Tigerfur padded through the forest, leading Oakpaw for the first time around their territory. He pricked his ears towards his excited apprentice, and then turned, halting them a few fox lengths before their moorland border with LightClan. He opened his mouth, tasting the air freshly marked with the scents of a recent border patrol.
Tigerfur flicked his tail tip angling it towards the pine trees and meowed to Oakpaw. "Tell me what you can guess about this place." Oakpaw sniffed and tasted the air, just like his mentor.
Oakpaw thought. It smelled like cats, but he couldn't recognize any of the scents. All of the markers had a sort of weird smell; damp, unclear and thick, covering the grassy floor in a line, but this part of the forest had less sunlight leaking out from the tree tops. He looked farther into the territory, and spotted some sand. But what was the grit doing in a forest?
Tigerfur nudged his apprentice, snapping him out of his thoughts. "So what do you think?" Oakpaw answered hesitantly. "It smells different from our side of the forest. But I saw some sand inside the forest and then the trees disappeared, from the path… to Oakpaw's surprise, his mentor nodded proudly. "That's right. Next time, use your ears as well." "But what happened to the trees?" Oakpaw pressed curiously. "Why is there sand in a forest?" "The forest is shared by all three clans. NightClan, LightClan and WildClan." Tigerfur explained. "We share this side with LightClan and the other side with WildClan. However, LightClan's forest grows smaller and, turns into a sandy place with a pond, prey, sun. In other words, a good piece of territory." "We have the hollow." Pointed out, Oakpaw. "Yes, and WildClan has their own special place. For today, we've explored most of the territory, so let's go grab some prey, before I'll teach you how to catch your own, and if we have time, we can squeeze in some battle training." Tigerfur finished.
Oakpaw happily trotted at his side, eager to begin learning battle moves.
Ravenpaw bounded out from the forest, a big squirrel swinging in his jaws, almost half as big as him! The warm, musky prey scent, filled his nose, but Ravenpaw resisted, even nibbling a bit at his first prey.
Ravenpaw was pulled back into the moment he had snapped the prey's spine. "That was an amazing catch Ravenpaw, especially since this is your first. Or did you learn how to catch prey, before you became an apprentice?" Stormheart had teased.
He carried it through a narrow, bramble tunnel, snagging its brown fur on sharp thorns. Ravenpaw tugged it forward, ripping some of the squirrel's fur off but it was still stretched over thick thorns. He groaned. If it wasn't coming off, he would have to somehow shake it.
Finally, when a frustrated Ravenpaw thought he had to run of, and find another piece of prey, it felt to the floor, limp and a little shredded. Still, Ravenpaw carried it in the air so it didn't drag on the ground, to the cave made from rocks that were in the shape of a stable den. The elders den.
He entered, and right away he spotted Frostbreath and Rainbowtail, sharing tongues. Frostbreath stopped grooming and greeted Ravenpaw. "Hello, Ravenpaw." Ravenpaw dipped his head in acknowledgment to the dark brown tom.
Stormheart told me, you two might be hungry, so I brought you this," Ravenpaw gestured to the squirrel. "I noticed." Purred, Frostbreath with amusement. Rainbowtail stopped as well and gave an admiring sniff. "Was it your first catch?"
Ravenpaw nodded and added. "I caught it, on my first try." The she-cat murmured. "You must be proud."
Ravenpaw was feeling proud and he couldn't wait to tell Oakpaw, Snowpelt, Riptooth… Then his pelt prickled. Oh no! I promised to play with Sparrowkit and Blossomkit, but Stormheart is taking me out to training!
Rainbowtail began to eat, taking small, short bites, and Frostbreath sat on his haunches, sharing the piece of prey with his den mate. Ravenpaw wanted to ask him if they wanted more prey, but they were still eating, so he sat awkwardly at the side waiting for the old cats to finish. Frostbreath looked up from eating, and meowed. "Thanks for the prey, Ravenpaw. You can go now."
Relived, he hurried back through the bramble tunnel and saw Oakpaw wave him over. As Ravenpaw padded towards him, Oakpaw asked. "Do you want to share?" Ravenpaw nodded and his brother stalked towards the fresh-kill pile. Grabbing a moorhen, Oakpaw settled into a comfortable spot, shaded by the trees. Ravenpaw followed and took the first bite. "Tigerfur showed me around our territory. And he said we are going to practice hunting. What are you going to do?" Oakpaw asked through a mouthful of warm meat. "Stormheart taught me how to stalk in undergrowth. And he's going to take me out for battle training. Ravenpaw countered.
Oakpaw shrugged as if it didn't bother him but Ravenpaw knew his brother better. He probably wanted to dash off along with Ravenpaw to train in the hollow. They finished the rest of their prey in silence.
A light brown shape padded slowly out of the nursery den, followed by three little kits, bounced around and around their mother, chatting along to each other as they ran.
Warriors began to poke their heads out of their dens to see what was happening. Then Oakpaw dashed off, away from his brother, heading towards the cave that was Shadestar's den. Lilysnow was following her littermate, herding the kits to Shadestar's den as well.
Then the leader appeared. Spotting his kits, he leapt down from High Rock, and raced towards his kits, halting only until he was a tail-length away.
"What are their names?" Shadestar breathed. "I only named the she-cat." His mate replied. "Her name is Leopardkit for her brown and dappled gold fur. Why don't you name the others?" Swiftfoot gently, swept the two toms together with her tail. "How about Pinekit for this one, and Emberkit for the other?" Shadestar nodded to the light, grey tom and then the smaller red kit. "Those are great names," She purred. "Rainkit looks like a certain tom that I remember." Shadestar blinked . "Who, me?" The she-cat purred again, rolling her eyes. "Yes you."
Shadestar guided his mate and his kits back to the nursery.
Oakpaw wondered if he would ever have a mate and kits. Bleh. I really don't want to think about that now. Finally, he noticed Tigerfur staring at him with an impatient look. Uh, Oh. He must have called me already. I'd better get going."
He gave a brisk, brotherly lick on Ravenpaw's ears before heading towards his mentor.
Who cares about a mate! I'm still going to be the best warrior. Oakpaw slowed down until he was walking, but his thoughts were still running. Maybe, I'll even become deputy. What am I saying, of course I'm going to be deputy! I bet that's why, Shadestar chose Tigerfur to be my mentor. And then will Tigerfur make me his deputy? I don't care. I will become the leader one day.
So what do you think about Oakpaw?
Bossy, obnoxious, annoying, amazing,competitive, any thoughts?
-Catqstar