The small, dark gray tom wriggled closer to his mother. Her beautiful misty blue fur enveloped him in a warm embrace. A soft purr escaped his closed maw, tail lightly swaying with delight. Sun dappled grass surrounded the pair, nothing but silence cascading around them. The noise suddenly increased with rushing water as streams appeared flowing with the clear liquid. Over the noise, the young tom could hear his name.
"Mistpaw...Mistpaw...MISTPAW!"
The said gray tom awoke with a start, the dream fading. He looked around with a dark green gaze and surveyed the interior of the apprentice den. Beside him stood his calico furred sibling; Floodpaw.
"Hmm?" Mistpaw mewed as his bright response. Floodpaw's pale green orbs rolled with annoyance.
"I said, we've got fishing practice this morning. Lazy furball," he added darkly. Mistpaw scrambled to his paws in a rushed manner, spotting the calico tail disappear through the fronds lining the apprentice den. Near the camp entrance sat a delicate silver tabby she-cat and a larger, dark brown tabby. Floodpaw was nearing the duo and within seconds he was waiting at their side. Mistpaw brought of the rear with swift pawsteps.
Without words, the small patrol of four marched out of camp and through RiverClan territory. Mudsplash, the brown tabby, halted several tail lengths from the edge of a stream.
"Fishing is a delicate practice," he meowed calmly, his silver furred companion nodding her agreement.
"You must keep your shadow off the water's surface," added the she-cat; Pondflower by name. "Give it a try and we'll see where you need work."
Floodpaw immediately scurried to the edge, perfectly positioned against the grass with a slightly outstretched paw. Mistpaw joined his brother beside him, staring in wonder at the reflections of the water. Floodpaw's white paw shot forward, snagging a dark shape in the water. The dark gray tom had no time to react before something slimy slapped against his face.
Yowling in terror, Mistpaw jerked aside and effectively tripped over his own paws. Headfirst, he collided with the cold water. His eyes clamped shut tightly before instinct took over and he was bobbing above the surface, coughing and sputtering. On the shore, all three cats were stifling laughs. Still stricken with fear, Mistpaw crawled back onto the safety of land, gazing blearily up at the patrol members.
"In all my moons teaching apprentices, never have I seen prey attack a cat," Pondflower released a short bark of laughter, Mudsplash joining in with a deeper sound. Floodpaw was practically sobbing as tears came to his eyes from laughing too much.
Mistpaw felt hot shame burn into his pelt. He had messed up his first attempt at fishing. What would the other apprentices think? Before he could even think about sulking off, Floodpaw appeared at his side, a content grin on his features.
"That was some fancy dive!" he exclaimed. "Let's do it again; this time though, let's stay on the shore, hmm?"
"Agreed," Mistpaw shivered, laughing with amusement returning into his dark green eyes.
Challenge for Clan of Clouds