I know, I know... I haven't updated in a long time *author ducks as readers start throwing tomatoes *

Sorry...

And I really would like to see more reviews :( I'm not getting many at all.

*looks up with adorable puppy eyes*

Just to remind you people, my friend flashfire11 wrote chapter (it is her OC) Check out her profile. SHE IS AN AMAZING WRITER!

~flashfire11

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. I'm not saying anything else this time. I - don't - own - Warriors.


Chapter 11: Flashpaw

"Good job, Flashpaw," meowed Dawnlight approvingly. "You've really progressed these past couple of days." Flashpaw straightened up proudly. The sun beamed weakly through the hazy clouds, lighting up the Training Field and the other apprentice's pelts, making them blaze copper, chocolate, gold, and midnight. "In fact," Dawnlight informed, "I've asked Ashstar about giving you and the other apprentices solo tasks, and he's agreed! And no, that doesn't mean that you are becoming warriors anytime soon. You still have a lot more to learn," She added sharply, seeing the hopeful look on Flashpaw's face that dispersed quickly. Flashpaw suppressed a sigh. Dawnlight seemed like a good mentor, but she seemed to ignore how eager he was to learn. But, he knew better than to argue.

"Dawnlight, can I just go roaming around the territory for a bit? I need a break from training," asked Flashpaw. He expected Dawnlight to break out in a string of furious arguments, but she just nodded like she understood.

"Of course. You have my permission to eat while you're at it too. We all have days where we are tired. Make sure you're back in time for your solo task. Just take it easy," she meowed and padded off to join Robinpaw's training. Flashpaw sighed in delight. One entire day free! And he didn't even have to bring back prey! He scampered off towards the StormClan border happily,

Sniffing the air, he smelled the unmistakable scent of rabbit. It was all around him, and there was a mouse or two as well. He crouched down, and shot after a tiny, but grown up grey rabbit which was fleeing from him as fast as lightning. But Flashpaw was faster. Dawnlight's annoying laps around the moor helped. He caught up to the rabbit, and nipped it's spine to get it to stop moving. Then, he slashed its neck and it died. Even though it was a small rabbit, Flashpaw was only able to eat half of it before feeling stuffed. Kicking up a patch of moorland, he buried the remains to eat on the way back.

As Flashpaw strolled onwards, he was in awe. Dawnlight had not yet shown him a tour of the territory so he was fascinated by the sheer size of it.

And the other clans call moorland boring! This should show those narrow minded jerks! he scoffed. Lots of time passed, and it was sun-high by the time that Flashpaw reached Breezestar's Gorge. Breezestar was a WindClan cat and one of the four leaders that broke off from those Clans and made these. Somewhere, WindClan, ShadowClan, ThunderClan and RiverClan were surviving, but Breezestar played an enormous role in the making of Flashpaw's home. Then, when Breezestar, Fogstar, Rainstar and Stormstar were all in StarClan and the Clans had to migrate, it was Breezestar who warned the Clans about this gorge and instructed them how to cross it. So, it was only right that BreezeClan claimed the gorge as their own. The gorge was pretty much impossible to cross except for one point, called Breezestar's Breach that the leaping distance was fairly narrow, but only experienced warriors were allowed to try, even though Flashpaw was sure he could do it if he tried. It wouldn't hurt just to see it, he thought, and set off alongside the gorge. Eventually the sturdy moorland gave way to crumbly red rock. Flashpaw curiously kicked a chunk of it into the gorge and counted 20 heartbeats before he heard the answering splash. He shuddered and kept padding along it. Soon he came to Breezestar's Breach. A narrow shelf of moorland jutted out a little farther than the rest, making the jump shorter, but still testing the capabilities of the cat's. Flashpaw cautiously walked onto it and peered over the edge. Far, far down he could make out rolling, dark blue waves capped with snow-white crests of foam. The river frothed angrily and crashed against the jagged sunburnt walls of the gorge like it was trying to escape its prison. Suddenly, an excited voice behind him shouted,

"Hey, Flashpaw!" Flashpaw almost fell off the edge. Balancing himself, he whipped around and glared at the source of the noise.

"Don't do that, Ravenpaw! You almost made me fall over the edge!" Ravenpaw looked sheepishly up at him.

"Sorry! Dawnlight wants you back at the Training Field. We're going to have our first solo task!" Ravenpaw wriggled with excitement. Flashpaw shook his head in mock exasperation and followed Ravenpaw back to the Training Field. When he bounded in, Copperfire, Robinpaw's mentor, looked up.

"There they are! Come here, you two. I'm explaining everything." Flashpaw and Ravenpaw joined Robinpaw and their mentors. "As I was saying, you will go to your specific area and hunt for prey there. We will all be watching you, so act carefully! Jayfrost will now tell you where to hunt." The grey and white tom stepped forward.

