Heart Of A Fighter (Book 3): Home Is Calling

Chapter 12: Take The Plunge

"Little hatchling."

Goslingpaw squirmed lightly in her sleep and muttered, "Five more minutes, Aldertrail."

"That's not my- oh, for Star's sake, Goslingpaw!"

That was certainly not Aldertrail.

Sleepily, she opened her eyes only to see Russet Rush standing there, blue eyes staring right back at her humorously as he smiled playfully down at her.

"Good light, little wren. Sleep well?" He asked with a smile. "Russet Rush?" She croaked, before cringing at how she sounded like she just swallowed a dust-ridden trout head-first, bones and all.

"In the flesh, bones and fur, who else would I be?" he meowed proudly. Goslingpaw yawned and glanced around. Her fellow clan-mates were all still asleep in small groups, their flanks rising and falling rhythmically with their breathing.

Slowly, she eased herself out from under her foster mother's tail, being careful not to wake Aldertrail or Azurestar up as both were sleeping next to her, tails coiled protectively.

Arching her back into a stretch, she was only faintly aware of Xiera laying next to the RoadWalker who was sleeping on a small contraption called a chair, her pale eyes half-lidded as she watched over the BlazeClan cats like they were a herd of sheep.

Splash Sprint landed next to Russet Rush shortly after, and he smiled down at her kindly. "Come on, little wren. We're taking you fishing." This got the cream and brown she-cat's attention quickly.

"Fishing?" She repeated in surprise. "Yes, we must catch some prey for your clan, mustn't we?" Chuckled the blue-grey tom with a look of amusement on his face. "Those bellies won't feed themselves."

"But doesn't this boat have mice skittering around the place? Can't we catch those?" She queried. "Nope. The fisherman keeps his water monster neat and tidy. No rats or mice to catch," Russet Rush replied.

"Oh." Russet Rush nosed her head gently and chuckled. "Now come on. The sun won't rise for a good hour or so, let move before it does and sends the fish fleeing to the cooler depths," he meowed.

Without waiting, he turned and swiftly shot into the air, Splash Sprint following. Glancing back for a moment, Goslingpaw blinked at her slumbering foster parents before taking off to join the two winged toms.
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The cool night air bathed her face and brought great comfort to her as she flew beside the two older toms. She had shaken off any remaining grogginess by now, and was enjoying the flight greatly.

Ahead, Russet Rush was humming an ancient song to himself, his voice being surprisingly lovely like the song of magpies. Splash Sprint was navigating through the dark, his eyes scanning the waters below.

"We're here," he finally announced after a long while. "Do you see those silver flashes under the water?"

Goslingpaw glanced down, and could catch glimpses of silver darting about in one direction under the waves.

"What are they?" She whispered. "Needlefish. Rather ugly little things, but they're moderately healthy though they taste absolutely revolting to me," Russet Rush replied.

"We also crush their bones to a powder which makes an ancient medicine the Latros used in war decades ago when it's combined with some special herbs," Splash Sprint added.

Goslingpaw nodded her head in understanding. "So how do we catch them?" She asked. "Simple. You and I will dive under water and break the school from within, and snag as many fish as you can in your jaws," Splash Sprint began.