It was sunhigh on the day after the disastrous training session when Tigerclaw found Whitestorm in the center of the clearing. The camp was nearly empty as most patrols had already been sent out, including one that consisted of Redtail. Tigerclaw wondered if Redtail had told Bluestar about their fight; it seemed likely since he seemed to know about the tense words Tigerclaw had shared with Bluestar. It was annoying; little things like that were setting him back.

At least Whitestorm didn't like to gossip, so Tigerclaw knew he was safe talking to him. "Good morning," Whitestorm greeted him. "Darkstripe was looking for you; he said he was looking forward to a hunting patrol."

Tigerclaw suppressed an eye roll. "Did he now?"

"Yes, he was actually complaining that you took Firepaw hunting last night instead of him." Whitestorm frowned. "Did you volunteer to patrol with him?"

Shaking his head, Tigerclaw gave a dismissive tail flick. "Not that I remember. He is hoping to get another apprentice sometime, he may have wanted to discuss it."

Whitestorm nodded, his expression surprisingly warm. "It is good that you have maintained your mentoring relationship with him, even now that he is a warrior. I hope that when Sandpaw earns her warrior name, she will feel she can ask me for advice as much as Darkstripe does with you."

Tigerclaw nodded absently. "It helps our Clan when our younger warriors look to senior ones for improvement."

"Indeed, it does." Whitestorm paused, a serious look on his face. "Speaking of young cats, I am concerned about Ravenpaw." Tigerclaw felt as though he had been hit in the belly. Where did that come from? "I certainly don't doubt you are training him as much as you can," Whitestorm added before Tigerclaw could protest. "He will just need a great deal of support to shape him into a warrior. Ravenpaw could grow into a cat ThunderClan will be proud of, a great warrior."

"He will learn," Tigerclaw meowed, feeling an unusual spark of defensiveness toward his apprentice. Unlike Firepaw, the tom was Clanborn, even if he was a mouse-heart. If there was any cat ThunderClan should be concerned about, it was the kittypet. Tigerclaw glanced around. "Where is my apprentice, anyway? I think I'll take him out for some battle training."

Whitestorm flicked his tail at a secluded corner of the camp. Tigerclaw dipped his head in farewell, and began to stalk over to Ravenpaw.

The skinny black furred mouse-heart would become a warrior. Tigerclaw knew cats were doubtful, but he'd show them, and the shadow cat. But how? He'd give Ravenpaw a somewhat normal training day to start with.

He found his apprentice settled behind the old tree stump, finishing up a vole.

"We're going to the sandy hollow. Now." Tigerclaw began to head out of the camp without checking to see if his apprentice was following.

As he walked, Tigerclaw wondered if this training session called for a change in tactics. He was brought back to his conversation with Lionheart the previous day.

Ravenpaw could use some praise every once in a while. Try pointing out when he does something right. Tigerclaw shook his head until his teeth rattled. Lionheart sincerely thought that? He almost felt bad for him- no apprentice of Lionheart's was going to be successful with that mindset. The only reason Graystripe had ended up deputy for those few seasons during Tigerclaw's first existence was the kittypet's favoritism.

Soon Tigerclaw had made it to the sandy hollow, and he dug his claws into the dusty ground, waiting for his apprentice to show up. A few moments later, Ravenpaw burst out of the surrounding bushes, panting.

But even though he was already tired, Tigerclaw knew he couldn't go easy on him. Ravenpaw would never become a warrior if he was coddled like a helpless kit. Tigerclaw decided to work on a simple battle move that Ravenpaw should have mastered by now. "Do you think you can do an up claw-swipe, or do I need to demonstrate?" Ravenpaw nodded, and Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes. "Show me."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Ravenpaw stood up on his hind paws, reached out with a forepaw, hacked at the air, and then fell to the ground. Tigerclaw shook his head in disgust.

"Stop."

Apparently still exhausted from his trek to the training hollow, Ravenpaw breathed heavily. "I thought I had it there."

"Well you didn't! Try it again!" Ravenpaw was about to make another attempt when Tigerclaw interrupted him. "Your hind legs are splayed!" he growled, letting out an annoyed hiss. "They need to be straight!"

"Why?" Ravenpaw flopped down onto his haunches.

"Why? How dare you question me?!" Tigerclaw snarled, furious at his apprentice's disrespect. Ravenpaw would never have said anything like that during his first life. "You seem to be under the impression that this is a playfighting session! I'm your mentor; I make the rules here!" With a lash of his tail, he stepped toward Ravenpaw, and felt a twinge of satisfaction when the skinny tom shrank back. He jabbed the Ravenpaw's hind leg with a forepaw, repositioning it. "Again!"

Ravenpaw leaped higher this time, his hind paws barely left grazing the ground, but it still wasn't enough.

"Did I get it?" Ravenpaw asked.

Tigerclaw snorted dismissively. "Your forepaw needs to be higher than that! Do you think you're practicing so you can fight voles?!" Ravenpaw's face fell, his surprise apparent. The useless apprentice must have truly thought he had gotten the move right; Tigerclaw had to admit he had been close, but it would do his apprentice no good to think otherwise.

