(ORIGINAL BOOKS' AU) Warrior Cats - A Frail Soul's Torment

4 - The Snake

Squirrelflight found Jayfeather and Alderheart coming out of her mate's den and called for them, trying to keep her shaky paws under control.
"Come on, you just need a few poppy seeds or... whatever will help against this and you'll be fine."
She told herself.

<< Hi mom~ >>

Smiled Alderheart gently.

<< Hi guys, were you talking with Bramblestar? >>
<< Yes. He will call a Clan meeting later, when everyone will be in camp to listen. >>
<< Really? Has something happened? >>

While the younger medicine cat nodded enthusiastically, Jayfeather simply said: << Yes, but now you should focus on your duties, don't get distracted >>.

<< I never do, dear. >>

"Yes, my deputy's duties and these 'secret news' will surely keep my mind occupied."
Smiling widely, the she-cat thanked her sons and went to take some cats with her for a good hunting session, feeling reassured by the fact that Ashfur wouldn't come back that easily if she kept focusing on finding food and trying to guess what were the news.
"I'll take Shellfur and Leafshade with me."
And so she went to search for them.

---

<< Can you smell anything? >>
<< I smell mouse, really close. >>
<< Let's check in different directions, we might find more food. >>

Nodding, Shellfur and Lesfshade went in separate ways, leaving Squirrelflight to smell the air for more prey.
Of course the three cats weren't going too far from each other, she made sure to stay close enough to be heard and to hear them in case they called for help.
"Mh... is Bramblestar going to make some kits apprentices? ... No, none of them is old enough."
The red cat caught the smell of something strange, vaguely resembling that of a snake and while many cats usually avoided hunting those, she decided to try and see if she could catch it.
"I could hide the snake in Bramblestar's den and scare him."
Squirrelflight thought with a silent laugh.
She remembered an old story her father used to tell her and her sister, it was about him and his friends when they were apprentices and Ravenpaw, a friend of the Clan that lived in the barn near the old forest, had caught a snake and they placed it right at the entrance of the apprentices' den, hidden enough to scare their denmates that, ironically, were her mother and her former mentor when they were younger.
"Oh, I can see his scared face already! This is going to be so-HOLY STARCLAN!"
She went still on the spot and fought the urge to gag in disgust.
The snake that smelled strange didn't smell like a snake anymore, instead, the only think they came to her nose, was the disgusting and rot smell of dead meat, like someone had left a prey out there just for time and maggots to work on it's corpse.

<< Disgusting... >>

Squirrelflight wanted to turn around, but something kept her still, the creepy sensation of something being too familiar in that smell.
"This isn't a dead snake..."
Forcing herself to sniff the air again she felt her fur rise with fear.
"... there's the smell of a cat too!"

<< Shellfur! Leafshade! >>

She called, looking around frantically and she took a few uncertain steps towards the source of the smell.
"Maybe a cat has been bitten and the wound is infected..."
She thought searching around for any possible danger.
"... or maybe a snake is eating a cat... but snakes don't like rotting flesh either."