Raincloud's Followers-The Falling Storm Book 1

Chapter 4

Scenting a mouse, she stopped. Creeping forward, swiftly and cautiously. When she was only a mouse length away, she pounced.
The mouse ran through her paws, missing her claws by a hair. She scowled. If I can't catch a mouse, what can I catch?

Looking up, she saw Goldenpool stalking a squirrel ready to run up the nearest tree. Stalking up behind it, she flicked her tail tip to let Goldenpool know she was helping.

Goldenpool stalked forward. Stormfall stood behind the tree.

Stormfall stepped forward, again, again, Crunch! She stepped on a leaf! The squirrel darted up the tree.

She sighed, "I'm sorry, Goldenpool. That was my fault. You could've caught it."
Goldenpool started to dig up something. "I already caught something. Its not your fault, Stormfall. The squirrel was skinny anyway."

Goldenpool unearthed a sparrow. Stormfall had caught nothing. "Let's head back. Do we have any extra prey to carry?" Stripetail peered around at the patrol. No one answered. She sighed, "Can I go fetch Raincloud and Swiftkit?" Stripetail nodded. She padded swiftly through the undergrowth unnoticed. She reached the clearing to hear Swiftkit growling.

"Grrr, I'll beat you, fox dung ShadowClan!" She saw Swiftkit pounce onto Raincloud. He swiftly turned his entire body, pinning her with a single paw. "Next time you tackle an older apprentice or a warrior alone go for the belly. Here, try this." Swiftkit watched in awe as her mentor shared his knowledge.
Raincloud started to get into the hunters' crouch.

"We're leaving." Stormfall announced, giving away her hiding place.
Raincloud looked up. He got out of his crouch, standing up, he flanked Swiftkit.

"Okay, maybe Finchstar will let me take you hunting tomorrow." Raincloud licked in between Swiftkit's ears affectionatly.

"Let's go, Stripetail's waiting." She said a little harsher than she intended. Raincloud flicked his ears as they headed towards the patrol. The patrol
walked back to the camp silently. Not a word was spoken, except by Swiftkit who kept asking questions.

"Are we going to pass the owl tree?"
"We already did. You'll see it again tomorrow." Raincloud said.

"What was your first prey? Mine was a vole." Swiftkit asked her.
"A dove." Stormfall replied.

"How far is it from here to WindClan? I heard its far."
Stormfall nodded.

"Can I go to the gathering tomorrow?"
Stormfall had forgotten about the gathering! She probably wasn't going anyway, but she could at least help guard camp.

"I'll have to talk to Finchstar about it, but don't get your hopes up, your still a kit." Raincloud answered.

They eventually reached camp.

Flameheart was sharing tongues with
his brother Foxfur by the warriors den.

Leopardpaw and Greenpaw were also sharing tongues by the Apprentices' den.
Cloverpaw and Clawpaw were sharing a skinny piece of prey by the nettles.

The elders lay sprawled outside their den.

Birchbark and Cloudsound were sitting beneath the High rock whispering. Daisyheart padded out of Finchstar's den to sit beside Cloudsound.

Flywing sat outside the nursery half asleep with Treekit and Duckkit playing in the clearing.

Swiftkit immediately bounded over. "I'm Swiftstar, leader of ThunderClan! Get off my territory!" Swiftkit screeched at Treekit.

Stormfall chuckled, kits!
Stripetail headed to speak with Daisyeheart, Goldenpool put her sparrow on the fresh kill pile, Raincloud went to speak with Finchstar in his den.