Warrior Cats: BloodClan Hunger Games

Chapter 8 - Screaming Voices

The early morning call above startled Icepaw and I awake. Blinking open my eyes, I had to squint as the morning sunshine filtered through the entrance to the hollow tree. I looked around and caught Icepaw's gaze as she lifted her small head from her makeshift nest. Cool air was starting to change to the familiar warm air. Standing up, I glanced up into the dark tree. I noticed the whole trunk was hollowed out. I narrowed my eyes and took a step closer to the back wall. Are those scratches? Running a paw over the trunk, I could feel the several slices in the wood as my pads touched them. I looked to Icepaw, but before I could say anything, Poisons call came from above. 

"Deaths of last night," Poison's voice was emotionless as usual. "Cloudtail." I waited for him to continue, but he stopped there. Anger shimmered through my thick pelt. There should've been more deaths, that way I wouldn't have to kill so many cats to get out of this awful place! My tail flicked to and fro, but the anger didn't stay long. I began wondering if Lostface was sad that her former mate had been killed. With a sigh, I guessed she didn't... she was as heartless as a fox. 

An awkward silence remained and I wasn't sure what to say to break it. Icepaw's voice almost startled me as she muttered, "I'd hoped Hawkpaw was dead by now. You'd think they had a fight between all of them by now," She sat beside me, her fur brushing mine. I nodded, "Oh well." I murmured, climbing out of the hole in the tree and standing on the nearest thawing branch. 

"We need to hunt. First, we should make a marker on this tree only we'd recognize. Just in case we need to flee up here." I suggested as the young apprentice followed me. Icepaw nodded, eyes narrowed in thought. Would a scratch in the tree be enough? Or should I peel the bark off? Maybe I should leave something at the base of the tree?

"What are you thinking?" Icepaw's mew drove me from my thoughts. I glanced over and then looked to the ground. It took me a few heartbeats to reply. "Maybe we should peel the bark off the tree and leave a few scratches in the trunk," Icepaw nodded, standing and she began to climb down. 

Before I could start to climb down, she paused. "How will we get up if it's so far from branches?" She called. Once she was close enough to the ground, I began to make my way down. My heart lurched as my hind leg slipped off of the slippery trunk. Catching myself, I swallowed a whine as my front claws ached from my weight.

"I'll do it to this tree and the one that we used to climb up and make our way over then." I groaned as I hopped off of the tree trunk when I was close enough to the ground. The grass was just starting to thaw, cold droplets soaking the fur on my legs. I shook out my paws and then the tip of my tail as it had trailed along with me into the ground.

Hurrying away, I glanced over my shoulder at the young she-cat. "Come along, we need to get started quickly so we can hunt." I called to her even though she was already on my heels. 

"I don't think any prey would be out yet, it's too cold even for me!" Icepaw commented and I snickered, padding to the tree we had used to climb to the one we slept in. Together we peeled a chunk of the bark off and tore a few deep scratches into the trunk. Sticky sap stuck to my paw and I fiercely rubbed my paw on the wet ground in an attempt to get rid of it. "Ugh! This will take moons to get off..." I growled and, ignoring the sticks and dirt that was clumping up on my paws, began to pad to the next tree. 

Standing back, I noticed it wasn't as visible as I had hoped. "Icepaw, continue on these trees. I'm going to grab something to make this one more noticeable. And don't make the tree we sleep in noticeable, if Hawkpaw finds it he'd probably come and kill us in our sleep." Icepaw looked over her shoulder to hear me better and nodded when I had finished. She got back down to all fours and headed to the next tree over. "Be right back," She mumbled an okay as I trotted away.