Last chapter for now.
Chapter 24:
Flowerpaw scraped the ground with her claws nervously. Today, Wolfrunner and Foxshade were going to try a double-attack on her and Ashpaw. Separately, of course. Now, they were just waiting for Ashpaw to appear. He had fallen into a bramble bush the day before—mouse-brain!—and Darklight was checking to make sure he was healing well.
Rainpad and Shadowtail appeared, their apprentices darting after them. They were Nightpaw and Slicepaw, respectively.
Foxshade flicked his ears in surprise, and Wolfrunner tilted his head to one side. Flowerpaw's tail twitched.
"We thought we would give Nightpaw and Slicepaw some experience on how more advanced moves work, by having them watch Flowerpaw and Ashpaw," Shadowtail explained.
"If that's all right with you, Foxshade, Wolfrunner?" Rainpad added.
Wolfrunner nodded, and Foxshade meowed, "Sure."
Grief tightened Flowerpaw's throat as she looked at the brother and sister. Badgerpaw should be here too. The big, black and white apprentice had snuck out of camp to join the battle against PowerClan a moon ago. It had cost him his life, when he was struck down by Flashpelt.
Ashpaw appeared and looked curiously at the new arrivals. Foxshade quickly explained, and then mewed, "Flowerpaw, you first."
Nervously, Flowerpaw stepped into the sandy training clearing. Foxshade padded in after her, and Wolfrunner leaped in after him.
"We're both going to attack you," her mentor spoke from behind. Flowerpaw glanced at him. "I want you to do whatever you have to to stop us; short of clawing all our fur off, that is," he added.
Flowerpaw swallowed, and nodded. "Ready... Go!" Foxshade cried.
Instantly Flowerpaw rolled to the side; Wolfrunner's paws thumped the ground where she had been only a moment ago. Standard tactic, she thought.
"Nicely done," Wolfrunner told her, as he spun to face her. She glanced around for Foxshade, and instantly felt Wolfrunner's paws hooking her legs, causing her to lose her balance. "Never take your eyes off the enemy," he admonished. His muzzle reached forward to nip her legs. She glimpsed Foxshade approaching from behind.
Desperately, she let her front paws get slipped out from under her, pushed with her hind legs, and flipped over on her back, rolling over Wolfrunner's back in a disorienting, but effective, maneuver. Landing heavily on her side after careening to one side, she scrambled quickly to her paws.
"Clever," Foxshade commented as he neared. Wolfrunner spun about to face her, an impressed look on his face.
The thoughts of the others watching faded from her mind, replaced by a new determination. I can do this!
She noticed Wolfrunner tensing his muscles for a jump, just as Foxshade dashed in, aiming for her belly. She pretended that she was about to dodge left, and when Wolfrunner twisted slightly in the air, she launched herself forward and placed her front paws on Foxshade's shoulders. With a grunt, she heaved herself on top of him, causing his legs to buckle beneath her weight. Her victory didn't come without a sacrifice, though. She had felt the warrior's paws rake her belly, and, had his claws been unsheathed, it could have caused some serious damage.
In response, she spun on him so that her front paws could grip his shoulders. Her hind paws churned his back, causing him to grunt.
Wolfrunner's eyes gleamed as he turned to face her once more. Foxshade arched his back beneath her, and pushed himself partway to his paws. Flowerpaw leaped off quickly as he began jerking his body from side-to-side. She was too late, though, and his moving body made her jump clumsy. She landed awkwardly, and Wolfrunner darted forward to place one gray paw on her, pinning her in place. However much she tried, she couldn't get loose, and her legs were still too short to reach Wolfrunner's belly.
"Enough," Wolfrunner meowed, and stepped back. Flowerpaw scrambled to her paws, and panted.
"Very good," Foxshade complimented. "Wolfrunner, you've obviously trained her well. Were those moves improvised on the spot?" He directed the question at the dusky brown she-cat.
Flowerpaw scuffled her paws in the dirt, unsure of how to answer to the older cat's praise. "Yes."
"You'll be a fierce warrior," Foxshade told her. He glanced to Wolfrunner.
"Ashpaw, your turn now." The gray tom padded forward into the clearing. Flowerpaw retreated to the sidelines.
