Dark Destinies {Book 1}

Chapter 3

HOLLYPAW

EARLIER THAT DAY

The forest beyond camp was everything I had ever imagined!

A barrage of different scents attacked my nose the moment we stepped through the bramble thicket; scents of cats, prey and plants. Though everything was buried beneath a thick pelt of white snow the forest smelt alive!

Tall trees towered above us with white snow clinging to their branches as if the trees were growing fur.

I couldn’t help but let a large smile appear on my muzzle. Ashpaw turned to me; his smile matching my own.

“Wow.” I finally breathed.

“Stop your gawking and get moving.” Owlclaw grumbled from behind me; “It’s freezing out here you know.”

My spirits dropped steadily; I wasn’t sure if Owlclaw was always like this or if he just didn’t like me but seemed he was beyond unhappy to be my mentor. It seemed to take almost an intense amount of prodding to even get him to take me on a tour of territory with Larkwind and Ashpaw and that’s mandatory.

I deciding to shake it off I bounded forward with Ashpaw, catching up swiftly with Larkwind whom was leading us.

We followed a path that seemed well used; the snow was littered with paw prints underpaw and was nearly melted away revealing little tuffs of dead grass.

We came to a fork in the path and Larkwind veered to the left, using a path that seemed less used than the last one. The snow was thicker and occasionally I would get stuck and would have to leap forward. After a little while Larkwind halted us.

“This is the Fireclan border; make sure you get a good smell so you remember their scent.” Larkwind meowed.

“If you cross that scent line then you’re Fireclan’s business and whatever they choose to do with you we can’t stop.” Owlclaw muttered; I gulped.

Quickly I raised my head toward the Fireclan border. On the Fireclan side the pine trees were much denser and shadowy. A strong piney and musky smell hit my nose; that must be their scent.

At the border between our territories our scents clashed; their musky smell combatting with our much more crisp and fresh smell.

“What are Fireclan cats like?” Ashpaw asked Larkwind.

“Well, they are brave and strong.” Larkwind meowed; “Their leader Hailstar is stubborn though; a lot of Fireclan warriors have this disposition.”

“Are we allies with them?” I asked; if you they were good at fighting it would make sense to be allies not enemies with them, right?

“Iceclan doesn’t need allies.” Owlclaw snorted.

“What Owlclaw means is, no at the moment Iceclan and Fireclan are not allies.” Larkwind meowed, giving Owlclaw a look; “But we’re not fighting either. In Leaf-Bare there is usually an uneasy truce between all clans. No one likes fighting in Leaf-Bare; it would risk sickness and usually we’re all too weak to fight anyways.”

Owlclaw pushed past her and away from the Fireclan border; flicking his thick grey tail. Larkwind let out a low sigh but we really didn’t have a choice but to follow after him.

Owlclaw lead us in uncomfortable silence down another well used path before stopping.

“This is the Training Pit.” Owlclaw announced.

The Training Pit was a large bowl like shape, curved into the ground with two large stones sitting on opposite sides of each other. A large brown and white tom was slowly trying to clear snow from it with the help of a younger brown tabby she-cat.