Quickstrike's Darkness

Chapter 2

It had been a few days since Maplestar had made the announcement to the clan. All four clans had gathered under the full moon as well since then, and mostly the same stuff was discussed. The clans continued going about their regular duties, and while the worry and fear of Starclan's disappearance still loomed in the air, the initial panic had subsided.

Quickpaw and Flowerpaw had practically forgotten about the trouble as they went out into the forest to hunt. It was one of the first times they were aloud to hunt without their mentors with them. Quickpaw planned to make the most of it.

"What should we look for?" Quickpaw asked. 

"Robinclaw told me that birds come out often early in the morning," Flowerpaw replied, "especially after a New-Leaf shower like last night. It's because there are bugs up out of the ground."

"Sounds like a plan. There will probably be even more bugs by the fallen log, which means more birds!"

"Exactly what I was thinking!"

The two siblings raced after each other as they made their way through the forest. They had been to the fallen log quite a few times, especially with Robinclaw. Their grandfather may be an elder, but he still often liked to visit the clans border where he could see the city he had come from. He also loved to bring Quickpaw and Flowerpaw, even before they had become apprentices. 

"I'm gonna get there first!" Flowerpaw squeaked as she passed her brother.

"Oh no you don't!"

It was hard to imagine that the area wasn't always the lush mossy clearing it was now. Quickpaw had been told countless times how a small fire had burned through the area, which is why there was a downed log there at all. Yet looking at the area, it was almost impossible to tell the wet green moss had replaced smokey grey ash. 

"I win!" Flowerpaw giggled as she leaped up onto the moss-blanketed log. 

"Oh come on! I was so close!"

"Come on, let's get looking for birds." 

Flowerpaw jumped down from the log and began sniffing the misty air for scents of prey. Quickpaw did the same. The two split up to cover more ground. All around, little worms and ants scurried through the mud. It was the perfect place for thrush or jays to appear, it was practically a living fresh-kill pile.

After a while of searching, Quickpaw spotted a small little bird with gray-brown wings and a dark head with white cheeks. The chickadee pecked at the ground at the beetles and bugs scurrying around. The bird hadn't noticed the cat yet, so Quickpaw dropped into a hunting crouch. He made not a sound as he approached the chickadee, hiding around bushes and logs.

Suddenly, an earsplitting yowl echoed through the air. Quickpaw jolted up as he recognized Flowerpaw's voice. He didn't take a second through as he left the bird fluttering away as he raced after his sister.

"I'm coming Flowerpaw!" He shouted.

He found her sitting on the ground, trying to pull a long dark tendril out of her front paw. She winced in pain and let it go each time she tried. 

"What happened?" Quickpaw asked, carefully sniffing her paw.

"I stepped on a thorn branch," she cried. "It hurts."

"Hold still," Quickpaw said as he grabbed the branch in his teeth.

Quickly he yanked the twisting branch out from Flowerpaw's paw, she yowled out again in pain, before Quickpaw gently licked her wound, making sure there weren't any more thorns stuck in her pad. 

"Does it hurt still?"

"It stings a little bit, but not as bad as it was before. Thanks Quickpaw." It was hard for her to keep it a bit of laughter as she continued. "Maybe you should have been a medicine cat."