ForestClan Adventures - Chocolatemeerkat (Echopath) (primary phonics txt) 📗

there might be a lot of kits in the nursery soon!"
"What makes you think that?" Echopath inquired, narrowing her eyes.
"Have you not seen them sharing tongues?" Twistpelt said, her eyes wide in shock. She then stopped and smiled at Echopath. "So many cats will end up with a family within a few moons. Dawnsong with Runningbreeze, Sandtail with Otterswim, Spottedlark with Barleyfoot, Featherpaw with Swiftpaw, Rainpaw with Leapthroat, you with Lionclaw-"
"There is nothing going on between us!" Echopath insisted angrily, her pelt prickling with embrassment. "Why does all of the clan think that?!"
"Oh, sorry." Twistpelt apologised, walking on. Echopath caught up with her, but didn't say a word.
I think when Galekit said the whole clan were talking about me, I think he meant it.

She thought to herself.
She then switched her mind to catching prey when she caught the scent of mouse close by. This was important to the clan, because the lack of prey was causing cats to starve.
The silver she-cat dropped to a crouch, stalking the mouse. She wanted to catch it and show that despite her injuries, she could still hunt as well as any other cat. When she got close enough, Echopath pounced and caught the mouse.
I caught it!

She told her head in pride, cocking her head down to snatch up the dead mouse.
"Well done!" Twistpelt called, swiping her tongue around her jaws. "StarClan has blessed us with much prey!"
"What do you mean?" Echopath asked, dropping the mouse. Twistpelt flicked her tail over to the other cats in the patrol. "Otterswim caught a starling, Ghostfire caught two squirrels and Leapthroat killed a shrew. All the prey is skinny though, apart from your mouse."
Looks like I've got some compeition from Ghostfire.

Echopath though to herself. She is a talented hunter, we need more cats like her so our clan doesn't starve.

Remembering that they were still on patrol, Echopath picked up her mouse and continued to search for prey.

^16^

Eagletalon's hunting patrol had returned. They hadn't caught much, apart from a shrew by Pigeonwing and a very skinny rabbit which Eagletalon had caught himself. He was quite proud of it, but he had promised to find something for the elders.
The warrior padded over towards the elder's den and stuck his head in.
"Finally!" Longstripe rasped, gazing at the rabbit hungrily. "I'm starving!"
"Well, that's good then." Eagletalon told him. "But don't scoff your face with it all, Cloudeye needs some too. She's older than you."
"Fine." Longstripe grumbled, motioning for Cloudeye to come over. "Eagletalon's brought us some decent prey."
Eagletalon watched as the old she-cat struggled over. Everyone knew that she was very frail because of the recent lack of prey, so most of the time she slept.
"Thank you, youngster." Cloudeye croaked, cocking her head down to tear at the rabbit. "Thank StarClan that you found something."
"Yeah." Eagletalon meowed, sitting down to give his ruffled fur a couple of licks. "So, was prey this hard to find when you were warriors?"
"Not all of the time." Longstripe replied. "There weren't so many battles around, but I remember my first battle as a warrior. We were against CourageClan, I managed to kill off some she-cat who tried to kill my father, Ferretjaw."
Ferretjaw...

Eagletalon had heard that name before. He instantly remembered his argument with Echopath about Willowstream's death, and how Sweetpetal had come from StarClan...
"Wait a moment!" Eagletalon interuppted. "Was Ferretjaw's littermate Sweetpetal?" Longstripe nodded his head. "She was a gifted medicine cat, very pretty. Poor thing died of a broken heart."
"What do you mean?" The white and gold warrior asked.
"She killed her brother's mate, that's what happened." Cloudeye growled. "The mouse-brainned excuse of a medicine cat spent too long collecting herbs to let Goldsky die. The clan began to no longer trust Sweetpetal, so she fed herself deathberries. She joined StarClan later, Ferretjaw following after two seasons."
"That's not true!" Longstripe argued. "My mother died of her wounds from fighting that badger!"
"No! You just can't take the truth!" Cloudeye snapped, lashing her tail.
Eagletalon decided to leave the den quietly while the two elders continued bickering, and sit outside in the clearing. Some of his clanmates were now returning from patrols, his brother among them. He decided to confront him.
"How was your patrol?" Eagletalon asked, sitting down beside Lionclaw.
"Fine, fine." Lionclaw grumbled. "Is Echopath back yet?"
"No, she's still on hunting patrol." Eagletalon replied. "I imagine that she'll be back soon, my hunting patrol returned not long ago." Lionclaw nodded, shuffling his paws in embrassment. "Do you think that she's alright? I mean, her injuries from the battle yesterday could have killed her."
"Echopath is a strong cat." Eagletalon pointed out. "She is very likely to recover quickly."
"I just hope she will be okay." Lionclaw sighed, padding away. He then added with a sharp tone "Haven't you got something else to do rather than bothering me?"
"I only wanted to know if you were well!" Eagletalon protested, looking hurt. But as usual, his brother ignored him.
Lionclaw's been a mouse-brain since Lostsong's death, but he's been worse since he took a liking to Echopath.