With a look of renewed determination in his eyes, Ravenpaw reared up on his hind paws, slashing at the air in one smooth motion. Tigerclaw was shocked; that was the first time his apprentice had successfully performed that move. "Do it again!" he snapped hastily. Ravenpaw was blinking, seemingly confused that he wasn't being told how terrible he was. "What are you waiting for? We don't have all night!"

"Yes, Tigerclaw," Ravenpaw rasped, rearing up again with a single raised forepaw, but this time he wobbled and fell before he could complete the cutting movement.

"No!" Tigerclaw lashed his tail. "How difficult is it to keep your balance? You're a cat, not a rabid badger!" This was hopeless. The stupid apprentice couldn't consistently perform an up claw-swipe to save his life.

"Yes, Tigerclaw." Ravenpaw proceeded to rear up on his hind legs, slash the air, and smoothly fall back to four paws. That time he had performed it perfectly, and Tigerclaw had to stop himself from letting his jaw fall open.

Perhaps he should praise him, not excessively or anything, but just a vague positive indication that he'd completed the move properly. He'd done that during Darkstripe's apprenticeship a few times; in combination with other things it had made Darkstripe completely loyal to him without question. It wouldn't be the same since Darkstripe hadn't been so consistently poor at everything, but maybe it could work with Ravenpaw.

The mouse-heart was staring at him. "What is it?"

Tigerclaw blinked slowly. It surely can't hurt to try... He cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to say it. Finally, Tigerclaw settled on a single word, one he thought wouldn't give Ravenpaw any grandiose ideas of his pitiful skills: "Right."

Ravenpaw looked dumbstruck. "I... I did it right?"

Tigerclaw snorted. It had been a mistake to say anything positive to this mouse-brain; he was obviously going to take it to mean that he had perfected the move. "What, you think you can battle now that you've performed a single passable claw swipe? Oh no, you haven't got it until I say you have." Ravenpaw was still staring. "Again!"

With new energy, Ravenpaw bounded upwards, balancing on his hind paws, and with a rapid swipe of a forepaw came back down. He looked up expectantly at Tigerclaw.

Ravenpaw had done it right again, but Tigerclaw wasn't about to say that. "Well, what are you waiting for? Again!"

Once more Ravenpaw got it. Tigerclaw could hardly believe what he was seeing. This was the most successful training session he'd had with the tom, and that included both of his lives.

Time and time again, Ravenpaw successfully completed the up claw-swipe. It wasn't perfect every time by any means- his hind paws would sometimes slip- but he was doing it. For once, Ravenpaw was learning something. As the night went on, Tigerclaw pushed Ravenpaw to repeat the move, resolving to end the training session after he replicated it correctly ten times in a row.

It took Ravenpaw until after moonhigh, but he completed the task. He could probably use it in a battle now without being immediately overpowered, although that wasn't saying much. The tom still wouldn't last long in a fight against a warrior.

Ravenpaw had crouched down, panting, when Tigerclaw raised his tail to indicate that he should stop. "We're done for the night." Turning on his heels, Tigerclaw shoved himself through the undergrowth surrounding the sandy hollow and began to head back to camp without another word. He could hear Ravenpaw scrambling to catch up.

Turning his head, Tigerclaw noticed the shadows of the forest elongating- they were much too long now, even for the angle of the moon. He knew the shadow cat was trying to tell him something, but somehow the darkness didn't seem intimidating, like it had other times. She had wanted him to train Ravenpaw, so it made sense; she was probably pleased that the useless tom had improved his skills for once.

A few moments after Tigerclaw turned back to look straight ahead, Ravenpaw appeared at his shoulder.

The skinny tom's eyes flitted about, and he seemed be preparing himself to ask something. "Tigerclaw?" He slackened his pace, waiting for a response, but Tigerclaw made no allowances for his slowness, and Ravenpaw had to hurry to catch up again. "Do you think I've got it? The up claw-swipe?"

Tigerclaw regarded his apprentice's hopeful eyes for a long moment. "It was..." he paused, looking for the right word, "adequate."

He immediately regretted his choice of phrase when Ravenpaw gained a spring in his step.

In spite of his obvious exhaustion, Ravenpaw practically skipped through the forest on the way back to camp. Tigerclaw rolled his eyes. He should have known better than to praise him; the tom might think he could coast to warriorhood now. It wouldn't do Ravenpaw any good to think he was StarClan's gift to the forest now that he'd learned one battle move.

At the edge of the camp, Tigerclaw blocked the way before Ravenpaw could bound ahead, and gave him a dark glare. "If you think you can blunder through training like you did tonight and still become a warrior, you're sorely mistaken. It takes much more than learning a single battle move."

But for once Ravenpaw didn't seem bothered by his harsh words. "Yes, Tigerclaw."

As Ravenpaw pushed past, his tail held high, Tigerclaw sighed. Maybe Ravenpaw wouldn't be so worthless after all. He will be a warrior, Tigerclaw realized, and for the first time, he believed it.

This was actually a positive development. He needed more followers, and Ravenpaw, although not the ideal choice, was as good a place to start as any.