Chapter 9

Dogpaw passed back and forth nervously inside the apprentice den. Coalpaw, Oceanpaw, and Stonepaw were also in the den, but Coalpaw was the only one paying any attention to Dogpaw. She watched him walk around, only moving her eyes. "Dogpaw, you feeling alright?" She finally asked.

"No. No I'm not feeling alright." Dogpaw responded. He stopped walking and turned to face his siblings. They could all hear the panic in his voice. "Lavapaw is dead, and it's our fault."

"What?" Coalpaw demanded. She shook her head. "No it isn't."

"Um, yes it is." Oceanpaw said. They all turned towards her. "Well, you two's fault anyway." She looked at Coalpaw and Dogpaw. "You're the one who lied about having someplace to hunt. If you hadn't said that, Lavapaw wouldn't have panicked and gone into Fallenclan. And since this clan was safe from that wave I'd say-"

"Well, if you hadn't made it a competition, I wouldn't have needed to lie. So it's your fault Lavapaw is dead!" Coalpaw hissed.

"You think I killed my brother? I cared more about him than any of you!" She turned to Coalpaw. "You said yourself you hated him! And you!" She turned to Dogpaw. "Don't think for a moment I don't know how you felt about him! But now that he's dead you all so sad! Well I'm the one who liked him when he was alive!" She lifted her paw to swing at Dogpaw.

"How funny then," Stonepaw spoke up, "That you're the least sad about his death."

All the cats turned towards him in shock. It was very rare to hear Stonepaw speak, so he usually had something important to say. This was no exception, he was right. Dogpaw had been nervous, jittery, and visually upset about his brother's death. Coalpaw had sat vigil for him all night, and Stonepaw had barried himself in clan duties more than usual. But Oceanpaw was just acting like Oceanpaw. As they realized this, the other siblings slowly turned towards her. Oceanpaw took a step back, looking scared for what was probably the first time in her life.

Then Stonepaw saved her. "Now, we've mourned, we've panicked, are we ready to move on?"

"I think it will take a little longer to move on." Dogpaw pointed out. "But I'm done fighting."

"Me too." Coalpaw agreed.

Oceanpaw just stared at the ground and nodded.

What was Fallenstar thinking? Giving me this cat as a mentor? Bluepaw thought irritably. I know the territory better than her.

"Alright Bluepaw, you try."

Bluepaw blinked, braking away from her thoughts. She turned up to Pearlshine. "Come again?"

"If you're going to have such a high opinion of yourself, you might want to consider follow through with your actions." Pearlshine suggested. She kept her voice natural, but she was upset, Bluepaw could tell. "I was thinking you could try hunting." Pearlshine explained.

Bluepaw nodded. "Right." She said. Truth be told, she hadn't had a clue, but she pretended otherwise. She started sniffing around for prey, and soon was moving towards it.

Pearlshine let her for a while then put a paw out in front of her. "We're getting close." She whispered, "The prey might hear you. Crouch down low, but not so low you will brush against the ground. Then you can start forward."

Bluepaw tried not to act upset at being told what to do. She dropped down low though. She slid forward quietly. Bluepaw had to admit, it was harder than she'd expected. Maybe it was her size, she had to stalk forward more than other cats, she tried not to let her size make a difference like that though.

She was getting closer. Close enough. Bluepaw thought. Bluepaw was about to leap when the mouse she'd been stalking suddenly shot up and ran away. Bluepaw let out a yowl and jumped after it. It was too late though, and she missed it.

"Don't feel bad Bluepaw." That advice from Pearlshine was too late, Bluepaw already felt bad, and angry. "If I were you I'd try-"

"I don't need your help!" Bluepaw snapped. Pearlshine stepped back out of surprise. Bluepaw took a deep breath to calm herself and tried again. "Thank you Pearlshine, but I know what to do. I think I just need to practice more."

But now it was Pearlshine's turn to be angry. Her fur rose up. "You've been an apprentice less than a moon." She growled. "But if you think you know what to do, fine. Let me know how that works out for you." Then she whirled around and stalked off, disappearing into th abandoned twoleg buildings.

Bluepaw stared after her in shock for a little. Had her mentor just left her? Wait. I can't go back empty pawed now. I've got to get some prey! Bluepaw leapt back to her feet. There wouldn't be any prey here, so she dashed off to look for it elsewhere.

(And this chapter would've gotten too long if I continued it.)