Silenced Nights - wc

[KESTRELPAW/2]

     "Farther down. Make sure you constantly keep your paws moving." The sharp words of my mentor, Vineflower, rung throughout my ears. I paused my action of stalking the hare. I watched it carefully, noting its rustling through the leaves, nibbling upon the leafiest greens as the sun blazed in the sky, leaving a clear mark, and illuminating the long-going moor.

     The wind nipped at my ears as I winced, grateful for the gift of it as it helped wake me from the sleepiness lingering from dawn. I tried again, this time making sure to shuffle my paws in a swift action, yet keeping them silent, avoiding the grasses like rotten prey as to not disturb the hare.

     I unsheathed my claws, digging them into the ground, before pursuiting the hare, my fur bristling in the wind as my claws swiped across the hare, nearly missing it, although as I turned slightly, I was able to scoop it into my claws, killing it with a narrow bite to the neck.

     Vineflower let out a shaking sigh, staring back towards the direction of camp as I held the hare in my jaws, eyes dancing with the everlasting wind. She cleared her throat.

     "We should start heading back." She murmured, letting the unspoken words linger between us. I knew what she wanted to say- that I was a terrible hunter, and how had I possibly, in the middle of newleaf, only gotten one hare the entire hunting session. As my mentor started to pad back through the poking grass, I basked in the warmth of the sun, tilting my head up to the sky before pursuiting my mentor.

     My favorite past time was exploring places, preferably the parts of the moor and our caves I had never gone before, and had never dared to go when I was a kit. I watched my mentor hop effortlessly upon the rocky stones, slipping through a crack. I took after her, lingering a moment to shimmer up farther, staring into the distance.

     I had never ventured towards there, but a large hill blocked me from seeing anymore, and it was frowned upon for apprentices to wander far away from the main area of camp anymore. As my fur was tossed in the wind, I stood there, taking in the beauty, noting the long, narrow strip of trees that separated our territory from Shade Clan.

     Turning, I found myself staring out at the endless moor, knowing that out there somewhere was Storm Clan, and to the east of us was Dusk Clan. My clan was truly in the middle, with lots of territory to pick from. I didn't know much about the other clans, but that was why my one wish was to explore all their territories and beyond, learning every aspect there was to life.

     Hearing my mentor call for me, I carefully stepped my way back down, stretching to slip through the dark crevice and coming out into a dripping cave, my camp. My eyes adjusted to the eerie darkness of the camp, leaving me on edge as I observed the place quickly.

     I padded forwards, nodding to my mentor as she went off to the moor hunter den, using her powerful hind legs to leap onto the high ledge. Dropping the hare onto the fresh kill pile, I growled suddenly, hearing a small, but worried chuckle behind me. I turned around to find my brother, Larkstem, his amber eyes flickering happily at the sight of me.

     "What is it with this newleaf? First, the patrollers can't catch the scent of outcasts constantly straying into our territory, then the cave hunters can't find anything..." He rolled his eyes, making me snort.

     "All Shrewpelt and Waspbelly do is nothing all day except share tongues and drink from the pool. The only cave hunters actually going deeper into the cave are Sagetalon and Sandywish, yet who knows what their doing."

     "You forgot about Thistlefang." My brother pointed out.

     "He never comes out of the den, so that figures." I meowed with an amused sigh, my eyes flickering towards my brother before back to the two cats.