TBC02 - The Silent Thaw

“Sorry.” Rootpaw dropped his mew to a whisper,
his heart quickening as he saw the ThunderClan cats’
pelts turn and head toward the border. Bracken
swished as they neared.
“Do you have to make so much noise?” Lionblaze
slid from beneath a bramble and shook out his pelt.
The ThunderClan warrior was frowning. “Even if you
don’t mind frightening your own prey, you don’t have
to scare ours.”
Rootpaw searched the ThunderClan tom’s gaze.
Was there grief there? Or worry?
Sparkpelt and Cherryfall nosed their way out
beside him and stared irritably across the border.
None of them seemed bothered by anything but
Rootpaw’s yowl. Was their leader still alive? Hope
welled in his chest.
Plumwillow glanced crossly at Rootpaw. “Rootpaw
is a little overenthusiastic today.”
Dewspring brushed past Rootpaw. “I’m sorry. I
thought I’d trained him to use his hunting voice no
matter what patrol he was on.”
Amusement flashed in Sparkpelt’s eyes.
“Apprentices don’t always listen.”