Frost on the Grasslands | Shelha Series 1 | ✔

Stormhole

It was just as well, for a blow they were certainly taking. Whipper was crouched on a ledge, cornered by Sethral. Silversand flew at him. He caught her paws and swapped their places, bounced off the wall and crashed into Sethral. A screeching hurricane ended with the Saggitayria in a winglock. Whipper ducked Silversand and grabbed her tail, bringing her down on top of Sethral. He hopped on the Royal's back, giggling.

When he finally released them, the three made amends and proceeded to explore every nook and crevice of Stormhole. But the moss was far too soft for productive exploration to last long. Sethral dropped panting beside Jay. The younger renegades were tearing about the cavern, literally bouncing off the walls.

"Find anything interesting?" said Sethral.

'No.' Jay smiled. 'I think Silversand is correct in her instincts. It could a shelter, or an extra infirmary, or a storage room. But most likely a shelter.'

"It is cozy though, isn't it." Sethral gazed around the room. The air was now pleasantly warm from so many active bodies, and kept fresh by the mosses. "Must be nice in the cool season."

Whipper and Silversand finally skidded to a halt in front of them and collapsed in the mosses. "Nothing hidden here that I can tell," panted Whipper. "The walls are solid and the moss feels even. But Silver found this!" He thrust out his paw, showing them a small, copper-coloured object.

Sethral hopped up a stair and peered over Jay's shoulder. "Looks like a youngster's toy."

"I thought so too," said Whipper, "But watch this."

He pinned the object—a crumpled twist of wires—down on the stair. There was a snap as he twisted it sharply.

Silversand leaped to her feet. "You broke it!"

"No, I didn't. Look."

He held up the object again and almost everyone took a step back.

"Give me your paw," said Whipper.

Silversand complied. Whipper slid the contraption over it and fastened something between her pawpads. She lifted it again.

A woven sheath of wire across the back of her paw was secured by a band between her pawpads and the clip at her wrist. Jutting from the front, directly over her own, were claws.

Sethral whistled. "That's a weapon!"

"It's genius," said Whipper. "And look how it fits. Silver, this is from your clan for sure."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" said Sethral. "Give it a try! Go for a rock and see what it can do."

Silversand examined her new outfit in a mixture of unease and fascination. The gauntlet moved with her paw on fine chain links. She could twist, stretch or clench to flex the claws as if they were her own. She turned to the wall and raised her paw hesitantly. It dropped again. "Whipper, I..."

She didn't even know what she wanted to say.

Whipper smiled. "You can do it, Silver."

Silversand took a deep breath, closed her eyes and swiped.

SHINGGGG!

Her friends gasped. Silversand opened one eye a crack, then the other. Three long clawmarks slit the rock before her, cut longer than a pawlength and a claw's width deep.

Sethral ran to the mauled stone, whooping. "Brilliant!"

"You can handle those pretty well," said Whipper. "They're yours now."