Tangled: A Lionheartpublishing Contest (FINISHED)

Chapter 10

Skyheart (Cherry)

I bound along side Lionblaze as he was showing me around territory, he explained borders and the other clans, the thought of other large groups of cats living in the woods kind of made me jumpy but he assured me that the clans stay within their territories unless they have a problem or their looking for a fight. 

"So that's about all" he meowed proudly as we stood underneath a large oak tree. 

The tree was enormous, the long branches stretched high to the warm sunlight and acorns littered the green ground underneath even the distinct sound of prey could be heard scuttling around the large roots that jutted out of the soil. 

"What is this place?" I asked. 

"Sky Oak, it's the largest tree in all the lake territory" Lionblaze meowed. "Guess while were here we can learn a bit of hunting" he suggested. 

"Sure!" I meowed eagerly, wanting to learn and soak up as much knowledge as possible. 

"OK, so first I'll drop into my hunter's crouch" Lionblaze informed, he slank to the ground but his belly never once touch the forest floor "make sure your tail doesn't touch the ground or stick high in the air" he continued after explaining his tail dropped so it just skimmed the forest floor like his belly "then move forward, focus your mind on being silent and push your weight to your back paws so you can pounce quickly"

Lionblaze crept forward not making a single noise, his paws surprisingly nimble and within a moment after scenting the air he leapt with great strength and speed landing squarely on a fat mouse near the oak's trunk. 

"Good catch" I noted as he came back to me.

"Ah it was easy" he purred. "Now you try, remember be silent" 

I dropped into the crouch he had shown me, I tried to push the weight to my hind and I made sure my tail was hovering mousetail's above the ground. I smelled the air, drinking in the earthy forest smells then the delightful smell of mouse hit my nose, I smiled.

I silently crept over to the mouse who was smelling the ground, everything was going well until... CRACK! My paw slipped and crunched a small fallen branch but the noise was loud enough to startle me and the mouse. The mouse instantly sprang forward in a run, oh no you don't, I thought springing into action behind it. 

The mouse was quick but I was only a short tail length away from him but before I knew it I was muzzle first in the grass with no prey and a bad paw ache. I rolled onto my back just as Lionblaze was padding over, his eyes were worried. 

"You ok?" Lionblaze asked concerned. 

"Yeah I'm OK" I mumbled, I blushed embarrassed with myself, I had lost a mouse and made a total fool of myself. 

I stood and shook out my fur. 

"I'm sorry" I meowed ashamed. 

"Why would you be sorry?" he asked softly. 

"I-I lost the mouse" I stuttered. 

"Everyone loses their first prey" he assured, I sighed feeling somewhat better. 

"Yeah but I bet they don't trip" I meowed. 

"No but it sure was funny" he joked with a purr, I purred and pushed his shoulder with my paw. 

"You mousebrain" I scoled jokingly. 

We laughed together blissfully for a moment then he stopped and stared at me causing me to blush my pelt to feel hot.

"You've got a flower petal stuck behind your ear" he noted.

"Really?" I asked about to shake out my fur again. 

"No no let me get it" he offered advancing on me, I thought about pulling back for a moment but I sucked in a silent breath and allowed him to continue advancing on me. 

He settled beside me and licked behind my ear, his touch sending shivers to go down my spine and my blush to get hotter and hotter. I cannot believe someone was actually making me feel this way, happy, blissful and light headed. Could I possibly like Lionblaze?

"Lionblaze?" a voice called out somewhere in the bushes behind us. 

Lionblaze abruptly pulled away and his eyes grew wide with shock, he clearly knew the voice but I had no idea who it was. 

Out of the shadows a beautiful, slender smokey grey tabby she-cat with large dark blue eyes appeared her eyes fixed on me and Lionblaze then dropped to the forest floor as if she were hurt. I had seen her around camp, she seemed well liked and nice but right now vibes of sadness and maybe even... remorse polluted the air around her. 

"Cinderheart" Lionblaze began calmly but his eyes betrayed his confidence. 

"Uh-uh Bramblestar wanted you..." she trailed her voice thick with sadness then she bounded into the dense bushes again. 

I looked at Lionblaze who was also looking pretty sad, I placed my tail on his shoulder in hopes of comforting him. 

"Does she like you?" I asked quietly, Lionblaze looked up at me. 

"She never did" he muttered. 

"Did you like her?" I asked, I held my breath waiting for his reply hoping his next words wouldn't tear my heart in two... why was I so moony all of the sudden? 

"I did" he meowed "but not anymore" he finished staring at me with his intense amber eyes causing a blush to form under my fur again. 

I couldn't be too sure he liked me but at least I hope and dream... right?