Short Story
Author's note:
Hello, everybody! Here is my first attemps at posting a fanfiction. So go easy on me, please! I had already written some but always in French my second language, (first is creole). Now, I'm trying in English because I need to improve my writing and English skills. If you notice some errors (spelling, grammar, structure, etc) please tell me so I'll be able to improve and know what to not do. Also, tell me what you liked or disliked and what you think I should do to write better.
Goldenpaw emerged from the apprentice den, her eyes still slightly asleep and a yawn stretching her jaws. She blinked a few seconds, surprised by the blinding sun. Then, she take a look on her surroundings. Swiftfoot was sharing a squirrel with his mate, Purpleberry. The light gray she-cat was known for her strange violet eye and her short fluffy tail. Purpleberry was also the queen who had taken care of Goldenpaw and her brother Fernpaw after the death of their mother, Berryfrost who was also Purpleberry elder sister. The she-cat had given birth to seven kits in her life but only three of them had made it to adulthood : Brownmask, Cloudtail and Shiningwing. Now, she was waiting for her third litter to born.
The young novice padded towards the couple. She let out a mew of salutation and stop in front of them.
- Hey, Goldenpaw, you're not with Oatleaf? Asked Swiftfoot kindly. I thought that he was going to show you some fighting moves today.
The older tom was always kind and polite but Goldenpaw knew better that he could turn into the worst sharp-tongued cats of the forest when pissed off.
- No, I just woke up, she replied before suddenly clicking. Fighting moves? she said excitedly. I didn't know that! He told you that? I had waiting for that for an eternity!
The golden-brown she-cat started to jump happily around the two cats. The male rolled his eyes, amused and answered:
- Please, you haven't been an apprentice for more than a moon! And Oatleaf told me THAT this morning when we woke up.
Purpleberry, her, shook her ears in an irritated manner and told her harshly to sit down but a flicker of amusement shone in her almond-shaped eyes.
o.o.o
Fernpaw let out a low growl and jumped on his opponents. The move was swift but Redflight avoided it easily by stepping aside. Not troubled at all, the young tom dug his claws in the ground, breaking his impulse abruptly and shot his back legs with all the force he could manage in the short amount of time. The dark ginger she-cat let out a startled cry and manage to partly avoid the blow by twisting her body so fast that the tabby tom barely saw it. In lieu of sending her flying across the clearing, the attack only made her fall on her flank.
Fernpaw struggled a bit to regain his balance and hopped enthusiastically toward his mentor. Redflight was shaking the sand off her fur and smiled when she landed eyes on him.
- So, he pressed her. How was it? Did I get it right? Can we see another move now?
- Calm down! Exclaimed the green-eyed she-cat. It was really good, especially for a second try. You moved really fast but I felt that you didn't put all your energy in the blow.
The comment mitigates slightly the glow of pride in his eyes. He clawed the ground and a frown appears on his face.
- But, I don't have the time to prepare myself. If I move fast I can't hit hard, but if I hit hard I can't move fast.
- That's why I'm here, Fernpaw. I'll help you to get the best out of your training and master as many moves you can.
The tom nodded and his smile reappeared as Redflight asked him if he felt ready for a hunting patrol.
o.o.o
Browntail lied down on his moss litter and closed his eyes, sighing in relief. The Windclan deputy hadn't gotten more than a few hours of sleep during the last three days. He was always busy planning patrols, patrolling himself in search of trace of Thunderclan intrusion, hunting intensively and not sleeping.
Just when he felt that he was going to fall asleep, he heard a loud Crack! followed by some hurried paw steps and screams of fear.
- Help! A fox! A fox as entered the nursery!
The shrill cry came from outside his den and was visibly coming from a queen. Whitefeather! He exclaimed in his mind. Jumping from under the bracken leafs, tiredness long forgotten, the deputy sprint toward the nursery where the few warriors left from the Gathering were converging. Rapidly, he spotted the pure white fur of his mate; she was lying on the ground, Blackbird bend over her. He ran toward them and sits hurriedly near the dark-furred cat. A long, nasty-looking wound started from the throat of the she-cat down her chest.
- Whitefeather! The deputy whispered worryingly, what happened?
The female let out a low moan of pain and open her eyes, raising her head. She moved her ears as if she was trying to salute him then sighed and lying her head back of the grass. A pool pf blood was forming under her.
- Browntail, hissed the medicine cat, don't worry she'll be fine. I'm taking care of her. Go chase that fox!
The deputy nodded hesitantly. He didn't want to let his mate alone but he knew his duties. Jumping on is feet he ran into the large den of the queens. There, his blood froze on his veins. There were two foxes. By far the biggest ones he had never seen in his life. They were almost three or four times his size! How was it possible? Spottedfur, a large brown tabby tom was yowling, his claws dug into the back of one of them. The fox look as troubled as he would if a bug was buzzing around his ears. A ball of gray fur matted with blood was lying near the nursery entrance. Browntail could barely recognize the large dark spot of Heatherleaf. Gingerear was running around the paws of the other one, clawing and biting every time she got the chance to. Firestorm avoided a good hit by rolling on the ground and got up rapidly to bit down the front paw of his opponent. Browntail shook himself and got in the fight with a scream of war.