Horsemoon's Silence

Chapter 31

Horsepaw padded silently over the moor. Her ears and eyes were alert, scanning the grass for tiny animals. It was sunhigh, and she hadn't even seen a piece of fur! And she was hungry.

I wish something would let me catch it! She thought, and then growled softly. Horsepaw prayed to StarClan that a rabbit would come bounding across the soft grass. But nothing came. Horsepaw scowled, but then stopped. Thank StarClan! A rabbit was nibbling on some grass up ahead, a few fox-lengths away.

Horsepaw made sure that she was downwind, and then crept up on it as close as she could get. Then the rabbit's ears and head shot up. It look dead at Horsepaw, and it's little beady eyes locked into her mind. Nothing was going to stop her from killing this rabbit!

It started to run. It raced among the grass, but Horsepaw was quick to follow. Most cats thought that since she was missing a leg, that she wasn't fast. But she was, with Bounceheart as her mentor. Soon, she caught up to the rabbit, and gave it a quick bite to his neck. It's sequel of terror was abruptly cut off as its life was ended.

Horsepaw stood up, winded. She smiled slightly as she looked at her prize. First one of the hunt. She still had until sunset, but she had to hurry. So Horsepaw buried her prey, and went on hunting.

<•>

When Horsepaw padded back into camp, the sun was just setting. In total, she had two rabbits, a thrush, and a small shrew. Bounceheart and Stormstar were waiting for her by the leader's den.

Bounceheart smiled, and Stormstar's eyes widened in surprise. "Good hunting, Horsepaw!" Bounceheart congratulated. She sniffed her prey, and helped her place it in the fresh-kill pile.

"Thanks!" Horsepaw mouthed back when Bounceheart was paying attention. Then they trotted back to the leader, who was licking his paw in wait.

"Now," Stormstar said after they were in earshot. "We wait until moonhigh, so I can talk with your mentors." He was staring at Horsepaw who nodded in understanding. Her stomach flipped. She was so scared!

With a wave of his tail, Stormstar sent Horsepaw away. She skipped away, her heart as high as a StarClan warrior. She joined a few other apprentices at the fresh-kill pile, even though she was too excited to eat. She sat down next to Amberpaw and Acornpaw. They were in deep conversation.

"I think I passed my assessment!" Acornpaw was meowing eagerly.

Amberpaw nodded. "Me too!"

Horsepaw nudged them. "I think I passed mine. But I'm nervous. What if I become a"– she shuddered–"medicine cat?"

The others nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm nervous too. But at moonhigh, we'll know what we are! I wish you luck, Horsepaw." Amberpaw said swiftly, and Acornpaw smiled. Then they turned back to each other.

Only one cat would understand me. She thought. She stood up, and looked around for Whirlpaw's white-and-brown pelt. She scanned the clearing, and saw him talking to Cloverpaw, Rainpaw, and Dustpaw. She padded over to them.

The apprentices turned to her as she approached. They all gleamed. "Hi!" Rainpaw yowled cheerfully.

Whirlpaw nuzzled her shoulder. "How's your assessments go?"

Horsepaw sat down, and made sure they were all looking. "I think I did good," she started slowly. "I did really good on the medicine cat part, but I think I did better on the hunting. The battle training could be better though," She finished regretfully.

This time, Cloverpaw spoke, her soft voice soothing Horsepaw's mind. "Oh, don't worry. You only had three moons of training. You should have gotten longer. But, I think you did amazing for that length of time." The others nodded in agreement.

Once they had finished talking, Horsepaw settled in her nest, even though she knew she couldn't sleep. Someone would get her when it was moonhigh. So she rested comfortably, with her future in mind.