"Hey kittypet, you miss your twolegs?"

Firepaw stiffly walked out of the Apprentices Den, waiting for instruction from Bluestar. Those mouse brained idiots were making the den unbearable.

Breathing in the fresh Green-leaf air, he stretched, loosening his sore muscles. Bluestar sure had worked him hard yesterday. He had practiced battle moves vigorously.

Bluestar padded up to Firepaw and meowed to him, "We will have hunting practice today. Dustpaw, Sandpaw, Graypaw, Ravenpaw and their mentors will be joining us."

Firepaw inwardly sighed at the thought of the nuisances, Sandpaw and Dustpaw. Ravenpaw was okay, I guess. He was just very shy. Graypaw was great! He looked forward to having him by his side.

He followed Bluestar as she scrambled up the ravine. Firepaw saw her demonstrate as she explained the basics. He was excited that this was his first hunting trip, but he was also nervous. What if he messed up?

"Firepaw, please show me the hunter's crouch. Yes, very good." Bluestar sat down, satisfied. This was turning out very well.

Firepaw's ears twitched as they detected a faint rustling. He instinctively fell into the hunter's crouch, slowly drawing closer to the oblivious victim. It was a vole. Sniffing to make sure he was downwind, tucking in his belly, and lifting his tail ever so slightly, he readied, then pounced. He pinned it under his paws, then quickly gave it the killing bite. Whispering his thanks to Starclan, he trotted up to the others.

"Great job, Firepaw."

"Excellent work."

"Show off."

"Yeah, boast all you want, but you're still a kittypet at heart."

Firepaw was ecstatic even after Dustpaw and Sandpaw's rude comments. He had caught a vole!