Chapter Twenty Four

After all the excitement the other day with the warrior ceremony, I was hoping Rosepetal would go easy. I was so wrong.

"Echopaw! Pay attention!" She hisses as her paw comes in contact with my back.

I flatten my ears and snarl, baring my teeth and trying to look intimidating. For a split-second, Rosepetal's eyes grow wide and she freezes, so I take the chance. I lunge at her, my paw coming down on her head. She stumbles forward and I leap onto her back, pushing all my weight forward. The trick works and she face-plants onto the ground. I burst out laughing and jump off of her. Rosepetal is flailing and spitting dirt and sand, making it even funnier. By the time she gets up I'm rolling on the sandy floor of the training hollow, laughing my pelt off.

"I should make you angry more often." She spits, trying to rid her mouth of sand. "Echopaw, we need to go over a few moves before the other apprentices come."

"Oh come on! You know that I have had the most battle training and I could –"

"Beat them, yes, Echopaw, I know, but I need to teach you something! You can't just use your own moves."

"Fine!" I give up, "Teach me something!" I mock. Ugh, she can be annoying! She narrows her eyes and starts to circle me, so I do the same eyeing her. She bunches her muscles and leaps at me. I know what she's going to do, so I roll out of the way. But she somehow pins me, smirking from above. I try to squirm out but her grip is too strong. I just stare blankly up at her.

"Okay so there's something we could learn." She gets off and keeps talking but I tune her out. I hope she keeps talking until the other apprentices show up. I pretend to watch her while I let my mind wander.

But my thoughts stop when I catch a flash of silver behind Rosepetal. Are we being attacked?! I narrow my eyes and try to find it again. Laughter comes from behind Rosepetal, and I swear I see it again. Then a tiny head pokes out from behind a bush. It looks like a kit! Why is a kit out here? I look at it again and my breath catches. The kit's pelt looks like mist, sparkling and somewhat see through. The training hollow fades out and a meadow full of flowers replaces it. It is beautiful.

"Echopaw!"

The training hollow suddenly comes back into focus.

"Echopaw! Did you hear anything I said?" Rosepetal demands, looking irritated.

"Umm…"

"Of course not!" She snaps.

"Sorry," I don't think she would believe me if I told her I just had a dream, she would probably get more angry.

"Yeah, whatever." She grumbles.

"Well…Can I try it?" I ask.

"Sure why not?" She says and rolls her eyes as she crouches. I circle her, trying to find a weakness. I bunch my muscles ready to leap when a flash of black obscures my focus. Are you kidding me?! I grit my teeth and tried to focus. Just as I'm about to leap again the black pelt shows it's self again, this time closer. Whatever, not my problem. I leap, pushing as hard as I can off the ground. Time slows down as I get nearer and nearer to my target. Rosepetal looks stunned and…Scared! Ha! But then her expression changes. Evil glints in her eyes, mocking me, and her mouth turns up into a smirk. Then I'm hit. I yowl in shock as I'm thrown to the side. I land hard, all air escaping my lungs, making my eyes water. I can't see my attacker but I know who it is.

"Nightpaw…" I wheeze.

"Yes, darling sister?" He asks, amusement dancing in his voice.

"Get. Off. Of. Me. NOW!" I snarl barring my teeth. He obliges, thankfully.

After my vision clears and I get air back into my lungs, I stand. All the apprentices and their mentors are sitting by Rosepetal.

"That's what you get for not listening!" She taunts. I just glare and pad to where she sits.

Training flies by, me trying my hardest and not really caring; I wish we will be made warriors soon. This training stuff is so boring!

"Hey tomorrow you'll take care of the elders, then at night we'll go night hunting." Rosepetal mews, she still seems irritated. She stops abruptly, causing me to run right into her. "What? No whining or sarcastic remark?"

"No…?" I reply, nonplussed.

"Huh…Are you feeling okay?" She questions.

"I'm fine!" I snap, which causes her to smile.

"Ah, there's the Echopaw I know."

I just stare at her, "You know, I'm not always like that."

"Yeah, I see you with your brother…You guys are so cute."

"Uh okay." What a creep. We finally get to camp by sunset.

"Echopaw, remember to get some rest and to take care of the elders in the morning!" Rosepetal sings.

"Okay! I get it!" I hiss trying to block out her annoying happy voice, going straight to the apprentice den. I'm so tired, I can't even think about anything else but sleep. I curl up next to Nightpaw, his warm soft fur making sleep come easier as I whirr into a dream.

I'm back in that beautiful meadow. I'm hunting and laugh, giggling as I chase a butterfly. I sigh contently into Nightpaw's fur and blink awake. I growl slightly in annoyance – I hadn't wanted to wake up. Sadly, I can't fall back asleep.

I flick my ears interestedly as I hear voices.

"Are you sure you're okay? You still seem down."

"I'm fine." A familiar voice replies.

"I don't believe you!" Ravenclaw snaps.

"Drop it Ravenclaw!" Midnightstorm snarls. Startled to hear my friends fighting, I get up and slip out of the den.

"Hey guys." I mew, halting their whispered argument.

They glance over at me and mew, "Hey."

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Midnightstorm asks.

"Yeah don't you have a nice long day of looking after the elders tomorrow?" Ravenclaw taunts.

"You guuuys!" I whine.

"Sorry darling." Midnightstorm mews her eyes laughing. "Just this once I promise."

"So what's up?" Ravenclaw mews sitting down.

"You've only been gone a day!" I laugh.

"And all ready we feel so out of the loop." Midnightstorm mews matching my laughter.

"Well we did more training…"

"Ugh." They mew and I nod and launch into an explanation of today's events. When I tell them about the kit, Midnightstorm's eyes narrow and Ravenclaw jerks out of her mini cat nap.

"What do you think it was?" I ask.

"Who." Midnightstorm mews her eyes troubled. I shoot her a confused look. "Who not what." She explains.

"Oh." I mew back nodding as if that made sense.

"Okay well I have to go, and since Ravenclaw's bout to fall asleep we'll leave you. Don't worry you'll be a warrior in no time. And sorry about my sisters." Midnightstorm mews hurriedly.

I shrug, "They weren't so bad." I mew.

"Give it time." Ravenclaw mews darkly. She bids me good-bye and mopes off toward the warriors den.

Midnightstorm is watching our den sadly and I ask, "Something else?"

"Nothing. Bye." She mews distractedly. Then she slips away. I watch my friends sadly as their two black pelts leave me.