The Rogue Traitor #3 - Two Worlds

Chapter One

"The Clan is going to be so happy when we bring these mice home," whispered Whiskerstar, slinking along the forest floor as he and his apprentice followed the strong scent of mouse. Because it was leaf-bare, the scent of prey would have been scarce in the forest, and it clearly showed on the warriors in SpringClan. Their pelts were dull, and their ribs were beginning to show through their fur, whereas Birdpaw, Inky and Angel were quite plump from the mice at the farm. Sorrelkit and Sparrowkit were a good were a good weight, but their mother, however, was slightly underweight from exhaustion and just having given birth to kits.

"Will there be enough for the Clan?" asked the she-cat, also whispering as the scent of mouse grew stronger and stronger with every paw step.

"Possibly," replied Whiskerstar, "but it is likely not. Hopefully we will get a good haul though." They fell silent at the sound at the faint sound of squeaking and shuffling coming from a hole near the roots of an oak tree. The grey tabby tom flicked his tail at his apprentice, telling her to lie quietly, before he walked slowly towards the tree roots. Birdpaw held her breath as her mentor took a silent breath in before pouncing on the hole in the roots and digging rapidly. It no time, the mice began to pour out of their nest and it was literally a feeding frenzy, the two warriors jumping on every mouse they could reach. Most of the mice were able to run away into the forest, but when the hunt was over and they stepped back to admire their catch, they had caught quite a few.

"This will be able to feed all five kits," meowed Whiskerstar, gathering the mice into a pile, "plus Flowerstem and Silversong. We could also give Chiveleaf one but that will mean there is one left."

"Well, we did get quite a few," meowed Birdpaw, "at least some stomachs will be filled."

"Let's just hope that the other hunting patrols brought back something," sighed Whiskerstar, looking into the forest.

"The hunting patrols that you send out every hour until they catch something to put on the fresh kill pile?" asked the apprentice stiffly. The grey tabby tom looked away, for a couple of heartbeats, guilt radiating off him.

"Dewpaw told you that?" he asked sadly, and the apprentice nodded.

"How could he not," she replied, "he was worried and scared at what you had become. You know it isn't right to treat warriors like that. They were trying their best but clearly it wasn't good enough for you."

"I just wanted to keep my Clan alive," he whispered, sitting down with his back facing her, "I had already lost one of my oldest apprentices, my own apprentice, my mate and my unborn kits. I didn't want to lose anyone else, especially to death."

"But you didn't have to over work your warriors like that," she sighed, "they were trying their best. You were probably bringing them closer to death treating them like you were, they barely got any sleep and were hunting on very low energy. I am surprised none of them ran away." The grey tabby tom didn't answer and Birdpaw cursed her tactfulness.

"Don't stress anymore," she soothed, walking over to him, "we are all back safe and sound, plus you have two new kits who are going to make excellent warriors. And you also have your own kits here too."

"I know," he mewed softly, shoulders hunched.

"Just promise me you won't do something like that ever again, please?" she begged, looking up into her mentor's eyes and he looked down at her.

"I promise," he mewed, smiling.