HaloClan

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The breeze rustled through the yellowed grasses.

Lazy daytime crickets chirped with a lawless rhythm, and silent swallows dipped and tumbled through the air.

A wooden twoleg fence-post stood worn and battered, having lasted through more seasons than the elders had. A lone mouse munched on the small green shoots poking out from the exposed ground around the post, but like for most creatures living in the Barrenlands, pickings were slim.

A cat crept through the grasses, the breeze tickling a blue-pointed nose. Wide eyes never wavering from their target, the HaloClan apprentice crouched, heart beating. Seeing their chance, they leaped at the startled mouse, promptly slipping on apparently nothing and bumping into the fencepost as the slim mouse darted away.

The cat lay there dazed for a moment, but leapt to his feet when they heard a giggle, his white hackles trembling.

"Relax, Quietpaw, it's just me." A torbie apprentice laughed, revealing herself as she moved away from her hiding spot in the tall grass. She took in the scene; Quietpaw's fur covered in sandy dirt, the mouse tracks leading away from him.

"You're bad at this," She observed.

"Wow," The cat replied dryly, "You must be a genius."

The female cat snickered, and Quietpaw gave a small smile.

"Hey, how long were you following me, Olivepaw?"

"Eh, not too long. I saw that practice hunt on the pebble nearby the well, though," she grinned mischievously, and Quietpaw looked away, face hot.

"It's good I'm going to be a medicine cat. I have no hunting skills," Quietpaw said sheepishly.

Olivepaw bumped her shoulder against theirs. "Aw, you're not that bad."

Quietpaw tilted their head. "Yes I am."

"Okay... yeah, you are."

Quietpaw grinned as Olivepaw laughed.

"By the way, you know you have to catch somethi-"

Olivepaw darted ahead suddenly, pawing at a half-buried lump of grey fur. She brought back a slim mouse that she had caught before, beaming.

"Oh. Well, you still could've helped me."

Olivepaw sneezed, having accidentally inhaled the sandy dirt coating the mouse's fur. She adjusted her grip on her prey with a grimace, holding it by its tail. "Hey wait, did Elkbrush ask you to hunt?"

Quietpaw stopped in their tracks. "Oh, mousedung! I was supposed to collect burnet for the trip to Moonfalls."

Olivepaw laughed lightly. "What were you doing all this time?"

"I- uh...I-I saw a mouse and remembered that Whiteweb had ticks, so I tried to catch it to-to use the bile but I missed, so I tried again, and again...and now it's past sunhigh..." Quietpaw pressed their ears against their skull. "I'm such a cricketbrain."

"Well, you're lucky to have a friend like me, because I just so happen to have seen some burnet while I was following you," she grinned. She bounded into the tall grass before Quietpaw could say anything. "C'mon, cricketbrain!" she called merrily, and Quietpaw bounded after her with a grateful smile.

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part 1 of 3

fin jan 10 2021