Windpaw!!!!!!

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Windpaw woke up slowly the next day, wondering if Cardinalbelly was looking for him. But as soon as he emerged from the den, he realized that it was earlier than he had thought. With heavy, tired paw steps he wandered about the camp, and found himself at the nursery. Because he had plenty of time, he peeked in to see if Wanderingsoul was awake.

The long-legged black she-cat was stretched on her side, quietly licking her sole remaining kit, her eyes filled with sorrow. She looked up as she heard Windpaw approach, and nudged the kit away so that she could talk to him.

"What's her name?" he asked, indicating the blue-black she-kit. Cardinalbelly looked down at the earth beneath her solemnly.

"Twilightkit," she mewed, in a voice cracked with the strain of loosing two kits already.

Windpaw said nothing for a while, listening to the mewls of the tiny kit.

"She's got very pretty fur," he commented. It was true – Twilightkit's fur was glittery black, so black that when it caught the light it blazed a bright, turquoise blue. Windpaw watched her as she squirmed on the ground, fighting to get back to her mother's warm embrace.

"She does doesn't she?" Wanderingsoul mused, a thin smile stretching across her face. "She looks like her father." The she-cat bent her head again, resting her head on her paws.

"Well," said Windpaw, the soporific effect of the warm nursery weighing down on his senses, "I should be going. I expect that Cardinalbelly will be out by now. Thank you, Wanderingsoul."

The queen nodded absentmindedly, waving him out with a twitch of her tail. Windpaw scurried to the entrance, then cast one quick look at Twlightkit, asleep in a patch of penetrating sunlight, and warmth filled his heart.

Cardinalbelly was indeed awake, and she sat by the fallen log, surveying the camp with bleary eyes.

"Ah, Windpaw. I wasn't sure if you were awake – figured I might give you a few more moments of precious sleep."

Windpaw felt gratitude toward his new mentor sweep over him at once, and he smiled and nodded, thinking to himself that he couldn't have been luckier.

"What're we doing today?" he questioned cheerily as they set out from the shady confines of the camp.

Cardinalbelly yawned and smiled. "Probably nothing special. Although, if you can tell me the names of the leaders of all the Clans we might do some hunting."

Windpaw scoffed, and replied, "Well, Lionstar of course, Gravelstar of ShadowClan, Tanglestar of WindClan, and er…Froststar of RiverClan. There. I've done it. That was as easy as catching a leaf."

Cardinalbelly purred in amusement. "It was, wasn't it? Looks like today is a hunting day!"

Windpaw and his mentor traveled to the far end of the territory, near the lakeshore, to a small, grassy knoll where a lone tree stood, gnarled and twisted with age.

"This is an oak tree, Windpaw," Cardinalbelly murmured to him as they passed the great plant. "You can tell because of its distinct leaves, and of course, the acorns."

Windpaw nodded, squinting up at the widespread canopy of the oak tree.

"Is it the Ancient Oak?" Firepaw mentioned it the other day."

Once again, Cardinabelly smiled and nodded. "Yes. It is older than our Clans, I'm sure. Older even then StarClan, if there was ever such a time."

Windpaw gazed upwards in awe. "Older than StarClan? It's got to be tons of seasons old then."

"Yes."

The pair crossed the hillock to a patch of shrubs that sprawled along the grass. Cardinalbelly gestured to the bushes. "You will find a multitude of creatures there that we eat for prey. When you smell something, tell me and I will identify it for you."

Windpaw nodded that he understood, then scurried to the bushes eagerly sniffing the soft air that encircled in muzzle. At first he could taste only the fresh air, the tangy scent of the plants, and the cold, crisp smell of the lake on his tongue, but then other smells, warm and appetizing swirled in his face, and he followed them willingly.

"I smell something, Cardinalbelly," he mewed softly, careful not to scare his prey with a loud meow. Cardinalbelly padded over, her eyes bright.

"Yes. That is a mouse, and a fat one at that. You are lucky, if this is to be your first prey. You will have something to tell your friends."

Windpaw beamed, then turned his nose once again to the large, full bush.

"How do I catch it?" he asked in an undertone.

Cardinalbelly replied just as quietly, and said, "You must tread lightly – mice can feel the vibrations of the earth beneath their feet, and so will be alerted to your approach if you have a heavy step. You must then come as close to it as possible…and when the time is right-"

"How will I know when the time is right?"

"You will know. When the time is right, pounce. You must catch it quickly between your claws, and then kill it with your teeth before it can struggle away."

Windpaw was intrigued, and nodded eagerly when Cardinalbelly was finished. "Got it," he confirmed, and then bent his head to the bush. "I see it, but it's in there pretty deep."

Cardinabelly sat down, thinking for a moment. "If I try to flush it out, you would not be able to catch it in a hundred moons…it is far too swift for your young paws. If you try to reach under for it, it will see you coming. Aha!"

Cardinabelly fluidly rose to her feet, beckoning to him wither tail. "Come this way, Windpaw. There is a gap in the bushes behind here…ah, here. Go in through it, and, there, there is your mouse."

Windpaw felt excitement rush through his veins as he located the gap in the brush and then slipped into it, feeling twigs snag in his fur as he darted into the shadowy depths of the shrubs. He could smell the mouse, as Cardinalbelly had said it was, in the undergrowth before him – it was eating something, a seed maybe.

He crept up behind the creature with light, soft steps, being extra careful not to brush against the thin sticks that poked out above and around him. With slow movements, Windpaw came closer to the mouse.

Then, as suddenly as a fish that might leap out of the shining waters of the lake, he heard a scuffle, a yelp, and then his mouse was gone. Windpaw wanted to cry out and run after it, but he knew what Cardinalbelly had said was true – he couldn't catch the moue in a hundred seasons, not with his short legs and little stamina.

So Windpaw backed out of the bush, his hopes dashed, and straight into another cat's claws. He paused, feeling the cat brush against his tail.

"Cardinalbelly?" he murmured, knowing, deep down, that it wasn't her.

"Close," came a menacing snarl. Then claws latched into his flank and he was dragged forcefully from the bush, thorns catching at his fur like tiny paws reaching for him from the shrub.

As soon as he was free, Windpaw tried to dart forward, and turn around, but he was halted as he put one paw forward – the cat would not let go.

"Who are you?" Windpaw, spat, but he was shaking. "Where's Cardinalbelly?"

"Gone back to camp, I expect, like a good little traitor!" Windpaw's blood ran cold at the words. If this cat was referring to his mentor as a traitor, then he must be in the paws of…ShadowClan.

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Yay! So sorry for the delay…..it has been a very busy few weeks. So, new unexpected twist, eh? Yup, Windpaw's been captured by ShadowClab. He is held captive there four three moons, while ThunderClan decides how to get him back. They try once, and barely even get as far as the border before ShadowClan turns them back. Windpaw is basically like a ransom for Sootstreak and Darkfang, whom Gravelstar suddenly wants back for his Clan. He also wants Ghostpaw, but that becomes a different story, later on….so ya, Windpaw is captured by ShadowClan. Yay!