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A/N- This is Rose Time:1-day
Ring burst through the surface of the pond. Spitting water he dragged himself to the bank, panting heavily. He gulped air but his breathing was still ragged, his lungs were still burning. He glanced up at the sky after he took a short rest. The Blue moon was setting, it wouldn't be long before he had to go home or his parents would be suspicious. He felt his eyes start to close but when his body started to slide down the bank to the water he jerked up and stood on his paws.
He shook himself and licked his fur roughly trying to straighten it out. He sighed as he felt the numbness from his paws start to be replaced with aching. He crawled up the bank and headed back the way he came. As soon as he made it to the halfway point his memory started to come back but he pushed it to the back of his mind to focus on hunting. He had to return with something to prove he had done what he had said.
He pricked his long ears up, listening intently. He swiveled them backward to hear a small rustle from underneath a bush. He turned himself around and crouched down. Glancing up to see how tall the bush was he slowly stalked forward and tapped the bush with his front paw, he jerked himself back quickly, to hide himself back among the reeds. Soon a brown plump vole scuttered out from under the thorn bush.
Flattening his haunches and ears he sprung forward, clamping it in his jaws before it let out a squeal. He quickly broke it's neck, it went limp. Satisfied he turned back towards his home. Suddenly feeling impatient as he felt the suns light on his back he turned sharply to the right and onto another pine needled path. He felt himself start with a soft jog then before he knew it he was bounding over logs and ravines, his muscles aching pleasantly. He came to a stop as the ground dipped down in front of him. He looked to see the Great Sycamore, the sight of it filled him with dread. Just beyond that tree was the camp, what his family called home.
He quickly jumped down and ran past the Great Sycamore. It was only until he was several tail-lengths behind his muscles started to relax. His tail drooped as he remembered his brother but he trudged on. He looked up to see he had made it to the opening of the camp. The only two oak trees in the entire forest stood side by side, just wide enough gap for a badger to walk through with out the two trees touching it's fur on either side. Ring knew as soon as he passed them he would not see shrubbery and bushes like he did out here.
Without hesitation he walked through and appeared in a grassy clearing, half of it covered in shade from the trees that stood on the out skirts. It was an almost perfect circle and in the middle were two slabs of rock, one flat and the other stood twice as tall him, just getting the right amount of sun and shade. On the Left side of the clearing would be the tinniest pond ever but it was at least three tail-lengths deep, there was is always fish there. Beside the pool was another den that was half carved out of rock, a small tree grew to hold it up, and bracken made up most of the right wall and roof. On the other side of the grassy clearing (from the entrance) there was a den made out of branches and bracken. It had been used for such a long time that loads of moss and weeds circled around or covered it.
Ring trotted over to the rocks and laid himself down on one. Tucking his paws under his chest as he crouched down and took a huge bit out of the vole. He glanced around to see a patch of upturned earth.
'Pop and ma must'v just left.' Ring thought uneasily. He finished his vole quicker than he expected. He stood up and almost flinched as a sharp pain came over his left shoulder. He hissed as he pushed the pain aside and picked up the bones. He must have jerked a nerve when he climbed up that steep bank. He jumped down from the rock and came over to the upturned earth. He quickly buried them then sat down, waiting for the aching to stop. He felt his eyes start to close as the warm sun started to make him drowsy. He glanced up at the sky, it was noon, no wonder he was tired. He stood up and walked over to the den beside the pool, his den. He poked his head in to see a light purple fuzzball. It mewed softly and raised it's little head.
"Iris?! What are you doing in my den?" Ring asked. Silence met him.
"Did you sleep well?" The light purple she-cat, Iris, sat up a little and yawned. She had about three different flower shades of purple on her in a tortoiseshell pattern. Her fuzzy pelt almost as smooth as Ring's.
"Hi big bro, not to be rude or anything but I would like to have a little more sleep so could you keep it down out there?" She meowed tiredly. Ring felt a drop of disappointment. His sister had only come back just from a hunting trip with their father about a week ago and he had missed her but now it seems like she was always asking their father for advice instead of him. He liked being her big brother and now she hardly had anytime for him at all. He had wanted to talk to her so he could keep his mind off the dark things to come. His eyes narrowed into a glare, his sadness was soon replaced with annoyance.
"You know your not the only one who's had a rough night!" He snapped, his ears flattened against his head. He drew his head out of the den and stalked back to the center of the clearing. He jumped up onto the big boulder, not caring that he caused his shoulder to hurt again. He had been up and running for a whole day without the slightest nap. He yawned and laid on his side. He gazed up at the dawning sky. A soft rustle was heard behind him, paws walking over the soft grass. He didn't bother to look behind him, he already new who it was but he did glance down to see Iris, just a little purple speck below him. He didn't want to talk now but she would need help getting up here beside him. He sat up, bent down and grabbed her scruff. It took Iris some time but she finally climbed up the huge rock with the help of Ring.
"Ring, whats wrong?" She meowed as she settled beside him, she was only about one third his size, still a kitten. Ring didn't say anything, his tail tip twitched back and forth, his gaze still on the sky. Iris gazed up at Ring, her fuzzy pelt fluffed up with worry. Ring gave a small mrrow of distress and his tail drooped. He turned his head to look over at Iris. He forced a smile on his face but Iris could see right threw him. Iris raised up on her hind legs and put her fore-paws on his side, giving him a soft nudge. He fell on his side dramatically and let Iris crawl on top of him.
Ring raised his head to look over at her. She had snuggled herself against his flank, staring at him with bright amber eyes.
"How about you sleep and I keep watch this time." She meowed, Ring blinked at her in gratitude even though he shouldn't agree. He closed his eyes and wrapped his tail protectively around Iris, just in case.
'I hope Dew will mark on the tree sometime soon from the heavens-' he thought as he drifted off to sleep.
