The Blazing Sun

Chapter 6

A/N: I am so sorry that I didn't keep my promise and update every Thursday. I was very busy with schoolwork, and this slipped my mind. Anyways, I'll stop babbling and let you enjoy!

Shadow's POV

Shadow successfully brought in an ostrich with Pepper and Bramble. They are almost rare in their territory, and pretty hard to catch too. But if you manage to capture one, you will eat good meat for a few days.

"I can see you are reaching full potential, Shadow. I'm very proud of you," Spot meowed with satisfaction.

Shadow dipped his head with bashful pride, as he grabbed some food for himself, waved goodbye to Pepper and Bramble, as he headed towards his littermates. It's been a whole moon, and not one clue was found about the mysterious visions that Shadow and his littermates received. However, they were going to have their assessment in a few sunrises.

Tiger, with his mouth full of warthog, waved with his tail towards Shadow. Shadow copied his movement to Tiger.

"Hi, Shadow. How's the prey running?" Basil swallowed her piece of warthog.

"It's going well. I caught an ostrich today," Shadow calmly sat down, and dug into his hare.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Basil exclaimed.

"Sweet," Tiger licked his lips, "Should be tasty. I haven't had an ostrich for moons!"

Shadow smiled, "Did you know that Honey's cublings came a few sunrises ago? Apparently they came a bit late, but were healthy!"

Basil's eyes grew wide with delight, "Really? I must've been too concentrated with my training that I don't even know what's going on in my own tribe!"

Shadow laughed.

"Let's go see them, then," Tiger finished the last bit of warthog and stood up.

Shadow nodded.

Shadow, Basil, and Tiger entered the nursery quietly. Shadow saw Honey and Sorrel watching their cublings. Honey's newborn cubs were suckling. There were three lumps of fluffy fur squirming near Honey's belly.

"Awe, they're adorable!" Basil cried.

"Aren't they?" Honey beamed.

"I'm very happy for you, Honey," Shadow chirped.

"What are their names?" Tiger meowed, as he drew closer to the cublings.

Honey pointed with her nose to individual bundles of fur, "This one," Honey waved towards a giant cub, "is Cloud. The one in the middle is Thorn, and the last one," Honey gently pawed the smallest cub, "is Owl. And I am very proud to have them as my cubs."

Shadow and his littermates stayed with the cublings for a bit more, until they decided to rest, "Thank you Honey."

"No problem," Honey wearily replied, and rested her head for some sleep herself.

Tiger led him and her sister to the apprentice den. They all laid in their nests and instantly fell asleep.

A call jolted Shadow awake. He opened his eyes and squinted because of the bright rays of the drowning sun. Shadow got up and did a quick stretch, and padded by Basil's nest, "Wake up, Basil. Amber is calling for a meeting. And by the sound of it, it's urgent."

Basil reluctantly opened her eyes, and heaved herself up, "Okay."

"Oh, and wake Tiger on the way out," Shadow meowed whilst stepping through the threshold of their den.

Shadow trotted next to his tribemates and looked up at his leader. In a few moments, his brother and sister joined him.

"Cheetahs of the Savannah camp, I bear grave news from one hunting patrol today," Amber sorrowfully meowed. She then flicked her tail. Memphis and Sabel stepped on the boulder, dragging a carcass of a gazelle. Flies were swirling and buzzing around the dead animal. Shadow heard few shocked gasps, as Memphis tilted the gazelle to show the tribe the wounded area. Oil oozed out of one small point. Shadow was horrified. He realized that he recognized the shiny thing that penetrated the animal.

"Basil, Tiger, I know that silvery thing,"Shadow hissed to his littermates.

"What is it?" Tiger whispered.

"I remember. You said that in your vision, a long, sleek black material, or more accurately, something shot out of it that killed the zebra," Basil piped up.

"Yes," Shadow murmured, "I think our visions are finally coming true. And it is finally here."

"Well, what are we going to do?!" Tiger hissed.

"We wait for now," Shadow mewed, "If this continues, we will go to Amber ourselves and personally tell her what is going on."

"Okay, great idea," Basil replied.

"Dismissed. And if we find anything else, I will alert the whole tribe as I did now."

Shadow's ears perked up. He just remembered that his leader was still announcing the tragedy. Shadow faced his littermates' sleepy faces. "Let's go. We'll discuss this further after a good night's rest."

"Shadow, Basil, Tiger, let's go on a patrol."

Shadow turned and saw his mentor with a group of cheetahs by the entrance of the camp. "Or not," Shadow grumbled.