The Fall of Darkclan, The Rise of Shadowed Steps

Chasing Your Prey

  "Now we use oak bark for numbing pain. It's really good for queens who are kitting and can't have any poppy seeds. It's also good for strained muscles or broken bones." Breezewhisper nodded as he listened to the young wolf, gazing down at the new  herbs that had been listed. "Remember to give Orchidstorm her borage and honey poultice. It's already been mixed up, it's in that dock leaf over there." Fallen pointed to the corner of the cave where a leaf shaped like a bowl sat. The tom nodded, "Okay, I'll give it to her once she wakes up. It's almost sunhigh, you should go meet Nightstar." Fallen Feather peered out of the cave to see everyone awake, the sun high in the sky. "Fox-dung! I really gotta go, I'll teach you more when I get back!" He bolted out of the cave, calling out the rest of his sentence to Breezewhisper.

 "You must've gotten caught up in your mentoring." Nightstar chuckled as the panting wolf made his way to her, stopping to catch his breath. "I'm only just 8 moons, I haven't even finished my own training!" The leader curled her tail neatly around her paws, gazing down at the young wolf. "Let's begin. Today we work on hunting. You'll have no distractions for today's session." He nodded, his ears swiveling to the sounds of the forest. Nightstar watched, smiling. He isn't using his eye, he's using his other senses he knows he can rely on. Suddenly, the wolf moved, his ears twitching as if they were his eyes scanning the open ground. He's definitely gotten better at hunting. Fallen Feather dropped into a crouch, his tail pulling close to his hind legs, his ears continuing to swivel. Nightstar watched as he crawled across the earth floor, his ears finally pinning back against his head. He's found it. Rabbit, lets see if he's quick enough. Fallen Feather quickly dashed out, his body moving on his own after the rabbit. He's got it! He's almost th- Her thoughts were cut off by a sharp yowl. Fallen Feather stopped in his tracks, letting the rabbit sprint away. "What was that?" Nightstar looked over to him, her gaze scanning the forest. "I don't know, Fallen. It didn't sound like one of us, did it?" The wolf shook his head, his pelt bristling with concern. "What if it was one of the kits? The she-cat padded over towards him. "They aren't old enough yet to make that  loud of a squeal." The wolf perked up his ears, looking at his leader. "Blood, lots of up, from the twoleg place." The she-cat inhaled through her deadly jaws, noticing the scent the younger wolf had picked up. "Fallen, sound the cry." She bounded off towards the scent of blood as the wolf pup let out a long, deep howl. The wolf stood in place as he waited for the heavy pawsteps of his clanmates. I scent them, Mistgaze, Rosepelt, Pinestep, Rainfall, and the apprentices Weaslepaw and Beechpaw. "Fallen! Lead us, we'll follow!" Mistgaze called out as she lead the patrol towards him. He gave a curt nod, following the scent of his leader to the twoleg place.

 "Her scent leads around near the thunderpath. Rainfall, you and the apprentices take to the trees. See if you can spot Nightstar and the rest of us will meet you across the thunderpath." The she-cat nodded, rounding up the apprentices. Mistgaze chuckled, "Fallen Feather, the leader of Darkclan." The pup smiled brightly at the dark grey she-cat, leading them towards the thunderpath. "I'll cross first." A mottled she-cat mewed out. "Okay, be careful, Rosepelt. Do you need a calling?" Fallen Feather looked at the senior warrior as Mistgaze questioned her. "I'll be fine. Thank you, Mistgaze." The she-cat waited as a large, red monster passed by before sprinting out onto the black, rocky surface. Next was Mistgaze, swiftly sprinting across the thunderpath. "Be careful, Pinestep. Do you need a calling?" The wolf looked at the tom, his gaze questioning. "I'll be fine. I don't need help." Pinestep watched as one monster passed by, stepping onto the hard surface. Fallen Feather's eye widened, yowling "Pinestep! Watch out!" The two she-cat turned around, meowing loudly as a horrifying noise filled the forest. The wolf ran out onto the thunderpath, ignoring the thundering noise getting louder and louder as another monster made its way closer and closer. "Fallen! You'll kill yourself!" Mistgaze yowled, watching the pup run towards his former denmate. He looked up at the she-cats, nodding at them to run. They moved away into the trees, watching as the wolf stood to face the monster head on. He howled, running towards the shiny moving object before jumping onto the lower part of the monster. The round, black rocks screeched to a stop as the twoleg in its belly let out a screech, veering the monster off the thunderpath. "Fallen! We moved him across! Run!" He looked over to see Rainfall, Weaslepaw and Beechpaw with Pinestep near the trees where the others hid. He barked, leaping off before vanishing into the trees.

 "He'll be okay, just a broken paw. He's lucky it isn't his whole leg. Beechpaw, may you and your sister build a nest? Some cat must stay with him, the rest of us need to get to Nightstar." The apprentices nodded, running off to find some moss and brambles. "I'll stay, I don't want to leave my kit alone." Rosepelt spoke up, padding towards the place where Pinestep laid, his face twisted in pain. "Okay. Make sure he doesn't move." Fallen Feather spoke in a calm tone like Orchidstorm would, his gaze resting on Pinestep's body. "I have moss!" Beechpaw mewed out as she carried over a lump of moss. Mistgaze and Rainfall started building the nest around the injured tom. "Good, now, I need comfrey root. Check near the pond, it should be north of here." Beechpaw's head tilted, "What does it look like?" "Large leaves, a sharp tangy smell. It should have small white, pink or purple flowers. The stem is thick and black." Theshe-cat nodded, swiftly bounding off north to where the wolf had specified. "Rosepelt, I'll need a few sticks and cobwebs. Could you see to that?" He asked, noticing the glare in her eyes as he asked her to leave her kit. "I'll watch after him, I promise." She nodded, padding off to find a good clump of cobwebs. Mistgaze padded over to him, dropping a leafy yet spikey green plant. "Stinging nettle...oh! Thank you, Mistgaze." She chuckled, quickly licking the pup's forehead, "The nest needs more moss. We just need the brambles now."Fallen Feather nodded, his gaze resting on the tom. He began chewing up the leaves into a poultice when Beechpaw and her sister, Weaslepaw returned. Weaslepaw began lining the nest with the brambles as her sister gave Fallen the comfrey root. "Good, now we need to fully move him onto the nest."

 "Rosepelt, give him this poultice when he wakes up. I've binded his leg until we get home. The rest of us, let's go. Nightstar is waiting for us." As he spoke, the scent of blood got thicker. Still fresh...the battle must still be going on. Fallen Feather signaled the rest of the cats with his tail, bounding off into the forest on the outskirts of the twoleg nests.