The first rays of sun shone in Fireheart's face, making him blearily blink. He got to his paws and trotted down to the river's edge, where he nudged Frostfur with a paw.
"Your vigil is over. You can get some rest now, but there's swim training at sunhigh. You'll need to have it later, but don't be alarmed if you see cats in the water."
Frostfur, who had been sitting motionless prior, blinked at him gratefully. "Thanks, Fireheart." She said amid a yawn, Fireheart's words having barely registered.
He padded up the slope, where an antsy Cloudtail and a contemplative Lionheart awaited him. "Well done, both of you. Your vigils are over, and you can get some rest."
"It feels like I've done nothing but rest!" Cloudtail complained.
"Cloudtail, you've been up all night. Get some prey, sleep for however long you need and then we've got training."
"Fine." Cloudtail stood up, his sagging head indicating his true tiredness.
"Great." Lionheart said, tail swishing against the ground.
"Oh, and before you're surprised, Silverstream's teaching you to swim as the sunhigh training. Be prepared to get river water out of your fur."
"Oh, brilliant." Cloudtail remarked sardonically.
Fireheart led the two down the slope, where he decided that a hunt would do him good.
"Hey, Sandstorm!" He called to his mate, who had woken up and was now stretching at the foot of the Rockpile.
"Yeah?" Sandstorm replied.
"Fancy a hunt?"
"Of course." She purred. "It feels like ages since we've done that."
They raced to the woods and spent an enjoyable morning hunting, talking, and having some friendly competition.
"That was great!" Sandstorm remarked, holding the limp bodies of three mice and a squirrel.
"Yeah, we're getting better at land prey." Fireheart replied, holding a blue jay and a vole himself.
They moved from the forest into camp, where Silverstream was assembling the camp.
"We get to train like warriors!" Stormkit eagerly cried, bouncing about.
"Yes, you do." Ravenflight told the kits. Fireheart and Sandstorm silently dropped their catch on the fresh-kill pile, before joining the group.
"Alright." Silverstream said. "The first principle of swimming is to ride the current. Currents are stronger than even the mightiest warriors and tiring too fast by trying to fight it is not a good idea. If you want to move in the opposite direction to the current, move along the bank and get to your destination by land.
The second principle of swimming is to use your body. Cats will float on water if spread out. So, if you do not want to sink, spread yourself out. If you are diving, tuck your paws and tail in. Another way to quickly break water is to use your paws. To swim, paws are your best friend - that is the third principle.
Now, if you wish to use your paws to move, spread them out. You are looking to push the water away from where you're going. Who wants to volunteer to demonstrate?"
"I'll go." Ravenflight offered.
"Alright. First, I want you to float down to that rock there. Then come out and walk back up here."
Ravenflight nodded, padding hesitantly into the water. The current swept him off his paws, and he quickly spread himself out, managing to paddle to the rock. He padded back, water streaming from his pelt.
"Good job. Now, who's next?"
Fireheart stepped up. He flailed in the cold water for a while before regaining his wits and spreading himself out then paddling with his paws to the rock.
"Not bad." Silverstream told him.
Once most of the Clan on the opposite bank, laying down on the dry rocks, Silverstream approached them again.
"Cinderpaw, Featherkit and Stormkit, it's your turns. For safety - "
Graystripe bounded to the rock, nodding to Silverstream.
"Brilliant. Now, Cinderpaw, swimming will be similar for you. You just use three paws instead of four."
"Alright." Cinderpaw hesitantly mewed, slowly padding in.
"Spread yourself out." Silverstream instructed, blocking her from going further by affixing her teeth to the young cat's scruff.
Cinderpaw did so, giving a gasp of surprise. "It's actually pretty easy!"
"Good." Silverstream purred. "Are you ready to float down?"
"Yes." Cinderpaw replied. Silverstream let go of Cinderpaw, stepping out of the river.
Cinderpaw maneuvered her forepaws, dragging herself up to the rock. She clambered out of the river, bouncing along to the others.
"Did you enjoy that?" Frostfur asked, suppressing a purr.
"I loved it!" Cinderpaw enthused.
Silverstream had already set the kits up, while Graystripe kept an eye on them floating down. Suddenly, Stormkit dived, causing Graystripe to reach forward. The young tom came up a moment later, a fish's tail dangling from his mouth. He kept a tight hold of it even as he joined his sister on the rock.
"You caught a trout!" Graystripe yowled, causing Stormkit to grin.
"I saw it, so I dived just like Mama taught us to."
"Great job! Now nip it there to put it out of its misery. It deserves a quick death."
Featherkit and Stormkit did as told; the trout went limp. Silverstream purred as Graystripe carried the fish back to their Clanmates.
"Well done, you all have a grasp on swimming. Keep practicing, but if you're not experienced, confident, or you're not warrior-age, get someone who is confident and a warrior to keep watch for you."
She went to sit next to Graystripe, who licked her on the head. "Well, kits, do you want to try?"
"Yes!" Stormkit squeaked, taking a bite of the watery creature. "It tastes like the river!"
"What do you expect?" Graystripe asked. "It came from the river!"
With the sunhigh session over, warriors started padding off to rest, eat or patrol, while Cinderpaw headed to her nest.
"Yellowfang told me she'd teach me some of the most powerful herbs!" She excitedly said, causing Frostfur to chuckle.
"She's spirited, that one." She remarked to Lionheart.
"She's ours; what do you expect?" He replied.
"That's very true." Frostfur told Lionheart, leaning into his side.
"There seem to be little sign of the rats." Fireheart told Thunderflower.
"That is true, but we must remain vigilant." She replied.
"We should recruit soon." Fireheart said, looking around the gorge again.
"Sure. Why not ask Fernpaw and Ashpaw about Twolegplace?"
"That's a brilliant idea, Thunderflower." Fireheart replied. Tomorrow, he would recruit.