Warriors An Awaiting Dawn: The Blazing Sun

Chapter 13

The air is so warm! As she ran through the forest, Viper Strike couldn't ignore the thrilling feeling inside her belly. She had ventured across the lake, a smirk to herself. "This place has fewer trees than the other part of the forest." She murmured to herself. She eyed the land around her. A new feeling surged through her. Was this.. belonging?
"Why does this feel so right..?" She mewed to herself once again in question.
"Isn't it obvious?" A voice purred a friendly manner. Viper Strike turned to gasp and look at a black she-cat. "Oh! Hi Grass Shadow." She mewed.
"You come here to hunt for frogs too?" She mewed her eyes glittering.
"No?" Viper Strike tipped her ginger tabby head to one side looking confused.
"Anyway, I've always liked this part of the forest. No pines, tall grass, wet ground." The black she-cat seemed to relish the feel of brown yucky stuff and something green and soft beneath her paws. The ginger tabby eyed it for a moment.
"Speckle Leap says this stuff is mud and moss. You can paw at it you know." The black she-cat purred, her green eyes seeming aloof and carefree. After a moment's hesitation, she pawed at it. Grass Shadow was right, this did feel like a good relishing feeling. A frog hopped onto a rock. It croaked and sat there. The black she-cat leaped for it but it hopped away, though she didn't stop. Viper Strike stayed where she was and wondered if she should go after her, but Grass Shadow came out of the undergrowth purring with a dead frog in her mouth. "I got it! Hops like a rabbit, but they taste great!" She purred, her claws flexing amid her now brown black paws. Viper Strike purred at the older she-cat. This was more home than the forest across the lake.
"Isn't it great here Viper Strike!" Grass Shadow seemed like an excited kit as she bounced on her paws.
"Yeah, I guess it is." The green eyed tabby purred.
A clump of ferns rustled. Grass Shadow shielded Viper Strike as she hid behind her. With a leap, she disappeared into the undergrowth and heard an "oof" and a cat fell. Viper Strike nosed her way through the ferns to see a black furred she-cat in front of Grass Shadow with orange splotches and ears followed by more black with a blue eye and a green eye. "Hey! What are you doing?" She asked.
"Are you hungry?" Viper Strike asked. The she-cat was the same age as she was. Young and seeming to be some amount of moons old. She dropped the frog at her feet.
"I'm starving!" The she-cat tore into the frog. "Best go find another." Grass Shadow stalked slowly into the ferns.
"What's your name?" Viper Strike asked her. "Ella." She replied.
Viper Strike didn't know if she should comment on that or keep her mouth shut. Thankfully, Grass Shadow returning with another frog broke the silence. "Here you go." She mewed in a kind tone. Ella shook her head. "I'm full now but thank you." She meowed allowing herself to swallow a mouthful of frog. "Where are you from Ella?" Viper Strike asked. "I'm lost. I left my family." She admitted. Viper Strike winced to herself. Way to make it even more awkward she felt as if she dragged her pelt through a thicket of thorns. Grass Shadow focused her attention on them. "Anyhow, come now you two. Let us go back to the group." She meowed and led the way through the grass. The ginger tabby felt like this cat had something inside her. Maybe she needed the group's support. Maybe she needed a good friend.