The calico she-cat remained, motionless, concealed within the overgrowth of dew-touched ferns. Her striking green gaze remained locked on the ginger-furred rabbit grazing on the tender shoots of Spring-grass. The rabbit remained unaware of the silent feline's presence, and was content to remain where it was for the time being.

The she-cat kept her ears perked forwards, her whiskers quivering slightly as she took a timid step forward before stilling, watching the rabbit for movement. When nothing new occured, she took another step, then another.

Her tail gently flicked, gingerly brushing against the large fern leaves that shrouded her in shadow. She inhaled deeply, scenting for anything that might send her prey running. She glanced around the small clearing with narrowed pupils. She parted her mouth slightly to pick up on the stale trail of a fox, then centered her attention on the rabbit, knowing nothing would interrupt her hunt.

She stalked forward as far as she dared, wavering at the border between shadow and sunlight. The rabbit seemed on edge now, as if sensing the predatory eyes watching it. It was now or never.

She pushed off with her hind legs, sailing through the air with her paws outstretched and her long claws unsheathed. The rabbit let out a squeal and turned to flee, but it's reaction was a mere second too late.

The she-cat pinned the rabbit to the ground, sinking her claws into its vulnerable underbelly and quickly severing the life-giving artery in it's neck with her gleaming fangs. She waited until the rabbit's shudders and twitches subsided, and the body went limp and unresponsive in her jaws before she stood with her catch dangling from her mouth.

She rotated an ear to the side as she assessed her surroundings, before turning to pad back into the undergrowth from which she emerged.

The tall trees created a seemingly never-ending sky of viridescent leaves, and the shadows they created were filled with overflowing vegetation. Vines twisted and curled around the tree trunks like sage green vipers, and the forest was constantly filled with the mismatched harmony of birdsong. Mushrooms gathered around fallen logs or mossy stones, their pale colours contrasting starkly with the greenery around them.

If one were to look closely at the ground, they could see the long lines of ants as they diligently carried food to their nests and queens. The faint hum of bees drifted into the she-cat's ears, as they circled around their hive far up in the branches above. The forest was constantly full of life, whether it be big or small, it was a constant companion.

The she-cat bounded over a shallow stream as it winded through the foliage, the water rippling as it cascaded over smooth stones and drifted away into the distance. Her pawsteps were silent as she weaved her way through the forest, avoiding sticks and other obstacles with the practiced ease only a true feline can accomplish.

Eventually she came to a towering wall of tightly-interwoven brambles and bracken. Sharp thorns grew from the twisting branches, making their presence known to any looking to invade. Paying them no mind, she padded alongside the barrier until she came to a gap.

The wall had parted to create a low arch tall enough for a cat to stroll inside comfortably, but would prove a hassle for larger predators. The calico padded through without hesitation, for this was the camp of Whisperclan, her home.

Two cats sat guard beside the entrance, a russet-furred tom and a sandy-coated female.

"Welcome back Silentsong," The tom, Flickerfur, yowled lifting a paw up in anticipation.

"Great catch!" The sandy female, Sandfoot, praised, nuzzling against Silentsong's shoulder affectionately before returning to her post.

Silentsong sent them a timid smile, flicking her tail as a goodbye as she padded deeper into camp.

In the center of the camp was a shallow pit bordered by moss and pebbles, where they stored their prey. She dropped her rabbit inside, her spirits lifting as she saw the amount of prey currently being stored.

The camp consisted of several dens - The apprentice den, a dome-like structure extending from the wall. The warriors den, a large cave inside of a hollow rock formation that had been there for as long as the clan had. The nursery, an underground hollow filled with moss and downy feathers from their prey. The medicine cat den, a comfortable nest-like space inside of a large hollow log. The elder's den, a mossy circle surrounded by tall grass. And finally, the leader's den, located inside of a large hollow tree close to the wall. The tree's branches stretch out over the entire camp, creating a roof of leaves over the clan's heads.

The she-cat swiped her tongue over her muzzle to cleanse it of the rabbit's blood before turning and walking over into the medicine cat's den. She peered at the row of moss-nests lined up against the side of the log, noticing that only one was occupied.

Ambergaze was busy sorting through her stash of herbs, her long ginger pelt catching the sunlight that leaked through the den's roof. In the nest opposite her was a small silver-furred kit with hazel eyes staring anxiously at the moss in front of her nose.

