Ivorypaw shut his eyes tightly as he felt a jab in his left side. He curled into a ball, refusing to let in the dawn light that would awake him. Blackclaw's scent caught his nose, and he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. We trained all night. Surely he'll let me sleep in. The warmth Whisperpaw had granted last night was gone, Ivorypaw realized she must already be out with Casey.
"Ivorypaw! Wake up, we have lots of training to do." Blackclaw's growl sounded in the young tom's ear.
"But we trained all last night! Can't I sleep till sun-high?"
When his mentor didn't answer right away, he peeped open one green eye to see the tawny tom glaring at him from the den entrance, which was slightly to small for him. "Don't you remember what you told me yesterday? You told me you'd do exactly as I say, when I say it."
Ivorypaw briefly remembered the conversation, but didn't know Blackclaw really meant it. The Warrior continued darkly, "If you want to be Leader, I can help you. But you have to do exactly as I say. So get up!" He groggily got to his paws, the thought of one day standing on Twilight Rock pushing him forward. As he entered the dawn-lit camp, he spotted his mother and father eating a plump weasel. Eager to speak to them about how his first night as an Apprentice was he began padding over to them.
"Hey there whirl-wind? You look like nightmares kept you up all night." Fallenshadow's friendly mew greeted him. Nightpelt looked up from the weasel, amber eyes bright.
"You could say that....I was actually out training with Blackclaw all night." Ivorypaw pushed out his chest and stood as tall as he could. Nightpelt scowled.
"Isn't that a little too much for a cat your age? You need your sleep!" Ivorypaw shook his head. His parents were always worrying about every little thing. He was going to be a Warrior. Blackclaw was talking quietly with Ravenflight and Faithheart, who nodded intently. The clan Deputy, Rosenight, a pretty dark ginger she-cat with gray eyes, padded over to the group with a nod to the tawny Warrior.
Ivorypaw was startled as he felt a pelt beside him. Bramblestripe had padded up behind him and was now eyeing Fallenshadow darkly. The dark brown tabby tom's green eyes flicked to Nightpelt mischeviously. "Nightpelt, would you go hunting with me? Strictly on business of course."Ivorypaw saw Fallenshadow tense, the silver fur along his shoulders beginning to bristle. Nightpelt eyed her paws, looking as if she wanted to hide in the shadows that matched her jet black fur.
"Bramblestripe, I-"
"She has other arrangements." Fallenshadow quickly growled, cutting off his mate. Nightpelt's ears flattened with irritation. Bramblestripe took a step forward, Ivorypaw glad he could slip behind him.
"I was asking the lady."
"She's hunting with me." Ivorypaw could see the two toms unsheathing claws, showing sharp teeth. Fallenshadow was on his paws now, standing infront of his mate who was beginning to look just as agitated. Finally the black she-cat spoke up, her voice fierce.
"I'm hunting alone! You two can sort this out yourselves, but I am not something to fight over!" Ivorypaw watched his mother stalk away, not looking back once, and saw his father look helplessly after her. Feeling that the fight between Bramblestripe and Fallenshadow was going to continue he quickly bound of to Blackclaw, glancing back nervously. Why did the two Warriors always fight the way they did? It was nothing new to Ivorypaw. He always heard their bickering and Nightpelt always seemed to be the center of the debates. Nightpelt doesn't like to talk about it though. She wont tell me anything.
Blackclaw didn't say a word, just dismissed himself from the huddle of Warriors, who were talking so quietly Ivorypaw could barely hear them, and headed out of camp. He quickly padded after the tawny Warrior, again struggling to keep up in the dense undergrowth. Ivorypaw had gotten better though, able to avoid the brambles that threatened to tug out his fur, and also able to avoid the sticks and leaves that would alert anything of his approach. Ferns slapped his face as the brown tom shoved through a particular thick bit after his mentor.
If he had learned anything about Blackclaw, it was that the tom did not like talking. The only time he talked to Ivorypaw was when they were training. "So....What are we going to do today?" He pipped up, desperate to break the silence that hung in the air like a deadly fog.
"We're meeting up with Casey and Whisperpaw."
"Why?"
"I thought it would be nice if you could train with your sister." Blackclaw kept his back turned to Ivorypaw as he plodded along. "The other Apprentices are too old for you." Ivorypaw sighed heavily. That's always how the conversations ended. Blackclaw would give an answer that need no reply, so he was always left to deal with the silence that followed. Ivorypaw felt relieved when he saw the ginger and white fur of Casey. Her plump figure was easy to spot through the low, tangled trees. Where was Whisperpaw?
Ivorypaw sucked in his breath as he felt soft paws grab his hind quarters, threatening to pull him to the ground. The training of last night whipped through his mind and as though his hind paws had a mind of their own, his claws unsheathed and his paws kicked backward at the attacker. There was a yelp of pain and as he spun around Ivorypaw caught sight of Whisperpaw's dark tabby pelt fall back into a patch of ferns. "Whisperpaw!"
