Aspenbreeze glanced sideways at Coalstep. Did he really want to leave their beloved camp in search of her sister, who might be dead?
No, she's not dead. Aspenbreeze refused to believe it. StarClan sent her, why would they send her if the journey was pointless.
But, on the other hand, they called her the lost sister. She growled under her breath stubbornly and picked up the pace.
StarClan told her to cross the rogue border and keep going straight.
They trekked along tiny rocks, dirt, and plants.
Aspenbreeze did not feel hungry until she and Coalstep passed through a dark path in the trees. She hated the feeling she was being watched and did not want to hunt here until it broke into oak trees again.
But before they reached the end, Coalstep complained, "My paws are falling off." Aspenbreeze agreed; she noticed her own paws tiring.
"Alright," she decided, "we can shelter over there in that dip." She pointed her tail to a shallow dip in the earth where thick grasses grew.
Coalstep brightened. "Let's go hunt before we sleep," he told her. By the time they finished hunting, they both caught enough to full up their bellies while they slept soundly.
Aspenbreeze opened her eyes and shot straight up. She blinked in confusion; then, she remembered they were in that shadowy forest.
"Let's go," she mumbled and poked Coalstep in the side.
He opened his eyes. "Rest for a little more," he begged. Aspenbreeze rolled her eyes. "By the time I get back, you've better be out of that nest, or I'll claw your ears off!"
She turned away and decided to explore the forest. It was still dark, but patches of sunlight made it light enough to see where they were putting their paws.
She heard the rustle of prey and the gentle breeze dance with the trees. As though she were flying, Aspenbreeze glided down the hill, relishing the breeze in her fur.
Coalstep wasn't behind her. She grumbled under her breath.
It took a while before Coalstep caught up with her. "Why couldn't you wait for me?" He asked and they set off, running at full pace.
Aspenbreeze let her mind wander. The slope seemed to be going on and on. Then, a ginger shadow appeared at the top of a long tree.
Aspenbreeze halted, but sliced on the dewy ground. The ginger shadow hissed an alarm call and battlecry. Before Coalstep could see what's happened, a large ginger tabby tom leaped from the tree and, in one bound, was on top of him.
Aspenbreeze screeched as a second rogue, this time a fierce mottled brown tom with gleaming amber eyes, raced to her and pinned her down.
"Invaders!" He yowled and tore a clump of fur from Aspenbreeze's belly. She yowled in pain but drove him off with a furious, strong swinging blow to his muzzle.
Meanwhile Coalstep was trying to wriggle out. Aspenbreeze let out a warning growl to the rogue. The rogue tried swiping a massive ginger paw on her, but she dodged and pushed him off.
Coalstep balanced on his hindquarters. Aspenbreeze raked her claws along the rogue's side and then yowled, "Run!"
She and Coalstep gave the ginger tabby another knocking kick then pelted again to the slope and down it.
"Any- serious- injuries?" Aspenbreeze panted, realizing the only serious injury she had was a patch of fur missing from her stomach. Coalstep shook his head. "Just a few scratches," he mumbled and they carried on, without looking back.
Finally, Coalstep slowed down. He was panting really hard, and his eyes were full of exhaustion. On the other hand, Aspenbreeze wasn't tired; her paws ached a bit, but she wanted to run forever.
But she stopped running to let him rest a bit. They have gone far, now the slope was gone and they were covered by trees again. Aspenbreeze led him to a patch of grass. She nosed in moss and bracken. She could not find feathers for his nest.
"Are you hungry?" She asked. Coalstep nodded, but standing up, he replied, "I will hunt for myself." Aspenbreeze shook her head sternly. "No, you need to rest." She felt like running again.
Flicking her tail, Aspenbreeze dashed off towards a large tree. She sniffed the area, trying to be aware of badgers or foxes when another thought crept into her mind. What if my spine slows me down and it's too late when we get home? She suddenly felt homesick.
The air tasted of birds. Looking up at the tree, Aspenbreeze spotted a chaffinch perching among a branch. The wind was checked, and the bird's sitting position was too. Aspenbreeze leaped onto a branch, then another, and finally the bird's branch.
She crept up slowly on it and- POUNCE! She landed square on the bird. She dispatched it with a bite to the spine.
Coalstep waited for her at the nest, asleep. Aspenbreeze jabbed him playfully in the ribs. "Come on, kittypet! Come and eat your food!" Coalstep jerked, his fur bristling and his claws unsheathed. He looked around and sighed.
"I had a dream I was chasing a mouse while some rogue was taunting me. 'Come on, kittypet! Come and eat your own food from the No-fur dens!'" Coalstep growled. Aspenbreeze twitched her whiskers in amusement. "That was me, getting you up for food!" She purred.
Coalstep let out a mighty, though playful, roar and leaped on top of his companion. "No! Have mercy!" Aspenbreeze purred and flew sheathed blows on his belly.
Coalstep rolled off. "This time," he joked. "But the next time I'll push you into a lake!" Aspenbreeze purred for a few heartbeats, then told him, "We better eat that chaffinch before it rots or flies away."
They threw the remains away. This time, Aspenbreeze did feel tired. She climbed into her own makeshift nest and
drifted off to sleep.
