Falconblaze found it hard to treck through all the snow. Glancing back he could see Hawkpaw struggling too. After leaving the pine tree where they had slept it didn't take long before they were out of the protective cover of trees and bushes, and the snow lay piled.
What made it even harder was the prey packed on their shoulders and in their mouth. Hunting had been surprisefully successful in the woods, and now they had plenty.
"Maybe when we find more shelter we could camp there for a few days, until the snow starts to disappear?" Hawkpaw suggested after having to pick up all his prey AGAIN. Falconblaze sighed, even though he wished they could.
"The snow won't disappear that quickly." he replied sadly. But after a moment he added, "But maybe we should find a place to camp for a while." Hawkpaw brightened and struggled forwards to walk next to his mentor.
Falconblaze looked up at the sky. The sun was shining again, with no sign of more snow soon. Then he heard honks and quacks and shrill calls above behind them, anbd he twisted his head around to look. Flying low was several 'V's of geese and ducks and other birds, all flying in the same direction as he and Hawkpaw were walking. Falconblaze watch them as they passed over and disappeared behind a steep hill, not too far away. Hawkpaw followed his gaze.
"Something wrong?" he asked, shifting and looking around for any danger. Falconblaze shook his head.
"No... No. I was just surprised by the birds, and I wondered what they were flying towards." he mumbled and started walking again, realizing he had stopped.
Hawkpaw twitched his whiskers. "They're birds." he said slowly, like he was talking to a kit. "Who knows why birds do what they do?"
Falconblaze shot him a killing glare. "It's leafbare." he retorted.
"So?"
"So, birds fly south in leafbare. Now they are going north. There must be something very important up behind that hill for them to defy their nature." he said. Hawkpaw glanced back towards the hill again, but just shruggs and says nothing.
Falconblaze decides to change the subject. "When we reach those hills, we are halfways to the mountain." he said. "Maybe we should stop there until the going gets easier?"
Hawkpaw cheers up. "Great! It's hard with all this snow." He shakes some off his paws as a demonstration. Falconblaze smiles.
"Come on then!" he quickened the pace, eager to reach the hills. In his mind there was a different reason than getting out of the snow though. The birds had roused his curiosity and now he wanted to see what was going on behind there.
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"Woooooow..." the two cats could barely believe their eyes when they reached the top of the hills.
Below them were vast meadows of green grass and warm springs of fresh water. Deer and elk grazed peacfully together, and birds of all kinds danced and dived in the pools of water. Flowers dotted the lush grass with bright colors, and the sunset seemed to reflect in everything. The view was absolutely splendid!
Falconblaze looked ove his shoulder for the fifth time, to make sure it was truly leafbare. Sure enough: behind them were the snowy fields they had just crossed. Falconblaze had been puzzled already when the snow started to disappear as they came closer to the hills. But he had never imagined this.
Gingerly he stepped forwards to touch the ground. It felt strangely warm, as if the sun had heated it over several days. But looking down at the waters again he understood it was warmed water from underground that floated beneath and warmed the ground.