Eagletalon thought anxiously. I understand that he is worried about her injuries, but they haven't been bothering her today. I'll talk to Oakpelt.

The gold and white tom pushed through his clanmates and poked his head into the medicine den, picking up the sweet scent of herbs. Flowerpaw, Oakpelt's young apprentice, was busy sorting out the different herbs, sepearating coltsfoot from marigold. She pricked her ears up on hearing Eagletalon's arrival. "Hi, Eagletalon. How can I help?" She asked shyly.
"Actually, I'm looking for Oakpelt." Eagletalon replied, trying to pick up the dark brown tom's scent. "Is he here?" Flowerpaw shook her head in dismay. "He is out collecting feverfew for Cloudkit. She's got a chill, poor thing."
Eagletalon then remembered the pretty grey tabby with blue eyes. Of Specklenose's kits, she was the sweet, caring one who was interested in herbs. She was rather sensitive about injuried cats, but Eagletalon knew that she couldn't become her desired rank: A medicine apprentice.
"Are you going to sit there and stare all day?" Flowerpaw's teasing mew startled Eagletalon.
"Do you like being a medicine apprentice?" Eagletalon blurted out. The young she-cat hesitated for a moment, but she smiled. "I like knowing that I'm helping my clanmates when they come for herbs. Oakpelt is a great mentor."
"Yeah, but I mean, do you actually find your duty boring?" Eagletalon pressed on. "Only because I noticed that Cloudkit is very interested-"
He never got a chance to finsh, as the young grey she-cat stormed out of the den, her green eyes blazing with fury. Eagletalon realised that he had made a mistake in saying that, but why was she so angry?

>17>

"Swiftpaw, pay attention!"
The black and white apprentice stopped daydreaming and stood up straight, looking Brokenheart in the eye.
Although they were away from their usual camp, the senior warrior was determained to continue apprentice training, especially with the three newest apprentices. So far, Eagletalon's and Willowstream's young kits had recieved barely any training.
"I don't know what's got into you, Swiftpaw." Brokenheart growled. "I know that we're in a unfamilar territory, but that doesn't mean that you can get distracted while training. Even Featherpaw's coping with the new surroundings, and she's only a half moon younger than you!"
Swiftpaw had to admit that the small she-cat had already gotten used to the different territory, listening to every word Brokenheart said and listening to the stories of the Outcast members. It was rather annoying that he couldn't concentrate here, but truthfully, he desperately wanted to get home.
"I'll help him." Featherpaw offered. "We can do battle moves and perhaps some hunting afterwards." She then added with a cheeky tone directed at Swiftpaw "If

I don't tire you out."
"I don't think so." Swiftpaw hissed playfully, extending his claws.
He wasn't expecting his friend's attack as she lunged at him. She batted at him, but Swiftpaw, using his hind legs, pushed her off and into the grass.
"Now who's tired out?" Swiftpaw joked.
The black and white tom expected her to spring to her paws and attack him again, but she didn't move. Had he really hurt her that badly?
Remembering her previous injuries, he instantly bounded over to her side and started nudging her, trying to see signs of movement. She was still breathing, to Swiftpaw's great relief, but he couldn't understand why she wasn't flinching.
Suddenly, Featherpaw lunged at Swiftpaw, pinning him down to the ground within a few moments.
"Well done, Featherpaw!" Brokenheart praised the white and brown she-cat. "You are turning into a talented warrior!"
And where's my praise?

Swiftpaw thought angrily. Yes, Featherpaw performed a clever trick and I'm happy for her, but surely I deserve some good feedback once in a while?!

Featherpaw released her paw from Swiftpaw's throat and let him crawl free. "It was nothing, really. I didn't expect Swiftpaw to throw me off like that. Playing dead was my last option." She admitted, her eyes showing admiration for Swiftpaw. "He did really well."
"Attack me again, then." The black and white tom replied, crouching down to prepare for any impact.

Sunhigh came by rather quickly. The apprentices were taking a break from training, including Swiftpaw and Featherpaw, who were progressing in battle training well. Of course, Brokenheart was full of praise for Featherpaw, but she did give Swiftpaw some decent comments.
"I would have been running silly if you were invaders." Arrow complimented. "The Outcasts and I have been watching your training with great interest. I reckon you could take on any of us any day and win."
"Thanks, Arrow." Swiftpaw replied, feeling proud. "But some cats in our clan our much fiercer, much stronger than us. My mentor Sandtail is deputy of the clan, and she's a really good fighter."
"But you're quicker." Featherpaw added, pressing herself against him. "Even Sandtail knows that. That's what makes you a good hunter."
"Your friend makes a point, Swiftpaw." Arrow meowed with a smile. "But us Outcasts know four things that makes a cat. One cat taught us that, you will find him over there." She waved her tail towards a dark brown tom with a white chest, who was talking with another she-cat that Swiftpaw reconised