This is my first multi-chapter story so it feels kinda cool to be uploading a new chapter... or maybe I'm just strange. O_o
Uh, sorry this chapter's sooo short. The thing is, I wrote this all without thinking about chapter breaks and such so I'm just doing what I can here.
In any case, disclaimer as usual... I don't own this, it's all 'Erin Hunter's' aka Vicky, Cherith, Kate, & Tui...
Now read and enjoy!
Silentkit woke the next morning to bright sunlight and the scent of fresh-kill. Looking around she realized that all the other apprentices had left already and she was alone in the den. Stretching, she couldn't help but feel relieved. She still wasn't sure what she would say when the time came to answer their questions.
Sticking her head out of the den she saw that Puddleheart was finishing a vole next to Appleflower. He looked up just then and, noticing Silentkit watching him, got up and padded over to the apprentice den.
"Are you ready for training?" he asked.
Silentkit nodded and was about to flick her ears towards the fresh-kill pile to ask if she could eat first before she remembered, she could talk! Yesterday she had been too puzzled over her apprentice ceremony to fully realize how amazing this was. Her whole life she had never uttered a sound, always relying on signals and glances to let others know what she meant. Now she had a whole language open to her for the first time and she had almost forgotten it.
"Yes," she meowed. Suddenly she couldn't wait to get out into the forest and start the life she had fought to achieve. "Can we go now? I want to learn fighting and hunting and everything!" it felt wonderful to use words!
Puddleheart seamed to understand her excitement, "We'll get to all that. We'll just be patrolling the border today. You can see how far ThunderClan reaches and get to know the other Clans' scents."
"Okay!"
Flicking his tail dismissively he said, "Then go wait at the bramble entrance. I need to organize a hunting patrol before we go."
Racing to do as she was told, Silentkit sat down at the bramble tunnel just as the dawn patrol returned. Nightbird was at the front followed by Rainripple and her apprentice, Hailpaw. Silentkit waved her tail in greeting but the only response was a cruel sneer from Hailpaw while Rainripple and Nightbird ignored her completely.
Puddleheart padded over just then and noticing Silentkit's drooping tail he asked, "What's wrong?" looking over he noticed Hailpaw still glaring at her from beside her mentor. Understanding dawned in his bright eyes and he looked kindly down at the young apprentice.
"Give them time. They'll warm up to it."
Silentkit was unwilling to talk about it now, "Can we go then?"
Puddleheart didn't press the matter, "Come on."
Following her mentor through the thorn tunnel Silentkit tried to push all thoughts of the dawn patrol to the back of her head. Instead she tried to focus on the prospect of her first day of warrior training. Her tail tip twitched as a mouse ran for cover only two foxlengths away. Her paws itched to race after it but she knew she would have no hope of catching much without any proper training.
"Can I learn how to hunt today?"
Puddleheart turned, "Is that what you want to learn?" his voice was emotionless. Silentkit was afraid he was annoyed that she had seemed to have taken it upon her to choose her lesson. She nodded shyly.
But Puddleheart merely nodded before turning his paws towards the lake. Confused Silentkit followed, hoping for an explanation.
"I'm not going to try to teach you something that your mind is not focused on," he began. "If you truly want to learn to hunt then that is what you will do best right now."
Silentkit thought that made sense. As much as she would like to see ThunderClan's territory, hunting sounded much more exciting.
They soon reached a small dip in the ground filled with bunches of ferns and bracken. Opening her mouth, Silentkit could smell a strong scent of mouse. She looked up at her mentor questioningly.
"Lets see your best crouch."
Silentkit immediately felt herself fall into the correct position. Her paws slid soundlessly over the bits of twigs and bracken while she waggled her haunches as though preparing to spring.
Puddleheart was nodding, "Very good. But you'll need to keep your tail down if you don't want every mouse in the forest to know you're there." Silentkit realized that her tail tip had been twitching above her head, causing the ferns and bracken to wave crazily, casting wild shadows on the forest floor. When she stopped the forest suddenly seemed much quieter.
"Much better," Puddleheart mewed. "Now what can you scent?"
Silentkit opened her mouth and almost immediately scented mouse; fresh this time! Remembering to keep her tail still and her paws silent she slowly began to creep across the forest floor. The mouse was digging under a dead leaf for fallen beech nuts. It has no idea I'm here! Silentkit thought gleefully. As she slowly drew herself closer the mouse looked up. Too late it made a dash for the twisted roots of an oak tree. Silentkit sprang and, with a quick bite to the neck, ended the mouse's live. She turned proudly back to her mentor with the little body in her jaws, trying not to show her own surprise at having actually caught something on her first pounce.
StarClan I may not be able to serve my clan as a medicine cat but I promise I will serve them even better as a warrior! Someday ThunderClan will have reason to be proud of me!
Next chapter should be up tomorrow or the next day I'd guess. I'm trying not to live on the computer for the whole summer... getting back to my photography would be just wonderful. Too bad I can't summon up that thing called 'motivation' at will...
And thanks to my reviewers! To Bookworm2091, thanks for your name suggestion! I'll wait and see if anyone else wants to offer up any ideas too, to be fair though. ^^
Grazie per leggere!