"Ravenpaw, you will hunt along the northern part of Breezestar's Gorge. Robinpaw, you can go along the RainClan border, near the river. Flashpaw, you can try next to the StormClan border, on the other side of Breezestar's Gorge." The apprentices all nodded importantly and sprang away in different directions. Flashpaw sighed. He'd just been there! The ginger apprentice ran south, where Breezestar's Gorge sloped down and became just a river. There were some crossing points if you knew where to look. It was a bright day and the sun was shining pleasantly on Flashpaw's fur. He hoped that his solo task results would be as pleasing as the weather. Then he could see the river, no longer looking angry but peaceful and friendly, sparkling under the sun. There was a fallen log - Flashpaw could see it already - that BreezeClan had used for generations to get across the river. He padded up to it and cautiously stepped onto the log. Its surface was smooth, the bark long stripped away, and Flashpaw had to dig his claws into the wood. It was also slippery from the constant spray of water. Carefully he made his way across, inch by inch, until he was close enough to jump onto the bank.

Flashpaw kept going. He was close to StormClan territory now. Suddenly, his body went stock still and he crouched down. There! A couple fox-lengths away was a rabbit, it's nose twitching. Too bad it was so close to StormClan border. Slowly Flashpaw crept towards it, his mouth watering. All of a sudden, the rabbit sprang away. Flashpaw leapt after it confused. He hadn't moved! Then he saw what had disturbed the rabbit - a dark shadow hidden beneath a bush. Before he could cry out, the shadow pounced and killed the rabbit as it was passing by. Flashpaw marched up to the StormClan cat. She was about his age, an apprentice, and was a calico with bright gold patches. Her eyes were exactly like his.

"Could I have my rabbit, please?" he asked, his voice cold. The apprentice snarled.

"Excuse me, but I'm pretty sure that I killed the rabbit. Even more, I killed it on StormClan territory."

"No, it was killed on BreezeClan territory, you prey-thief! You are on BreezeClan territory! Better run off before a patrol catches you," Flashpaw taunted. The apprentice swiped a paw at him- and missed.

"It was StormClan prey! It isn't easy catching a rabbit, and my mentor needs to see that I did!" she argued coolly.

"You didn't do anything fascinating. That rabbit basically ran into your paws! A kit could've caught it!"

"Are you calling me a kit? Well, I wonder what they teach BreezeClan kits, because in StormClan, all kits know to stay on StormClan territory," the apprentice hissed. Flashpaw shook his head. He didn't want to argue. He just wanted the stupid rabbit!

"Lets be done. Give me the rabbit and get off my territory," demanded Flashpaw.

"You get you and your stinking body off the StormClan territory! This is my rabbit- end of story," grumbled the apprentice.

"What's going on here, Goldenpaw? And who is this? Flashpaw? From BreezeClan?" meowed a deep voice. Flashpaw looked up in alarm, to see a golden tabby pad up to the two apprentices.

"Well Sunstreak, I killed this rabbit, and Flashpaw, if that's his name, is accusing me of killing this rabbit because he thinks it is BreezeClan prey!" complained Goldenpaw. Sunstreak nodded, in deep thought.

"Where was the prey, Flashpaw, when Goldenpaw killed it?" he questioned. Flashpaw thought back to the bush where Goldenpaw hid in. The rabbit had been a tail-length away from it. Padding over, he prodded the earth where he had last seen it. The rabbit scent was strong there, and there was a mingled scent of life and death there too.

"This is it," he concluded, confidently. Sunstreak's eyes flitted in a line from where he was to where Flashpaw was standing.

"Goldenpaw, you caught BreezeClan prey. That was rightfully on BreezeClan territory. But," Sunstreak added before Flashpaw could throw a triumphant look at Goldenpaw, "When you were arguing, you both were on StormClan territory." Flashpaw was stunned. What would his parents and Dawnlight say they he knew that he had trespassed? Goldenpaw looked furious at herself, too.

"Flashpaw, I cannot promise that I won't tell Miststar that you were on StormClan territory. However, I will mention that it was because you were chasing prey that had been caught by another cat." Sunstreak turned to Goldenpaw. "Come, we should get back to the camp." He turned and disappeared between the bushes. Goldenpaw grudgingly dropped the rabbit at Flashpaw's feet.

"Happy now?" she meowed scathingly, glaring at him. Then her eyes furrowed thoughtfully, looking him up and down.

"What? asked Flashpaw. " Trying to find something else to blame me for?" Goldenpaw shook her head slightly, still looking thoughtfully at him.

"You look…sort of…familiar. Never mind." She turned away from him and followed Sunstreak. Flashpaw shook his head and picked up the rabbit. Heading back toward the fallen tree to bury the rabbit for later (there was still time to catch more), he realized that, surprisingly, he knew what she meant. In some strange way, she looked sort of familiar, too.


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