Warriors: Finding Myself: Downcasted (Book Two)

Chapter Five: Struggling

CHAPTER FIVE

Her eyes narrowed in focus, ears pricked as she heard a stick crack across the small clearing and easily spotted the gray pelt of her sister, Moonpaw. Her green eyes glowing and focused on the squirrel that had wandered into our territory and was currently sniffing around the clearing for food. It was a scrawny squirrel, but we needed it.

They were practicing their team hunting and although Moonpaw was the last cat she wanted to train with, she accepted and just wanted to get it over with. So far they had caught a lizard and if Moonpaw could scare this squirrel into her paws they could go back to camp and get out of the freezing cold. Puddleheart agreed to let Featherpaw train with Echopaw and Mudpaw and Twigpaw were training together.

As loud as possible, Moonpaw jumped out of the bushes and yowled at the squirrel who turned directly towards Winterpaw and raced straight toward her. With her claws outstretched she caught the squirrel and delivered a killing blow, feeling proud of herself.

"Nice catch," Moonpaw mewed to her, although she didn't actually look impressed. Moonpaw had lightened up to her, however, since the Gathering a quarter moon ago. Since then Kinkfur and Dawnpelt had fallen ill and Junipernose showed signs of getting better, but that was it.

She had picked up the squirrel and nodded at Moonpaw. "You get the lizard," she ordered Moonpaw and then flinched at the way she commanded her. Would Moonpaw listen?

Moonpaw hesitated and parted her jaws to say something, but only nodded and padded away. Relief flooded through her. At least she didn't argue, Winterpaw was trying to do better and recently she hadn't been yelled at once by anyone.

Carefully, she picked up her head high so she didn't drag the squirrel through the snow and damage it. She padded through the pines, watching the squirrel and where she was going and her neck was already starting to hurt.

"Winterpaw?" the deep, familiar, puzzled voice made her jump and she turned around, facing Stonefang. "Do you need help?"

Embarrassment prickled her pelt and her eyes flickered to the rest of the patrol that was now gazing at her. "N-No," she mewed through the squirrel's fur. Grassheart, Cloudsong, and Yarrowfur were gazing at her.

The warrior laughed at her loudly. "Continue on to the RiverClan border, Grassheart. I'll put myself on the night patrol," he ordered his patrol and without question he snatched the squirrel out of her jaws and flicked his tail for her to follow.

Still feeling embarrassed, she dipped her head to the patrol and padded after the gray tom. "I could've carried it, Stonefang," she insisted. "You could've gone on your patrol."

He glanced over at her and roll his eyes. Carrying the squirrel in his jaws seemed to be easier since he was bigger than her. He replied in a muffled voice, "I've already been hunting today, they'll be fine without me."

Finally, she gave in and just nodded, padding beside him through the pines. Camp wasn't far now. She recognized a tree as they passed by it. Just a few more tail lengths.

Within heartbeats should could see the camp entrance and she kept herself from running inside. That squirrel was hers, she was going to claim it as so!

Puffing out her fur she remained quiet when they entered camp until she turned to Stonefang. "I'm going to give that to the sick cats," she declared and snatched it right out of his jaws and marched to the medicine den, slipping inside.

Kinkfur, Junipernose, Cometmoon, Shadowclaw, Strikefang, Whiteeyes, Pinenose, and Dawnpelt were all in the den, coughing and sneezing except for Kinkfur and Whiteeyes, who were sound asleep, snoring coming from them.