Warriors: Silent

41

      Another three suns passed. Trees dotted the landscape, progressively turning into a forested area. Frostcloud became more and more grateful as each tired pawstep brought her closer to a denser woodland coated in sharp brambles- away from the exposing scrublands. In just another dawn or two; she would be back in familiar PineClan territory.

  Or so she hoped. She knew the patrol couldn't have run too far away from Monster Path- not enough to miss PineClan anyway. But the idea of walking right by their home made Frostcloud uneasy.

  "The Clan must be worried about us." Buckheart murmured.

  "We'll be there soon." Duskpaw said, "They'll know the storm would slow us down."

  "Are you ready to see everyone again?" Frostcloud asked, hoping to steer the conversation to a lighter tone.

  "Yeah!" Duskpaw chirped, "I'll show Doepaw the battle moves Tarmac showed Buckheart and I!"

  Frostcloud beamed inwardly, thrilled by how much the apprentice has grown since they had left PineClan.

  "We should go on patrol with Mosspool and Littlefern." Buckheart said. His orange eyes glowed at the thought.

  "What about Leafear?" Frostcloud asked suddenly. The two cats spent so much time together- and Mosspool made the point Leafear was mooning for the tom- didn't Buckheart miss her? He hadn't mentioned her once.

  He gave the front of his chest an awkward lick, and Frostcloud couldn't help but notice Duskpaw look away. "What about her?" Buckheart asked.

  Frostcloud cocked her head, "Well, you two get along, don't you?"

  Buckheart shrugged. "She's a fierce warrior- and good for PineClan."

  Wanting to ask more, but detecting how disinterested her friend was, Frostcloud changed the subject, "I can't wait to taste squirrel again."

  "Me neither!" Duskpaw chimed in, "I'll hunt some on the way back to camp. Could you imagine Whitestar's face when we come back with prey?" He mused.