'StarClan's Gift'

Snake

Stretching,I opened my eyes and headed out of the den.

It had finally stopped raining,and there were puddles everywhere,the ground was soggy,and the trees were glistening with rainwater.

But despite the weather,Geckopuddle was already sending off patrols.

And I sighed in relief as I spotted Robinfeather amongst the cats gathered before the NewtClan deputy.

Padding over to where Podflame lay,I smiled at him and flicked my tail. "Would you like to go hunting with me? We can go to the river and see if it's flooded too! And we can take your sister if you'd like to."

Podflame twitched his whiskers. "Sure,but,Dusksky is busy with work right now,but we can go! I can't wait to see the river!"

Right when we were about to leave,Nightpaw came running over to us,meowing, "Hey guys!! Can I come? Can I? Can I?"

I chuckled. "Shouldn't you be training or hunting with your mentor?"

"Yeah,but,Frogwhisker is too busy training with,Silverpaw and Squirreltail!"She whined.

I smiled. "Fine,you can come."

Nightpaw jumped in delight,bouncing after us as we left the camp and headed toward the river,which we could hear clearly,as it was very loud.

"Spread up?"I tilted my head.

"Sure,meet back here once you have caught something,"Podflame mewed,then turned and looked at Nightpaw,giving her a stern look. "And do not go far."

Bounding a little ways into the forest,I opened my mouth,drinking in the scents of the forest around me.

A caught a whiff of strange cat,that wasn't a Clan-cat,or at least I didn't recognize it.

Then a scraggly furred dusty brown cat slunk out of a bush in front of me,their eyes sparkling with mischief. "Greetingsssss,Clan-cat,"she meowed coolly,sitting down calmly. "I ssssee you're all alone in the foressst."She said the word s almost like a snake would,stretching out the 's'.

I gulped nervously. "Y-yes,who are you?"

The she-cat laughed,but her face showed no emotion. "Sssssnake."She mewed,licking her paw and drawing it over her ear.

She seemed calm,like she was used to this.Mabye she is,I don't know how long she has lived here.

"What'ssss your name?"The she-cat paused her licking to ask me the question.

"Oh,umm,Gingerleaf.I'm from NewtClan."I replied.

"You ssssshould join my pack,"She grinned. "You would like it there.You can leave your puny....Clan,you know deep down they don't really love you,they simply,put up with you."

Those words cut deeper than she probably realized,and I covered my leg-stump with my tail,suddenly insecure about it. "W-what? No,my Clan loves me....."But I was trying to convince myself that.

Snake stared at me for a moment,before letting out a long,sad,bitter laugh. "Poor child,isssss that really what you think?"

Snake stepped forward a bit,and I could feel her breath on my face. "Come with me,"her voice was barely a whisper. "I could be like the true friend you never had,I could be like a real mother to you."

Her words settled in my mind,and I blinked,swallowing thickly.

"Ssssso,"Snake smiled widely. "What'ssssss it gonna be?"

Should I? Or should I not?.....