Midnight (Warrior Cats Origins Fanfic W.I.P.)

Chapter 2.

Four moons had passed since Thrushpaw had been apprenticed. Since then she had all but mastered hunting and had begun to learn some battle moves. Now, Thrushpaw was stalking through the undergrowth in search of prey for the clan. Blazefur had taken Rabbitpaw to brush up on her battle skills, while Midnightstar and Swiftpaw guarded Cloudpelt and kept an eye on the newcomers. Two sunrises ago a tom and a she-cat had turned up in search of prey. The she-cat had been so weak that she was barely able to walk. To make matters worse she was expecting kits. The tom, on the other paw, had still been fairly strong. Although both cats seemed happy to abide by Midnightstar's rules, she still didn't fully trust either. As a result, the three apprentices took turns guarding, practicing and hunting.

     As Thrushpaw hunted she remembered the newcomers' story. The tom, a sleek gray tabby with green eyes, called himself Rex. The she-cat had long gray and white fur and called herself Moon. Apparently, they had lived in a farm not too far away with a third cat, the father of Moon's kits, until twolegs set dogs on them. Moon's mate was killed protecting her and the two cats had only just escaped with their lives. Unfortunately, they were so used to the easy hunting in the barn that they hadn't been able to catch much in the moon that had followed.

     Thrushpaw shook her head and focussed on hunting. Moon's kits were due any day and she was still weak from not having eaten well for the past moon. Stalking through the undergrowth, she soon located a scrawny squirrel digging through the leaf litter for it's nut stash. It didn't take Thrushpaw long to creep up on it and dispatch it with a single blow. Scraping some leaves over it, she turned and opened her mouth to scent for her next target when a blackbird flitted to the ground not too far away. Thrushpaw sniffed the air to ensure she was downwind then got back into a hunting crouch, making sure that her movement would be disguised by the wind. Slowly, one paw at a time, she drew herself forward. All senses focussed on the bird as it hopped about, pecking at the dirt. Within moments she was close enough. With a massive leap, Thrushpaw pinned the bird down, flinching at it's squawk before she managed to kill it. She sat back with a huff, disappointed that the bird had alerted the entire forest of danger. Thrushpaw thrashed her tail angrily and snatched the bird up before collecting the squirrel and returning to camp.

     Paws thundered toward Thrushpaw as she entered the camp.

     "Thrushpaw!" Rabbitpaw yowled before leaping onto Thruspaw and tackling her to the ground, making her drop her catch.

     "Rabbitpaw! Get off!" Thrushpaw growled, shoving her sister off of her and standing up. "What do you think you're doing!" she hissed.

     Rabbitpaw looked down at the ground and scuffled her paws awkwardly. "Was just saying hello," she murmurmed.

     Thrushpaw sniffed and shook the dust from her coat. "Well next time say hello after I've put my catch down," she mewed, flicking her sister's ear with her tail to show she wasn't too mad as she picked up the squirrel and blackbird.

     "Oh yeah! Thrushpaw!" Rabbitpaw meowed as she bounced at her sister's side. "Guess what!"

     Thrushpaw dropped the prey at the prey spot. There was only a mouse there. "What?"

     "Moon has had her kits!" Rabbitpaw purred.

     "Really? That's great!" Thrushpaw meowed and purred back.

     "Rabbitpaw, Thrushpaw, come here," Midnightstar suddenly called and beckoned the two apprentices to the new nursery.

     Hurrying over, Thrushpaw saw that Blazefur, Cloudpelt and Swiftpaw were there too.