CHAPTER FIVE

ECHOBERRY | THUNDERCLAN CAMP

Echoberry trotted into camp, carrying nothing. Her head hung low, hoping Hollymoon was out of camp at the moment and wouldn't scold her patrol for coming back empty-pawed.

    "That was one of the worst hunts ever." Runningsky muttered, looking longingly at the empty prey pile.

    "We would've caught a vole if some cat wasn't so clumsy." Ravenwhisker growled, glaring directly at Echoberry. Echoberry couldn't meet her glower, knowing Ravenwhisker had a good reason to be mad. So did everyone else, however they kept their disappointment contained.

    "Don't blame Echoberry," Vixenheart cut in, the only cat on the patrol who seemed to brush off Echoberry's mess-up. "Any cat could've done it." Ever since the one day they had paired up, the two had became good friends, and Echoberry was certain that bond would only strengthen overtime.

    Ravenwhisker drew back her lips, about to shoot an insult back, but some cat chimed in. Echoberry glanced around, gaze settling on the speaker, ears heating up. Had he heard of the patrol's failure?

    "Ravenwhisker, control yourself." Honeystar murmured, eyes narrowed. "Some lost prey is no big deal."

    "But-"

    "No buts," his eyes sharpened with displeasure at the warrior's word, "I don't want my Clan to fall into shambles just because they can't forgive one another for such minor mistakes."

    Ravenwhisker's defiant expression crumbled under Honeystar's challenging one, tail whisking between her legs.

    Echoberry's ears flicked, surprised. She had truly thought her leader and acting deputy would both be disappointed in her, but Honeystar instead scolded Ravenwhisker for holding such a mouse-brained grudge.

    "I understand." Ravenwhisker mumbled, submissively lowering her head.

    Echoberry flinched when Honeystar's gaze flicked over to her. While his expression had softened, she was frightened that she had misjudged him and he'd chastise her, telling her to pay more attention while patrolling, but he said nothing, giving a quick "farewell" to the patrol before padding towards the exit of camp.

    Ravenwhisker threw one sour glance in her direction before stalking off, tail flicking irritably. Echoberry's shoulders, which had been very tense, relaxed now that Ravenwhisker was gone.

    "Honeystar may have saved your tail from Ravenwhisker, but once Hollymoon hears of this, I'd say hide in your nest for a while." Vixenheart teased, pulling up beside Echoberry.

    Echoberry stiffened, tense again. Vixenheart's teasing words were true.

    "Do you see her?" she murmured, looking briskly around camp.

    Vixenheart tilted her head. "Are you truly scared? I was only joking."

    Echoberry didn't answer, shaking her pelt. "How about we go hunt? Make up for my mistake." She suggested instead.

    Vixenheart meowed softly. "You don't have to redeem yourself."

    "Please. I just want to take my mind off of this." Echoberry knew she should've already gotten over the silly mistake. While hunting with Ravenwhisker, she had been too focused and desperate on the vole that she paid no mind to where her paws landed. She had stepped on a twig, the loud snap resonating throughout the trees. After that, they could find nothing else.

    Vixenheart dipped her head, walking towards the exit. "Let's go!" she mewed.

    Echoberry trotted after her, studying the sky as she did. The white clouds hung low to the ground, blocking all of the sky. Snowflakes mindlessly floated down, landing on her whiskers and pelt.

    This is going to make it harder to hunt.

    Vixenheart thought out loud. "Should we hunt near WindClan's border - er, since the prey may all be hiding near SkyClan's?" she asked.

    Echoberry sighed, noticing her words. While Vixenheart wasn't blaming her, Vixenheart's logical explanation still stung. They wouldn't be hiding away if she-

    Vixenheart pounced on her, startling her out of her thoughts. She landed on her side, pinned to the ground. "Hey, you, stop thinking about that." Vixenheart snapped, a hint of agitation in her voice. "If Ravenwhisker is the main reason you're so miserable today, I'll put thorns in her nest."

    Echoberry let out a weak purr of amusement. "Would you really?"

    "Really." Vixenheart smirked. "However, there already may be thorns in her nest, so that may be why she's always prickly."

    The lame joke made Echoberry roll her eyes. She pushed Vixenheart off of her, getting to her paws.

    "Okay, I'll cheer up." Echoberry promised. "You're right; I'm just brooding about some silly accident." More in the mindset of hunting, she took control. "How about you hunt closer to WindClan's border while I try closer by the lake?"

    Vixenheart nodded, bounding off silently. Echoberry confidently strode off, tasting the air as she went. The snow came down harder, and fog was beginning to roll in. She caught a faint trace of a mouse and followed the trail, spotting a little gray tail. She dropped into a crouch, tongue swirling around her muzzle.

    She pulled closer, bunching her muscles. In a flash, she was atop the mouse, snapping its spine as it let out a pitiful squeal before falling limp under her paw.

    Echoberry smiled to herself. Ravenwhisker's painfully slow approach probably was the reason she got desperate and unfocused.

    She grabbed the mouse, walking to the closest tree. She buried the mouse, mentally remembering which tree had her prey.

    Echoberry scouted for more prey, narrowing her eyes against the swirling snow.

    I won't find anything in this! she thought, about to go find Vixenheart when an earsplitting screech tore through the howling wind.

    Echoberry's blood froze. Vixenheart!?

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