Falconblaze yawned and stretched in his nest. Hawkpaw was just starting to stir in his nest too, unsheathing his claws as he stretched and slowly blinking open his eyes. Falconblaze got up onto his paws, and prodded Hawkpaw before padding over to the closest pool for a drink. The water was warm, but clear and fresh so he didn't really mind. Soon after Hawkpaw joined him, and after quenching their thirst decided to eat a little. Falconblaze remembered that they had left the prey a little away from their nests in case there were any predators around, so they retraced their steps from the other night.
"What happened here?" Hawkpaw exclaims, coming to a dead stop. Falconblaze was just as shocked. All the prey was scattered, that is, what remained of it. Everything had been eaten, and all that remained were a few scraps of fur and bone!
"Good thing we didn't leave this by our nests, or we would have ended the same way!" Falconblaze commented. Hawkpaw nods, eyes wide with surprise and fear. But something must have caught Hawkpaw's eye, because the young apprentice slowly walks over to something mixed up with some red squirrel fur. Falconblaze follows, until he can make out another piece of fur that didn't come from any of the prey.
"What's that scent?" Hawkpaw asks, after a quick sniff. Falconblaze steps forward.
"Let me try." he says, bending down. The tang was strong like a predator, and carried a whiff of pine and wind.
"Definitely a wild creature." he meowed, "but nothing I have scented before."
Hawkpaw looks at his mentor curiously, then gazes out across the open fields.
"Strange..." he murmurs. Falconblaze nods.
"Indeed. But we still have to find food." he points out. "Now that we know there are predators around we can't stock up like this as we planned. We have to hunt a little everytime, just so we have enough for one or two meals. Then we should carry the remains away and bury them." he waves his long tail around the trampled grass and bones. "Let's carry this away for now, so it doesn't attract any more creatures we don't want here." he says.
Hawkpaw and Falconblaze carefully rake together all the remains, then start digging it all down. When they were finally done the sun was long since up, and they were even more hungry than before.
"Can we hunt now?" Hawkpaw begged. Falconblaze smiles and nods.
"Yes. But let's stay close for now. We wouldn't want to get separated and then attacked by those creatures around here, whatever they are." he meows. Hawkpaw nods, for once not objecting.
They decide to stick close to the water, hoping that the prey would come down for a drink. They would also be able to hide in the pools in case the predators appear. The hunting went well though, and there was no sign of the animals as they lay down to eat. Hawkpaw had a water vole, and Falconblaze had managed to catch a fish! When they were done gobbling up their prey Hawkpaw buried the bones and Falconblaze tossed his back into the water.
"Why did you do that?" Hawkpaw asked, clearly surprised.
"Fish eat smaller fish, and when they eat they grow bigger. Maybe if they eat the remains of my fish they will grow bigger and we will have more to eat!" Falconblaze explained. Hawkpaw tilted his head and frowned.
"Fish eat other fish? Ew! That would be like you eating me if ever I died!" he says. Falconblaze grins.
"And how do you know I won't?" he teased. Hawkpaw snorted.
"You wouldn't dare!" he retorted. Falconblaze lifted his chin.
"Oh, wouldn't I now?" he raises and eyebrow. Hawkpaw shook his head.
