Warriors: Silent

40

      Frostcloud's stomach knotted in hunger. The Clancats were forced to stay under the bush for another day as the storm continued. It was now their second dawn after the storm began, and the rain had died into a drizzle. Opting to leave their shelter rather than wait any longer, the cats began to wander back to the damp world.

  "Where's Monster Path?" Duskpaw asked to no one in particular.

  Frostcloud's heart sank as she eyed the horizon. How were the cats to know where to go? What if they couldn't find it?

  "We're already three days behind schedule," Buckheart murmured, "we can't afford to be lost."

  "What was it Needlepelt said?" Frostcloud asked, "Which way did he say Red Barn was? Towards the setting sun?"

  Buckheart lashed his tail, "We're not going back to Red Barn."

  Irritated, Frostcloud flicked her ears, "I know, mouse-brain." She snapped. She paused, forcing herself to control her patience. Since finding eachother after the storm, she and Buckheart had been getting along, and she wouldn't throw that away now, no matter how much her stomach wanted to control her temper. So, more calmly, she said, "PineClan is in the opposite direction."

  Buckheart gave the front of his chest a few awkward licks. "Right."

  "To the left of the setting sun." Duskpaw said, "That's where Red Barn is."

  "This way, then." Buckheart said when the Pinecats began hiking towards their best guess of where PineClan was.

  Duskpaw, Frostcloud noticed, eyed the ground with an upset expression. His back was damp with a thin layer of water, and his breath came out in foggy clouds.

  "We'll find Monster Path soon, Duskpaw." Buckheart said, his tone aiming for consolation.

  "I know." Duskpaw mewed, "I'm just ready to sleep in a secure den again."

  Frostcloud purred, "I think we all are."

  Frostcloud paused when the drizzle came to a stop. She glanced at the sky and noticed the clouds above, though still very present, seemed lighter.

  "Duskpaw," Buckheart said, "Why don't you take the lead? I'm sure it'll warm up by sun-high and we'll find some prey."

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  "It smells active." Buckheart said quietly.

  The Clancats peered into the rabbit hole, from inside was a wafting smell of rodent. Frostcloud's mouth watered as the scent tickled her nose. She hadn't had a solid meal since she left Red Barn and she could practically feel her stomach eat itself. And judging by the periodic growl from the bellies of her comrades, she guessed they were in a similar state.

  It was past sun-high, and with the weather so cold and wet the cats had barely found a single scent of prey. "Do we just wait for it to come out?" She asked.

  "I can fit in." Duskpaw said.

  "No." Buckheart said, "Rabbits aren't afraid to fight, and you'd be defenseless underground."

  "They're tough." Frostcloud murmured, flicking her torn ear.

  "I think we should keep going forward. Who knows when the rabbit will come out? And we're already expected back in four days." Buckheart said.

  "Who knows when we'll find more prey?" Frostcloud asked. "We've killed a rabbit before, we can do it again."

  "But when do rabbits come out? Squirrels leave their nests in the day, mice at dawn and dusk- or whenever it's quiet. What if we spend a moon waiting?" Buckheart asked stubbornly.