He jumped in after her, feeling guilt burn through his pelt when he saw the she-cat sitting on her rump in a clumsy fashion. She held her paw to her jaw, which was sliced on the left side. Blood oozed out of the cut, and Whisperpaw's green eyes were filled with shock. "Why, in the name of Starclan, did you do that!?" Ivorypaw ducked his head submissively.
"Sorry...Blackclaw taught me ambush counter attacks all last night. Guess it was fresh in my mind..."
Whisperpaw got to her paws, licking the side of her jaw painfully. "Your claws were out!" Ivorypaw remembered what Blackclaw had told him during the night training. Keeping your claws sheathed is weak. Are you weak Ivorypaw? He blinked as a dark thought crossed his mind. Does that mean Whisperpaw is weak? He decided not to mention it to the dark tabby she-cat, whose green eyes were flashing with irritation.
"There you are Whisperpaw!" A cheery tone came behind Ivorypaw and he turned his head to see Casey and Blackclaw approaching. "Have you caught anything yet?"
Whisperpaw lashed her tail, obviously still not fond of her kitty-pet mentor. "How can I when I told you, I don't understand the hunters crouch fully! The way you showed it was...." She sighed, "Could you show me again?"
Casey flattened her ears, glancing at Ivorypaw and Blackclaw. The ginger and white she-cat was obviously nervous, but she nodded and lowered herself into a crouch. He thought it looked okay for the most part, until she started moving. The former kitty-pet's tail flailed around as she tried to keep her balance, and her legs shook as though it was hard work keeping her plump body so low to the ground. The bracken crunched beneath her paws loudly, and her tail slapped the bushes and trees nearby.
Blackclaw flicked an ear, his mouth twisted as though holding back a loud purr of laughter. Ivorypaw looked at his paws, feeling his own pelt burn with embarrassment for Casey. Whisperpaw's head and tail drooped as she saw how the toms expressions. He felt a flash of sympathy for his sister, but had little time to comfort her.
"Let's go Ivorypaw. It looks as though Casey and Whisperpaw have a lot to work on." Blackclaw nodded to Casey and padded off into the trees. Ivorypaw cast a look at his sister before he raced after him.
"Hey, why didn't you help Casey? Can't mentors help eachother?" Ivorypaw thought the way Blackclaw had dismissed himself was rude and cruel. Casey obviously wasn't doing very good at the whole mentor thing, and it would have been helpful for the tawny Warrior to help. He was more experienced.
"Its not my problem. Nothing can help Casey, she's not a very good hunter or fighter." Blackclaw sat, curling his tail around his black toed paws. "The only reason Weaselstar keeps her around is because she has a vast knowledge of Two-legs and that gives us an edge over the other clans."
Ivorypaw felt irritation at the fact that Blackclaw seemed so uninterested about Whisperpaw's training. "What about Whisperpaw? She wont get the proper training!"
Blackclaw's eyes narrowed and Ivorypaw realized he had spoken to freely. "All of your peers you consider friends or littermates will soon be your competition. There can only be one Deputy and Weaselstar can only choose the best cat." The tawny tom's blue eyes flashed darkly. "If Whisperpaw fails her Warrior training. That's one less cat you have to deal with."
Ivorypaw felt his stomach turn to ice. Is that what it takes to get power? Never let anyone else get the advantage? Even if their someone you love... The brown tabby tom couldn't believe what he was hearing. But maybe he's right....
Blackclaw got to his paws and went into a crouch; his tail flattened out but not touching the ground, his paws steadily holding up his weight, his ears and eyes focused ahead. "This is a general hunters crouch. Try it." Ivorypaw nodded and pressed himself to the ground, trying to stay balanced. He liked the way he could slip between the undergrowth much easier in this pose. He liked the way that, in the trees, he could see without being seen. "By the way Ivorypaw, the Gathering is only a Quarter Moon away, and if you train hard I'm sure Weaselstar will let you come." Ivorypaw felt surprised that he would be able to go to the Gathering so soon.
"I only just got Apprenticed."
"That never stopped me. Weaselstar doesn't care about age, he cares about skill. Train hard and he'll take you." Blackclaw showed Ivorypaw another crouch which he said was specifically for weasels, who were more difficult to catch with their lean bodies as fast as rabbits yet even more agile. Ivorypaw copied the move, excitement prickling through him. If age doesn't matter, then I'll be a warrior in no time! I'll just have to improve my skills to be even better than the older Apprentices....yes, I have to get the advantage! The young tom practiced crouch after crouch until he had a pretty good understanding of them all.
"Let's take a break and get something to eat." Blackclaw stretched, his front paws reaching out till they quivered.
Ivorypaw felt restlessness course through him, over powering his hunger. "No! I want to keep training. Let's do some fighting." Blackclaw blinked in surprise then purred in a dark, bonechilling way.
"Alright. Attack me."
No comments:
Post a Comment