WARRIORS :: Moonwatcher's Path

Chapter 1

Morning dawned bright and early in the maple forest, dew sparkling on the star shaped leaves. Rowanclaw slipped lightly out of the warrior's den, shaking as dew droplets deposited themselves onto her shoulders. Stretching her long claws in front of her, she scratched small scores in the sandy earth before looking to the bramble tunnel. It shuddered to revealed Stormheart, Ospreywing and Ashfox back from the dawn patrol. Stormheart padded over to her, licking the spot between Rowanclaw's ears as he did when she was a kit.

"Good morning." He purred, flicking his tail. "Has Dewheart started organizing patrols?" She gave her head a quick shake and turned to see Robinstar appearing from her nest among the roots of the old maple. She preened her dappled pelt briefly, before trotting over to meet her dawn patrol.

"Anything to report?" She asked, winding around Stormheart. He dipped his head respectfully. "All
is quiet this morning." He mewed, before slipping past the two she-cats on his way to the warriors den. Rowanclaw watched as his tail tip disappeared into the thick tangle of heather.

"Would you like to go hunting with me today?" Robinstar purred, winding around her old apprentice. Rowanclaw's mind flew back to the blustery cold days of her apprenticeship, tredding lightly in Robinsmoke's footsteps, soaking in every bit of knowledge her mentor had to teach her. Now here she stood, equals with her old friend.

"I'd love to." She purred, brushing coats with Robinstar. Ducking to lead the way out of camp, she wriggled under the brambles and padded up the sandy slope, the other she-cat on her heels.

With leaves whispering under their paws, they moved side by side toward the northern part of the territory. "Let's hunt the forests' edge." Robinstar's mewed, taking the lead. Rowanclaw was glad to follow the tortoiseshell along the well known path. Birdsong filled the trees and greenleaf's bounty was bursting all around them.

Leaping a gully and scrambling up the loose stone, they slid through a rabbit trail in the tangles of heather and reached the treeline. Mapleclan owned the marshy first few tail-lengths of the meadow. In the distance, like the jutting bleached bones of an old carcass, the stones of Meadow's old camp peered up at the sun. Rowanclaw shivered, the echo of old battlecries whispered on the wind. Shaking her pelt, she dropped into a hunting crouch and tasted the air.

Robinstar had snaked off to the left through the tall grasses toward her favorite frogging spot. Rowanclaw debated following her, then turned right at the delicious tang of mouse drifting on the winds. Carefully, she pushed through the thick clumps of grasses, her paws gliding silently on the peaty ground. She paused, her ear twitching at the scrabbling of tiny paws. Ahead of her, two mice were scrapping over a seed pod. Their tiny squeaks were whisked away in the shudder of snakegrasses in the breeze. Shifting her hindquarters, Rowanclaw bunched her muscles for the pounce.

A magnificent leap sent her directly onto her prey. With swift claws she dispatched one of the quarreling mice. The other darted away with a frightened squeal. Darting after it, she hooked it deftly and slammed it against the peat. With a skilled bite her prey lay dead and satisfaction spread through her.

"Good catch." The rumbling meow startled Rowanclaw, and she leapt around, hissing. She was met wit an amused mrrow of laughter. Sandhawk stood there, on the other side of the boundry. Ruffling out her fur, she sat down and swiped a paw over her ear.

"Thank you." She murmured back, returning to collect the rest of her catch. She felt her pelt prickle as he watched her with round yellow eyes. "Is there something you want?"

He flicked his tail without answering. Huffing with irritation she snapped up her mice and sprang off, leaving the wiry tom behind. Mouse-brain! She thought crossly, stoping by a thick tussock to hide her catch. Swiftly she scented the air and headed toward Robinstar's trail.