BlueWhiskers; Awakening Shadows {Book 2} [a cat story/ a cat book]

Chapter 10

I lay in Uncle SmokeTail's den. It had been a few weeks since I decided to live with SmokeTail. He had insisted that at least every second day, we'd go on hunting lessons. He taught me simple things about healing, he taught me quite a bit about hunting and survival skills. He also made sure we had quality time together every day. I was satisfyed that we knew each other quite well. Even Blackhawk and Uncle SmokeTail seemed to know each other pretty well, even though they didnt like each other very much, they tried to get along, or at least pretend to...
Now, I slept peacefully in my den.

My chest heaved up and down in a gentle rhythm, matching my breathing. My ears twitched uncontrollably from the sound of rain landing hard on the ground.
Birds chirped urgently as they tried to find shelter. Suddenly, a loud clapping sound filled the air and I jumped awake, looking frantically at the source of the sound.
I looked outside the den at the dark cloudy sky, as rain poured down constantly.
I had never seen so much rain in my life. I shook my fur from the bit of rain that sprayed into the underground den.
Again, a strange clapping sound boomed through the early morning sky, and a strike of lightning struck down, almost touching a tree as it did so.

I jumped in surprise and quickly lowered myself to the ground, as if the lightning were to strike me if I didn't.
I had never seen or heard lightning or thunder before, it was all new to me. Frightened by the storm, I turned my head to the right and glanced at Uncle SmokeTail, who shuffled uncomfortably as he slept. The noise was obviously a bother for him, even though he had probably experienced hundreds of storms in his time.
I looked to my left and saw Blackhawk fast asleep, his chest moving up and down as he breathed.

Moaning uncomfortably, I closed my eyes to get to sleep, but once I did, another thunderclap made me jump to my paws.
I sighed in frustration and lay back down, trying to sleep. I wondered how long I'd sleep before I heard another thunderclap and awoke. One minute or two?

🐱

I blinked tiredly, looking out of the den where the rain had finally slowed down to a sprinkle. I hadn't slept, I woke up the first time at sunrise, now it was early morning.
I looked over at Blackhawk who stretched his paws out in front of him as he yawned.
"Finally awake." I said sarcastically.
Blackhawk turned his head and looked at me. "You look like you slept well." He replied with equal sarcasm.
"Heh, yeah. I couldn't sleep through all the thunder." I sighed.
Blackhawk sat up now. "There was thunder?" He asked in surprise and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Well, you're lucky than." He said, then stood up to leave the den. The fur around his paw pads soaked with the water on the den floor. "Lucky?" I snorted, "And how's that?"
Blackhawk shrugged. "I normally like to stay up and watch the storm, but I guess I slept in. Well, it's worth it, I slept like a newborn pup." He said before jumping out of the den exit, that was about a metre and a half from the ground. It was like a little slide as it slowly went downhill as it got further underground.

Who'd wanna watch a storm? I thought, before shrugging mentally. That wasn't the weirdest thing Blackhawk had done since I met him.
Next to me, SmokeTail spoke drowsily.
"Slept well?" He asked as he yawned.
"Not while it stormed. That was the largest storm I've ever experienced. How'd you sleep, I saw you shuffling a bit earlier."
SmokeTail chuckled. "Yeah, I woke up a few times. Unlike Blackhawk we're actually on alert while we sleep." Uncle SmokeTail said, then he too left the den.

I sighed. I was so exhausted. But I had been through worse. I decided to get up and not let my lack of sleep pull me down.
I began to clean my fur and face, licking my paw then wiping my face to clean it.
After I was done, I joined Uncle SmokeTail and Blackhawk outside the den.
The grass was wet and water dropped from the leaves on the trees, but at least it wasn't raining anymore.
Uncle SmokeTail padded beside me.
"Up to go for a hunt today?" He asked me.
I guessed he wasn't going to take no for an answer, even if I wasn't up to it.
"Sure." I said simply.
"I'll wait for you here." Blackhawk said.
I turned my head and looked at him. I normally want him to come, but the only reason I didn't insist this time, was because he said he'd stay so quickly. Perhaps he wanted some alone time. Everyone needed it sometimes. Plus, I felt like he was trying to strengthen my bond with my uncle.
That was easier if we were alone.

I shrugged. "Okay."
"Alright than let's go." Uncle SmokeTail said excitedly. I smiled at his enthusiasm to teach me what he'd learnt in his long years.

🐱

We hunted until sunset before we finally caught about five rabbits. It seemed a lot of them had went underground into hiding after the storm.
As we walked, I noticed there weren't many flowers around. Not as much as there used to be anyways. I guessed some of them died in the storm. Also, it was Autumn soon so they'd probably stopped growing in large amounts like they used to.

Me and Uncle SmokeTail sat on a log as we watched the sunset. We both got caught up in our thoughts and small conversation.
"Don't you ever get bored living out here alone?" I asked as I watched the sun set.
Uncle SmokeTail looked at me.
"I used to. But now we have each other." He said, watching me curiously.
"Are you lonely?" He asked.
I quickly looked at him and shook my head.
"No no, I'm perfectly happy here!" I said.
Uncle SmokeTail shook his head and smiled.
"You don't ever miss being around animals your age? Or being in a Clan, with a job?" He asked. This was something that had been on his mind. He spoke as if he had suspected this for awhile.
I sighed. "Well... Yeah. But I don't want you to be alone again, and I don't want to leave you." I said sadly. Uncle SmokeTail smiled softly. "If you ever decide to leave, you know where you can find me. And I will come see you whenever I can. I promise."

I nodded. "Okay..." I sighed. This was a difficult situation for me.
Just as I was about to speak more, a voice spoke from only about ten metres ahead of us. The voice was unfamiliar. Me and Uncle SmokeTail's heads swung up and looked ahead.

Two Tabby cats spoke to each other as they walked around a little clearing ten metres away. They both sounded like males. One was completely ginger and the other was grey, with a white under coat, and blotches of ginger fur.
They were too far away for me to make out what they were saying, so I watched them curiously.

After they walked out of view, Uncle SmokeTail spoke. "Peace Clan patrollers." He said. I looked at him now. "Peace Clan?" I repeated. Uncle SmokeTail nodded.
"This is the border of the Peace Clan territory."

April Bluebird/BlueWhiskers1.
BlueWhiskers; Awakening Shadows.
Chapter 10.
9/Jan/2020
1282 Words.