Waking up for your fifteenth moon of training isn't exactly the greatest feeling. Also, knowing that you'll be judged and stared at by the whole Clan isn't a very good feeling either. Nor is the idea that your own brother is already a warrior, and you're not. I'm Blurrypaw, a PineClan apprentice, who, unwillingly is admitting that she is mostly blind. Lots of cats think I should be a medicine cat, but Leafstar let that pass. I can still see – but a lot less than most. The medicine cat constantly is calling me in for more celandine treatment in my eyes.
I sighed, rolling over in my moss nest. I was in the back – the least respected. I didn't have many friends – of course that was true. In fact, I had exactly one. My training had been delayed due to my eyesight, and former mentor, Birdflight, rarely teaching me anything and refusing to provide training for me, putting in that he would never train a cat unworthy of being a warrior. I have a new mentor of course. Her name is Rabbitfoot. She's pretty stern with me, getting me up earlier than the other apprentices to train.
"Come on, Blurrypaw, it's time to run on over to the training hollow." I heard Rabbitfoot's voice growl from the entrance. I sighed again, reluctantly calling back that I'd be out as soon as I could.
I noticed the fairly-newer apprentices, Snowpaw, Scarpaw, Shredpaw, and Dogpaw following me. They rarely talked to anyone, only to their mentors, who mostly just dumped them on Rabbitfoot because she was willing to train more than one apprentice. They never talked to me.
I followed them outside. It was leaf-bare, and there was light snow on the ground. I shivered as my paws touched the fallen ice.
"Blurrypaw!" Ravenpaw called. I glanced back, watching my best friend scamper up to me, panting. Ravenpaw wasn't usually this enthusiastic.
"Hey," I mumbled as he began padding along beside me. "Birdflight said I could go along early to the training hollow with you this morning," he began.
Oh, and did I mention that my old mentor was my best friend's mentor? Ravenpaw trailed along behind me as our group followed Rabbitfoot to the sandy hollow that was the training area.
"Alright, so, today we'll be doing something a little different…" Rabbitfoot said in her usual, growly raspy voice. My heart almost leaped out of my chest. Something different! Maybe it was training for assessments! I could become a warrior!
"Scrimmage battle," Rabbitfoot continued.
"Yessssss," I heard Scarpaw and Shredpaw hiss from beside me.
Ravenpaw looked at me hesitantly, then back at Rabbitfoot as she contined, "I will split you up into teams. Scarpaw, Shredpaw, Blurrypaw, Snowpaw, and Treepaw, you'll be on one team."
I glanced at the others hesitantly. They paid no attention to my eyes, only smiling at me in a mischievous way and leading me over to the far side of the den. I shuffled my paws impatiently.
"Quit that, will ya?" Scarpaw hissed at me.
"Sorry," I said, looking down.
"Ravenpaw and I will be on the other team," Rabbitfoot said, grinning at us.
"All right!" Shredpaw exclaimed. "Let's turn these fools into crowfood!"
"Now, Shredpaw, that's no way to treat our newcomer," Rabbitpaw mewed, smiling at Ravenpaw.
"I don't think I want to play anymore," Ravenpaw mouthed to me. I shrugged at him, smiling slightly.
"PineClan attack!" Shredpaw hissed, starting forward before Ravenpaw could even figure out which way was up. We all crashed toward them. I flung myself in the air, collapsing on Ravenpaw and pinning him by his shoulders. He thrashed around, batting my belly until he figured out he could use his claws in the scrimmage battle and raked them lightly across my belly. I hissed and staggered back. There was fire in his eyes now. He leaped toward me, but suddenly, Dogpaw bounded over to him, bowling him over. Her large weight seemed to cripple him, and he went limp. She padded away, thinking she'd won the small battle, but he sprung up, trying to land on her shoulders. Shredpaw flung him out of the way, ending up sprawled on his stomach.
Meanwhile, Rabbitfoot was holding off Treepaw and Scarpaw. But where was Snowpaw? Suddenly, a flash of white, and Snowpaw was there, with a grin on her face. She blocked Ravenpaw from springing up to bring down Dogpaw, who was now pivoting on her paws. Ravenpaw began to look desperate. I launched myself behind him, skidding underneath his belly, though it was hard, because I was fairly bigger than him, and sinking my teeth into his belly. I battered his hind legs, almost sending him backflipping through the air. I laughed, but it wasn't for long. Ravenpaw bowled me over, licking his muzzle.
"Got you!" He whispered breathily. Snowpaw slapped him off of me with one paw, grinning all the while. She reared up and kicked him straight in the face. He fell back, nose dribbling out blood, and called for forfeit.
"I surrender!" He mewed, batting at the blood that was now dripping onto the ground.
Rabbitfoot had nips and scratches covering her throat and flanks, and a long, but not deep belly wound from holding off both Treepaw and Scarpaw. They were pretty battered up, too. We all were. My belly stung, and I shook my head, panting, and realizing that my ear was nicked and blood had spattered onto the ground. We were all silent for a moment, then Shredpaw spoke.
"All right, Blurrypaw!" He panted, and the group erupted in congratulations.
Wait, what was going on? Was I being accepted?
"I think we all need visits to the medicine cat," Rabbitfoot interrupted. My fame was over. We all fell silent again and followed her to the medicine den.