Shadow brushed away the red and orange leaves aside with a brisk swish of his black tail. His dark grey pelt ruffled as he stretched in his den. His rapid pace left claw marks in the soft soil as he made his way up the hill. Shadow's heart beat thundered as he spotted the small ginger and tortoiseshell she-cat in a clearing with an older golden-brown tabby tom.
"Now, pounce on the prey like this." He heard the tom tell her gently. "Good job, you really improved since last time!" The tom gave her a nuzzle in pride.
"Thanks, Brackenstorm." The she-cat smiled gratefully.
"Come on Tawnypaw, hurry over here." Brackenstorm padded up the hill to another, larger clearing, where the smell of lots of cats hung in the air. Shadow oversaw above the clearing with watchful blue eyes for a short time until a cat padded out of den made out of brambles. She was a silver tabby with blue eyes.
"No, stay there with Darkpaw." She was scolding a brown tabby tom who was curling around her leg. "Look, Deepkit's being a good kit and staying in the nursery, isn't he?" The kit looked up at her with big, sad blue eyes. A black tabby padded out of the brambles.
"Oakkit, stay here with me." The young she-cat nudged the kit off into the den. The silver queen sniffed and the scent of Shadow wafted in the air.
"Intruder!" She hissed. Shadow scrambled down the tree and sprinted. The queen took a shortcut and leapt in front of him.
"Where are the rest of you, filthy rogue?! What were you doing, hanging above the dens, where innocent kits and elders lived?!"
"There's just me! I didn't know I was in your territory! I'm sorry!"
"Foxhearted liar! STAY AWAY FROM MY CLAN!" She spat, then clawed Shadow's pelt and padded away. Shadow gasped, feeling the blood run down his pelt in streaks.
"I'm not lying." Shadow protested weakly and then he walked out of the territory. A mouse twitched in front of him. Shadow sighed. Mice were not his choice of prey, he liked to be speedy and grab them in a flash, though you couldn't with mice. He shook the feelings away and began to stalk it.
Successful catch!
Shadow smiled, crunching hungrily on the mouse's corpse.
Back in the camp, Featherstar and Darkpaw waited. Then Puddlesplash bounded over.
"Did you bite his neck?" Darkpaw asked excitedly.
"Did you chase him off?" Featherstar inquired.
"Darkpaw, true warriors do not kill without a good reason. Featherstar, yes I chased him off."
"But technically you're a queen not a warrior." Darkpaw pointed out.
"Darkpaw..." Puddlesplash rolled her blue eyes.
Shadow arched his back as he watched the many cats file into the area. His lake-blue eyes searched for the small she-cat. But she wasn't there. Sadness crept into his thoughts. It had been two moons since the first time he saw her, but she wasn't here. Shadow crept away into his den.