Warriors: Sounds of the Forest

Chapter Twenty-Six: Riversong

Nothing but forest surrounded me, the sunlight sparkling through the canopy of leaves above me. Though this territory was unfamiliar I felt more at home than I had been since I left mothermouth.

It had only been one night since I left yet my paws where tired and acing, and my heart was feeling the tug for me to return to my clan. 

It was wrong for me to be so far away when Starclan had told of a darkness coming soon.

Soon I felt the urge to stop and rest, the greenleaf sun cause the forest to be hot, and even the soft forest floor was scorching my paws. 

I quickly found a bush that provided shade from the sun and settled under it's lush leaves.

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My eyes flickered open, I had not realized that I had fallen asleep yet now the sun was nearly set. I let out a yawn feeling hunger begin to claw at my stomach.

As I walked out of my temporary den I smelt the air. The scent of Mouse was strong nearby so I began my hunt.

Though I knew that I had been trained to hunt herbs, not prey, I knew that my survival depended on my hunting skills.  

The mouse was now directly in front of me, it's attention focused on a small seed it had found as it attempted to breach it's shell.  

Flexing my claws I leapt only to stumble as a loud yowl sounded behind me.  

"What are you doing here!"

"I was trying to hunt.." I muttered as I carefully picked myself off the ground testing each paw before standing.

"That's not your prey!" the toms voice hissed.

My eyes narrowed to slits as I retorted "If this is your territory then you should mark your territory." I turned around to face the other cat.

His eyes were brown and his dark brown tabby pelt covered sturdy muscles. "What are you doing here?" he repeated, with anger at my ignorance glinting in his eyes.

"I'm just passing through, I though no cats owned this land so I stopped to hunt."

He shook his head "You can't hunt here, no cat can."

"Why not?" I asked

"This territory is owned by foxes." he grunted. "even a mew would know that!"

I felt confused at what 'Mew' meant but I figured it didn't matter. "I didn't scent any when I entered the forest!" I snapped "and I've never been here before so how would I know!"

"What ever." the Tom sighed, "you better come with me though, I'll take you to the edge of their territory."

I began to follow him out of the forest but stopped as a fresh scent crossed my path.

"Stop!" I hissed quietly "There's a fox near by!"

The Tom looked over his shoulders at me and sniffed the air. And as the fur along his back began to prick he nodes and walked to my side. "It's only a Mew." he murmured "Should be easy to fight off, but once it's gone we will have to make a break for it before the Long-Fangs come." 

I felt further away from home each time I heard him say a word I didn't understand yet I knew I had to use my small amount of battle skills to help him fight it off.  

"There he is." the Tom muttered as the orange bushy tail came into view, "Attack on my lead."

I turned and looked at him closely. His brown eyes battle hungry and his claws sheathing into the soft forest floor.

The my heart pounded as the world seamed to freeze, making a moment seam like moons. 

In that moment by eyes locked with the loners, and a voice whispered in my ear "...Riversong, no matter how far from home you are... You are still protected by Starclan... We will always fight with you..."  

When the whisper was gone the Tom tore his eyes from mind and lurched forward and only then did time return to full speed.  

I surged forward following his lead as he had said, letting my claws meet the young foxes pelt. With the protection of Starclan I knew I would win this battle.