#furrowleap

He dashed forward to close the growing distance between them and as he did, he kicked off with his hind legs to get a better view over the drifts of snow. They were technically out on a border patrol, but Russetfrond had told him to keep his eyes peeled for prey as well. Despite Yarrowshade and Pantherhaze’s great hunting skill - and Barleypaws, he thought proudly - food had become scarce to the point where Russetfrond had started teaching him how to ration meals most effectively. 

He’d made sure to bring anything he found straight to Smokyrose and her kits, who were just starting to eat solid foods. The first time he had brought them a meal after the kits had opened their eyes, Slatekit had stared at him with her big blue eyes like he was the most amazing thing she had ever seen and he couldn’t deny that it had boosted his ego considerably. He enjoyed the rush of pride every time she ran and hid behind her mother to watch him deliver the prey and he’d taken every chance he could to feel it again. Plus, Smokyrose was always appreciative and Fogkit was equally adorable. He laughed to think that he was once so cute and small. 

Unfortunately, he hadn’t seen so much as a single bird all day. 

Sighing, he turned to his mentor and asked, “Russetfrond?” 

“Do you need me to slow down?” the big tom asked, glancing back over his shoulder.

“No,” he shook his head then, thinking better of it, said, “Maybe.” Russetfrond’s pace slowed by a half step, allowing him a little bit of breathing room. Surprising Sparrowpaw, his mentor didn’t have anything to say about it. He continued, “Um, I wanted to ask you: is prey usually this scarce in leafbare?” Russetfrond had told him that it was rarer once the snow started, but he couldn’t believe it was always this rare. The Clan had been much bigger before he was born hadn’t it? How had they kept everyone fed if there was no prey to be seen?

“Not always,” said Russetfrond, confirming his suspicions. “The prey goes to ground and some of the birds fly away but it varies year to year how much there is to find.” 

“So this year is worse than usual?” Sparrowpaw pressed. 

“Yes,” Russetfrond said grimly. He looked out over the snow, towards the city in the distance, and Sparrowpaw reared on his hind paws for a step to try and follow his mentor’s gaze. All he managed to see was a blurry field of white as he wobbled and dropped back onto his front paws. 

“Will everyone be alright?” he asked. Russetfrond grunted in a way that Sparrowpaw had learned meant he was thinking. 

“We’ll have to see,” he said. “There aren’t as many mouths to feed but there are subsequently less hunters to feed them.” Sparrowpaw quirked his head, mouthing the word subsequently to test it out for himself. 

“Well, I hope StarClan sends us lots of prey,” he said eventually. 

Russetfrond grunted again - that one meant he was skeptical of the idea. Sparrowpaw wondered why but didn’t ask. His papa spoke frequently about asking StarClan for better weather or more prey or even just good luck. The way he saw it, if you just prayed hard enough, StarClan could solve any problem you had but Russetfrond seemed to think differently. What did his mentor know that he didn’t? 

The two of them continued their patrol in silence until they spotted the EarthClan patrol coming their way. Russetfrond greeted the senior warrior, Furrowleap, and his apprentice, Fishpaw, curtly and asked them if there was any news.

“Not much,” Furrowleap said, “Just the usual struggles of leafbare.” 

Fishpaw rolled her eyes. “Yeah, except Dawnbird has whitecough and Stormwhisper is still nowhere to be found.” 

“Isn’t he on a mission from StarClan?” Sparrowpaw asked, remembering what his papa had told Sagetooth. 

“All I know is he left us without a healer,” said the older apprentice, twitching her ginger tail irritably. Her mentor brushed his tail against her leg gently. 

“Maybe our friends in RisingClan could help us out,” he said. 

“I’ll let Sagetooth know,” Russetfrond said. “Her frostbite has healed without a trace so I’m sure she would be willing to come take a look at the girl.” 

“Much appreciated,” purred Furrowleap. Fishpaw looked away, rolling her eyes again. Sparrowpaw couldn’t stop the indignant snort that came out of him and she raised her eyebrow in his direction. He held her gaze without a word and eventually, she looked away again. Subtly, he let out a breath of relief. He had been very worried she was about to start a fight and he didn’t want to be responsible for that sort of thing. 

The patrol proceeded as normal, mostly in silence which was enhanced by the fat flakes of snow that continued to descend from the thick grey clouds up ahead. Sparrowpaw was starting to lose track of where exactly they were. He thanked StarClan that he had Russetfrond to lead him home again. 

“Wait,” Russetfrond said suddenly, lifting his tail. “Do you smell that?” 

“Smell what?” Sparrowpaw asked, leaning forward to try and see what Russetfrond was sniffing at. His mentor did nothing to move out of his way and Sparrowpaw huffed in frustration as he stepped back behind his mentor. The EarthClan cats, both taller than him and able to see over the snow on their own, successfully joined Russetfrond in sniffing around. 

“City cats,” Furrowleap nodded.

“Looks like there’s something under the snow,” Russetfrond grumbled, starting to dig at the snow. Sparrowpaw tried rising onto his hind paws to get a peek but still couldn’t see past the other cats’ shoulders. 

“What is it?” he asked, straining to balance. 

“A mousetail?” asked Furrowleap. “They left just a mouse tail?” 

“They’re taunting us,” Russetfrond growled. “When the border patrol met their leader, he offered us food in exchange for turning in the cat he was hunting. He said he knew it was hard to find food this time of year.” 

