Raven stood silently for a long time, staring at the dead cat in front of her, the blood on her paws, and trying to figure out what's going on. Finally she lifted her head and glanced around. She felt exhausted, drained. Taking a deep breath, and almost gagging at the stench of death, she regained her thoughts coolly and turned away. A new rift had gauged its way through her heart, and there was no going back. Raven was slightly surprised to feel nothing but numb. No anger, no fear, no sadness. Not even regret was gnawing inside of her. She closed her eyes for a moment and let her mind empty completely. When she opened them again the amber gaze was hard and cold, only melted by hopes for the future.
Raven lifted her head and padded away, leaving the battle scene behind her. She started to walk back to Hawkspirit, but then realized she hadn’t caught anything yet.
I can’t go back empty-pawed! She figured and veered off the path.
It was strangely hard finding anything, but then Raven realized the fight and reek of blood must have scared everything away. Stifling an annoyed snort she focused harder until she found a mouse gnawing on a blackberry. Falling into the hunter’s crouch she slunk forwards and pounced, catching the unsuspecting prey before it had a chance to look up. Pleased with her catch, Raven bounded back to the forest line, washing her paws in a stream quickly before showing herself. She was surprised to find that Amber hadn’t returned yet, so she settled down next to Hawkspirit and put the mouse down before starting to groom herself.
Hawkspirit eyed her curiously until Raven couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Is something wrong?” she asks. For a moment she was worried she hadn’t gotten the blood away properly, that he could still scent it.
“I heard some commotion in the forest while you were out. It came from the direction you headed.” He meows. Raven feels her neck fur start to tingle, but forces herself to relax.
“Also, I was wondering… Where did you get those wounds? Did you get into a fight?” he asks worriedly. Raven starts, horror searing through her.
The injuries! They couldn’t just be washed away. What do I say? Raven searched her mind desperately for something to say.
“I-eh, I…” Suddenly she remembered all the bramble bushes, and how it had scratched her above the eye. “I tripped and fell into a bramble bush.” She says, trying to sound embarrassed. Hawkspirit chuckles and flicks his tail across her nose.
“Figures you to be the one to get all clumsy while hunting.” He mews. Raven smiles, but inside her she feels sick.
If this is the guilt from lying twice… she thinks, but then breaks off the thought. No! I can’t… Think like this.
Luckily Amber shows up and distracts them. The dappled brown tom was carrying two shrews, twigs and leaves stuck in his rumpled pelt. He had a few scratches too, nothing deep like Raven’s though. There were even some splotches of dark purple that just added to Amber’s rough look.
“I only managed to catch for two.” He apologizes, but then he sees Raven’s mouse and smiles in relief. “Oh, great! You caught something too. Did you…-“ he breaks off and looks strangely at Raven. She realizes that her friend of course notices her wounds too, and she quickly assures him. “Bramble bush.” She shrugs with a smile.
LIE. The thought crosses her mind before she can stop it. She struggles to push it away and looks up at Amber.
“What about you?” she questions, eyeing the purple splotches especially. “You roll yourself in Nightshade?” she jokes. Amber shakes his head and grins awkwardly.