"Wow!" Nightpaw bounced around her. "That was awesome! Can you show me how to do those moves, Flowerpaw?"
"I think we'd all like to know," Shadowtail meowed from her position to the right of her.
"After Ashpaw's battle," she promised.
Watching Nightpaw jump up and down with his springy dark paws, his glossy, sleek black fur gleaming in the sun, his bright amber eyes wide and shining with excitement and awe, Flowerpaw couldn't help purring. A small thrill went through her as she turned to watch Ashpaw, Wolfrunner, and Foxshade.
"Ready... Go!"
Ashpaw instantly darted forward at Wolfrunner, who was positioned in front of him. Foxshade had been behind. Taking the initiative.
Foxshade stretched forward to grasp Ashpaw's tail in his jaws. Quick as a flash, Ashpaw spun and ducked under his mentor's belly, before Wolfrunner could take advantage of his decreased mobility.
As Ashpaw ran under his belly and out to the side, Foxshade was put in a difficult position, his head having to be jerked under his belly and twisted to one side to hold onto Ashpaw's tail. He tried to jerk Ashpaw back under him, buy his neck muscles, though strong, were no match for Ashpaw's leg muscles. Given no other choice, he released him.
Ashpaw darted under Foxshade's belly and thrust upwards, his front paws leaving the ground. Off-balance, Foxshade stumbled and toppled over. Before Ashpaw could do anything, Wolfrunner bowled him over. Ashpaw quickly wriggled out from under him before he could get a solid hold. But by then Foxshade had regained his paws, and was standing side-by-side with Wolfrunner.
Without a glance, the two mentors reared up on their hind legs and started striking out at Ashpaw with their from paws. The apprentice retreated quickly, but they followed. With no other choice, he reared up as well to try to match them.
Almost instantly, a paw jabbed him in the nose. Stumbling back, with water welling in his eyes from the hard blow, another paw got him in the chest, and a third in the legs.. Ashpaw collapsed, and Foxshade stepped forward to press his paws onto Ashpaw's chest, holding him down.
"Done!" Foxshade announced, as Ashpaw unsuccessfully attempted to get loose. He released his apprentice, who clambered to his pass, wincing and rubbing his nose.
"Sorry," Wolfrunner meowed to Ashpaw.
"It's okay." Ashpaw dropped his paw. "Doesn't hurt that much now."
"Wow." Nightpaw stared at Ashpaw with wide eyes.
"Ashpaw, would you demonstrate what you did when Foxshade had your tail?" Shadowtail asked. "I think it would be good experience for Slicepaw.
"Nightpaw too," Rainpad added.
"Uh, sure, I guess."
Foxshade and Ashpaw took up positions, and the warrior grabbed Ashpaw's tail.
"I went under his belly," Flowerpaw's brother explained. "And off to the side, so Foxshade can't squish me flat."
They demonstrated. Wolfrunner nodded approvingly. "That puts Foxshade in an awkward position, which forces him to let go."
"Nice," Rainpad meowed.
"Flowerpaw, you come and try," Wolfrunner ordered, beckoning to her.
She padded into the clearing, and Wolfrunner moved behind her, grabbing her tail lightly, firmly in his mouth.
"Now."
Flowerpaw darted under Wolfrunner, wincing slightly as her tail was put in a slightly painful position. Before he could drop and flatten her, she rolled out to the side and backed away, towards his tail, forcing his head even farther in. He quickly let go.
"Nice."
"Nightpaw, Slicepaw," Rainpad meowed. "We won't do double-attacks on you yet; you're not ready for that. But I want you two to practice that maneuver with each other."
"Flowerpaw, Ashpaw, you too," Foxshade commanded.
Ashpaw leaped into the training clearing to join his sister. "I'll dodge first," she volunteered.
Ashpaw shrugged. He moved behind her and seized her tail. Flowerpaw performed it excellently, his body hitting the ground a moment after she went to the side. He rose halfway, his neck stretched, and released her tail.
"Again," Wolfrunner said from where he sat with Foxshade.
Once again, Flowerpaw successfully completed the escape move.
