EWWWWW!!! I aploigise for this chapter everyone! It sucks!
Pebblepaw: UWAH! No, not Tigerstar!
Sleets: Lol, not anytime soon, I have a ton of chapters planned out for just Snakepaws' saga
ThrustflightEdwards'Stalker: Lol, yeah, i guess i did XD
Bristlefur: Thanks, that's what i was aiming for, it's really hard to write too, and i love challenges!
Cloudfire: Maybes, but you'll just have to see, won't you...
Rainstorm: But what about Petalpaw?
Frostfoot: Lol, you're the one of the reviewers who says Snaketail isn't the best
Cinderdreams: It does make sences...
Tainted Shadow Rebel: It's alright, they can be meanyheads togeather!
She Who Sulks In The Shadows: Hehehe, now just for Snakepaw to decide...
Runningstorm: Don't colors really make the world go 'round?
As a kit and as an apprentice, I was taught how to do things on my own. To fetch fresh-kill from the pile of food when the apprentices were bogged down with too much to do. To hunt alone, develop my own techniques and tricks to stalk down prey. To dug my paws into the soft mud and pull as hard as I could to pull myself out of quicksand. When I fight too, I fight alone. The only time I have fought with others was when we were fighting Pantherclaw, and even then I found myself restricted, even though my senses were heightened by those around me.
I was detached.
I woke before everyone else in the Apprentice Den like every other day in leaf-bare, and shook the moss from my dark pelt before slipping outside. I saw Blackstripe and Darkflower sitting together near the entrance of the camp, whispering to each other and sharing a pigeon. I smiled softly, feeling happiness for Darkflower, Blackstripe was just beginning to open up to her and accept her.
I heard a grumble and turned around, spotting Brownstripe a tail-length behind me, his brown-and-white coat shone brighter then normal, it was freshly groomed. He glanced at me and flicked a tail to Blackstripe and Darkflower.
"Public display of affection," he growled, spinning around and stalking back into the warriors' den, as if to get more sleep. I looked back at him, and then back towards my uncle and foster mother, who had spotted me and beckoned me with a wave of his tail. I hurried over, raising my split tail high over my head in pride. Blackstripe smiled and Darkflower giggled as I neared, jumping to a halt in front of them.
"We're practicing a different kind of training today," meowed Blackstripe as I sat down, curling my tail around my paws and listening attentively. For the third time in two days I took note that I was taller then him. Blackstripe noticed this to, and straitened up, "Team training, I'll explain more about it when we go out, have you eaten yet?"
I shook my head, no. Blackstripe flicked his tail to the dwindling fresh-kill pile, frowning slightly, "Take one," he meowed, "I'd better send all two-cat patrols today, the fresh-kill pile is looking pathetic," he shrugged, "But then again, it is leaf-bare. Darkflower, will you go out hunting today?" the small black she-cat nodded, and Blackstripe turned back to me, "Go eat, I have to find another cat real fast."
I nodded and hurried over to the fresh-kill pile, picking out a frog to eat. I didn't like toads so much, which were one of the main choices, because they gave my bellyaches. I turned and hurried over to the nursery, to a specific area where I could see in but not be seen. I peered in, munching on my frog; Diamondshine was sleeping, her belly swollen twice as large with unborn kits.
Blackstripe returned, this time with Bluestorm, a slim, blue-gray she-cat. I had seen her fight before, against Pantherclaw, and again with another cat at the border skirmish. She was a skilled warrior, highly, actually, fast and sharp-clawed, but not as strong as Blackstripe. Blackstripe had once mentioned when I was seven moons old that Bluestorm was the shoe-in for being deputy if he died.
"We're training with Bluestorm today," meowed Blackstripe, flicking his tail, "Get up, we have to go now if we're going to get this down by tonight." I nodded and got up, swallowing the last of my frog. Blackstripe flicked his tail and bounded out of the camp, quickly followed by Bluestorm and then me. We rushed through the forest, only pausing to rest once we entered the training clearing, a soft, grassy clearing at the heart of our territory.
