Skyclan, sherlockian style

Sherlock-less

A/N: that's Crimsontear by the way, any other characters that you want me to show pictures of?

      John woke up the next morning early, too early and put his head back down quickly to try to fall back asleep. He couldn't. So tiredly, John got up and slouched out of the den remembering the night before and walking over to where Rabbitleap, the pale orange deputy, was assigning morning patrols.

"Can I join one?" John asked and the other cats gave him confused looks before Rabbitleap shrugged.

"Ok." He looked around, "Go with Ivypaw, Minttail, and Crimsontear, they're going hunting, so I hope your paws are good."

As if on cue John's paws started to ache, the sandpaper cliffs and all the walking with Sherlock had worn them thin. But he couldn't think of that now. Nodding at Rabbitleap, John walked over to were Ivypaw was, seeing him she waved a tail friendlily.

     "Hello! I'm so happy you hunting with us finally." Ivypaw said beaming at John.

     Crimsontear, a dark-grey colored she-cat with long fur edged in black, looked at John with her striking white/blue eyes. "I'm leading this patrol." She said in a deep Scottish voice only a few octaves above Sherlock's and looked down at John. She was a Maine coon cat and she towered over every one in the clan. Let's just say John was intimidated.

     John craned his neck up to look at the mountainous she-cat and nodded, "Ok..."

     Crimsontear nodded and looked at Minttail and Ivypaw, "Let's go then, we'll hunt by the snake roots." And with that she walked off to the entrance and John practicly had to run to keep up with her and Ivypaw had trouble too. Even Minttail was struggling to only walk.

They walked out of the camp and were quickly hailed by a white tom that scrabbled up the cliff path behind them. "Hey! Wait up!"

Crimsontear waited patiently for the tom to catch up and he smiled at John introducing himself. "Hey, I'm Snowdrift, John isn't it?"

"Yes," John said and they continued on with the patrol.

"Wow you guys walked fast! I had only just gotten my assignment and here you are!" Snowdrift cast a teasing glance at Crimsontear. "It's you and those legs of yours again isn't it?"

Crimsontear rolled her eyes and said in her deep Scottish voice, "Look here mate, it's not my fault this clan is made of mice."

Snowdrift smirked at John and giggled, "I love hearing her talk, it's so funny!"

Crimsontear looked embarrassed and muttered something about 'mice and their squeaky voices' and this sent Snowdrift into another fit of hysteric laughter.

Minttail twitched her whiskers and told Ivypaw to check for prey scents, but John doubted anything would come near them with Snowdrift's bright pelt and bubbly attitude.

John sighed, this is just like back home, morning patrol, friendly talk and light spirits. But he couldn't be truly satisfied, what was Sherlock doing? Should I risk talking to him, or will he just yell at me?

"Got something on your mind?" Snowdrift asked friendlily nudging John with his fluffy short furred shoulder.

"Oh...it's nothing." John said pausing to taste the air in search of possible prey.

"Oh I know it's something you wouldn't look so melon-coly if it was something light." Snowdrift smiled encouragingly at John, but he shrugged.

"I'm just.... Thinking of home." John said, "I miss them."

Snowdrift nodded sympathetically and Minttail rested her tail on his shoulder.

"You could go back if you wanted." Snowdrift offered.

"No..." John said and then shrugged, "I could but I think I'll stay here for a while, living some where new is... "

"Refreshing?" Minttail said removing her tail and watching Ivypaw smell a tree.

"Yes, I suppose it is." John said.

"Well if you want to stay, you'll have to help hunt." Crimsontear said and Snowdrift burst out laughing. "Take Snowdrift and hunt over there." She said pointing to where there were more tree roots then soil on the ground and then she turned to Minttail, "Take Ivypaw and teach her some treetop hunting, her branching form needs some work. I'm going this way." She added and then walked off with a flick of her feather-duster tail.

Minttail nodded to John and led Ivypaw off, and John was left with Snowdrift who smiled excitedly and bounced over to the rooty area, "come on, show me those Thunderclan skills!"

John sighed and followed the blazing white cat into the shadow of the root trees.