Warriors: A Fragmented Hope: Turn 1
Chapter 1
The cool Greenleaf breeze blew through the forest, leaf-bare clearly on the horizon in a few moons. Near the warriors' den, Foxkit sat in front of his mother, Ivypool, the she-cat carefully grooming his fur.
"Mother, really, I think I'm good." He assured her as he withstood another lick to his head.
"I want you and your sister looking your best today. You're both finally becoming apprentices!" She meowed with joy. "How's Swiftkit looking?"
"I'm trying my best. What do you think, Ivypool?" Lelouch asked, stepping away from his daughter. Her fur was still unkempt.
"Can you please help dad, mom?" The kit begged.
"For how smart he is, he can't do simple things sometimes." The she-cat said with a sigh, walking over to her daughter.
"Sorry. I think I'm just a bit skittish today." The violet-eyed tom apologized.
"You're not the one going up there and getting your apprentice name, you know." The silver-and-white tabby meowed with a laugh before grooming her daughter. "But, it's cute seeing you like this, Lelouch."
"Okay, okay, you and dad can talk later. Can you go a bit faster, mom?" Swiftkit begged, eager to finally receive her apprentice name. "Aren't you excited, Foxkit?"
"Why wouldn't I be? We can finally go out and help the Clan. I do think I'm nervous, though."
"Don't be. Your mother groomed you well, and you're my son, after all." Lelouch said, letting out a smile.
"Well, that's partly why. I feel like everyone will be expecting so much from me with you and mother as our parents." The tom meowed.
"There, as pretty as when you were born." Ivypool meowed, giving her daughter a lick on the forehead. She then turned towards her son. "Foxkit, don't let that make you reckless during your training. You both don't have anything to prove by being our kits. Both of us were proud of you the second you were born. Nothing will ever take that away."
"Right. You both strive to be the amazing warriors you've always wanted to be." Lelouch told them.
"Mother, father, Bramblestar is wondering if they're ready." Nightheart asked.
"I think so. I hope I didn't miss a spot." Ivypool said, looking around both kits. Nightheart looked down at her siblings.
"You both look great. I can't wait to see you both finally become apprentices." She gave them both a kiss on the forehead. "Bramblestar says for you both to go up to him when you're ready. Mother, father, I'll save you a spot!" The older she-cat meowed as she made her way towards the rest of her Clanmates.
"Alright you two, it's time. Try to not get nervous and make sure to be on your best behavior." Lelouch told them.
"Right, although your father is one to talk. He's more nervous than you both, so don't worry." Ivypool said with a giggle.
"Didn't you see Nightheart's apprentice ceremony?" Swiftkit asked. Lelouch shook his head. "What?!"
"Your father was helping another world when your sister was born. It was something he had to do." Ivypool explained. "For his sake, don't do anything foolish, okay?"
"Yes, mother." Foxkit said with a nod.
"C'mon, Foxkit, let's go!" Swiftkit meowed, running towards the ThunderClan leader.
"Swiftkit, walk!" Lelouch called out. He then pushed his son softly forward with his tail. "You'll be great, Foxkit, I know it."
"Thank you, father." The kit received one final comforting lick behind his ear before following his sister. Ivypool pressed close to her mate, resting her head against his shoulder.
"You have nothing to be nervous about, really. They just need to stand still and listen to Bramblestar."
"Right. I don't think it's that I'm nervous, Ivypool. I think I'm just happy that I get to finally see my kits become apprentices."
"Well we won't have a good view from here." She told him before they both joined the rest of the Clan. They sat closest to the front of the group, Nightheart, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, and Suguha next to them.
"I bet you're both so excited to finally see Foxkit and Swiftkit become apprentices." Asuna meowed. "I'm sure they'll be great."
"Thank you, Asuna. I'm ready to pass on the trouble to any willing warrior." Ivypool joked. They heard a loud meow from the front of the group, silence falling in the camp as Bramblestar.
"Cats of ThunderClan, today is another momentous day. We have two kits who will finally make the transition to apprenticeship." Bramblestar looked at the two kits. "Which one of you would like to go first?" He asked softly. Swiftkit didn't hesitate, causing the leader to chuckle. "Swiftkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you complete your apprenticeship, you will now be known as Swiftpaw. Kirito will be your mentor."
"Yes!" Swiftpaw cheered, interrupting the leader. "Oh, sorry, Bramblestar!" She quickly apologized, looking away from her Clanmates in embarrassment. The leader shook his head, reassuring her, before he continued.
"I hope that he is able to pass down the skills that he has learned down to you. Kirito, do you mind coming up here?" The tom stood up and walked towards the leader. "Kirito, you've done so much for ThunderClan ever since you first set paw here. I've admired your skills, and your great sense of courage and determination. You will mentor Swiftpaw, and I'm sure that you will pass these skills onto her."
