Shrewstar's Life {Warriors FanFiction}

Chapter 8

     "Shrewpaw, Shrewpaw wake up," a soft whisper sounded in Shrewpaw's ear. She blinked her eyes open, tiredness weighing her eyelids down, and looking up she saw Rabbitflight standing beside her nest. Shrewpaw stood up and looked over her shoulder making sure that her denmates were still fast asleep. She padded softly out of the apprentices den, making sure her mother followed.

     "Is something wrong?" Shrewpaw spoke softly once they were both outside the den. She wondered what could be going on.

     "No, nothings wrong dear, we're going to visit your father," Rabbitflight's soft words shocked Shrewpaw. Obviously she wanted to see Volestar again but was now really the time? Their Clans were on the brink of a battle! Rabbitflight must have seen the shock on Shrewpaw's  face because she began to speak again. "I thought you would be excited to see your father, are you sure nothing's wrong?"

     "Well it isn't that anything is wrong or that I don't want to see Volestar, and really I normally would be excited. But is now really the right time, with everything going on between WindClan and RiverClan. It would be more dangerous now then ever if we were caught!" Shrewpaw exclaimed, while trying to keep her voice down so as to not wake any of her Clanmates. She looked into her mother's brown eyes wondering if she should have just said nothing was wrong.

     "You're right Shrewpaw," Rabbitflight breathed. Shrewpaw let out a sigh of relief, Rabbitflight understood. But the Shrewpaw's mother began to speak again, "You should go back to your nest now dear, I'll go alone to visit your father tonight." Shrewpaw opened her mouth to argue but Rabbitflight gave her a warning look before waving her into the den with her tail and padding towards the camp entrance. Shrewpaw turned around as her mother walked off. When she reached her nest she curled up, layed her tail down over her nose and drifted to sleep.

                                                                             ***

     Wind whipped through Shrewpaw's fur as she pelted after the rabbit in front of her. She knew that Nettlepaw would be waiting for her to drive it over the ridge just ahead. She drove the rabbit closer and closer to the ridge, nearing it with each heartbeat. When the rabbit ran over the ridge she heard its paw steps fall quiet. She looked over and saw Nettlepaw with the rabbit hanging in her jaws.

     "Great catch." Shrewpaw congratulated her friend. She saw Nettlepaw replied with a nod, unable to speak over the rabbit in her jaws. The two friends headed back to where the rest of the patrol was waiting for them.  Seedfur and Stormheart each had a lapwing lying at their paws and Softspring had a small rabbit. It wasn't until Shrewpaw saw her and Nettlepaw's rabbit that she realized it was actually quite large.

     "Shrewpaw, Nettlepaw you to did a good job working together to catch that rabbit. Leopardfern and Berryclaw will be pleased." Softspring praised the two apprentices as they neared the rest of the patrol. Shrewpaw dipped her head in acknowledgement and watched as Nettlepaw did the same.

     "We should probably head back to camp now." Stormheart added in. The sky is starting to get dark, I didn't realize we'd been out so long! Shrewpaw thought to herself.

     "I agree." Seedfur replied looking up at the slowly darkening sky. The patrol all picked up their prey and begun to head back to camp. 

     The cats of the patrol walked to silently, Shrewpaw and Nettlepaw would take turns carrying their rabbit. When they got back to camp the warriors took their prey to the pile and Shrewpaw and Nettlepaw headed to the elders den. 

     "Leopardfern we caught you and Berryclaw a big rabbit today!" Nettlepaw called to the spotted elder from the entrance of the den. Shrewpaw watched and the old shecat nudged Berryclaw awake.

     "Bring it over here to us." Leopardfern called from where she sat with her deaf mate. Shrewpaw walked beside Nettlepaw as her friend carried the rabbit to the elders.

     "Enjoy." Shrewpaw added as the to she-cats turned to head back out of the den. She looked over at Nettlepaw. "Do you want to grab something from the prey pile to share?" She asked her friend. 

     "Sure." Nettlepaw replied. Shrewpaw looked over at her and hared over to the pile. She saw Nettlepaw pass her and get there just before her. "I beat you!" Nettlepaw purred and Shrewpaw watched a smile pass over her friends face. 

     "I'm sure I'll beat you next time!" Shrewpaw replied beginning to purr as well. "What do you think about this?" Shrewpaw asked grabbing a hare from the pile.

     "It looks good." Nettlepaw replied. Shrewpaw padded over to the edge camp where there were less cats and sat down,  watching as Nettlepaw sat down beside her. She begun eating and talking with her friend, as the nighgt slowly slipped away.