Rainpaw adjusted in her nest, feeling bone-tired. Why couldn't she fall asleep? She glanced outside. The sky was dark, and Rainpaw guessed that it was a little after midnight. She rose slowly to her paws, careful not to wake anyone and padded slowly out of the den. She spotted Morningshade on guard duty, pacing back and forth with her eyes trained on the dark pine forest that lay beyond the camp. Rainpaw carefully picked her way through the camp and into the forest. Maybe I can get some hunting done, she thought. Rainpaw sniffed the air and picked up the scent of squirrel. She followed the scent and spotted the squirrel picking through dead leaves. Rainpaw dropped into a crouch, creeping slowly forward. Just as the squirrel was a mouse-length away from her, she pounced and killed it with a swift bite to the neck. She buried it beside a pine tree then continued to walk through the forest. Suddenly, she heard a hiss. Rainpaw spun around but saw nothing. Then she heard it again. "Hissss." She shuddered and padded away, but the noise only got louder. "Hissss." Rainpaw broke into a run, racing around pine trees and back to the camp where she stood, panting. Morningshade turned to look at her. "Are you okay?" Rainpaw nodded. "I...I heard a snake, but its gone now." Morningshade turned away. "I'll ask Redstripe if he can send out more patrols." Rainpaw stifled a purr of relief and padded back into the apprentices den. Mosspaw, who had been awoken by her entry, lifted her head as she walked in. "Where've you been?" Rainpaw shrugged. "I couldn't sleep so I did some hunting." She decided not to tell Mosspaw about the snake for in case she got worried. "Did you catch anything?" "A squirrel." Mosspaw looked pleased. "Your first catch! Well done!" Rainpaw smiled happily, and meowed, "Thanks." She lay down in her nest, feeling bone-weary, and fell asleep. That morning, Rainpaw awoke to feel a paw jabbing her side. She blinked open her eyes and saw Nightbreeze staring at her. "Dawn patrol." Rainpaw struggled to her paws sleepily and followed Nightbreeze to Snowshadow, Sunnyshade, Duskfall, and Mosspaw. Mosspaw's eyes brightened when she saw her sister. "Rainpaw! I'm so glad your coming!" Rainpaw purred and bounded ahead of her mentor over to her sister. "I'm going to catch the fattest rabbit ever," boasted Mosspaw. Rainpaw shoved Mosspaw away. "No, I am!" Duskfall turned to glare at them. "Neither of you are if you make that much noise!" Rainpaw and Mosspaw shrank back and kept quiet. "I still am," breathed Mosspaw. Rainpaw shoved her again then continued to follow the patrol. Once they were deep in the forest, they spread out. Mosspaw bounded away and left Rainpaw on her own. Rainpaw quickly made sure that her clanmates were okay then sniffed the air. The scent of rabbit lingered in the air. Good! Thought Rainpaw. Now I can show Mosspaw who will catch the fattest rabbit. Rainpaw dropped into a crouch and looked around for the rabbit. She spotted it a tail-length away nibbling on some grass. Rainpaw crouched lower,sliding across the grass like a snake. The rabbit stopped nibbling and lifted its head, alarmed. Rainpaw slid closer and angled her leap. The rabbit started to sniff the air, fear shining in its eyes. Now...Rainpaw dived for the rabbit, but it darted just out of her reach. "NO!" Rainpaw yowled, running after it. That would feed her clan for a moon! She continued to follow it until she came up with a plan. Maybe if I stop it will stop, to. Rainpaw skidded to a halt, spraying leaves everywhere. "Mouse-dung!" She spat, watching the rabbit disappear down a hole. As Rainpaw stomped away, she spotted the patrol returning, Mosspaw carrying a sparrow in her jaws. All of the patrol had caught something! Rainpaw stared at her paws guiltily. Nightbreeze padded over to her. "Couldn't find anything?" She asked sympatheticly. Rainpaw shook her head and slowly walked back to camp. The patrol dropped their catches on the fresh-kill pile and spread out around the camp. Mosspaw bounded over to her. "I caught the fattest sparrow ever!" Rainpaw glared at her. "Good for you!" Mosspaw looked startled. "What? Didn't you catch something?" "No!' Rainpaw stormed into her den and lay down. Why does Mosspaw always have to brag about her catches? Why can't I catch anything? She clawed at her bedding angrily. Why can't I be more like Mosspaw? Rainpaw ripped out a clawful of bedding. "What are you doing?! Rainpaw looked to see that her bedding was a mess. Owlpaw, her denmate, stared at her with a surprised look in his eyes. Rainpaw stopped ripping her nest apart and instead padded outside to see her sister sharing tongues with Darkpaw and Skypaw. Tomorrow I'll catch the fattest rabbit in the forest, she thought. You'll see!
TO BE CONTINUED...