"Yes, Bramblestar. I'll do my best." He looked over at the apprentice, who let out a smile. Kirito touched noses with her, the whole camp now chanting her new name before they stepped aside for Foxkit. The dark gray tabby looked up at Bramblestar.
"Foxkit, like your sister, you've finally reached the age of apprenticeship. From this day forward, until you complete your training, you'll be known as Foxpaw. Suguha will be your mentor."
"What?!" Suguha meowed in surprise from the crowd. She stumbled over to the leader and Foxpaw. "I'm sorry, but did you really say my name, Bramblestar?" The ThunderClan leader nodded. "T-Thank you! I'm honored, actually."
"You do have characteristics of an excellent warrior, Suguha. I believe that you are ready to have an apprentice. Despite not being a cat your entire life, you have skills that make you seem otherwise. Your selfless and gentle heart are traits that some cats forget make a great warrior. I know that you'll pass everything you know to Foxpaw." Suguha looked at the apprentice and let out a smile.
"I'll try my best." She touched noses with Foxpaw, the camp now chanting the apprentice's name, followed by his sister's one last time. Once the cheering subsided, the Clan went back to their usual routine.
"I'm grateful to have you as a mentor, Suguha. I hope that I don't disappoint you." Foxpaw told the black she-cat.
"I know you won't. Honestly, I hope that I'm not the one who disappoints you, Foxpaw. I've never really seen myself as that great of a warrior."
"You need to have more confidence in yourself, Sugu." Kirito told her as he walked over to them with Swiftpaw. "You'll be a great mentor."
"Compared to you? I don't know, Kazuto."
"Totally. You've beaten me in kendo practice plenty of times. There's a bunch of things that you can do that I can't."
"Foxpaw, Swiftpaw, we're so proud of you!" Ivypool meowed as she and Lelouch approached them. "I know these two will train you well."
"You both tell us if these two misbehave in any way. The last thing we want is trouble for you both." Lelouch told them.
"Oh, sorry for cheering when Bramblestar told me Kirito was going to be my mentor. I couldn't help myself." Swiftpaw apologized.
"Don't worry. You've been wanting this for a while, after all." Ivypool meowed. "You both have even gotten apprentices before Lelouch has, so this is really great."
"Other than training Sparkpelt for a bit, she's right." The violet-eyed tom said. "Bramblestar had asked me if it was alright to let you both mentor them."
"Wait…so you knew and didn't tell me?!" Swiftpaw asked.
"You wouldn't have been as happy as you were a while ago." Her father responded. "He only asked due to how active you both might be at times. He also believed that you both have shown how capable you've been to ThunderClan. In terms of seniority and cats who haven't been given an apprentice, you both are at the top of the list, as well."
"It feels surreal that we've been here for this long." Kirito stated. "We'll take good care of these two. They'll become great warriors in no time." An empty look now formed on the tom's face. "Uh…so what do we do now?"
"Why was I even worried about you being a better mentor?" Suguha said, letting out a sigh. "We're going to take them around ThunderClan territory, dummy. C'mon Foxpaw."
"Yes, Suguha!" The apprentice followed behind the she-cat, causing Ivypool to giggle.
"You better follow those two."
"Right! Alright Swiftpaw, ready for your first day as an apprentice?"
"Yes! Show me around ThunderClan, o great mentor!" The two followed behind Suguha and Foxpaw as Lelouch and Ivypool watched them.
"Those two might be a bit of a dangerous pair." The two saw that it was Asuna, followed by Yui. "I hope you knew what you were asking for." She meowed with a giggle.
"Hopefully her enthusiasm translates to their training." Lelouch said, letting out a sigh. "But I know Kirito's a great warrior. He'll figure something out." Ivypool looked over at Asuna.
"Asuna, have you thought about asking Bramblestar to make Yui an apprentice?"
"Yui? She doesn't really fight in the worlds we've been in with her." The cream she-cat replied. "Actually, Yui's going to have to leave for a while."
"Really? Why?" Lelouch wondered.
"I have to do some research for daddy, mommy, and Suguha." The small black she-cat told them. "When they first came to ThunderClan, they were able to stay for so long, and it seemed like no time passed in their world. I thought that it was just the file that brought them here…but it seems like there is actually a way for them to experience living in this world for years while only minutes pass by in their world."
"Does technology like that really exist in your world, Asuna?" The violet-eyed tom asked.
"It has to. I'm sure whatever Yui is going to find is what allowed us to stay here for so long."
