Warriors: War of the Clans - Darkness

Chapter 2

Four moons after Fox was called to the center of Dreaded Night territory,the young tom was hunting mice in the woods around his and Julie's den. He rotated his ears and slightly opened his mouth, tasting the air for the scent of mice. He picked up a slight patter of tiny paws under an oak tree. He crouched down, making sure he was downwind of the mouse. He started creeping forward, his belly fur not brushing the crunchy leaves that fall during leaf­fall. He stepped carefully, sliding through the leaves like a snake. The mouse stood up on its hind legs, sniffing the air and rotating its ears. He bunched his hind legs and leaped. The mouse squeaked and darted towards its burrow, but it was already too late. Fox trapped it with his front paws, and finished it off with a nip to the back of the head.He picked up the little body and padded back to the den.

The den was different than when he had first came. The more commonly used herbs were stored in a natural shelf in the den wall. Two nests were lined up against the back, across from the herbs. A crack in the wall led to a place where the other herbs that were not usually used were stored. He ducked behind the curtain of ivy at the entrance to the den and dropped the plump mouse onto a large oak leaf, where there was already a thrush and a vole. He pricked his ears, hearing shuffling from the crack in the wall. He poked his head in.

Julie turned around, spotting Fox's head. "Back so soon? Did you catch anything good?"

"I caught a mouse."

"Good." Fox ducked his head out of the crack, and Julie slipped out. She spotted the mouse and nodded with satisfaction. "A nice plump one." She leaned down and picked up the mouse, then sat down and started tearing into it.

"You ready for today?" She inquired. Fox blinked. Today... today! Today is the choosing of partners! Fox nodded. All Dreaded Night kits can't wait until they turn five moons, because that means they are almost ready to do the partnership!Partners were who each Dreaded Night apprentice would be with their entire apprenticeship. Each apprenticeship lasted about twelve moons, so cats grew very close with their partners. More often than not, if a tom and a she were paired, they would turn out to be mates. It was always a surprise of who would be partnered with who, as only the leader knew who would be partners.

Julie finished off the mouse and started grooming her fur. Fox gulped down his thrush, then started doing the same. He wanted to look good for the choosing of partners.

At about sunhigh, the two were ready to be off. Julie nodded to Fox, who leaped to his feet, excitement tingling through his paws. She whisked her tail, cleaning out any excess dirt on the den floor. Fox dashed out of the den, leaping over tree roots. Julie padded out, picking up a few large leaves and covering the den entrance, to stop any uninvited visitors while they were gone.

Fox and Julie traveled through the thick woods, dodging hanging branches and blocking out the scent of prey. They couldn't afford to stop. Fox was growing more excited and nervous by the minute. What if he got someone horrible? What if he got someone great? What if he wasn't chosen at all?! He tripped over a tree root, and he yelped in surprise as he fell to the ground. Julie stretched out her tail to Fox.

"We are here." Fox looked up, seeing the entrance to the main camp in front of him. A pair of eyes looked at him, green and menacing. Out stepped an orange tabby tom, his tail twitching.

"What is your business here?" He snapped. Julie narrowed her eyes and flicked her ear, warning Fox to stay back.

"I am Julie, master of healing. I am here for the Partnership today." She motioned to Fox, who barely nodded. The tom towered over both of them, eyeing Julie, then Fox. Fox tensed, ready to dash away if needed. But the tom grunted, stepping out of their way and letting them through the bramble entrance.