The Warren Of Falling Shadows Sneakpeek

This is a sneak peek of the book I am about to publish I am planning on publishing it this week or next week.
This sneak peek only covers Chaptor one
Chapter One
The Beginning of Spring
Within a large prairie on the outskirts of Alberta, the signs of spring appear, birds chirping, bees buzzing and the tiny crickets singing. An antelope jackrabbit bounds gracefully through the tall golden grasses of the prairie. She stops for a drink of the crystal clear waters of a pond, her enormous ears turn like radar dishes to pick out the tiniest sound of ants marching on the pure white sand of the beach. Suddenly a pitch black rex rabbit hops towards her at a steady pace. ¨Hello Sunpelt, fancy meeting you on a patrol this morning.¨ The night colored buck spoke.
¨Oh hi Ravenstar.¨ Sunpelt purred stepping closer to nuzzle her leader.
Ravenstar nuzzled her back on the white sandy beach. ¨Heatherdawn needs some poppy seeds for little Wolfkit´s stomach.¨ Ravenstar said stepping back after the nuzzle.
¨Oh I heard Wolfkit caught a cold this winter.¨ Sunpelt clicked ¨I think we should go back into the burrow to be safe from predators.¨
Ravenstar nodded ¨Sure I’ll send a foraging patrol when we get back.¨
The two of them hopped across the prairie smelling all of the scents of leaves, grass and even a pair of deer mice foraging for the roots under the sunflower patch. On the way before they entered the burrow Ravenstar gathered some poppy seeds for Heatherdawn to give to Wolfkit. Once they entered the burrow the scents of fresh ferns and grasses filled their little twitching noses.
¨Sunpelt may you set up the patrol for Firefur, Snowheart and Owlfeather and his apprentice Goosepaw?¨ Ravenstar purred as he entered Heatherdawn´s den.
¨Sure!¨ Sunpelt yelped with excitement. She leaped over to the warriors den to get Firefur, Snowheart and Owlfeather.
Owlfeather got up as soon as he saw Sunpelt coming ¨Yes Sunpelt?¨ He clicked.
¨I need you and Snowheart, Firefur and Goosepaw to go on an patrol.¨ She replied.
Owlfeather nodded and hopped out of the den with Snowheart and Firefur. He stands over by the apprentice den to get Goosepaw.
¨Hi!¨ Frogpaw said thumping his feet happily.
¨Not now Frogpaw I´m looking for Goosepaw.¨ Owlfeather whispered not to wake Windpaw.
¨Goosepaw is cleaning Dustcloud´s ticks.¨ Frogpaw said a bit upset he wasn't going.
¨Ugh.¨ Owlfeather mumbled and hopped over to the elder´s den. The elder´s den was surprisingly clean and fresh smelling.
¨Hi Owlfeather.¨ Willowflower purred.
¨Hi I´m looking for Goosepaw for a patrol.¨ Owlfeather said a little annoyed.
¨A patrol. Really? Yay!¨ Goosepaw yelped happily.
The four of them hopped out of the burrow into the fresh air of the prairie, Firefur started to lead the patrol out to the far border of the territory near the twin oaks, once they hopped to the canyon entrance it happened. Suddenly out of nowhere three feral cats bolted out of the bush pinning Owlfeather down.
Owlfeather kicked the cat´s soft under belly cutting into flesh with the force of his legs, the cat yowled in pain then started to run at Owlfeather, swiftly Owlfeather kicked at the cat's jaw, dislocating it. The other cat leaped to save his friend pinning Owlfeather down and bitting hard on his neck causing him to scream.
¨YOU GET AWAY FROM HIM!!!!!!!¨ Snowheart growled leaping onto the cat´s back and kicking like mad. The sands of the prairie turned red with cat and rabbit blood as they battled for survival, one of the cats targeted Goosepaw but Firefur shielded Goosepaw from the yowling, biting cats.
Owlfeather and Snowheart managed to chase the cats off but not without injuries.
¨Owe!!!!!!¨ Owlfeather whimpered in pain. His shoulder was covered in blood that was dripping to the prairie sands and grasses. The blood was his, dripping out of a massive gaping wound on his right shoulder.
¨You go back to the burrow and have that wound checked out by Heatherdawn I´ll take care of Goosepaw while your healing.¨ Snowheart purred pushing her head by his side in a friendly manner.
Owlfeather knew he didn't like the idea of someone else taking care of his apprentice but he knew she was right so he turned around and bounded across the prairie to the burrow.
Snowheart smiled and nodded down at Goosepaw who was still under Firefur´s legs. The three of them hopped to the east of the territory to end off the patrol and head back home.
Once they were almost home, Goosepaw stared up at the stars as if they spoke to her. The prairie was quiet in the night apart from the crickets chirping. She had never been outside at night for long so it seemed so new yet so familiar. Then a sudden screech that sounded like a mixture of owl hooting and a rabbit screaming in distress.
¨Hide!¨ Snowheart whispered they all hid in a bush with thorns to be safe.
¨What is it.¨ Goosepaw asked, shaking in fear.
¨It's an owl´s death cry they do it to scare prey like us out of hiding, whatever you do don't fall for it.¨ Snowheart purred nuzzling Goosepaw to calm her.
¨But Ravenstar will be mad at us for staying late.¨ Goosepaw whimpered.
¨No Ravenstar will not be mad if we tell him we are hiding from an owl.¨ Snowheart purred.
After a full 4 minutes of waiting they quickly hopped to the burrow and climbed inside.
¨Don´t worry Ravenstar we were not betraying we were hiding from an owl.¨ Snowheart said nuzzling her leader's neck.
¨Its fine I'm glad you were so smart at hiding when you hear an owl´s death cry.¨ Ravenstar purred nuzzling Snowheart back.
Goosepaw looked around and entered Heatherdawn´s den to see her mentor Owlfeather.
¨Oh hello Goosepaw, don´t worry Owlfeather is fine I'm just picking out the fleas from his wound it seems the cat who attacked him had fleas, lots of them.¨ Heatherdawn purred licking Goosepaw's head.
Heatherdawn turned around and hopped over to Owlfeather to pick out the fleas from his wound.
“Can I see Owlfeather?” Goosepaw asked, twitching her nose.
“Sure.” Heatherdawn said with a wink.
Owlfeather was laying on some fresh hay, the tiny fleas leaped all over his wound trying to lay eggs and dodge Heatherdawn.
“Oh hi Goosepaw.” Owlfeather said standing up, sending fleas flying.
“Oh sit back down you’ll make it worst!” Heatherdawn growled lightly.
“Fine but I shouldn’t argue with a healer anyway.” Owlfeather said sitting back down.
“May I talk now?” Goosepaw said thumping her foot impatiently.
“Sure!” Owlfeather chuckled looking down at his apprentice.
“Will you be ok?” Goosepaw said twitching her nose.
“I’m fine don't worry it's not like I’ll die or anything.” Owlfeather said nudging over to nuzzle his apprentice.
“Owlfeather is right, he is a strong warrior.” Heatherdawn whispered nuzzling Goosepaw. “You better go sleep it's getting late.”
“Ok.” Goosepaw said hopping to the apprentice den. The apprentice den was warm, she laid down in her sleeping spot cozying up in the soft fur her mother picked from her own belly to line her nest. She looked up as if she could see to the stars, she remembered her kithood when she needed her mother’s warm pelt to keep her hairless body warm. The thought of her mother made her cry. She wept becaus
Category:Cats
Category:Stories