"Well, I know Swiftpaw's going to be happy to hear that news." Ivypool meowed.
"Oh, I'd like to say bye to Swiftpaw and Foxpaw before I leave. I don't know how long it'll be until I come back, or if I'm even able to." Asuna's hazel gaze looked down at Yui.
"You might not be able to come back?" Yui nodded.
"It's a possibility. I might only be able to watch over you, daddy, and Suguha only, just like how it was before." She replied.
"Hopefully you're able to stay. Swiftpaw and Foxpaw love playing with you." The silver-and-white she-cat told her.
"I do, too. I hope they won't be too sad when I leave." Asuna placed her tail on her daughter's shoulder.
"They'll always be happy knowing that they met you." She assured her. "Yui, you don't have to do this. We're fine logging in and having time pass by as usual. We don't want to have to let you say goodbye to Foxpaw and Swiftpaw." Yui shook her head.
"If the Clan needs help, I'd like for you three to be able to help them without worrying about your health back in Japan. Plus, I'll be helping them both by allowing you three to protect ThunderClan." Yui stated. "My mind's made up, mommy!" Lelouch let out a small chuckle.
"For being your adopted daughter, she takes a lot from her father."
"From his attitude, to his eating and sleeping habits." Asuna meowed, letting out a sigh. "But I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me love her more than I already do." Yui pressed closer to Asuna. "Those two will be back soon, Yui. Once you say goodbye, make sure you don't work yourself out too much, okay?"
"Yes, mommy." Asuna let out a smile. There hasn't been any sort of danger ever since we've starting coming back to ThunderClan almost three months ago. Hopefully that doesn't change anytime soon.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Kirito and Suguha took the lead as Foxpaw and Swiftpaw trailed along behind them. They were heading towards their border with SkyClan.
"Do you both smell anything strange?" Suguha asked them.
"Yes. I don't think I've smelled it before." Foxpaw meowed.
"We're near our border with SkyClan, right?" Swiftpaw stated.
"Yup. Nice job, Swiftpaw." Kirito praised the apprentice. "You both know one of the most important parts of the warrior code, right?"
"We're not to trespass onto the territory of another Clan." The silver-and-black tabby answered.
"Right. Good job, Foxpaw." Suguha meowed. "The last thing we want is trouble with the other Clans. No matter what, you have to remember that."
"Well, I don't think I'd go anywhere near here. The stench is pretty annoying." Swiftpaw stated. "When can we start hunting, Kirito? I've been dying to go out hunting for so long!" The tom let out a chuckle.
"Once we take a tour of our territory, then we can hunt, promise." The she-cat let out a cheer of joy.
"Yay! C'mon then, we have so much more land to cover!" The she-cat ran off towards ThunderClan's border with WindClan, causing Kirito to sigh.
"Swiftpaw, don't run off like that!" He meowed as he chased after her, leaving Suguha and Foxpaw behind.
"I think my sister might be a bit too excited to finally be out of camp." Suguha giggled.
"Well, she did sneak out that one time. I think it'll die out the more we go out." The black she-cat told him. "Are you not excited to be an apprentice, Foxpaw?"
"I am, Suguha, but not as much as my sister." His violet eyes glanced around him. "Maybe a bit overwhelmed and nervous, to be honest."
"You'll be fine, Foxpaw, don't worry. We'll take your training at your own pace. I'm not going anywhere until you finally become a warrior." She told him. "Besides, you're not the only one who's nervous. You heard how surprised I was when Bramblestar assigned me to be your mentor. I can't let him down, or you too, Foxpaw."
"We'll get through this together, Suguha. I have faith in you as a mentor." The tabby meowed with confidence. "We should probably catch up with my sister and Kirito." Suguha nodded and the two followed their scent trail leading up to the Ancient Oak.
"There you both are. Sorry we got this far. I had to give this one a bit of a talking to." Kirito meowed, Swiftpaw letting out a sigh.
"I said I was sorry!" Swiftpaw wailed before letting out a sigh. "You have fun going hunting, Foxpaw."
"What do you mean?" The tom asked.
"For running off, I'm cutting our tour of ThunderClan short for today." Kirito told him. "We'll try again tomorrow, Swiftpaw." Suguha looked at her cousin in surprise.
"I didn't expect this from you, Kazuto. Maybe you should give her another chance. She's been so excited to become an apprentice." The tom shook his head.
"She'll keep running off if I don't act now. C'mon, Swiftpaw, let's go back to camp."
"Yes, Kirito." Ears flat, the silver-and-white apprentice followed the tom back to ThunderClan. Wow, I've never seen Kirito so serious before. I'm sure Swiftpaw didn't expect it at all, either. Foxpaw thought as he turned to face Suguha.