After two more times, their mentors had Flowerpaw and Ashpaw switch places. Ashpaw managed to escape Flowerpaw's grip on his tail.
They tried again, and Ashpaw escaped once more. Then, the third time, Flowerpaw raised her leg high as Ashpaw darted around, above the tail, allowing her to turn to face him, his tail still in her jaws.
"Impressive," Foxshade called. "Can you do it again?"
Flowerpaw did. The mentors demonstrated how to counter Ashpaw's dodge-and-roll tactic, and Wolfrunner paused the session to glance at the sky.
"It's getting late," he meowed, and with a start, Flowerpaw realized it was. The trees cast huge, deep shadows. "We'd better get back to camp."
As they neared camp, Flowerpaw's spine pelt prickled. Something was wrong. Then she heard it. The yelps, yowls, and shrieks of cats. And the low, angry growl of something bigger, fiercer, and nastier than PowerClan.
Allegiances:
StrongClan:
Leader: Blazestar- golden tom with white paws and green eyes
Apprentice, Whisperpaw
Deputy: Icefoot- light gray she-cat with a white muzzle, underbelly, tail-tip, and paws, and dark blue eyes, mate of Rainpad
Apprentice, Longpaw
Medicine cat: Darklight- old, black and white tom with golden stripes, a gray-flecked muzzle, and green eyes
Apprentice, Wavepaw
Warriors: Wolfrunner- dark gray tabby tom with orange eyes, mate of Rainstorm- can turn into a wolf at will
Apprentice, Flowerpaw
Foxshade- ginger tom with black ears, paws, tail-tip, and stripes, a white underbelly, and golden-amber eyes, mate of Darkdream
Apprentice, Ashpaw
Ivyblaze- silver tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes
Apprentice, Skypaw
Shadowtail- black she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice, Slicepaw
Rainpad- gray tom with bright green eyes, mate of Icefoot
Apprentice, Nightpaw
Silverstrike- silver tom with black stripes and yellow eyes, mate of Honeyflower
Streamhawk- silver and brown she-cat with blue eyes
Darkdream- sleek, pure black she-cat with red eyes, mate of Foxshade- can slowly drain an enemy of strength, can control birds and rabbits- left PowerClan for Foxshade
Honeyflower- honey-golden tabby she-cat with vivid green eyes, mate of Silverstrike
Apprentice, Eveningpaw
Oakstorm- massive brown tabby tom- an empath- formerly of PowerClan
Apprentices: Skypaw- white, short-furred she-cat with light gray paws, and dicey blue eyes- mentor, Ivyblaze
Longpaw- dark brown tom with white spots and green eyes- mentor, Icefoot
Flowerpaw- dusky-brown she-cat with blue eyes- mentor, Wolfrunner
Ashpaw- dark gray tom with a dusty-brown belly and blue eyes- mentor, Foxshade
Slicepaw- tall, spiky-furred, dappled, tortoiseshell and white she-cat with a long, jagged scar from jaw to hip, and fiery amber eyes- mentor, Shadowtail
Nightpaw- black tom with gray flecks and amber eyes- can speak to animals- mentor, Rainpad
Wavepaw- long-furred brown tom with black spots and hazel eyes- medicine cat apprentice, mentor, Darklight
Whisperpaw- light gray she-cat with half of her face covered with light tan fur and green eyes- mentor, Blazestar
Eveningpaw- golden tabby she-cat with green eyes- mentor, Honeyflower
Queens: Rainstorm- sleek, black-furred she-cat with piercing, icy blue eyes, mother of Wolfrunner's kits: Darkkit, Ashkit, and Beekit
Kits: Darkkit- black-and-gray tabby she-kit
Ashkit- dark gray she-kit
Beekit- golden-and-black tom-kit
Elders: Cloudscar- white tom with a long scar on his back and amber eyes
Weaselclaw- light brown tabby tom with golden eyes
QOTC: So, what do you think is attacking StrongClan's camp?
What four cats do you want to see more of?
Names and stuff for Mistfeather's and Lilyspring's kits?
Also, I need more ideas for this story. I don't know what I should do with Blackpaw next, and until I do, I won't have another chapter written.
—Foreststar