Eckokit's Death

There was a warm breeze wispering through the trees. Shadowstar, Blueshine, Skytail and Dirtpaw were out on the evening patrol. They had reset the scent markers on the border with Mountainclan and checked for tresspassers; they were circling back around when they heard a wail start up from the camps direction. As the cats quickened their pace, Blueshine heard the wail again, this time louder and clearer. " Echokit's gone!" The voice belonged to Fireflower, the oldest queen in the nursery and fiercely protective of every kit in the clan. Blueshine panicked. " Oh no, not Echokit!" she thought. The tiny gray, black and white tabby kit was very adventurous, but still quite weak after nearly starving before the clan found her. Doveheart had found the orphan kit while out hunting during late leafbare. She popular with every cat in the clan. As soon as the patrol entered the camp, they could feel the tension in the air. Fireflower was standing in the center of the clearing, wailing her heart out, while Dewstep, who had nursed the little kit, and Lightfoot tried to calm her with soothing tail strokes. Lionwhisker, Breezeclaw, Silverblaze and Littleglow were whispering worredly to eachother and Dawnflight and Mothlight paced outside of the warriors den, their tails lashing. While Shadowstar went over to talk to the queens, Blueshine started organizing the patrols. They would need a hunting patrol and now a search party. She decided that Breezeclaw, Sunfur, Littleglow and Dirtpaw would complete the hunting patrol and the search party would consist of Shadowstar, herself, Skytail, Lionwhisker and Springrain. As the patrols set off, Blueshine spotted Dewstep and Jadewing gently urging Fireflower towards Jadewings medicine cat den. Relieved that the anxious queen would be comforted, the party set off.

Springrain picked up the scent trail first. They quickened their pace until they were bounding through the forest. As they got closer to the Twolegplace, the cats began to scent the trail more clearly, and with it, the strong reek of dog. All of a sudden they haerd a loud yowl ahead. The patrol raced into a large clearing that was surrounded by twoleg things. On one side of the clearing stood a large twoleg nest; on the other side, four tan cows paced behind a fence. There was a small pen in font of the fence, but it was empty. Medium-sized birds with tons of fluffy-looking feathers roamed about in the clearing. Just then, they heard the yowl again and a small tabby shape streaked across the clearing.

To be continued....