Silentsong padded inside and sat down beside Ambergaze, purring softly in greeting. Throughout the years of assisting Ambergaze, the two had grown very close.

The honey-furred she-cat glanced up from the scrambled pile of collected leaves, roots, berries, stems and other herbs. A grin brightened up the medicine cat's features immediately. Silentsong flicked an ear at the older she-cat and gave a genuine smile.

"Silentsong! You're back! Did you catch anything? Of course you did, what am I saying? You're a great hunter!" The she-cat ranted, barely managing to keep herself from bouncing up and down.

Silentsong tilted her head to the side with one ear rotated to the side as she listened to her energetic friend ramble on about how 'lonely' and 'bored' she had been without her. She loved Ambergaze like a sister, but she couldn't figure out how the over-friendly she-cat had so much energy stored up.

"And there was this tom cat called Blueta-" Silentsong cut her off by gently pawing her muzzle and flicking her tail at the kit.

"Oh right! Silentsong this is Thrushkit, Gleamingflower's youngest kit. She hurt her paw when she was playing with her brothers." The smiling she-cat informed quickly, before turning to pick up a leaf from her pile.

Without needing to be asked, Silentsong padded over to the other side of the den where a row of hollowed out acorns sat ready for use. She picked it up in her jaws and carried it over to Ambergaze, where she dropped it at her paws before stepping back to let the professional do her job.

Silentsong watched as Ambergaze chewed on the leaf - a dried oak leaf, she realized as she identified it - and spat the mixture into the acorn. She slid it closer to Thrushkit before dipping her paw in it and rubbing it into the small scrape. Silentsong watched attentively, storing this knowledge into the back of her mind for later use.

"There you go, Thrushkit! You're free to go. Just be careful while your playing, and try not to get the wound too dirty, or it might get infected." Ambergaze tilted her head as she watched the kit pad off.

Silentsong blinked inquisitively as her friend's face lit up with a sudden rush of excitement. What could she be thinking about this time?

"We should go to that lake in the Northern part of the territory! I heard from Ferntouch that there's been loads of fish there!" Ambergaze was bouncing up and down with anticipation, her tail whipping back and forth in the air.

Silentsong gave a nod, and turned to pad out of the medicine cat den.

The clearing was dappled in small patches of sunlight that managed to fall between the thick leaves of the canopy above. Silentsong peered at the odd mix of pelt colours that her clan consisted of. There were ebony coats, silver coats, dappled pelts, white coats, ginger pelts, brown pelts, and all that came between.

Ambergaze brushed past her, her tail tip flicking past Silentsong's nose, causing her to sneeze. She padded after her, briefly pausing to bat at her friend's tail.

They dodged a hurtling ball of fluff, which turned out to be four wrestling kits. Silentsong watched with amusement as the oldest, a dark grey-furred tom, pounced on a cream-coated she-kit. The other two, two toms, were busy swiping at each other's noses with their paws, and hardly noticed as the two warriors passed by.

Ambergaze purred, flicking an ear at the kits. As they reached the camp entrance a patrol was just returning. They stepped to the side and sat down to let the warriors pass.

The group of six was led by the clan deputy, Ospreytalon, a light brown cat with a cream underbelly and white socks. He gave them a smile as he passed, his amber eyes warm with kindness, waving his tail in greeting. The patrol group disappeared into the camp, leaving the two she-cats to pad through the arch.

Silentsong merged once more with the forest, her ears rotating to catch the chorus of sounds caused by the other inhabitants living amongst the tall trees. The two she-cats ran side by side, leaping gracefully over obstacles. Silentsong could feel the forest floor beneath her paw pads, she could feel the grass cushion her pawsteps as they passed through clearings and underbrush.

The sunlight leaked onto their pelts, seemingly turning them to liquid flame as it brightened the colours tenfold. Silentsong sought comfort in the warmth the light brang, purring as they continued through the territory towards the lake Ambergaze seemed so exhilarated by.

The two gradually slowed to a trot, their destination merely over the next rise. Silentsong could hear Ambergaze's soft panting as the forest was quieter here, the shadows longer. Yet neither cat was afraid, for this was still Whisperclan territory, and they had been here many times before. Even so, the quiet caused a heavy presence over this part of the forest, putting both cat's senses on high alert.

