Chapter 5
I
A half moon shown over the forest, spreading it's eerie light on the new leafs that officially announced that Leaf-bare was over and New-Leaf was upon the woods. In the middle of camp a newly made apprentice sat
stone still with eyes closed. Springpaw was thinking. So much had happened since she had lost her mother three moons ago it had all happened so fast that Springpaw had never had time to really think things over. Now
in the middle of the night under the star swept sky the she-cat sat alone thinking about the past, the present, and wondering about the future.
II
It had been hard to cope at first but as the weeks had worn on and the former Springkit had learned how to depend on herself and hide the lost she still felt. Life in the forest had gone on she learned how to ignore the
sympathetic stares she sometimes got from cats. Everything had been going well that is until yesterday. The normal age for a kit to become an apprentice was six moons, Springpaw was only five and a half, but the
previous day Brightstar had come up to her telling her that that night she would be made into an apprentice. The young cat still couldn't figure out why she had been made an apprentice early but she guessed that it was
because the clan felt sorry for her. They wanted her out of the nursery so they could say she was more grown up and could cope without a mom because she was an apprentice. She resented the clan for this, not that she
didn't want to be a apprentice, but to do it early so that they could stop worrying about her and go back to pretending that everything was fine, the idea made Springpaw furious, why it was if the clan didn't know how to
react to losing a mother and still having the kit! Yes, they knew what to do when a kit died console the mother for a few days and then, since she was an adult, back off knowing that she probably need time to herself.
They didn't know how to react to losing a mother, they didn't know how Springpaw felt and they didn't bother to ask. Why she thought to herself why do they always say I'm so sorry but not ask whether they can do
anything to help, or if I would just like them to leave me alone, or ask if I needed to be around others at the moment. WHY is it always I'm sorry and that's it! The words of Brightstar still rang in the cat's ears "warrior"
was that it? Was that all the clan cared about was to have enough warriors to protected themselves? Did they care at all about the feelings of the cats with in the clan! Overwhelmed by her thoughts a fresh wave of
sadness at losing her mother swept over Springpaw. If she were here none of this would have happened, oh why did I run when they took mother? I might have been able to help or at least they might have taken me too
then at least I would be with her. She raised her head to the midnight sky watching the stars, and wondering if her mother was up their. Mamma if you can hear me help, I feel so alone and lost, why'd you have to go? A
warm breeze blew across the she-cats face and seemed to whisper in her ear "alls well".
III
Springpaw opened her eyes and blinked, she had just felt something wet fall on her coat. Two more drops fell one hitting her nose. Why is rain coming in the den? She thought to herself keeping her eyes closed as she
tried to go back to sleep. More drops fell and soon it was raining steadily and Springpaw was wide-awake. Looking around Springpaw remember that she had come out during the night because she couldn't sleep. I must
have fallen asleep she thought as she stood and stretched. "Burrr I wish it wasn't raining so hard now I'll never be able to go back to sleep." Springpaw grumbled as if on cue it started to pour and the calico cat was
thoroughly soaked in seconds. She quickly scampered back to the nursery, she was just about to go in when she remember that she now slept in the apprentice den. Springpaw glanced into the den, she could barley make
out Nightkit and Brownkit asleep with their mother sadly she turned and slowly padded to the apprentice den. She stopped at the entrance watching the other cats wistfully as they slept. If only Nightkit or Brownkit were
with me then I wouldn't feel so alone. The she-cat walked in quietly making sure to stay as far away from the group of apprentices so that she wouldn't wake them. Springpaw settled at the back of the den, alone and
shivering her fur plastered to her body making it impossible to get warm. She didn't fall asleep until well past moon-high, and when she awoke, the she-cat felt like she hadn't slept at all. Opening her eyes to the bright
sunlight Springpaw blinked, then stood and shook her still damp coat. Her eyelids felt heavy and the she-cat longed to curl up and go back to sleep. Glancing about the den she noticed that all the other apprentices were
gone, uh oh I hope I didn't over sleep she thought to herself as she raced outside. Luckily is was just past sun-up, and after a quick check it seemed that her mentor was on patrol. Suddenly she noticed the other two
apprentices across the clearing. Shadowpaw was glaring at her, Springpaw gulped, and self-consciously padded over to the fresh-kill pile to get breakfast. Once she had selected a mole, she looked swiftly for a place to eat
it. Never before in her young life had Springpaw felt so alone and out of place. Now she was an apprentice, an apprentice that should still be a kit until at least next moon. After a few awkward heartbeats she went and ate
in a patch of grass, alone.
IV
She was almost done eating when Larchclaw, her mentor, got back from the patrol. He got a mouse and came over and sat down by Springpaw. The young she-cat kept her gaze fixed on her half finished mole, to nervous
to speak or look at her mentored. He didn't seem to mind though, because Larchclaw ate his food in silence. Preferring to examine his new apprentice before he started training her. Finally after what seemed like eternity
to Springpaw, Larchclaw stood up and asked in a voice that told the young cat that it wasn't a question but a command. "Well are you ready to begin training?"
Springpaw nodded, stood and waited for Larchclaw to show her where they would be training.
"We will start training in the training clearing, follow me. And keep up." With that said the pale gray tom padded out of camp.
V
Luckily Springpaw found no trouble at keeping up, her muscles where strong and well tuned for the many races she had run with Nightkit. Before long Larchclaw stopped, skidding to a halt beside her mentor she
surveyed the training meadow excitement bubbling up inside of her.
To the left of the meadow was the river, at this particular point it was narrow and shallow. Its bank was soft white sand that went up from the river for at least ten tail lengths. Directly across from Springpaw was a huge
patch of ferns, their bright green stems were still uncurling. After a few heartbeats Larchclaw decided that his young apprentice had had enough time to look around and he padded to the middle of the meadow, motioning
with his tail that Springpaw should follow. "Okay let's begin, since this is your first lesson I'll start with something basic. Do you know any of the three main rules to catching prey?"
Springpaw's mind whirled three rules… catch prey… three rules… Her mentor coughed softly. "Ummm three rules… don't be seen, stay low, and ummmm catch the prey." She finished then embarrassed quickly looked
down at her paws.
Larchclaw suppressed a merrow of laughter at the third rule Springpaw had said. "That was very close you got one right. Now pay attention you have to memorize the rules. One, don't let the prey see you. Two, don't let
the prey hears you and three, don't let the prey smell you." He paused to make sure what he had said sunk in. "Okay repeat them back to me."
VI
After the two cats discussed why the rules were important and Larchclaw was sure Springpaw would remember the rules, they worked on crouching until sun-high. On the way back to camp neither cat talked, each
absorbed in his or her own thoughts. Springpaw's mind was in turmoil she didn't know what to think, she was exited about training yet she was still mad about even being an apprentice. At least I got a nice mentor and
not Creekwisker she thought to herself. Larchclaw had taken a different route back to camp hoping to get Springpaw more acquainted with the territory. Suddenly Springpaw let out a yowl of anguish, her face filled with
pain and grief as she gazed at the Roundbush, the day of her mother's disappearance replaying in her head as if it had just happened. Jumping in surprise Larchclaw turned his face puzzled by the calico's yowl.
Recognition dawning on him, he shifted nervously not sure how to comfort the grieving she-cat. Before he could decide on a plan of action, Springpaw's face became impassive once again and she started up again as if
nothing had happened. Even more puzzled the grey tom followed her back to camp, once there the she-cat took a mole from the fresh-kill pile and padded over to the apprentice den to eat. Shaking his head in confusion
Larchclaw also got some prey and walked over to Wrenwing to eat.
