Warriors: Silent

31

      "Buckheart?" Frostcloud almost gasped.

  "Frostcloud." Buckheart acknowledged with a dip of his head. He panted hard and he half-laid half-sat just off the side of the rabbit.

  Thank StarClan! Frostcloud thought as she rolled onto her side, off the heat of the rabbit and wheezing, I don't think I had the strength for another fight!

  The cats sat there for a handful of moments, working to catch their breath.

  "It's a good thing you showed up when you did." Buckheart got out eventually, "The rabbit was going to get away- I don't know how StoneClan catches such bulky prey."

  Frostcloud nodded, rolling onto her back to face Buckheart, who watched her steadily. "Me neither." She agreed.

  "I'm sorry if I made you upset last night." Buckheart went on.

  Frostcloud cocked her head. What did he mean? Her memory flickered to when she got snippy with him when he asked if she caught anything. "Oh, you didn't," Frostcloud said awkwardly, "I just wasn't in a very good mood. I was hungry."

  Buckheart gave a brief nod. "Well, let's get this rabbit back to Duskpaw and Kittypet, then. So we wont be hungry." He purred.

  "Kittypet." Frostcloud murmured, getting to her paws.

  "What's the matter?" Buckheart asked.

  "It's just... kind of a cruel name. Isn't it?" Frostcloud asked. She was a kittypet... but would she like the degrading title?

  Buckheart watched Frostcloud steadily, "Well, what else could we call her?" He asked.

  "I- I don't know. Maybe something simple, like Blueeyes or Whitefur?"

  Buckheart considered for a moment. "Whitefur it is." He agreed. Then with his strong jaws, he grabbed the rabbits scruff, and the two warriors made the quick trip back to the den.

¤¤¤

  "Is this it?" Duskpaw asked, peering cautiously at the unnatural path a fox-length ahead.

  Frostcloud scanned it warily, put off by the mere sight of it. It was a large dirt trail, with a foul stench that burned the back of her throat. The smell reminded her of the toxic odor that stuck to pigeon feathers.

  "It must be." Buckheart said. Frostcloud glanced at the tom long enough to see his face scrunched in disgust, as if offended by the harsh fetor.

  Whitefur, however, seemed unphased by the smell. In fact, her blue eyes glowed as a light purr swelled in her throat. "She must be happy to see something familiar." Frostcloud said, mostly to herself.

  The Clancats eyed the trail nervously. They were expected to follow something so sinister? Why, StarClan? Frostcloud asked herself, something cold grasping her stomach. There were odd markings in the dirt, she noticed. Patterned in a way that almost matched paw prints, though shaped nothing like them. That must be what monster feet look like.

  Buckheart cleared his throat. "We're wasting daylight."

  Frostcloud lifted her paw, hesitating before taking the first step towards Monster Path. Cats have made this trip before, just stay on the side of the trail like Whitestar and Needlepelt said.

  The cats travelled in silence, stopping only once when Duskpaw caught the scent of gopher. He caught it, and the cats shared the small meal before continuing their trek.