"Well, c'mon Foxpaw. We'll go to the stream up ahead and then we'll practice hunting." His mentor meowed. With a nod, the young tom followed behind her. Poor Swiftpaw. I'm sure this wasn't how she pictured her first day as an apprentice going.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Kirito and Swiftpaw returned to camp, Squirrelflight greeting them when they entered. Before she said anything, she noticed the depressed look on Swiftpaw's face.
"What happened you two?"
"Did you want me to tell her?" Kirito asked, but the apprentice didn't respond. "Swiftpaw ran off by herself and I had to chase her. As punishment, we're finishing our trip around ThunderClan tomorrow."
"Oh…well it's normal for an apprentice to get excited about finally leaving camp. Do you think you're being a bit hard on her?" The deputy asked. Swiftpaw's eyes gleamed with appreciation. Thank you, Squirrelflight! Kirito pulled the deputy aside.
"I know it seems that way, but…you know how much she's been wanting me to be her mentor. I have to be tough on her so that she acts more focused and doesn't see this as some sort of game."
"Well, I'm not allowed to tell you how you mentor your apprentice, so whatever you feel like works." Squirrelflight meowed.
"Trust me, she'll be an amazing warrior, and I'm not just saying that because I'm mentoring her." The deputy let out a small laugh.
"I'll hold you up on that promise." The tom let out a smile before making his way back to where Swiftpaw was waiting for him.
"What do I do now?" Swiftpaw asked.
"We're going to go tell Lelouch and Ivypool what you did."
"What? I already said I was sorry, Kirito! Why do you want to ruin my life?" The apprentice complained.
"C'mon, Swiftpaw." The black tom meowed sternly, ignoring her constant complaining. Kirito peeked into the warriors' den and saw Swiftpaw's parents. He motioned for them to come outside to speak with him. When they left the den, they saw their daughter, a guilty look on her face.
"What happened?" Ivypool asked, concern in her voice.
"I-I ran off by myself." She meowed, avoiding eye contact with her parents. "I-I'm really sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to be enough sometimes." Lelouch meowed. "Did you apologize to Kirito?"
"More than I probably should have." She muttered. "It's not like he even lost me. He was behind me the entire time."
"That doesn't matter." Her mother stated. "Kirito is your mentor, Swiftpaw. You have to listen to him."
"If I knew he would be like this, I wouldn't have been so happy—"
"Swiftpaw!" Ivypool looked at her in disbelief. "This isn't how Lelouch and I—." Kirito raised a paw.
"It's okay, really." He assured them. "C'mon Swiftpaw." Kirito walked away from the warriors' den, but the she-cat stayed still.
"Go with him." Her father commanded. Ears flat and tail drooping, Swiftpaw followed her mentor.
"You might as well tell Bramblestar what I did, and then the rest of the Clan before you tell the other Clans." She meowed. "Why do you want to ruin my life, Kirito? I-I always thought you'd be such an awesome mentor, but now…" Swiftpaw wiped her eyes with a paw. The tom looked down at her as she begun to cry. His dark gray gaze grew soft and he rested down beside his apprentice.
"Do you not want me to be your mentor anymore?" He asked.
"N-No…"
"Good. Because that's the last thing I'd want to happen." She looked over at the tom. "Swiftpaw, I was hoping that I could keep this act up for a bit longer…but I don't think I can after making you cry on your first day as an apprentice." He sighed. "I'm only being hard on you now so that you learn that you're not a kit anymore early on. You can't be running off on your own or be doing things by yourself without some sort of consequence. You have to learn that being an apprentice isn't a game, it's something you need to take seriously, and I know it must be hard, especially since you've been waiting for this moment for so long." He gave her a comforting lick to the ear, causing her face to grow hot. "It's just…if you got hurt in the future, it'd be my fault. I've felt the pain of being accountable for someone getting hurt too many times. I don't want it happening again." The tom got to his paws. "It's my duty to train you to be the best warrior ThunderClan's ever had, and I know you'll get there, Swiftpaw, but to become the best warrior, you need to act the part as soon as you can." Kirito saw that the apprentice was still wiping her eyes. "W-Was I being too harsh before?"
"No, it's everything that you just said!" She meowed. "I must be the worst apprentice ever!"
"C'mon, don't say that. Besides, I'm pretty sure Jayfeather had to have been an apprentice at some point, so you're good." The she-cat sniffled before letting out a small laugh. "Finally, a smile. So, you ready to go continue that tour of ThunderClan?"
