LOST

Chapter 5

Emberpaw pounced out from behind the snow-covered bush, her claws aimed at a scrawny white rabbit. She landed in the crisp white snow with a thump, a tail length away from the rabbit. Her prey jerked its head up and fled into a crack between two rocks. Amberpaw growled and sat up, shaking fresh snowflakes from her ginger pelt for the millionth time.
"You haven't had any training, mousebrain!" Bluepaw purred behind her. "Did you really think you would catch that rabbit?"
Emberpaw hissed with amusement and slung around, clumsily tackling her sister to the ground. Bluepaw kicked blindly at Emberpaw's belly, squeaking with delight.
"What are you two doing?" A voice growled. Emberpaw hopped off Bluepaw and straightened up. In front of her stood a large grey tom, his tabby pelt dotted with snowflakes. His blurry amber eyes glared at them. He stunk of ShadeClan. Suddenly Emberpaw recognised him as Possomshadow, the deputy of ShadeClan! She gulped, her skin feeling hot. Caught by such a high rank!
"I- um, we-" Bluepaw started.
"What are your names?" He growled.
"I'm Emberpaw and this is Bluepaw." Emberpaw meowed quietly.
"You're BrightClan, right? Who do you think you are, kits?"
Emberpaw stared at her snow covered paws. She was too embarrassed to shake the snowflakes off her pelt.
"Don't you have training to do? Go make yourselves useful." Possomshadow hissed, then stalked off.
"Who put dirt in his prey?" Emberpaw hissed into Bluepaw's ear.
"We were fooling around..." Bluepaw muttered.
"But Dawnleap and Foxtalon told us to burn some energy!" Emberpaw lashed her tail. "If-" she stopped and tasted the air. A faint scent made her neck fur bristle. It seemed far away at first but got stronger.
"What?" Bluepaw asked.
"Fox!" She hissed back. The smell grew stronger. "Can't you smell it?" Suddenly a shade of orange flashed in the white, frosty leafless bush branches.
"There!" Bluepaw screeched. The fox growled and lowered its head, pushing out of the twigs. It foamed at the mouth and its tiny black eyes glittered with anger.
"Run!" Emberpaw yowled and turned tail. Bluepaw pelted after her. The fox's paws thumped in the snow, only a short length away. It lunged forward and barely missed Emberpaw and Bluepaw's tails by a whisker.
"Up the mountain!" Emberpaw yowled. "If we climb that rock we'll be safe!" She darted forwards, forcing her tired legs to push her uphill. The tall jagged rock loomed ahead of her. The fox would be too clumsy to climb it. Her heart thudded in her chest and blood pounded in her ears as she struggled to catch up with Bluepaw, who was now in front of her. The swift blue tabby flew ahead with long strides, making Emberpaw a little envious. The fox's breath was hot on Emberpaw's hindquarters and her lungs were screaming for air. Then she leapt, paws outstretched. Her claws dug into the hard surface of the rock. Bluepaw looked down at her, her blue eyes wide. The rock crumbled under Emberpaw's claws.
"Bluepaw!" Help me!" She screeched as she fell... Down into the fox's awaiting claws. And then stinging red pain flashed through her body. Emberpaw shrieked and gazed wildly at Bluepaw, still on the rock. The fox kept tearing at her, clawing her eyes. Emberpaw struggled wildly and screeched with pain, feeling warm sticky liquid pulse out of her body everywhere. Suddenly, a flash of dark grey leapt over her, followed by a silver streak. Then everything went black.