Dapplepaw's Promise
Mapleshade POV
"I can teach you everything you need to know to become the best warrior in all the Clans."
Dapplepaw looked up at me, awe in her eyes. She was a new apprentice in ThunderClan, perfect for training in the Dark Forest.
"Really?" she asked, her tail quivering. I nodded.
"Really. But you must promise me something. Promise that no matter what happens, you will do whatever your clan and I ask of you."
Dapplepaw bent her head. "I promise!" I stood up.
"Good. Let's begin."
I paused for a moment, then leaped at her. She squealed, trying to escape my grip. I held her steady. "First rule: Always be ready for attack."
The Next Morning...
I watched from the Dark Forest, making sure Dapplepaw carried out her promise. She yawned, sat up, and walked out of the den.
"'Morning, Dapplepaw! Can't you get up later?" said her littermate, Clearpaw. Dapplepaw rolled her eyes. I immediately went to remind her of her promise.
"Dapplepaw!"
"Who's there?"
"Remember your promise!"
"Mapleshade?' Dapplepaw said frantically as I disappeared. "Where are you?"
I smirked. She reminded me of my old apprentice Crookedstar. 'Mapleshade? Mapleshade! Help me, I'm so useless! Please, Mapleshade, help me fulfill my destiny!' I thought. Meanwhile, Dapplepaw had made a mental note to stay in her nest longer than usual.
"Dapplepaw? Can you take out my ticks?" said Mousefur. Dapplepaw nodded. Just then, her mentor, or should I say, other mentor, strolled up to her.
"Not so fast, Dapplepaw. Don't you want to go hunting?" Graystripe told her sternly. Dapplepaw looked nervously from Mousefur to Graystripe. I snorted. A promise is a promise.
"I will! But…I promised Mousefur I would take out her ticks first!" she said to Graystripe.
"Just do both at the same time then." Graystripe said jokingly, rolling his eyes. Dapplepaw nodded.
"Okay!"
I trailed the patrol of Dapplepaw, Graystripe, Brambleclaw, and…Mousefur. Dapple paw pulled out Mousefur's ticks while keeping her ears pricked for scents of prey. Mousefur grumbled. "Seriously, Graystripe? Why'd you have to suggest that? You know apprentices take those things seriously!"
Graystripe shrugged. "I didn't make her."
Dapplepaw stopped pulling ticks and dropped into a hunting crouch. She leaped into a bush and came out with a starling.
"Good catch, Dapplepaw!" Graystripe complimented. Dapplepaw nodded her thanks and kept pulling out ticks.
"I'm wondering if this was worth it." Mousefur grunted. Dapplepaw rolled her eyes like, 'So am I!" and tossed another tick off Mousefur's pelt.
Back at camp…
Dapplepaw dropped her prey off at the fresh-kill pile and lay down in the late-afternoon sun. What a waste of good training time. Her sister Clearpaw lay down beside her.
"You've done so much work today, you should become a warrior this second! Go ask Firestar!" she said sarcastically. Dapplepaw groaned.
"What?"
"Nothing…I'll be right back."
As she walked towards Firestar's den, I appeared in front of her.
"Give him this before you ask." I said, dropping a piece of rotten fruit at her paws.
"What's this?" she asked, staring at it in disgust. I nudged it closer to her.
"Just do it. Your promise, remember?"
"Right…hey, can I take that back?"
"NO!" I yelled and disappeared. She took the fruit in her jaws and headed to Firestar's den.
Inside, Firestar was pacing. Dapplepaw dropped the fruit at his paws.
"Jayfeather said to eat this…" she explained.
Firestar looked at it. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Firestar took a bite out of it, and gulped the rest down afterwards. After a few moments, he looked up. His eyes went out of focused, and he smiled. "Whazzup with youuuuuu?" he said, slurring his words together. Dapplepaw frowned.
"I was wondering…if I could become a warrior?"
Please review! Tell me if you liked it. Oh and a couple things to check out: The poll on the profile of Artemis's Hunters, which is a group account for my friends and I, where we created a poll for best author (vote for me!), my other stories, and my forum call Monster Doughnut Shop: Monsters Only! R&R! CC welcomed!