"Really? I thought you—." Swiftpaw paused, then shook her head. "We can do it tomorrow. This is my punishment for acting like a kit, after all." Kirito smiled before letting out a small gasp of surprise when Swiftpaw pressed close to him. "Thank you for caring so much about me, Kirito. I'm sorry for being so stubborn before. I promise that I'll be more mature from this moment forward."
"Maybe not too mature. I like your cute outbursts." A small blush formed on Swiftpaw's face at the tom's comment, but she didn't mind. He really is the greatest mentor I could've asked for. By training under him, I'm sure I'll be a great warrior, one ever better than Nightheart, or mom and dad!
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"Mouse dung!" Foxpaw hit the ground with a paw as a mouse scurried away just as he leapt through the air. "I'm sorry for missing it again, Suguha." The she-cat shook her head, a smile on her face.
"Don't be! You've been doing amazing so far, Foxpaw. The others have told me that apprentices usually never catch anything on their first time hunting." She assured him. "You're getting better each time you've tried, so there's nothing to worry about."
"Oh, thank you, Suguha." The tom meowed, bowing his head. "Is there anything I can improve on specifically?"
"Hmmm…I'd say your approach. When you're hunting, you have to look at all your surroundings, especially the ones at your paws. Knowing the terrain you're on and the noise your pawsteps will make definitely make your hunting much easier." She told him. "But I think that's more of an advanced skill. This is only our first day, after all."
"I understand. I think I at least have a grasp of the basics thanks to your demonstration." He meowed, bowing his head in thanks.
"I'm glad. Now, I think that ends our first day of training. Tomorrow we'll practice fighting, okay?"
"Yes, Suguha." The she-cat smiled and led the young tom back to camp. I'm lucky to have Suguha as a mentor. She's so nice. I hope that I don't let her down.
When the two returned to camp, they were approached by Lelouch, Foxpaw running over to his father and greeting him with a quick nuzzle to the cheek.
"How was your first day as an apprentice?" The black tom asked.
"Great! I mean, I didn't catch anything, but Suguha says that I'm slowly making progress." Foxpaw told him.
"He's very well-behaved. He reminds me of you, Lelouch." Suguha added.
"That's good to hear." The tom gave his son a lick to the ear. Foxpaw looked up at him.
"Father, how's Swiftpaw?"
"She's helping clean out the elder's den. Kirito told us what happened."
"Are you mad at her?" The silver-and-black tabby wondered. His father shook his head.
"Disappointed is a better word, but I think Kirito has her under control." Foxpaw looked over towards the elder's den when he heard the two laughing. That's a relief. I was worried that Swiftpaw would still be sad after what had happened. "He really cares about her. I overheard the talk they had after telling your mother and I what she did. He might be a better mentor than I expected."
"Foxpaw, hi!" Swiftpaw greeted her brother as she ran over to him. "So, how was your first time hunting?"
"It went well, at least, that's what Suguha says." He replied. "I didn't catch anything, though."
"Aw, well we both just became apprentices, so it's alright." She meowed. "Did you want to help Kirito, Yui, and I in the elder's den?"
"It's Yui's last day here, so she wanted to spend time with you both, even if it means helping your sister with her punishment." Lelouch told him.
"Oh, okay then. I'm sure working together must make it seem less like a punishment." He meowed. "Thank you for today, Suguha. I can't wait to go out again tomorrow."
"I'll be here." The black she-cat meowed with a smile before the siblings made their way over to the elder's den. "Lelouch, did you say it was Yui's last day here?"
"Yeah. After you left, Asuna told Ivypool and I that she would be doing some research on how you three were both able to stay here for so long even though time in your world barely moved. Asuna tried reasoning with her to stay, but Yui was pretty adamant about it."
"Sounds like Kazuto." Suguha said with a giggle. "It would definitely make training Foxpaw easier. I wouldn't have to keep him waiting for me after school or anything." She meowed. She looked near the warriors' den and saw Nightheart and Molewhisker sharing a piece of prey together. "I think I'm going to eat with those two. I haven't had anything yet today."
"Alright. Talk to you later, Suguha." He meowed before she made her way to the fresh-kill pile. Their first day of being apprentices both went two different ways, but I'm sure the future for both Foxpaw and Swiftpaw is bright. They'll become great warriors in no time, I know it.
Swiftpaw let out a yawn as she got up, the silver-and-white she-cat rubbing her blue eyes with a paw. She looked next to her and saw that her brother was still asleep. I think I'm just up too early because I'm excited to finally go out hunting today. She thought as she peeked outside of the apprentice's den. Yup, it looks like I'm up early. Swiftpaw left the den and made her way over to the warriors' den. She saw where Kirito was and carefully made her way over to him. His body looked like it was fast asleep, which was partially true. I hope he doesn't take too long to 'log-in' as he put it.
