Warriors: Deserve's Beginning (Short Story) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 5

The rain had continued on and off for a few days. Deserve had grown used to falling asleep to the gentle patter of rain on the roof of the barn. But yesterday afternoon, the sun had come out for the first time in days.

Deserve lay curled up with his siblings, his eyes closed as he tried to fall asleep. But he'd almost forgotten how to fall asleep to silence. His ears longed for the calming sound of rainfall. He let out a sigh and rolled onto his back in the hay, staring up at the roof of the barn. It's no use. I'm not really tired anyway. He glanced over at Boost and Song. They were cuddled together, their flanks rising and falling as they slept. I wish they were awake to play with me. Behind them, Velvet was sound asleep as well.

He looked the other way, expecting to see his father laying in his usual spot in the hay. But to his surprise, it was empty. He blinked and sat up, looking around. Where is he? He looked around the shadowy barn, but couldn't see Dice anywhere. He must be outside... But why? He decided to find out.

He cautiously padded out of his nest. When he stepped out of the hay and onto the cold floor of the barn, he looked over his shoulder warily. The others were still sound asleep. He looked ahead and continued stepping lightly and carefully to avoid waking up his mother and siblings.

When he reached the exit of the barn, he hesitated, staring out uneasily. I've never been outside on my own before... But the urge to find his father gave him courage. I can do this... Dice is out there anyway, I won't be alone. He nervously stepped out into the darkness, looking around the dark empty field. The only sound was the repetitive chirping of crickets in the cold grass. He scanned the area for his father.

"Dad?" He whispered. There was no response. He hesitated before padding around the corner of the barn, his heart thumping nervously. What if the forest cats jump out and get me? His eyes darted around. He tried not to give in to the fear that was urging him to turn and flee to the safety of the barn. There's nothing to be afraid of... There are no forest cats here. He continued forward slowly, looking around anxiously. Suddenly, he caught sight of his father's black and white pelt. He had his back to Deserve.

Dice! He started toward him, then stopped. His father was crouched low to the ground, very slowly creeping forward through the grass. He looked very focused on something. Is he hunting?Deserve sat down, tilting his head curiously as he watched. I've never seen him hunt before...He was fascinated as he watched him stalk forward, his tail low but raised above the grass.

Dice suddenly pounced and crouched in the grass for a moment. Deserve waved his tail excitedly as he watched his father stand back up, holding a dead mouse in his jaws.

Wow! He caught a mouse! Deserve eagerly raced over to him. "That was incredible!" He exclaimed excitedly.

His father spun around and dropped the mouse, his yellow eyes lighting with surprise. He relaxed when he saw that it was his kit. "Deserve!" He let out a sigh, his fur flattening as he calmed. "You scared me! What are you doing out here?" He padded over and touched his nose to Deserve's ear. "You should be sleeping."

Deserve purred. "I couldn't sleep, so I wanted to find you."

His father let out a purr. "Well, you found me." He turned and began scraping a hole in the ground with his paws. Deserve watched curiously as he took the mouse and dropped it inside before covering it with dirt.

"What are you doing?" Deserve blinked. "Aren't we going to eat it?"

Dice sat up. "Yes, but I bury everything I catch and then collect it later," He explained. "If I don't, an animal or a bird might come and take it."