Warrior Cats; The Fallen Wind #2

Chapter 8

His dreams were plagued by emptiness and the terrifying feeling of being watched. Eyes followed him throughout winding forest paths, leading him towards an unknown destination. He had woken, panicked like a bird caught in a fox's claws, and groomed down his fur. Heather was caught in his paws, evidence of him thrashing in the night.

Marshpaw sighed and rolled onto his back. The dawn sun streamed in through the burrow entrance. The bracken and feathers was soft against his pelt but he was uncomfortable. His paws itched for answers.

Once again, Poolsight had vanished from his dreams. The black and white tom was no where to be seen. Other StarClan cats had said they'd seen the medicine cat basking in the sun, or going down to the river. In StarClan's territory, MistClan was on the other side of the river, hiding in the tall trees and forest slopes.

He never found him, and instead listened to stories the older medicine cats told him or walked with Sandfinch through the meadows.  The pale she cat had told him about Poolsight. He was young when he died. Only a few moons after he got his medicine cat name he was found on the lake shore by SleetClan territory. He had been attacked. The scent had been washed away by the water but BreezeClan had almost gone to war with SleetClan until StarClan sent an omen to stop them from fighting.

Sandfinch had been killed in that battle. Stoneslip replaced him as the medicine cat apprentice. The Clans had returned to peace. It was unfortunate for Poolsight to be killed when he was so young.

Marshpaw began to groom his paws, cleaning them of herb dust and removing the stalks caught in his claws. He felt his tongue rasp over his rough paw pads.

Pricking his ears, he heard a commotion outside. Marshpaw got to his paws and glanced behind the rock, his mentor was fast asleep. Her tail was curled over her nose. She was curled up, hidden from the world.

Does she ever leave her nest?

Ignoring his mentor, Marshpaw quickly left the medicine cat den and padded outside. The heather bush drooping over the entrance to the den brushed at his pelt and he shook the leaves off. A fine layer of snow coated the moor. The bright sky soared overhead, Marshpaw felt a breeze stir his fur. A cluster of cats gathered in the clearing. Their excited chatter filled the air, tails waving and claws flexing in anticipation.

"Marshpaw!" Meadowpaw bounded over to him. "Look what Duskskip caught!" The silver tabby ushered him over to were Duskskip was casually licking a paw. Three rabbits lay at his paws and the rest of his patrol, Furzestep and Sweetheather, each carried another rabbit. Tufts of brown fur covered their worn-out paws.

Marshpaw's belly growled and he licked his lips. Harestar was standing on SkyRock, green eyes glittering with pride. The brown tom's tail whisked in the breeze. Today was a warmer day, although frost lined every plant and rock, the sun shon brightly. Leafbare had been gentle so far.

"Duskskip!" Harestar called. The dark pelted tom looked up. "The Clan thanks you for your hunting skills, we will eat well today." Duskskip dipped his head respectfully as the Clan chanted his name. Marshpaw thanked StarClan for the catch and then Duskskip for catching the prey.
"How did he catch them all?" Marshpaw whispered to his sister. Meadowpaw's green eyes shon with amazement, her fur prickled on her shoulders.

"He went down a warren while Sweetheather and Furzestep stood by the other entrances, he'd pretty much blocked off the other ways."

A shiver ran through Marshpaw at the idea of being trapped inside a rabbit warren, the dirt pushing into his sides.
"Wow." Marshpaw glanced at Duskskip, the tom was sharing a rabbit with Furzestep and Flareflash. He finally noticed the mud and dirt caught in his claws and in his ears.
He was about to ask Meadowpaw if she'd like to share a small pigeon before Harestar cut him off.