Skypaw and Greypaw

Chapter 13

Chapter #13

“Pick up the pace, Skypaw!”An annoyed growl sounded from the head of the patrol. Skypaw raced to catch up, just so Mudfoot would stop bugging her.

“I'm sorry,” Skypaw meowed earnestly. Perking up, she thought defiantly, Just because Greystorm is a warrior and will be distracted, I won't let it distract me from my duties! Skypaw had no idea why she felt this way, and she was even more disconcerted that she was a tiny bit jealous! “Can we hunt yet?”

“Why not? Kinkpelt, head that way with Skypaw, and Shadowpelt head over there,” Mudfoot pointed different ways with his tail, directing his hunting patrol. Skypaw dragged her paws to a hawthorn bush Mudfoot pointed at. Kinkpelt was a step in front of her, her jaws open to find a scent of prey. Skypaw shook her head, determined yet again to not make Greystorm's loss distract her from her duties. She would never become a warrior if she continued with that!

“Kinkpelt, I only smell squirrel, but it's really fain,” Skypaw meowed, panic rising to her chest. Her heart beat pounded, while her belly clawed her with hunger. She had yet to eat that day, though none of the other patrol members had ate, either.

“I know. We should head farther. I think we should hunt as a team,” Kinkpelt recommended softly. Skypaw nodded, padding after her mentor through the snow. Skypaw kept her jaws parted the entire time, hoping for just a sniff of fresh-kill. Skypaw growled quietly, frustrated as she couldn't scent anything. “There has to be prey somewhere, Skypaw. It's just a matter of if we find it or not.”

“Hm,” Skypaw mumbled agreement. “I guess they're in the other half of the forest.” Kinkpelt shrugged. Skypaw sighed before trudging on, leaping through the snow like a hare. Her mentor followed shortly behind. They kept quiet, even though the snow crunched under their paws. Skypaw stopped suddenly after they had run only a short way, crouching behind a tangle of brambles. Skypaw signalled to Kinkpelt as she loped up to her. Kinkpelt copied her and she flattened herself to the ground, peering between the bramble stems.

Skypaw saw a squirrel- small, but it was better than nothing. It looked like it was young, too young and small to be a full-grown squirrel, so if she missed it, Skypaw was positive she could chase after it. Kinkpelt nosed her shoulder, drawing her out of the thought. The warrior flicked her ears to tell Skypaw to crawl around the prey, while giving it a wide distance so it wouldn't notice. Skypaw nodded in acceptance before stalking out from behind the shelter of the undergrowth. She padded silently, but swiftly until she was safely behind a bundle of tall sedge. Kinkpelt was still behind the brambles, peering out to see where Skypaw had taken cover. The mentor and apprentice looked gazes, and Kinkpelt nodded slightly. On another cue, Skypaw stalked farther around the squirrel, until it was trapped between the two predators. She had to act quickly or else the squirrel would scent them soon. Almost at once, Skypaw jumped at the Squirrel, snarling ferociously. The squirrel let out a small squeal of surprise before it darted right over to the brambles. Kinkpelt had already placed herself in front of it, and lunged out at it. She smashed her paws down and stunned it, then quickly killed it before it could recover. Skypaw trotted over, her tail curling with satisfaction at their kill.

“Good job. We'll collect it on the way back,” Kinkpelt shoved her prey under the brambles, covering it with snow also. They would hunt a little more before they met back up with the patrol. Skypaw scented the air again, searching for more prey.

Kinkpelt did the same, and started running swiftly through the oaks, leaving Skypaw no choice but to follow. She was right on her mentor's tail, but she was still wondering where they were going. Skypaw suddenly caught the smell of wood mouse. Kinkpelt must have a keen nose to scent it this far! Skypaw thought, impressed. Kinkpelt slowed to a soft walk, steadily moving her silver and black head around to pin point the mouse. Skypaw tapped the warrior on her shoulder with her slender tail, catching Kinkpelt's attention. Kinkpelt followed her apprentices gaze to a close by bush with round, dark green leaves on it. The leaves ruffled now and then, showing where the wood mouse was. Kinkpelt stepped back instantly and flicked her tail, ordering Skypaw to catch it. Skypaw was a little nervous, but she took a deep breath before crouching low. She snuck up with her thin body low to the ground, with her tail sticking straight behind her. Her ears lay flat against her head, but crept up silently on the prey. It had no idea that it was being stalked by a forest cat. Once she was a tail-length away, Skypaw dove into the bush with her paws outstretched. The mouse let out a loud shriek, which tols Skypaw where it was. She swiped it off of a low branch and it fell into the snow beside her, which she quickly rushed to kill it.