Hunters Raven's adventure (short story)

Chapter 5

Once the cats headed off again, it started snowing. It was Raven's first time seeing snow and he watched as the snowflakes fell from the sky.

He wondered if Sapphire and Dash were just as excited as he was about the snow back at camp. He assumed that they were.

A cold breeze ruffled his fur as he padded after the others. He shivered.

Just then, wind whipped him in the face, making his eyes water and his vision clouded ahead of her.

He no longer could see his companions.
Snow started falling in front of him, making it worse.

"Wait!" He wailed. "Wait for me!"

But, no one answered. He then let his whole body go limp and fell down in the snow.

His eyes flew open and he found himself in the makeshift den that Pepper had made.

Violet was curled up asleep beside him and Butters was on the other side of him.

it was only a dream he realized. He got to his paws, giving himself a shake.

He didn't see Cinnamon anywhere. The others were all curled up, asleep. Perhaps Cinnamon went hunting.

He noticed that he was right when Cinnamon padded over with a plump rabbit in her jaws. She dropped it in surprise when she saw Raven.

"Well you're awake early, Raven." She meowed, surprised.

Raven nodded. He wasn't going to tell her about his dream though. "You as well." He replied bluntly.

Cinnamon was the one to say that he shouldn't have come on this journey. He turned and padded back to the others.

Violet and Butters were awake now, chatting. 

Mokey and Pepper were still asleep, curled up side by side.

Raven couldn't blame them, they were the oldest cats in the journey.

Cinnamon picked up the rabbit, padded over to them, and prodded them awake.

"I hunted breakfast." She told them. They stirred almost immediately and got to their paws.

Mokey's eyes widened. "Wow! Did you catch that?"

Cinnamon nodded, dropping it down at their paws. "For us to eat."

Violet and Butters settled down and began to eat. Cinnamon, Mokey, and Pepper did too.

Raven turned and padded away. Perhaps he could hunt for them too. That way he could be useful and Cinnamon would regret saying that he shouldn't have come.

He then noticed a mouse. Spark had taught him the hunters crouch before back at camp. He could get that easily.

He didn't quite know how to do anything else but he could try. His belly rumbled with hunger and he hoped it wouldn't alert the mouse.

But, the mouse was too intent on its beech nut to notice him. perfect. he thought. Now if I can just get my pounce right. He crept closer but then a twig broke under him.

The mouse noticed him and scurried off. "Mouse dung!" Raven hissed in frusteration.

He then heard bushes rustle behind him and he looked over his shoulder. Had the others found him?

Just then, a dog exploded from the bushes and raced towards him.

Raven's eyes widened and he turned tail and ran.

It was a small brown dog with a black muzzle. It didn't look fully grown. About the age of an apprentice maybe. And it had floppy ears

Raven ran until he finally caught sight of Cinnamon and the others.

He pushed on harder until a bramble twisted around his leg and sent him crashing to the ground.

The dog was heading straight for him. Violet raced over to help Raven.

She closed her jaws around the bramble and tugged at it until it snapped free from Raven's leg.

Raven leaped to his paws and noticed that Pepper had ran up to the dog and got it to chase her instead. He turned to Violet. "Thanks for helping me out."

Violet dipped her head. "It was no problem. But we should go and make sure that the dog doesn't hurt Pepper." She then turned and hared off into the trees to where Pepper and the dog disappeared.

Cinnamon, Mokey, Butters, and Raven all followed.

They finally found the dog gazing up at a tree. Raven followed its gaze and noticed Pepper, hissing and spitting down at it.

The dog was up on its hind paws with its forepaws planted on the tree trunk, barking.

Then, a Nofur voice called in the distance and the cats shrank back behind a bush.

Raven watched as a female Nofur clipped a tendril to the dogs collar and dragged it away.

The cats came out of the bush and Pepper climbed down the tree.

"Raven, what in MoonClans name were you doing? That dog could have killed you!" Cinnamon pointed out. "And how would I explain that to Onyx?"

Raven shuffled his forepaws. "Sorry." He mumbled. "I was trying to hunt for us to prove myself useful but I didn't notice there was a dog behind me."

Cinnamon's tail lashed. "Well perhaps you should have been paying better attention." She snapped. "Didn't you scent it?"

Raven shook his head.

Violet padded over to stand at Cinnamon's side. "Don't be too hard on him." She meowed. "He is only a kit after all. And you did take her in."

Cinnamon narrowed her eyes at Violet but said nothing.

Pepper padded up to them. "Let's get back to our makeshift camp." She told them. "We will sort this out later."

The cats headed back to their camp and when they got there, Violet meowed. "Raven, would you like me to catch you a mouse?"

Raven stiffened. He knew that some cat would ask that. He has never tasted mouse before. He was used to milk. But, he had to try mouse sometime so he replied. "Yeah sure."

Violet smiled. "You'll love it. When you take the first bite, you'll wolf the whole mouse down and would want more after." She purred.

Raven chuckled. "If you say so."

Violet waved her tail cheerfully, turned and bounded off into the trees.

Raven looked at the rest of his companions.

Cinnamon was busy grooming her flank, Mokey was dozing beside Pepper in the sunlight, and Butters was finishing what was left over of the rabbit.

Violet then returned a few moments later with a plump mouse in her jaws. She dropped it down in front of Raven. "Here you are." She meowed

Raven looked down at the mouse. It looked good and smelled good too. He took a bite.

It tasted juicy yet good. He gulped it down and began tearing hungrily at it.

Once he was finished, he licked his jaws for the last traces of mouse. "That tasted good!" He purred.

Violet smiled. "I knew you would like it." She turned to Cinnamon who was padding up to them. "See? I told you that he would taste mouse on the journey and like it. Now we don't have to worry about him wanting milk."

Cinnamon just rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She grunted. "We have to keep moving."