Written in the Stars

It had been a hot day in OakClan when Sappaw had been training her hunter’s crouch with Stormshriek throughout the morning. However, she had managed to earn herself some time to herself after putting forth all she could muster. Thus, it was no surprise the small she-cat had ducked out of camp and into the forest to catch some shade.

Dark paws tread through the greenery deftly without a sound; Sapppaw had been pleased to have mastered her silent steps in an effort to avoid her boisterous family’s antics. Having it translate over to her apprenticeship studies simply ripened the fruits of her labor. She had been moving rather briskly and surprised herself to find that the soft bubble of churning water met her ears. Withdrawing from her inner monologue, the dark tabby blinked widely as a great swath of dark water swept out like a massive snake a few fox-lengths away. Curiosity piqued, there was no way the young OakClan cat was walking away from this without learning more.

Sappaw had crept up until she was a tail-length or two away from the muddy banks of the river and the she-cat was practically buzzing with excitement. The river was placid and slowly drifting in a state of idle calm, though she could see the faint haze that the waterfall kicked up a way’s off. Stormshriek had told her this place was called the Lilypad River when they had toured the territory, though he hadn’t given her much on the place besides that it was a location of interest. Sappaw knew she would have come back here sooner or later, but was ecstatic that sooner had won in her favor.

As she beamed to herself, something in the muddy grass nearby caught her eye. A small stack of mud seemed to have dried out and crumbled, toppling over. It was an odd sight, she thought, but after looking for a bit longer, she had to retract the comment. Dozens of these little muddy stacks laden the area, some moister than others, and some petrified by the baking heat. Instant she recalled the little structures as crawfish dens, recounting her mentor’s brief list of prey likely to be encountered along the river.

With her confidence bolstered, the thin tabby carefully stalked over to one nearby that still stood upright and gingerly sat in front of it. Her almond eyes narrowed in a slight scowl, hesitant to peer into the dark hole at the top. Sappaw hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until the cry of a bird startled her, snapping her back to attention with her wheezing a little. I wonder what spooked it?

|| continlula ||