Warriors: War of the Clans - Darkness

Chapter 10

Fox tossed and turned in his nest. He couldn't get the image of the ThunderClan camp out of his mind. He knew it would be a bad idea to visit there again, but he wanted to so badly. He felt Tiger's concerned energy. She had been trying to help, but she didn't know what was wrong, and Fox wasn't ready to admit what it was. The Clan was pulling on him, and Fox didn't know what to do. It felt wrong to leave Tiger here, alone, with her fading eyesight and caring kindness.

Tiger nosed him a fish. "Here, eat," she coaxed. He hadn't been eating for days, and he looked weaker than ever. He was always distracted, spending more time at the exits. Tiger could tell that he wanted to go, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Fox turned away. Tiger thought for a second. "I'll be right back," she meowed.

Tiger padded through the tunnes, feeling the smooth stone underpaw. She reached the entrance to neutral forest, staying just out of reach of the sun. She faced out, gathering her courage. She took the first step out into daylight. To her surprise, it didn't burn like she expected. Tiger exited the tunnel, wading through the deep snow. She shivered in the intense cold. She took a moment to try and gaze around.

Everything was intensely blurry and dark. She squinted, trying to make out the shapes. She recognized a vague shape of a tree, and a small bush. But she wasn't here to admire the scenery.

Now where would the forest prey hide? Tiger thought. She tasted the air, and to her amazement located a mouse under a bush. She crouched down, and with paws as light as feathers, stalked the mouse. The mouse pricked its ears, hearing Tiger. But it was too slow. Tiger flashed a paw out and hit the mouse, killing it instantly. Satisfied, she picked up the mouse, padding back to the tunnel, anxious to reach the shadows again. She walked back to Fox's nest, dropping the mouse by his nest.

Fox turned and stared at the mouse, surprised. "Is that-"

"I caught it in the forest. Will you eat now?"

Fox licked his chest fur, embarassed. "Yes. Thank you, Tiger." He leaned down and ravenously tore into the mouse. It was gone in seconds.

"Next time, you catch the mouse," Tiger meowed, amused. He sheepishly smiled.

"Sorry Tiger," He mumbled.

Tiger sighed. "Why don't you go hunting. All I could catch was that lousy mouse." Fox nodded, standing up and padding out. Tiger curled up in her nest, licking her fur to try and warm it up. She felt Fox leave, and shut her eyes. For some reason, she felt as if she was going to lose her denmate very soon.

<|.......|>

Fox stalked the squirrel. It was leaf-bare thin, but Fox just wanted the taste of the forest. He tensed, ready to pounce. He leaped, slamming his paw down on the squirrel's head. It wriggled, trying to get away. But Fox nipped the back of its neck, killing it. He pricked his ears as he heard voices.

"Hi! You're the cat from the tunnel, right?" It was Frozenpaw. Now that he could see her in daylight, he could see that she was white with gray paws and a gray tail tip.

"Yes..." Fox replied cautiously.

"Cool! Blizzardpaw! Snowpaw! Look who I found!"

Two faces popped out of the bushes. One was a she, obviously Snowpaw. The other was Blizzardpaw. They pushed their way out. Fox could see that Snowpaw was white with gray stripes.

"Hi, Fox!" Snowpaw meowed brightly.

"Oh! You don't know Blizzardpaw! He's our brother." Blizzardpaw nodded friendily.

"I'm sorry, am I intruding on your territory?" Fox asked uncertainly.

Frozenpaw shook her head. "Nope! You're over the boarder. We're on the other side."