"Swiftpaw? What are you doing awake?" The silver-and-white apprentice turned around and saw that it was Nightheart.
"I didn't wake you up big sis, did I?" She whispered. The violet-eyed she-cat shook her head.
"Don't worry, I usually get up this early sometimes." Nightheart meowed. "I'm guessing you're excited to go out with Kirito again today?"
"Yup." She made her way over to her sister. "After yesterday, I'm positive that I know what Kirito wants from me."
"I'm glad to hear that." Her sister stated. "Foxpaw told me that Kirito was mad at you yesterday for running off. Was he really?"
"Yes! He yelled at me and everything! I didn't think it would ever happen! He was always so nice to me when I was a kit, which was still only a day ago!" She meowed, but her gaze grew soft. "But…when he told me why he acted that way…it just added to the list of why I like him so much."
"He really is a great cat. His heart is always in the right place." Nightheart stated. "Plus, he has a humorous side to him as well that gives him a sort of charm."
"You sure you wanna be complementing me like that with Molewhisker right next to you?" A blush immediately formed on the she-cat's face when she heard Kirito's voice, the tom now awake.
"W-Were you awake the entire time?" Nightheart asked.
"Only when Swiftkit was talking about how much I scared her." He said before letting out a yawn. "Honestly, I thought that I'd be the one waking her up."
"Nope! I'm really ready this time, Kirito. I promise I won't run off and I'll listen to everything you say."
"Can you both…take this out of the warriors' den?" Molewhisker meowed.
"StarClan, what are you doing this morning?" Nightheart asked herself, looking over at the tom afterwards. "Did you hear what I said about Kirito?"
"Yeah, but you don't think I'd get mad about that, right?" He asked, letting out a small smile. "I'll get up in a bit."
"Take all the rest you need." Nightheart meowed, giving the tom a lick to the ear. She looked over at Kirito and her sister. "You both have fun."
"We will. Bye, Nightheart!" Swiftpaw whispered, giving her sister a nuzzle before she left the warriors' den with Kirito. Before the two left, Squirrelflight stopped them.
"You're both up early. Are you going out to train?"
"Yeah, I promised her yesterday that I'd come here early to make up for yesterday." Kirito told the deputy.
"Well, you both be safe out there. Good luck on your first full day out as an apprentice, Swiftpaw." The silver-and-white she-cat bowed her head in thanks before the two left camp.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"Okay, so you ran all the way up to the Great Oak, so we'll start there and make our way towards our border with WindClan." The tom meowed before he chuckled. "You're very familiar with that tree."
"Oh, right, when I snuck out of camp that one time." The apprentice meowed, letting out a small laugh. "That was the old me. I promise that I won't sneak out of camp unless I feel like I really, really have to."
"Meaning…"
"Only when I think a cat needs help." She assured him. "That's okay, right?"
"Yeah, but at least tell me if I'm around. I'll go with you." He told her. As the two were walking, Kirito came to a halt, Swiftpaw turning to look at the tom. "Look over there." Kirito whispered, pointing his tail towards a lone mouse. "You think you can get it? Remember some of the tips I gave you moons ago when we'd practice in camp?"
"I'll try." Swiftpaw slowly crept up towards the mouse. Okay, I need to go slowly so that it doesn't sense me. Then, I need to always check my surroundings. She looked down at her paws and saw fallen leaves scattered through the forest floor. I think if I'm careful enough I can still step on the leaves and it won't notice me. Very cautiously, Swiftpaw trekked through the leaves, keeping her body and tail low to not alert the mouse. She saw that it still hadn't noticed her yet. Great! Now, I just need to get a good jump and I'll get my first piece of prey. The she-cat got into a hunter's crouch, ready to pounce. One…two…three! Swiftpaw leapt through the air, claws unsheathed, and dove onto the mouse. It struggled in between her paws, the apprentice finishing it off with one killing bite. I did it! I caught it on my first try! "Kirito, I did it! I did it, I did it, I did it!" She meowed with joy, running over to her mentor.
"That was awesome, Swiftpaw! You definitely retained some of the things I taught you." He touched noses with the apprentice. "At this rate, maybe we can make you a warrior soon already." The tom meowed with a laugh. "I'm more than proud of you already."
"R-Really?" The she-cat's eyes gleamed with admiration.
"Why wouldn't I be? You remembered all that stuff from moons ago. I saw you check your surroundings and keep your body low. The only thing I could say we can improve on is your speed in doing all of that, but other than that, you caught the mouse, and that's what really matters."
"Right!" Swiftpaw ran over to the mouse and picked it up.
"Oh, and always remember that we never eat what we catch out here. It goes to the fresh-kill pile." The apprentice nodded. "Great. Alright, let's head over to our border with WindClan.
