Austin crouched in the grass, every pawstep lighter than a bird's feather hitting the ground. His eyes were focused on a vole. Stupid vole, he chuckled in his mind. It doesn't even know its about to be eaten.
Pouncing, he hissed in the air, and sunk his claws deep into the neck of the small animal. His stomach growled with hunger, begging to have the vole. But the elders and kits needed to eat first.
Picking it up, his mouth flooded with water at the scent of fresh-kill. He was on his way back when he saw Midnight carrying a fat mouse. "That's a scrawny thing 당신 got there," she muffled.
Austin dropped his vole and hissed, "Figures 당신 would catch something fat, you're pretty chubby yourself."
Midnight's jaw dropped, releasing the mouse. "Ugh!" she whipped around, forgetting the 쥐, 마우스 and strutting back with her tail held high.
Austin snickered and picked up the 쥐, 마우스 의해 it's tail. He scrapped earth over his vole so he could come back for it later.

Catching up to midnight, he dropped the 쥐, 마우스 and pushed it towards her. "You forgot this," he mewed, flicking his tail.
Her eyes burned with cold 불, 화재 and she just snorted. Thinking of something quick to say, he mewed, "My dad is the deputy. 당신 have to worship me."
Midnight smirked. "Oh, really? Then I guess I'll just have to do this"-she stomped on his paw and ran-"Ha! Pretty wimpy for deputy's only son."
Austin picked the 쥐, 마우스 up 의해 the skinny tail and flung it at her. It hit the back of her head, and she turned around and let out a long hiss. "Why don't 당신 just..." her voice was croaked, and she shook her head and walked away.

Austin felt bad. Had he really hurt her feelings? Guilt tugged at him like and eagle's talon as he went back for the vole. padding in the long green grass, he stepped on something sharp. Pain stuck him as he picked up his pad. A thorn bulged out like a twig stuck in the ground. Blood swelled from his wound and he limped back without collecting his prey.

He walked into Echo's den, and one of Frost's brothers came out. "Coda, can 당신 get this thorn out of my pad?" Coda nodded and picked up some cobwebs. He set them down and bit down on the thorn. The pain grew as Coda pulled and tugged on the thorn, but it wouldn't budge.
"Austin? What are 당신 doing here?" Echo's voice came from behind a curtain of lichen. "Coda! Not like that! Here, let me see your pad Austin." she looked at Coda and giggled. "Come on, let me show 당신 the correct way to get a thorn out." She gently fastened her teeth on the thorn and pulled gently. It slipped right out and Echo quickly pressed the cobwebs to his wound. "Fetch me some marigold," she instructed. her apprentice went to the back of the 굴, 덴 and came out with chewed up golden flowers, and he dropped them at Echo's paws. "Thank you." she mewed.
Austin watched as she very carefully put the 금잔화, 금 잔 화 on his paw. The pain started to ebb and he mowed, "Thanks," and walked out the den.

Daylight was still strong, but Austin was worn out. He slumped into 침대 and closed his eyes. Right before he got to sleep, someone prodded him on the shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Midnight glaring at him. "Did 당신 bring 집 my mouse?" she asked sternly.
"No, did 당신 expect me to?" Austin growled, closing his eyes again.
Midnight looked like she thought he was going to say 'yes'. She shrugged and mewed, "Okay."
She joined him in the den, but put her bedding about four feet away.
After a few moments, Austin finally went to sleep.

"Hello?" Austin called in blackness. "Where am I?" All he could saw was his paws in front of him.
"Hello," a voice rasped calmly.
"Show yourself!" Austin demanded. He looked around, but saw nothing.
An 주황색, 오렌지 she-cat came from the darkness and blinked, smiling. "You are the third chosen one." she purred.
"Chosen one- what?" Austin had no clue what this she-cat was talking about.
The she-cat nodded. "You and thee other 고양이 will make the Clans come together in a time of need."
"What?" he asked, looking at her.
The she-cat faded, and he was left alone in the dark.

"Huh!" Austin gasped. He looked around. It was pitch black now, he noticed Midnight had moved closer. Not bothered, Frost, Coda, and Koja all lay together, their pelts brushing. His sisters lay 다음 to each other, Alice was pretty close to Koja. She'd better not fall in 사랑 with HIM. he thought disgusted. Thunder lay alone in the center.
He prodded Midnight with his paws. She awoke with a jolt. "What?" she hissed, blinking sleep from her eyes.
Austin yawned. "Did 당신 have a weird dream of an 주황색, 오렌지 she-cat?" he asked.
"No," she answered, laying down her head again.
"Oh." Austin whispered.

Before he could go back to sleep, he heard Frost mew, "I did."