Warrior Cats: The Forgotten Darkness ~ Book 2 ~

Chapter Nine: Wither Goes the Bird

Falconstar crouched down seeing a small squirrel sitting at the base of a tree digging up something from the ground. She rocked her haunches back and forth and took a quiet step forward creeping up on the squirrel. Falconstar lunged once she was close enough and pinned the squirrel down killing it in a swift bite. She picked it up and set it in the small pile that her and her hunting patrol had gathered. Falconstar saw Snakepaw and Eagleye walk up with a squirrel and a thin bird. Snakepaw had a disgust look on his face as he dropped the bird.

"There is something wrong with that bird." He said spitting to the side. Eageleye dropped the mouse he was carrying and laughed.

"Well it basically just dropped at your feet. I didn't even hear it." Falconstar didn't bother and saw Shark march up with Icetail at his side. Icetail had her head low as she walked up to Falconstar.

"I'm sorry." Falconstar tipped her head, "It's the river. It doesn't have any more fish. We couldn't find anything." Falconstars eyes widened. "It's like they disappeared." Falconstar looked at the medium amount that her patrol had gathered.

"It's okay we should have enough. Help us carry these back to camp." The two nodded and gathered some prey.

"Viperpaw let's go!" Snakepaw growled to his brother. Falconstar saw Viperpaw getting ready to lung at a rabbit that was hiding in the trees. She thought nothing of it and gathered as much prey as she could carry. Snakepaw rolled his eyes and stomped his foot waiting for his brother. Then he stopped as fear struck through him. "Viperpaw!" He exclaimed dashing forward. Viperpaw lunged right as Snakepaw lunged after him. Falconstar saw the rabbits eyes flash red and dropped the prey she was holding. FSnakepaw grabbed Viperpaw by the scruff and helped him along running back. Snakepaw limping on his front paw and tripped on Viperpaws outstretched leg. He tumbled still in the darker part of the forest. He pushed Viperpaw into the light and tripped before being pulled back in the depth of the forest. Falconstar pushed forward and grabbed him by the scruff yanking him back. Viperpaw was curled in a ball terrified and Snakepaw was breathing heavily and Falconstar lead them back further.

"Start taking this food back. I think Hazelfrost needs to take a look at them." The patrol nodded and Falconstar led the two apprentices back. They walked into the thorn tunnel not long and told Sunray to finish taking the apprentice's to Hazelfrost. Falconstar walked to the highrock and jumped up yowling for the clans to gather. It took her a minute to figure out what to say. "The thing that kicked the Floodclan cats out is moving closer to our camp." Gasps rippled through the cats. "I think we have gathered enough food to last us through leaf-bare, but that is only if no one eats more than they need to. I want a big group of warriors to gather as much moss as possible and take it to the river and soak them up for water... just in case." There was silence no one spoke. "Dismissed." Fear scent started rising up as the warriors talked amongst themselves. Falconstar padded to the medicine cats den. She saw Snakepaws paw being wrapped and Viperpaw laying on a moss bed. He wasn't asleep yet but Falconstar knew he would soon. Hazelfrost offered poppy seeds to Snakepaw, but he refused. Falconstar beckoned him with her tail and he limped over. "Are you okay?" She asked him as he looked at his paw.

"Yeah. It's a bit sticky but I'm fine."

"That was very brave. Warrior brave." She said nudging him a bit.

"I didn't even know what I was doing I just saw the rabbit and realized rabbits stay in the moores I instantly knew and my instincts took over. I honestly just lunged without thinking." Falconstar laughed a little. Snakepaw was more than ready to be a warrior she just hadn't noticed.

"You saw someone in danger and took a leap of faith. To protect your brother." Snakepaw nodded,

"It wasn't that much you would have done the same." Falconstar stopped and turned to him.