"Snakepaw, this is an assessment," meowed Blackstripe, flicking his tail again to gesture me to the center of the clearing, "Bluestorm and I will attack you simultaneously to see if we can hold you down or chase you away. Defend only, as best as you can." I nodded, flicking my tail happily, this would be easy!
In the beginning it was, too, Blackstripe and Bluestorm took turned battling at me with sheathed paws, which I dodged easily, backing up or jumping through quickly, careful not to get caught my with paws or get to close to their teeth, which nipped at me. But then, as if some invisible signal had gone off, I found myself panicking. The attacking was coming rapidly. I had no time to think as I dodged, weaved, and blocked.
They weren't moving any faster, I noticed, but their movement was confusing me. They spun and weaved, even as they raced back towards me, making it hard for my to lock onto them and dodge their paws, and even when they did take a strike at me, if I dodge one I would have to double back and dodge the other, which came down in the opposite direction. I found myself tiring quickly, but continuing to dodge, much to the amusement of my uncle and his friend.
"Very good," meowed Blackstripe, nodding to Bluestorm, who backed away, "I see you're good at defending yourself against two attackers, but what about working with another cat?" I blinked, surprised at what he was saying. Huh?
He chucked at my confused face, flicking an ear to Bluestorm, who padded over to me and stood next to me, "Try it again, this time I defend and you two attack." I glanced at Bluestorm, who nodded quietly.
"It's one of the most important subjects in fighting," she meowed. I nodded, fur standing up apprehensively on the back of my neck. Blackstripe planted his paws firmly into the ground, and I looked towards Bluestorm, who nodded. We both rushed in, and I allowed Bluestorm to take the first strike at Blackstripes' head. She missed, and now I jumped in, chasing Blackstripe backwards but not landing a hit on him.
Bluestorm leapt back in, batting at his shoulders with her small paws, but growling in frustration as he dodged again and leapt closer to me. I saw my chance and jumped in, but before I could he jumped away just as nimbly and landed softly on the grass. Bluestorm helped me to my paws and we raced in together again, but it seemed like whenever I attacked, Blackstripe jumped away to a safe location, giving him more then enough time to dodge Bluestorms' next attack.
On the verge of frustration I darted after Blackstripe as he jumped away and was attacked by Bluestorm, leaping to his haunches and catching him off guard, sending him scooting away in surprise to a safe place. Then, suddenly, it just clicked, and everything fell into order. Bluestorm knew as well, we breathed together, our paws pounded in the same rhythm as we raced to Blackstripe side-by-side. He ducked and dodged our moves with great difficulty now, wincing as Bluestorm caught his head with her paw and thrust it towards the ground, pinning him down.
"Good work," meowed Blackstripe, jumping back to his paws and shaking out his fur, "I see you caught it halfway through. We're practicing teamwork today. Warrior skills don't only depend on one-on-one, but also two-on-one and one-on-two. And so on and so forth. The key is to connect with your partner, like how Bluestorm and I did against you and you and Bluestorm did against me. Great job, Snakepaw, I'd say you're ready for your warrior ceremony soon."
I felt my chest swell with raw pride, my warrior ceremony! It was about time too! I was nearly thirteen moons old; I had taken my trip to Moonpool, and had gone to the gathering. I was ready, completely and utterly, not wanting to be held back another moment.
Teamwork: that was the lesson of the day. Not the sweat or the skills, it doesn't matter as long as you're connected with another, you breathe together, smell together, your pawsteps move as one. Even when you're not realizing it, and you're walking alongside your friends during a border patrol, you're connected, you're a team. Your minds are in motion, so at the flick of an ear you can separate for three heartbeats and jump back together after just going around a fallen tree without missing a beat. Teamwork, I learned that day, was better that being alone in a fight.
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Ewwies... Told you i hated this chapter.Anyways, here's another question for you...
WHO SHOULD SNAKEPAW HOOK UP WITH? BLUEPAW OR PETALPAW AND WHY?
Ooooh, this should be interesting, go ahead.
Review
we'll have a debate
XD
