Side Story Central (Current: The Nightmare Hollow)

The Nightmare Hollow


"Right, hunting patrol. Swiftfeather, Sparrowblaze, Lavendermoon, Thunderfreeze, Hawkscar (I picked Hawkscar for reasons. SPECIAL EVIL REASONS.), Jewelfire, and Thornheart." Darkstar called, though why he was arranging such a big-ass hunting patrol was unknown.


(Sorry for godmodding Darkstar, and even Jewelfire a bit. XD If I missed you and you don't have a charry in it or if you don't want to be in it and there is a charry of yours there, then please let me know via PM. THANK YOU.)

Hawkscar looked up from his grooming and towards Darkstar, he wondered what the tom was playing at putting him in the same patrol as Jewelfire. Maybe he was trying to get him to not hate her enough so he could work with her without the red haze of rage making him do something bad, or if the leader was just stupid.

"Well, get your butts up! If we don't hurry all the prey's gonna be crowfood when we get there!" Swiftfeather jumped to her feet and dashed in circles to show the others how slow they were, then proceeded to jog towards the woods. "I'll lead! This way!" Swiftfeather always thought she was in the lead, even if she was one of the youngest cats on the patrol, along with Sparrowblaze.

"Be careful!" Pumpkin shouted from the Medicine Cat's den. It was nice to have him back, with his HONEY COVERED RAT TAILS.

Jewelfire twitched her long tail, she was grooming her glossy pelt when her uncle had called her name. Hearing Hawkscar's name, she didn't worry. Sure, the tom who was once her mate hated her, but the only regret she had was picking him as her false mate. He was a good friend who she should have never lost...but oh well. Standing up, she walked over to stand by Swiftfeather, quickly picking up a small mouse to eat before the patrol.

Hawkscar stretched out and yawned. He supposed it couldn't be helped, he had to learn to live with her, even if he did want her dead. He padded after the patrol, crisp autumn leaves cracking under his paws.

(I'm guessing it's either the middle of autumn of the end of autumn. Since it would take a while for Thornheart to recover.)

"Come on! We haven't got all day!" Shouted Swiftfeather, disappearing into the woods.

Jewelfire bounded quickly after the younger cat, her lithe body agile and quick as she jut through the air with bursts of speed from her powerful back legs.

A scent flooded Swiftfeather's nostrils. Not the scent of prey... a familiar scent.

"Wha- What is that? G-guys, follow me, this way!" She said, taking off after the scent path at a pace the others could keep up with.

Hawkscar lengthened his strides and picked up the pace to keep up with the others. He wondered when Swiftfeather had decided she must be at the head of every hunt.
Probably when she was a kit, he decided quickly.

"Whoa..." Swiftfeather stopped short at the base of a tall tree. A few taillengths up, embedded in the bark, was a crimson claw. "How did that get there?"

Jewelfire's eyes widened. How had they run into the Tree Camp? The place where she and Smolderstar had played during their youth. Her silver eyes couldn't meet the sight of the crimson claw, tunring to face the small root den that she had claimed as her own.

(G'nite)

"But... why was the scent so strong? What is going on? What is this place?" Swiftfeather spun around. "Was there a squatter on our territory? Is he still here! I'LL RIP HIS THROAT OUT!"

"Woah, woah, calm down Swiftfeather. It's strong yes, but it seems pretty old." Hawkscar meowed as he raised his head to the air and sniffed. He remembered that scent and suppressed a growl.

(Writing Smolder dabble!)

Jewelfire had trotted off to sniff at one of the old holes in a tree, too small for her to even stick her paw through. Inside, there was moldy, rotten herbs that stank with season of being missed.

"Aw, that looks cool!" Sparrowblaze meowed excitedly, poking the claw in the tree with his paw. "Where do you think it came from?" He didn't really care because a cloud passed by that looked like a fish.

Thornheart grunted. "Who cares. Lets just hunt, and be done with it." he said, gruffly. His eyes flicked towards the crimson claw, then towards the surrounding foliage. He started padding away from the other cats, and the claw.

Sparrowblaze shot a loathfull glance at Thornheart. "Such a buzzkill," He muttered. He padded away, flicking his tail, and soon forgot about the tree when he totally just saw a purple butterfly.

Jewelfire rolled her eyes at Sparrowblaze and muttered jokingly,"Such an Oceanfeather." and began stalking a fat mouse that nibbled on a seed.

Sparrowblaze was able to keep his mind focused on a vole long enough to catch it. He picked up the prey in his jaws, and strayed back to the tree. He put the vole down, and gently took the crimson-red claw between his teeth. He pulled on it, but the thing was really stuck in there. "Come on!" He complained, trying to pull it out again.

With a squeak, Jewelfire pulled Sparrowblaze of of the tree, dragging him away by his scruff. "Don't touch that," she hissed through his fur. "I had to use that as a guide when I got washed away by the river as a kit. Without that, i wouldn't have ever made it to apprenticehood." She had caught her mouse, it now buried in the dirt.

Thornheart rolled his eyes, as he wandered a bit away from the other cats, he crouched down and sat with his ears perked. Listening, and sniffing for the scent or sound of prey.

"Then you might know who it is from?" Sparrowblaze's voice was filled completely with curiousity. He wasn't even mad at his half-sister.

(I just realized that Bloodpaw is Sparrowblaze's niece...wierd.)

Thornheart was up in a flash, at the sound of a rustling bush, and pounced on a squirrel before it could run up a tree. He picked it up by it's tail and started on his way back to the other cats.

(Lol...that's right, she is)
Setting him down, she replied,"I guess. It came from one very annoyed apprentice after his brother was mauled to pieced by a dog." The words chocked up in her throat as she remembered the heart warming smile of the pudgy white tom with tabby splotches, his bright gray eyes always glittering with happiness and innocence. She had only played with the tom a few times before he was killed and for the first time in moons, she missed Birchpaw.

"Aw...that's sad. Dad really hates dogs. Now I see why," Sparrowblaze mewed, eyes clouding with pity for the tom he didn't know.

(Birchpaw sounds fucking adorable. I WANT ONE!)