Shadow's Darkness

Chapter 5. Owl

Shadow yawned as she sat up. It was morning and Lake, Blackfrost and Lightsky were still sleeping. Shadow glanced around at her kin. She took a deep breathe and smelled the fresh air. She padded over to a small prey pile in the corner of their home.

She picked a small mouse out of the pile and sat down to eat it. She took a bite out of it and began to think. She thought about just random things like the clans, hunting, battles and other things. She wondered what the clans were like. She was soon done with the mouse.

'We need more prey' Shadow thought. Blackfrost didnt like Shadow or Lake going out by themselves. He would only let them leave if they went together. Blackfrost and Lightsky were scared that they would trespass on clan territory or be attacked by a clan cat.

Shadow looked at her kin. It was still very early and she told herself that she would be back before they wake up. The black she-cat then slipped out of the nest and padded down the steps and went to the forest.

A mouse sat by a tree nibbling on something. Shadow spotted it and got into the hunters crouch. She narrowed her eyes and crept closer to it. She remembered to be light on her paws. Without waiting a moment Shadow leaped at the mouse and killed it with one swift movement of her paw.

Shadow covered it with a pile of leaves so she could pick it up on her way back home. She padded deeper into the forest. She parted her jaws slightly to taste the air. There was a different scent... something Shadow didnt recognize.

She narrowed her eyes expecting a clan cat to leap out of the trees and attack her. She unsheathed her claws ready for an attack.

A huge animal finally stepped out from behind a tree. It looked like a dog but its fur was thicker and it was bigger. Shadows eyes widened with fear. She flattened her ears and hissed.

The animal just looked at her then spoke. "Hello." The animals voice sounded old and wise like an elders.

"Hello.." Shadow still was ready for an attack. Her claws were still sheathed.

"Calm. I am not here to hurt." The creature said, sitting down.

Shadow looked at the creature and felt like she could trust it. She sheathed her claws and sat down wrapping her tail around her paws neatly. "Who are you? What are you?" Shadow asked wanting to know about her.

"Im Owl. A she-wolf. Who are you?" She said calmly.

"Im Shadow." Shadow meowed interested in the wolf and what she is like.

"Ah, no clan cat? Alone?" Owl asked. She seen clan cats before and learned their language so she could understand them.

"No, im not a clan cat but im not alone." She mewed. "What about you? Where is your kin or clan?"

"No. No family. No pack." She said a bit sadly looking at her paws but a few moments later she was her friendly self again.

Shadow and Owl talked for a while. Shadow learned about Owl's pack and why they kicked her out. Shadow told Owl about her family. She realized it was sun-high and Lake, Blackfrost and lightsky would be up now.

"Owl, I have to go now. I hope to talk to you again." Shadow stood up.

"Yes. Go go. Family will be worried. Wondering where you gone." Owl nudged Shadow off.

Shadow nodded and called over her shoulder. "Goodbye Owl." Shadow ran quickly home hunting along the way.

When she saw the lake she knew she was nearby. Shadow heard the voixes of Lake and Lightsky. Lake noticed her scent. "Shadow! Where have you been!? I woke up and you were gone!" He shouted trying to be angry and relieved she was okay.

"Im sorry, Lake. I went hunting but got distracted." Shadow said dropping the prey.

"Of course you did." He chuckled then looked behind him seeing that Blackfrost was back and angry.

"Shadow! Come with me now!" He snapped walking up the steps and into the old twolegnest.

Shadow glanced at her brother before padding up the steps to see her father. She sat down next to Blackfrost ready to hear what he said.

"I was so worried! You cant just run off whenever.." Blackfrost said looking his daughter in the eye.

"I know but I can handle it. We dont have to be afraid of those clan cats!" Shadow said angrily.

"Some of those clan cats are ruthless and will hurt another cat for fun."

"I know but we cant let them control us. I dont want to be told I cant go somewhere because its clan territory or stay hidden." Shadow meowed. She didnt like clan cats and never would.