Chapter 1 The lonely loner Harecall was buzzing with energy. Last night’s gathering was incredible! Announcing to the clan’s that she was the new deputy. Harecall was out by herself in the woods for some quiet time, away from everything so she could take it all in. Harecall opened her mouth and let all the scents flood in, and soon pinpointed a reasonable mouse a couple of fox-lengths ahead of her. She crouched down in a hunting position and started to stalk it, silently getting closer and closer. The mouse emerged from under a leaf, nibbling on some sort of seed, not knowing that its death lay in waiting. Harecall waited for the right moment, and braced to pounce, just as a bush rustled and scared the mouse away into its burrow. She scented cat. “Hey! What do you think you were doing-“ Harecall cut off as a sleek, black tom cat with odd, floppy ears padded out of the bush and reeked of crow-food. There was a loner in HER territory! This was not going to be tolerated. “Who are you and get out now or I will get reinforcements!” The cat simply tilted his head to one side and said, “My name is Shade and the question, my dear, is who are you? I’m simply just trying to get to my barn and mean no harm.” Shade’s forehead suddenly crinkled with worry; he was just a scaredy rat. So Harecall rummaged deep into her memory, trying desperately to find where the nearest barn was and not get caught on the way there. Harecall found a barn near here a couple of moons ago, maybe Shade lived there? Harecall flicked her tail to signal to Shade to follow her and they both padded to the barn. Harecall had her ears constantly pricked looking out for other Paleclan cats. As they reached the barn, Shade’s eyes lit up with happiness and turned to Harecall “Oh, thank you thank you thank you!” Shade bounded around in a circle and ran up to his barn. “Gee, you could’ve said thank you.” Harecall mumbled under her breath as she turned away. But what if he gets lost again? A little voice whispered in her head. Well then, I’ll just check on him tomorrow. She responded to it. Just to make sure that this was this tom’s barn, Harecall sat in some thickets for a bit, and Shade didn’t come out. ** “Where have you been!” Littlestar’s angry voice boomed from high-hill. “Your apprentice was looking for you everywhere!” “I’m sorry Littlestar I got distracted-“ “At what? Watching the river run? If you are to be my deputy, you must act like one. Now get out of my sight.” Littlestar padded into his den, ears flat on his head. Harecall let her head droop. What sort of deputy gets scolded like a kit on their first day!? “Hey, cheer up! It’s not like you are going to join Starclan!” Jaggedpeak said and licked her shoulder. Harecall ignored him and dragged her paws to the warrior’s den. Maybe she wasn’t cut out to be a deputy after all. She flopped down on her moss-bed and tried to close her eyes, but a bad feeling was nagging deep down inside of her. Was it guilt or something else?
