Warrior Cats: Striped Savage Book 2

Chapter 32

Part 5

Cheetahkit awoke the next morning with Lionstar beside her. She shook herself free from the hay and hopped down the pile to the barn floor.

She started to groom herself but stopped when she saw a mouse. It was scuffling in a small pile of hay. Cheetahkit crouched down and approached, copying how she saw Rose do it.

The mouse's head jolted up and it spotted her. It immediately took off running. Cheetahkit got out of her stance and chased after it, determined to catch the tiny crearure.

Her vision was complelety focused on the mouse but was cut off by a paw, which caught the mouse by its tail. Cheetahkit skid to a stop and looked up.

It was Thorn.

"This the perfec' moment to catch it. I made it easier for you." Thorn said. Cheetahkit could tell he was trying to be friendly but she wasn't sure she could trust him.

None the less Cheetahkit accepted the opportunity and went over to the mouse and was going to kill it, but it looked up at her as it tried to squirm away from the loner's paw.

Cheetahkit stared at it, pity welling down her heart. This made Thorn confused.

"I thought you wante' to catch it?" Thorn asked. Cheetahkit glanced up at him.

"I did, but it looks so helpless. I can't kill it..." Cheetahkit said, looking back to the mouse. Thorn watched the golden kit observe the mouse. He sighed and lifted his paw.

The mouse bulted away immediately and hid in the hay. They both watched it go.

Thorn was the first turn away and walked outside. After a while Cheetahkit looked to the hay pile she and the others slept in.

Lionstar was sleeping beside Rose. Jayfeather was gone.

This confused the little she-kit. Jayfeather didn't tend to wander this early in the morning.

Cheetahkit ran to the barn doors and looked out to see if Jayfeather was outside. She spotted his dark fur  by the fence.

"Jayfeather! Jayfeather!" Cheetahkit called out, scampering over to him. His ear twitched but he stayed still. Cheetahkit came over and sat with him.

*'*'*'**'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'

Later in the day, Rose had come out and dissapeared in the wilderness around the barn and Lionstar had joined his brother and daughter outside.

Cheetahkit looked to the tree line when she heard laughter. Rose and Thorn stepped out of the shadows and were making their way back to the others. Thorn broke away and headed off to go behind the barn.

"Where have you been? Its nearly sunset." Lionstar asked, standing up and approaching his mate. Rose narrowed her eyes at him.

"I've been out. So what?" Rose said, her tone snappy and annoyed.

"I was worried, you shouldn't go off like that and not tell me about it, Rose."

"I can go hunting as long as I like, I am not a kit!"

Cheetahkit lowered her ears and listened as they bickered. Jayfeather noticed her mood sadden. He nudged her.

"Come on, lets go inside." Jayfeather suggested. Cheetahkit nodded and followed her uncle inside. Jayfeather stopped when they got to the door and held his tail out to make Cheetahkit stop too.

"How about I show you how to hunt. I can scent prey just behind the door." Jayfeather said. Cheetahkit's spirits rose almost immediately.

"Yes! Please teach me!" Cheetahkit begged. Jayfeather chuckled and agreed. He dropped down into a hunting crouch.