When the two arrived at the river between WindClan and ThunderClan, they ran into a border patrol on the other side of the river. Kirito saw that it was Sedgewhisker, Nightcloud, and Leaftail.
"Kirito, good morning. Is this your apprentice?" Nightcloud asked.
"Yup. This is Swiftpaw. She just became an apprentice yesterday." He meowed.
"Is that mouse she's carrying hers?" Leaftail wondered.
"She just caught it earlier. It was her first time hunting, too."
"That's amazing. It usually takes apprentices a while until they catch their first piece of prey." Sedgewhisker stated.
"That's what I've heard from some of the warriors in ThunderClan. I've actually helped her train before when she was still a kit for fun, but I didn't even need to remind her about anything at all today." Warmth filled Swiftpaw as the tom praised her in front of the WindClan patrol. Other than my mix-up yesterday, being his apprentice is even better than I ever dreamed.
"She's been that eager to become a warrior, huh?" Nightcloud said with a small laugh. "I'm sure her time as an apprentice will reflect that."
"Here's hoping." The tom meowed. "Well, we're gonna get going now. Just wanted to show her the territory up until the border."
"Make sure not to set a paw over here without good reason, Swiftpaw." Leaftail meowed in a playful, but serious tone.
"Don't worry, she definitely knows that." Kirito assured the tom. "It was nice seeing you three. C'mon, Swiftpaw." The two turned around and made their way back into the forests of ThunderClan. "Okay, let's go hunting again. This time, I'm gonna let you try to find the prey and catch it." The tom led her over to the Ancient Oak again and stopped. "Let's bury your mouse over here so it doesn't distract you." She dug a hole and dropped her mouse in it.
"Okay. Is there anything you want me to look for?"
"Nope. I'm sure the Clan will be fine with whatever you can get your paws on." He meowed. "You take the lead, Swiftpaw." She nodded and tasted the air, Kirito doing the same. I don't sense anything nearby. Maybe I'll be able to find a bird or something if we go deeper into the forest where there's more trees. She thought as she led the tom through ThunderClan territory. She softened her pawsteps as she walked to make sure to not alert any prey that could be close by. After walking for a while, the scent of prey finally caught her nose. She came to a halt and saw a blackbird pecking into the ground tail-lengths away in front of her. Okay, just like earlier, Swiftpaw. The she-cat slowed her approach as she kept her body low to the forest floor. Right when she stopped and was ready to pounce, the bird turned around and stared straight at her. I have to go now! As quick as she could, Swiftpaw pounced towards the bird, but it flew away, the apprentice trying her best to swipe a paw to hit it as it ascended into the air.
"Nice job, Swiftpaw." Kirito meowed as he walked over to her.
"Really? I totally messed that up."
"It was more just being unlucky. If it didn't turn around, you would've had it for sure." He assured her. "Birds are the most annoying to catch. With mice or rabbits, you can at least chase after them if they get away."
"I'll make sure to catch one of those feathered pieces of prey one day." She meowed.
"I'm sure of it." The tom replied. "Let's go get you mouse and go back to camp for today."
"Already? But I only hunted twice today."
"Right, but you caught something the first time." He stated. "You're making great progress already, Swiftpaw, but I don't want to rush you towards becoming a warrior. I'd like to mentor you for as long as I can." A small blush formed on the she-cat's face. I really hope I'm not dreaming. I don't even know why I want to rush becoming a warrior at this point! I'd like to learn as much as I can from Kirito. "You remember where you buried your mouse."
"By the Ancient Oak, of course." She meowed.
"Lead the way."
Swiftpaw dug up her mouse by the towering tree, Kirito placing his tail on her shoulder before she picked it up. She looked over at the tom, wondering what he was going to say.
"I wanted to talk with you a bit before you're unable to with that mouse in your mouth." He meowed, letting out a gentle smile. "Your hunting skills today were great, Swiftpaw, but there's definitely things that we can improve on. They're all more advanced, though. You definitely got the basics of hunting down, I'm sure of it."
"Thank you, Kirito. So, what did I do wrong today?"
"Nothing, really, it's more like things you could've done. For example, we spent time walking through the forest for a while looking for that bird, but look over here…" Kirito walked over to a nearby barren piece of ground, the apprentice following him. "See those tracks? Those are rabbit paw prints. The scent's untraceable from afar, but when you get close enough, you can just barely catch a scent trail. Sometimes, you won't be able to, which is when you can follow the tracks that were left by." He explained. "Hunting isn't all about using your nose and ears to try and find the location of prey. Sometimes we take using our vision for granted. There's a lot of visual cues out there that can help find prey, too."