“So they’re hunting our prey to spite us?” Fishpaw hissed, tail lashing. 

“And to force us to do what they want,” Russetfrond said. 

“Those fox-hearts,” snarled Fishpaw. Sparrowpaw was inclined to agree. He knew that the lack of prey was suspicious! Now that he knew Razor was to blame, the sneaking suspicion that had been building inside him ignited into a righteous fury. He started pacing back through the tracks in the snow, looking for further signs of city cat transgressions. 

“Let’s fan out,” Furrowtrail said, seeming to have the same thought, “see if we can find anything else.” Russetfrond grunted in a way that said he disagreed but didn’t want to argue. 

Sparrowpaw put his head down and started to search. He was determined to find something, to help his Clan. He imagined Russetfrond congratulating him for a job well done and felt his spirits rise. Praise from his mentor was hard won but that only made it more satisfying to him, even if his littermates didn’t agree. 

He paused in his tracks and listened, ears forward, paws still. Maybe there were city cats nearby. If the mouse tail was fresh enough to be found under the snow, they couldn’t have been too far, right? 

A noise ahead of him pulled him into a laser focus and he crouched down between the tracks in the snow. Something was approaching, cautiously shuffling in his direction. It didn’t sound quite like a cat, the steps were too lilting in their rhythm - one, two… one, two… one, two. He held his breath and waited until, up ahead, the snow making up the wall of the tracks that the patrol had left behind crumbled softly and a face with wide set eyes and a pair of large, upright ears poked into the path. 

Sparrowpaw thanked StarClan for the coating of snow clinging to his thick fur. It seemed the rabbit hadn’t spotted him yet. He’d never caught a rabbit before, but he’d been taught how. Once again, he imagined dragging his prize to the nursery and showing it off for Fogkit and Slatekit. Even Barleypaw would be impressed, he told himself. He’d be a hero for catching such a filling meal for the Clan. Very carefully, he took a step forward. Then another. 

“What are you doing?!” Fishpaw’s voice snapped in his ear and he flinched with a gasp. The rabbit heard and sprinted away in a series of thumping footsteps. Sparrowpaw looked up at Fishpaw with a pout. 

“You scared it away!” he accused.

“You were going to steal our prey!” she hissed back. “Are you so dumb you can’t see you’re on our territory?” 

“I-” the blood drained from his face. Was he really? Fear built in his chest when he pictured Russetfrond’s reaction. 

“What’s going on here?” his mentor’s voice boomed as he stormed towards them and Sparrowpaw felt sick. 

Fishpaw stood to her full height and glared at him. “Your apprentice was just taking the opportunity to catch EarthClan prey while our backs were turned!” 

Russetfrond turned his fierce amber eyes on Sparrowpaw. “Is that true?” he asked. Sparrowpaw opened his mouth but his words died of shame in his throat. He looked down at his paws and wilted. 

“Well?” Russetfrond pressed and Sparrowpaw knew there was no way out.

“I… I got turned around,” he said weakly. “I didn’t realize where we were. I’m sorry.” Behind Russetfrond, Furrowleap rejoined the group looking concerned. 

“Sorry!” Fishpaw huffed. “That’s all he has to say for himself?” Sparrowpaw shrank even further. 

“Did he catch anything?” Russetfrond asked her. 

“No, but he was-” 

“Then there’s no harm done, is there,” he growled. “He won’t make that mistake again. Isn’t that right, Sparrowpaw?” 

“Yes, sir,” he nodded quickly. He would rather die than make that mistake again. 

“Good,” said Russetfrond, seeming satisfied. To Furrowleap, he said, “I’m headed back to camp to report what we found, alright?” 

“Sounds good to me,” nodded the warrior. “StarClan light your path.” 

“And yours,” Russetfrond nodded gruffly. Stomping forward, he said, “come along, Sparrowpaw.” Sparrowpaw immediately fell in beside him, using his mentor’s body to shield him from Fishpaw’s accusatory gaze. His pelt crawled with shame like it was full of ants and he held his breath as he walked, waiting for Russetfrond to discipline him more thoroughly once no one was watching. 

Eventually, he did speak. “Were you really turned around?” 

“Yes,” Sparrowpaw nodded quickly. “I saw the rabbit and I didn’t even think about it. I didn’t know I was on EarthClan’s territory, I promise.” 

Russetfrond grunted and for once, Sparrowpaw couldn’t decipher its meaning. “You’ll warm your paws and then we’ll go hunting for some prey on our territory. We won’t come back to camp until we’ve caught something, understood?” 

“Yes, sir,” he nodded again. “Is that all?” 

“What do you mean?” scowled Russetfrond, looking down at him. 

“I just thought…” he didn’t know why he was asking, “that there would be more of a punishment.” 

“This was your first offense,” Russetfrond said, shaking his head. “You’ve been warned and now you’re going to make it right. There’s no need for further punishment.”

“Oh,” Sparrowpaw nodded. That made sense. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” he grunted back. Despite himself, Sparrowpaw smiled and leaned closer to Russetfrond’s side. Awkwardly, his mentor’s tail settled over his back. Purring, Sparrowpaw followed his mentor back to camp, starting to look forward to their upcoming hunting trip. He thanked StarClan for giving him the most amazing mentor in the world.