only MoonClan hunted on open terrain. So it was only natural that Leafwind couldn't cope so easily with such a sudden change of environment.
