Chapter 8 - Rabbits
“Blossomkit! Stop messing with that rabbit! Respect the prey!” Echonight scolded Blossomkit as she was clawing at the rabbit, as if attacking a cat.
Fallenwings didn't want his kit to be messing with the rabbit, but he did want her to learn to do things a warrior would. You know what? I'll teach her just that, but not too much, she's only a few moons old. He told himself.
“Blossomkit? I’ll teach you how to hunt and fight, if you would just listen to her mother.”
“Fine.” Blossomkit mewled, “Teach me then.” She stopped messing with the rabbit, and Echonight, indignantly grabbed the rabbit and began brushing dirt off it’s fur.
“First, the hunter’s crouch.” he declared, but upon seeing her disappointed face, for she wanted to fight, he added, “You need to learn the hunters crouch to learn the attack crouch. Bend your front and back legs, and let your belly touch the ground. Keep your tail low, but don't let it brush any leaves.” Fallenwings showed her.
Blossomkit copied, almost perfectly.
“Do that every day, and you'll become a fine hunter. Think you can teach Mintkit to?” Fallenwings asked her, purposely trying to make her feel good.
“Ok!” she answered happily.
Fallenwings turned his head, suddenly smelling Flamebreeze, Eaglefeather, Rabbitfoot, and Fadedlight. The evening patrol! He realized. They were back early, and he smelled fear-scent. Fallenwings told Blossomkit and rushed to the camp entrance, just arriving when the patrol was at the bottom of the entrance.
“What happened?” He asked, looking at the slightly scared looking cats.
“More...Rouges….” Flamebreeze panted.
“We saw two of them, young ones, both brown, stealing our prey. They threatened to attack us. There were more hiding, maybe five. We scared them away. But Rabbitfoot seems…” Eaglefeather glanced at the she-cat, who was shaking like she had just seen a ghost, or something much worse.
“Rabbitfoot?” Fallenwings asked, padded cautiously towards her.
“Smelled...him…” She glanced around, as if whoever she scented was there.
“Who?” He asked gently. When she didn't answer, he glanced at Fadedlight, Flamebreeze, and Eaglefeather. They shared a worried glance.
“Let's get you to Darkvalley…” Fadedlight meows softly, guiding Rabbitfoot across the clearing toward the medicine den.
When they arrived, Darkvalley took one look at Rabbitfoot, and got out a herb from her store.
“Thyme.” She murmured, letting Rabbitfoot smell it. “It's for shock. I don't know what her shock was, but it seems like she needs it.”
Fallenwings felt a surge of pride for Darkvalley, he was glad his daughter knew so much.
“My….tail….” Rabbitfoot slowly muttered. “He. Did. This.”
“Get Shadedmoon.” Echonight said suddenly. Like the rest of the clan, she had probably heard about Rabbitfoot. “She can help. Also Flamebreeze, Fallenwings, Fadedlight, and Eaglefeather. Can you leave? She needs to be alone with Shadedmoon. Of course Darkvalley can stay though.” Echonight added, and seeing as she knew her sister, and therefore probably knew best for her, the listed cats obeyed.
Fallenwings glanced at Echonight, while he filed out with the other cats. He saw concern in her deep green eyes. In that moment he had made a somewhat irrational decision. Once Fallenwings had walked out, he grabbed a mouse from the prey tree, even though he wasn't hungry. He then quietly sneaked toward the medicine den and sat on the sunning rock next to the den, letting the evening light dapple his fur. The rock was flat and big enough for a couple of cats. There was a small gap in the trees above, letting light gently fall though, and making this rock a popular eating spot. Fallenwings figured it was a good cover. He pricked his ears, listening for sounds, and filtering out the noise of the clan around him eating. After a minute, he pinpointed pointed Shadedmoon’s soft meow calming down Rabbitfoot. He tasted the air, learning Darkvalley wasn't in the den, but most likely eating prey with Willowmoon, her sister. Fallenwings pulled his attention back to the two cats in the medicine den, listened, and upon hearing Shadedmoon’s meow, he stiffened.
“It’s ok… But you must stay strong my sister, the rogues are coming again, and we must be prepared for a fight…”