Warriors: Silent

27

      One moon had passed since Wamheart's kits became apprentices, and since then Sunfur's kits have been given mentors as well. Duskpaw became the apprentice of Buckheart, and Doekit the apprentice of Crowfur. And at the last Gathering,  Lavenderstar announced a patrol had spotted the bear just between StoneClan and ValleyClan territory.

  Currently though, Frostcloud stalked a mouse as it nibbled on a cricket near Little Cave, oblivious to her presence. Prey wasn't yet scarce, but already Frostcloud noticed it took longer on hunting patrols to find a scent trail.

  "Frostcloud! What are you looking at?" Mosspool called from somewhere behind the white she-cat, who flicked her tail to silence her friend. I'm in a hunters crouch, Mosspool! Wait a moment! She thought at her, hoping somehow she could hear.

  The mouse had stopped eating and stared for the source of the sound, so Frostcloud pressed herself down further behind a small tangle of brambles, willing the mouse wouldn't spot her. Instead, it seemed to catch her scent, and just as it dropped its cricket, Frostcloud pounced.

  She had missed the landing, and bolted after the rodent as it darted off, only to escape Frostcloud's claws by a tail-length as it disappeared under brambles so thick Frostcloud wouldn't be able to break through. "Mosspool!" Frostcloud called angrily. Not even an apprentice would shout and startle prey like that!

  A brief moment passed before there was an outburst of yowling and hissing between two cats. With hair on end and blood cold, Frostcloud bolted towards the source of the sound, erupting from the bushes to spot Mosspool. Her friend had her back was towards her, but her tail lashed and she was poised to launch another attack on her target just ahead of her.

  A tail-length away, a small white she-cat was pressed on a tree. Her blue eyes wide in horror as she stared at Mosspool. Parts of her pelt were damp from where Mosspool had bit, but no blood was drawn. The attack the warrior had launched was a mere warning. "Who are you?" Mosspool demanded.

  Frostcloud watched the cat in disbelief. This cat, whoever she was, looked identical to the one she had seen in her dreams- the one she couldn't save from the monster, the one she couldn't guide away from the icy path.

  "Don't attack her!" Frostcloud blurted out as she bounded towards the two. The stranger's eyes darted to Frostcloud upon her breaking into her line of sight, and while previously terrified, Frostcloud just barely caught a glint of recognition in them.

  "She's an intruder!" Mosspool hissed.

  "I've dreamt about her!" Frostcloud explained desperately, the words coming out before she could stop them. Something deep inside Frostcloud, something she couldn't understand, told her not to attack this cat. Somehow, she knew that whoever this cat was was the one she had dreamed about. And then, upon noticing the ribs that jutted out of her flank, Frostcloud went on, "And she's too weak to fight back!"

  Mosspool flicked her ears in agitation, but put her raised claw back on the ground, much to the visible relief of the stranger. "She doesn't smell like any of the Clan's. Where have you come from?" Mosspool asked with an authoritive tone, but the cat was too stunned to answer.

  "We have to bring her back to the Clan." Frostcloud said suddenly, turning back to Mosspool. Whitestar, Dawnheart, someone would know what to do with this cat. There was no Clan to chase her back to! Slowly, stiffly, her friend nodded, and stepped away from the she-cat.

  Gently, Frostcloud pressed a sheathed paw against the cats shoulder, and nudged her in the direction of camp. Then with the stranger between the two warriors, the trio began the trip back to the Clan. "What's your name?" Frostcloud asked the cat, but to no avail as she remained mute.