They reached the top of the rise, and came to a stunning view. The lake stretched wide, creating a water-filled mirror on the forest floor. The water was still, save for the ripples caused by the silver-scaled fish lurking below. The sunlight that flooded the clearing from the parted canopy above caused a reflective gleam to appear on the water's surface, making it seem to glow.

Ambergaze wasted no time in leaping off of their perch and landing softly by the lake's edge. Silentsong followed shortly after, staring down at her reflection with newfound curiosity. It had been a while since the two had visited here, Silentsong had been occupied by hunting for prey, and Ambergaze had been attending to her duties as the medicine cat.

"Let's try and catch some fish," Ambergaze mewled, her voice softer than usual as she attempted not to startle the prey.

Silentsong gave an unneeded nod, for her friend was already crouched by the water, staring into the depths. The calico crawled up beside her and unsheathed her claws.

Her pupils dilated as she stared at the water, her muscles as taut as a bowstring drawn behind your ear. Her tail hovered above the ground, her tail tip twitching ever so slightly. Her ears were perked forwards, rotating occasionally to pick up on the smallest of sounds.

Silentsong's head tilted ever so slightly, then she was leaping. Her form dove deep into the water, twisting as she grasped the fish with her claws. They sunk for a moment as she fought to get a grip on the slick scales, before she was rising from the water and gasping for breath at the surface.

She quickly grabbed the fish between her jaws, paddling back to the shore. She climbed out and shook her fur, dropping the fish onto the ground with an audible thud. Ambergaze was immediately beside her, watching her with awe.

"How did you catch that? How did you even know it was there?" Ambergaze cried, seemingly perplexed.

Silentsong flicked her ear, gazing at the ground with a soft sigh. She wished she could communicate to her friend, but she had made a vow she would never break. She would not speak, not after what she had done.

"Silentsong? Silentsong!" Ambergaze yowled into her ear, causing her to jump and bristle.

The startled she-cat turned to glare at Ambergaze, her tail lashing back and forth, sending water droplets flying.

"Sorry! You weren't paying attention," Ambergaze rolled onto her back pawing at Silentsong's nose.

She gave Ambergaze a soft nip on the paw as she turned to the fish she'd caught and examined it closely. It was roughly the same size as one of her forelegs, proving to be a satisfactory meal for the clan. She flexed her claws and turned to give a pointed look at Ambergaze, then the water, then the fish.

"Fine," Ambergaze meowed. "I'll catch a fish, but don't judge me, I'm terrible at hunting."

The ginger cat padded back to the water and crouched down, her ears flattened to her head. Silentsong sat beside her and gently pinned the other cat's lashing tail to the ground to keep it still. She then tapped Ambergaze's paw with her own before unsheathing her claws, causing the other cat to mimic her.

Satisfied, she lay down and rested her head on her paws, content to watch.

Ambergaze was growing increasingly frustrated as she couldn't pick up a single sound that indicated there was a fish beyond the surface of the lake.

Silentsong huffed as the the sun grew lower and lower to the horizon, the clearing being cast in shadow as the sun's light withdrew. She nudged Ambergaze on the shoulder and pointed at a fish she could sense just beneath the surface. Without further encouragement, Ambergaze pounced, diving into the water.

Silentsong watched as Ambergaze wrestled with the fish, causing the lake's flat surface to ripple and splash. Eventually, Ambergaze came up with a small fish clutched in her jaws, her ears pinned to her head as water dripped from her fur.

Once she got free from the water's cool grasp, Ambergaze shook herself and scowled at the water.

Silentsong picked up her own fish and began to pad back to camp, knowing Ambergaze would be following close behind her.

By the time they'd made it back to camp, the sky was a vast expanse of ebony, held together by the glittering web of Silverpelt. The moon was a giant eye of silver, watching those on the earth far below. Silentsong had always loved Moonhigh, when the moon is at its highest peak in the sky. She found the quiet comforting, soothing. More so then the constant sounds of Sunhigh.

The two padded through the entrance and into camp, where few cats still roamed. Silentsong purred and rubbed against Ambergaze, before padding into the warriors den. She curled up in her moss nest, positioned in the far corner of the den, and gingerly let her eyelids close. The darkness she found herself in was both comforting, and frightening. Yet she allowed her mind to shut down, and sleep to claim her.

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This is the first chapter of Warrior Cats: The Song Of Silence!

I hope you all enjoyed, see you in the next chapter!