"I can't believe I missed that." The tom let out a smile.
"Like I said, it's a more advanced skill. We'll touch up on it someday." He told her. "You have any questions about today, Swiftpaw?" The she-cat shook her head, but then looked back at him.
"How do you know so much about hunting, Kirito?"
"You remember the stories Asuna and I would tell you about SAO when you and your brother were in the nursery?" The apprentice nodded. "Well, being trapped in that world, I needed to survive, so I needed to eat. I could've just bought food, but hunting was a good way to hone some of my skills as well as get food. I definitely didn't hunt like this, but most of the tactics and skills I've obtained translated pretty well as a cat."
"That makes sense. I'm sure it might be a bit easier hunting as a Twoleg, too."
"Definitely, but I like the extra challenge that hunting as a cat offers." Swiftpaw let out a giggle. "Alright, let's get back to camp. I'm sure the others are waiting to see your first catch."
Swiftpaw and Kirito crossed through the thorn tunnel leading into the heart of ThunderClan. The camp was definitely more active than it was when they left. Kirito looked around camp to see if either Ivypool or Lelouch were around. He saw Ivypool sitting down with a mouse between her paws.
"C'mon, let's go show Ivypool what you caught." They approached the silver-and-white she-cat, Ivypool smiling as they approached.
"You both must've left pretty early this morning." She meowed. Ivypool noticed the mouse between her daughter's jaws. "You caught your first piece of prey today?"
"Yup. On her first try, too. I didn't even need to teach her. She remembered everything I taught her when we'd play moons ago." Kirito stated.
"That's amazing, Swiftpaw! I'm so proud of you." Ivypool got up to give her daughter a lick on the forehead. "Your father and sister went out on a border patrol, but I'm sure they'll be happy to hear the news."
"Why don't you go drop that off in the fresh-kill pile? We can go brag about it to your brother and Sugu after." Kirito joked. The apprentice nodded and left to deposit her prey. "She's been doing great for only our second day out. We could've done more, but I don't want to rush her in becoming a warrior already."
"I understand, but something tells me it's for more than her own sake." The she-cat said with a smile.
"W-Well, yeah. I kinda implied that when I talked with her earlier." He told her. "Maybe it's just because I've connected with her since she was a kit, but I'd like to make the most of her time as an apprentice."
"Okay, all done!" Swiftpaw meowed after running back to her mother and mentor after dropping her mouse off at the fresh-kill pile. "What were you both talking about?"
"Just about how much Kirito loves being your mentor." Ivypool meowed. "I'm sure it's definitely what you've been expecting so far, huh?"
"More than that. I feel like I've learned so much already. I couldn't have asked for a better mentor."
"Thanks, Swiftpaw. I do think I could've asked for a better apprentice, though."
"What?! Only because of yesterday?" The tom let out a laugh. "You're not going to let me live that down, huh?"
"I'm just messing with you. Besides, it wasn't that big of a thing."
"Says the one who yelled at me about it!" She retorted. "I can't wait till we practice fighting. I'm going to get you back for yesterday one of these days."
"We'll see about that. C'mon, let's go tell Foxpaw about your hunting today." The two walked over to the apprentice's den and saw the tom resting in his nest. He raised his head up at the sound of pawsteps and saw the two.
"Hiya Foxpaw! Guess what happened today? I caught my first piece of prey! On my first try, too!"
"Really? That's great, Swiftpaw! Hopefully I can do the same today, but Suguha still isn't awake yet."
"Did you try messaging her?" Kirito asked. Foxpaw shook his head.
"I don't want to bother her. Besides, I can wait to train later. It's okay."
"Don't worry. Once Yui figures out how to keep us here exactly the way it was before, we'll be here more often." He said, letting out a yawn. "Swiftpaw, I think I'm gonna log off for now. I think I need to rest a bit more still."
"That's okay. Thanks for waking up early to take me out training, Kirito."
"No prob, and don't worry Foxpaw, I'll tell Sugu to get on. See you both later."
"Bye, Kirito." The apprentices meowed before the tom left. Swiftpaw looked over at her brother. "So, how's having Suguha as a mentor?"
"Great. She's so kind. Even when I mess up, she encourages me to try again." He told her. "I'm guessing training with Kirito went well today?"
"Yup! He's been really impressed with me today. We didn't do much hunting since he thinks I'm pretty ahead with my hunting skills. I was actually able to remember everything he taught me when I was a kit."
"That's awesome, Swiftpaw. I think it's obvious that you've been excited to become an apprentice for a while." Her brother stated. "Was being yelled at yesterday worth it?" Swiftpaw nodded and let out a smile.
"Definitely."