Hunters Raven's adventure (short story)

Chapter 9

Raven blinked open his eyes from her sleep and he felt something warm and soft press against his fur.

When he turned it was black. Onyx?

He started to suckle when a sharp voice meowed. "What are you doing?"

Raven looked up and realized it was Cinnamon.

"Cinnamon? What are you doing? Why are you laying beside me?" Raven asked.

Cinnamon let out a sigh. "I want to apologize for being rude to you on this journey. I didn't mean anything I said about you and...I want you to know that I do love you as if you were my own kit."

Raven smiled up at her. "I love you too. Is that why you saved me from that Bright Light and that dog?"

Cinnamon nodded. "I couldn't let anything hurt you. I didn't want Onyx to be upset either. Who knows what would have happened if we came back without you." She let out a purr of amusement.

Raven tipped his head to one side. "Why were you rude to me to begin with?" He asked.

Cinnamon sighed and looked away, not meeting his eyes. "Ah. It was something that happened at camp. Me and Barkstar...we uh...had a fight." She replied.

Raven widened his eyes. "But weren't you two close? What happened?"

Cinnamon looked at him again. "I actually requested going with you and I told Barkstar about it instead of Oreo and he didn't want me to go so we had a fight. But he hasn't been paying attention to me so why does he care?"

Raven moved closer to her. "He is a leader." He reminded her. "Like Oreo. He will be busy sometimes."

Cinnamon nodded in agreement. "I know but it seems that he is busy all the time."

"Oh." Raven mumbled. "I don't know then. Anyways, where are the others?"

Cinnamon gestured with her tail to where Butters and Violet were laying together. "Over there." She answered.

"Are we leaving soon?" Raven asked.

Cinnamon nodded. "Yeah but we need to catch something first and eat to give us strength since there are only four of us now. Would you like me to teach you how to hunt?"

Raven nodded eagerly. "Yes!" He purred, getting to his paws. "I have always wanted to help hunt so I could be useful!"

Cinnamon purred in amusement of his excitement and padded into the trees. 

Raven followed her, excitedly.

***

The two cats stopped in the forest and Cinnamon dropped into a crouch.

"Copy my crouch." She told Raven.

Raven crouched down beside his grandmother with his tail waving in the air. "Like this?"

Cinnamon purred in amusement. "Keep your tail still and put it down to your side like mine." She chuckled.

Raven obeyed. He was surprised at how kind the black she-cat was being right now.

Cinnamon grinned. "Perfect!" She purred. "You'll be a great hunter in no time! Now all you need to do is see if you can smell prey."

Raven tasted the air and scented something. He recognized the smell from when he had eaten the mouse. Perhaps it was mouse?

"I think I smell mouse?" Raven mewed.

Cinnamon scented too and nodded. "Yep! That's mouse alright! Good job!" She meowed cheerfully. "Now when hunting mice you need to be careful. Don't hesitate too long. Be well aware of your surroundings and don't swish up the leaves with your tail."

Raven nodded. "Ok." He answered, taking all of this in.

He then noticed a mouse under a beech tree.

Cinnamon flicked her tail. "Go for it." She whispered.

Raven nodded and crept towards the mouse. He made sure there were no twigs or leaves in his sight and his tail stayed at his side.

The wind then ruffled his fur making the mouse freeze up and race away.

But, Raven gave chase. He couldn't let the mouse out of his sight.

He was a mouselength away from it and pounced, giving it the killing bite that Spark had taught him which killed the small animal.

He picked it up in his teeth and bounded back to Cinnamon.

"Impressive!" Cinnamon purred as Raven dropped the mouse down. "It's a plump mouse too! Great job! Let's bring it back to the others!"

Raven nodded, picked the mouse up and trotted after Cinnamon as they went back to Violet and Butters.

Butters looked once Cinnamon and Raven came back to their makeshift camp and widened his eyes. "Did Raven catch that?" He gasped.

Cinnamon nodded, smiling. "I taught him how to hunt and he is becoming quite the skilled hunter."

"That's great!" Butters purred, padding over and giving Raven a nuzzle.

Raven sat down the mouse and meowed. "You and Violet can share this if you want."

Butters shook his head. "Oh no thanks. I already eaten. Violet can have it though. She will need it in case her kits do come on the journey."

Raven nodded, picked up the mouse, and trotted over to Violet.

Violet smiled. "Thank you, Raven. Its impressive how a kit like you can catch a plump mouse." She purred in amusement.

Raven's fur felt hot with embarrassment as he dropped the mouse. "Yeah. I guess." He nudged it towards the she-cat.

Violet dipped her head and began eating the mouse.

Would Raven be able to help Cinnamon hunt for their companions or was the mouse just luck?