Warriors : Chosen

Hunting

Duckpool had to get out of camp. It had been three days since she had flopped down in her nest after the training session. Stormstrike was a fierce teacher, and she had given Duckpool a couple more lessons in those days. Duckpool had only been out of camp once since. Several dogs had been running around and very few patrols went out. As far as she knew, Stagstar was hoping to send a patrol to scare them off before Riverclan cleaned out the stretch of river beside camp and starved. She padded over to Herontail and Pikefin, who were sharing a small trout together.

" Hey, do one of you want to come hunting with me? I'm sick of being inside camp, and I bet Sunningrocks will have plenty of fish." Duckpool meowed, wrapping her tail around her paws as she sat down. Pikefin got up.

" I have to go on a border patrol. Stagstar wants to make sure that Thunderclan hasn't been crossing the border while we've been in camp." Pikefin said as she walked away to where a few cats were joining up. Duckpool looked hopefully at Herontail, who was finishing of the trout.He sat up and washed his whiskers.

" Okay then. Once we're done fishing, we can probably bask a little on the rocks." Duckpool smiled, and they headed out of camp.

Duckpool trotted out of camp, Herontail on her heels. I feel free she thought. Being stuck in camp meant weird looks, hushed conversations and lots of glances her way. As she padded down the river, red and gold leaves swirled over from Thunderclan territory. Leaf fall is coming in fast, she glanced at the river, Better catch as much as we can. Herontail waded into the river a few fox-lengths away from the stepping stones.

" The water is still as warm as it is in greenleaf!" He splashed underwater and came up with a wriggling minnow. " And the prey is plentiful!" Duckpool slid under the water. She loved swimming, almost as much as she did breathing. Herontail was right. The water wasn't cold, and as clear as her eyes could see. Herontail was swimming fast after a low-swimming whiskerfish, a slow fish with whiskers like a cat. Duckpool spun around, paws spread to act like paddles. She spotted a startled salmon who had hid in a clump of weed. Fast as a leaping frog, she darted forward, grabbed it in her mouth and kicked for the surface. As her head broke the surface she saw a flash of movement in the forest near Sunningrocks. Duckpool put her salmon on the rocks.

" Herontail! Stop playing around in there! We're meant to be hunting!" She purred. A splash from the river  made her turn around.

" Whffat fwas that?" Herontail dripping head poked out of the water, whiskerfish in his mouth. Dawnpool swung her head around and glared at the trees. She saw a flash of familiar yellow eyes.

" Who's there?" She called. Yet by then the eyes were gone but the feeling that she knew their owner stayed. I don't know many cats with yellow eyes...

After hunting they dried off their fur on Sunningrocks then picked up their catch and headed off to camp. They had caught about a dozen fish together and were feeling quite proud. No more sign of the cat had been seen on Riverclan territory and when they tried to scent all they smelt was fish. So they headed back, uncaring and happy.