Warriors: The Fading Light ~Series 1 Book 5~

Chapter 5

Clearlight's POV:

The border was quiet and there were no signs of Monsterclan intruding so the patrol was quick and efficient.  Clearlight finished scenting the last part of the border and trotted back to the others, "All done?"

Mousenose glanced at Fluffystream and Snowshadow, who both nodded, and then turned back to Clearlight, "Yep."

"Alright." Clearlight looked up at the sky to judge the time and meowed, "It's not even sunhigh yet. Let's hunt for a bit and return to camp afterwards."

Fluffystream nodded and trotted away in the direction of the twoleg border while Mousenose and Snowshadow went deeper into the territory together. Clearlight decided to go after Fluffystream and caught up to the messy-furred tom. "Where are we hunting?"

"You're the deputy now. You choose." Fluffystream responded and twitched his whiskers.

Clearlight hadn't forgotten he was deputy but he still wasn't used to it. He was glad he was, but he was also surprised. He was too old to be deputy. Did Silverstar pity him? Was that the reason she chose him?

"Clearlight..." Fluffystream's soft voice brought Clearlight out of his trance and he saw the sand coloured tom's ears were pricked. Clearlight darted his gaze around until he spotted what had caught Fluffystream's attention.

A plump brown squirrel was nibbling on a nut at the base of a tree. It hadn't seen them yet and they were only a couple of tail lengths away. Clearlight sank to the ground and flattened his ears to his head. He couldn't mess this hunt up, a squirrel this plump would keep the elders fed for at least a day or two.

Fluffystream followed Clearlight's lead but as they got closer, the other tom slunk away from Clearlight to corner the squirrel if it tried to escape. Clearlight got ready to pounce but Fliffystream went first and he caught the squirrel in his claws. Clearlight darted to help but Fluffystream had already snapped its neck and the squirrel lay dead in his paws.

"W-well done!" Clearlight stuttered, unsure whether he was upset or happy Fluffystream had caught the squirrel. At least that was one more piece of prey for the clan.

Fluffystream seemed to ignore Clearlight's stuttering, thankfully, and picked up the squirrel. "Shall we hunt some more or go and find the other two?"

"Hunt some more. There's bound to be something else hiding in the undergrowth." Clearlight meowed, "Bury the squirrel and let's continue closer to the border."

Fluffystream nodded and dug a small hole and buried the squirrel before hurrying to catch up with Clearlight, who had already set off for the twolegplace border.

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Nutwhisker's POV:

"Stupid leak." Nutwhisker growled as he carried his bundles of herbs outside the den and placed them carefully in the weak sunlight in hopes of saving them.

During the storm, there had been a leak in the den and water had gotten into his herb store. Now over half of his remaining herbs were soaking wet. The Juniper berries had been spoiled already, but luckily they were the only ones. The rest should dry in the sun and then Nutwhisker could return them to his herb store.

As Nutwhisker carried the last of the Goldenrod out of the den and muttered, "An apprentice would be really helpful right now."

"Do you need help Nutwhisker?"

Nutwhisker looked up, slightly flustered, and saw Shinepaw standing in front of him. He had been so intent on his herbs that he hadn't noticed the small she cat approach him. "Uh- um.. Okay."