Warriors: Feather's Path

Chapter 1

Waking up, Feather stretched in her nest, accidentally kicking her brother, Leaf. His light brown pelt was barely visible against the cave wall in the dim light

His light green eyes opened and blinked at the brown and gray tabby she-cat as she sleepily got up.

"Sorry!" She whispered to her brother as the small she-cat stepped over the white pelt of Cloud, and the black-and-white pelt of Rain. The four of them were still To-Be's, along with Jay, Stone, and Snow, who were sleeping in a group on the side of the cave. 

Trying to find her mentor to go on a hunting patrol, Feather had managed again, to disturb another warrior. This time it was Moon, his black pelt almost invisible in the dark.

"Hey!" He jumped up, but his amber gaze softened as he realized it was Feather. "Sorry! You nearly scared my fur off!" Moon whispered.

"No, no it's okay, I should be the one sorry." The small she-cat mewed, touching her nose to his. Feather finally padded out of the group of sleeping cats, and scanned the cave, in search for her mentor and the others, where she was going on the dawn patrol.

Seeing Mist at the edge of the cave with Tree, Pine, and Fish, she bounded over to them. "Are we ready?" Feather asked looking around, and seeing the rushing waterfall in front of her, dampening the sides of the cave with it's mist. It was glowing yellow, from the rising sun just ahead.

"Not quite, were just waiting for Blaze now." Mist replied, whisking her thin gray tail along the dusty floor.

A rush of relief filled Feather as she realized they weren't all waiting on her.

Finally seeing his bright ginger pelt, Feather watched as Blaze padded sleepily from his nest near the elders, and up to the group of cats.

"About time huh, Blaze?" Tree meowed as they began to head out of the cave.

The roaring of the waterfall faded as they padded onward, the cool chill in the air reminded Feather that the Time of Frozen Water was fading, and the Time of Freed Water was coming.

Seeing the bobbing, white tail of a snow hare near a boulder, Feather froze and looked at Mist, who nodded in approval.

Crouching down, the small tabby she-cat checked the direction of where the wind was blowing, and looked for cover. But the rocks and ground itself made Feather hidden very well, so she padded onward. Veering around a shrubby tree, Feather was only a fox length away from the hare. Bunching up her muscles to leap, Feather did so, but landed awkwardly, her paw landing directly next to the hare.

Alarmed, the hare squealed and sprinted away, but Feather had regained her balance quickly, and chased after it. Heartbeats later, the To-Be she-cat was right on the prey's tail. With one last stride, she pounced square on the snow hare, giving it the killing bite on it's neck. She picked it up, and trotted back to the group of cats, her tail held high.

"Well done." Mist praised Feather, her light blue eyes filled with appreciation.

Blaze gave a slight nod, agreeing with Feather's mentor. "But next time, just try to measure your pounce, then your sure to get it." The old ginger tom told her. To Feather, the senior warrior looked like he should be retiring with the elders soon, gray hairs showed on his muzzle, and his pelt looked a bit matted.

"Yes, thank you, Blaze." Feather dipped her head. "I'll remember to do that next time."

The senior warrior nodded as Feather picked up her hare and brought it over to a pile of rocks to store under, until they came back to fetch it.

Padding back into the Cave of Rushing water, Feather was only carrying her hare, while Mist and Pine carried a hawk that him and Tree managed to take down, while Feather and Mist were hunting. Tree carried another hare, but it was scrawny, and Blaze carried two mice.