Warriors: Dawn of the Clans #2: Thunder Rising by Erin Hunter Read Free Book Online

with powerful hind legs, Thunder pounced. His paws slammed down on the soft body and he sank his claws into it.
    “Got it!” he exclaimed. “I’ve caught a—what is it, Shattered Ice?”
    His denmate came to sniff at the small body with the unusually long snout. “It’s a shrew,” he told Thunder, and added disparagingly, “A scrawny thing like that isn’t going to keep all of us fed. Come on, there’ll be bigger prey farther into the forest.”
    Stung, Thunder considered carrying his prey back to the camp. But being in the forest was too exciting. He shoved the body of the shrew under the nearest bush, ready to collect when he came back, and pattered after Shattered Ice. I’ll show him! he thought. I’ll show all the cats. I can hunt and provide for us all .
    He had never felt so free, able to follow his instincts without Gray Wing telling him he was doing it wrong. He would always be grateful to Gray Wing for saving his life. But now, he was ready to be his own cat.
    Halting, he clawed at the ground in his frustration.
    Shattered Ice stopped too, glancing over his shoulder. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked.
    Thunder hesitated. I can’t tell him what I was thinking , he realized. I’d feel like a traitor . But Shattered Ice was still waiting for an answer.
    Thunder glanced around, looking for a distraction. He remembered the stories he’d heard about Clear Sky’s cats guarding the forest and driving off any intruders. A shiver of apprehension prickled his pads. “We shouldn’t be here,” he mewed, suddenly wondering whether any of his father’s cats had spotted them. It was foolish of me to think we were alone here.
    But Shattered Ice only let out a snort of amusement. “No, we shouldn’t,” he agreed. “Why do you think I came here in the first place? I won’t be told what to do—not by Tall Shadow and not by Clear Sky’s mange-ridden followers. I’ll only listen to cats I respect, and I go where I like.”
    He looked disdainfully over his shoulder at Thunder, who was panting to keep up with Shattered Ice’s long strides. “Why don’t you go back to your kin, youngster? This place isn’t for kits. I should never have let you come.”
    Thunder felt his neck fur bristling up. I’m not just a kit. And I’m not going back to my kin!
    He stalked after Shattered Ice, ears pricked and jaws parted for the first sign of prey, so that he could prove himself. For a heartbeat his ears flicked toward the moor and he cast a swift glance to where he could still make out the rolling sweep of open country through the outlying trees. He could imagine what Gray Wing would have to say when he found out what he’d done.
    Then he shrugged. I’m not going back! he resolved, determined to ignore his creeping sense of guilt. Wait till they see what I can do .
    “I’ll show you how I can hunt,” he told Shattered Ice.
    The trees were thinning out; there was a clearing just ahead, and in the middle of it was . . . a rabbit! The creature was nibbling on some grass, clearly oblivious to the presence of cats. Stupid puffball , Thunder thought. Now’s my chance! He took off toward it, but forgot all about his earlier caution, barreling through the undergrowth. Dry, crisp leaves on the forest floor crackled under his paws.
    The rabbit sat up, startled, then raced for the edge of the clearing and vanished into a hole among the roots of an oak tree. Thunder halted, frustrated. Shame throbbed through his whole body as he heard a mrrow of laughter from Shattered Ice.
    Shattered Ice padded over, looking down at him, the laughter gone from his expression. “All right, all right,” he sighed. “Don’t look so upset. It’s not the end of the world. I’ll help you learn, okay?”
    Thunder brightened up immediately. “Sure!”
    “Start by getting low and listening for little animals in the bushes,” Shattered Ice instructed him.
    Obediently Thunder crouched. “Like this?”
    Shattered Ice moved slowly