Chapter Two

"Hey, Bluepaw! Wake up!"

I stood up quickly, not wanting to miss my second training session. I saw Redpaw standing next to me. Goldenpaw and Runningpaw were just awakening as well.

Stifling a yawn, I meowed, "Why are you up so early, Redpaw?"

"Lionheart was going to teach me more fighting moves." Redpaw gave his chest fur a few excited licks. "I can't wait!"

"That sounds exciting," I mused, wondering what Waterpool was going to teach me. I walked over to Goldenpaw and nudged her. "Wake up, sister."

The yellow she-cat yawned, standing up. "Morning already?" she murmured. "I'm so tired from yesterday's training session that I could sleep for a moon!"

Runningpaw purred with agreement. "I know what you mean. My first journey around the territory was exhausting."

"Let's go get something to eat," I suggested. The others nodded.

We padded out of the apprentices' den, still yawning, and over to the fresh-kill pile. It was still plenty full, thankfully. The four of us each reached for a mouse or two. Then Spottedpaw joined us. I saw Redpaw choke a bit on his thrush.

He has a thing for Spottedpaw! I thought, trying to hide my amusement. That's hilarious.

"Morning, Runningpaw, Bluepaw, Goldenpaw, Redpaw." She nodded to the four of us. "It's a nice day."

"Yeah," agreed Runningpaw.

A yowl rang across the clearing. I saw Lionheart and Eaglestar standing there, waiting to train Redpaw and Runningpaw. As they left, I looked around for Waterpool, but didn't see her.

"Goldenpaw." It was Patchpelt, walking toward her. "Whitestorm, Thistleclaw and I are taking you out on a patrol by the Sunningrocks. RiverClan might be prowling around."

"All right! I mean, yes, Patchpelt," stammered Goldenpaw. I twitched my whiskers with amusement and turned to wash myself to hide it.

I spotted Waterpool just coming out of the warriors' den. I couldn't help feeling annoyed. She's ThunderClan deputy for crying out loud! Why should she have the right to sleep in?

Waterpool padded over to me. "Sleep well, Bluepaw?" she asked.

I almost meowed, "I'm sure you did." But that would not be smart. So instead I mewed, "Yes, I did, thanks."

As we walked out of the camp, Waterpool mewed, "You have much to learn, Bluepaw. First, we'll start with come basic hunting skills." We stopped suddenly, sitting on the wet ground. "Sniff for signs of prey."

I raised my head and inhaled the scents of the forest. I detected a small mouse smell to the right.

"There's a mouse over there," I meowed.

"Good." She dropped into a hunting crouch, slinking slowly toward the smell. I followed silently, determined to see this. All of a sudden, Waterpool sprang – I heard no cry from the mouse as it was killed. The blue-gray she-cat came back, carrying the mouse in her jaws. She set it on the ground. "That was how you catch a mouse, Bluepaw. Now, let's go to the Sandy Hollow to teach you some hunting crouches."

"Okay," I mewed, following her into the Sandy Hollow to the left of our territory. Immediately, Waterpool dropped into another hunting crouch.

"This is the one I used to sneak up on a mouse," she explained. "Copy it, Bluepaw."

"Yes, Waterpool." Watching the ThunderClan deputy, I crouched into the same hunting position the she-cat was in and hoped that it was all right. Waterpool stood up, watching me.

"Good, Bluepaw," she meowed approvingly. "Now, for a rabbit…"

On this crouch, she lowered herself further to the ground, haunches ready to spring.

"Can you tell me why I need to stay so alert, Bluepaw?"

"Er," I mewed nervously, "because a rabbit is very fast and you need to be ready?"

"Exactly." Waterpool nodded. "Try it."

I sank very low to the ground. After I stayed there for a few seconds, I realized how painful the rabbit crouch was. Not fun. Waterpool shook her head at my awful hunting crouch.

"Not good, Bluepaw." She sighed. "That one is tough anyway. Perhaps if you try sneaking up on a shrew – it's much easier…"

Waterpool was right; hunting shrews was much easier than rabbits. After a while, she taught me how to catch crows and even adders. I was exhausted when I got back to camp, but then I had to go on a patrol with Waterpool, Flowerpetal, Sharpclaw, Speckletail, and Dappletail.

"Let's check the ShadowClan border," suggested Sharpclaw, who was leading the patrol. He was a large black tom with amazingly sharp claws.

"Good idea," agreed Flowerpetal, a beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat.

We padded nimbly through the trees, toward ShadowClan territory. Dappletail stopped quickly in front of the Thunderpath.

"I don't see any," she reported.

"Good," commented Waterpool. "I'll tell Eaglestar."

Just as we were turning to leave, I heard a furious hissing from behind me. I didn't have time to turn around as a jet-black tom tackled me. I yowled in pain as his claws tore at me. It was Nightpelt, a ShadowClan warrior.

I looked quickly at the others and saw that there was a whole patrol of ShadowClan warriors – Ashfur, Scytheclaw, Cinderpaw, Dawncloud, and Rippletail, their deputy. Nightpelt sank his teeth into my neck. I was almost panicking. Waterpool hadn't taught me any fighting moves yet; what was I supposed to do?

Hissing, I unsheathed my claws and scratched Nightpelt's flank. He hissed angrily. I turned quickly, making him let go of my neck, and launched again at Nightpelt. His cry of surprise could have been heard from all the Clans – he landed on his back as I barreled over him, hissing and spitting. I bit his ear hard and sent him yowling back into ShadowClan territory.

Waterpool and Rippletail, the two deputies, were fighting fiercely with each other. Scytheclaw had Flowerpetal pinned down and was preparing to give her a lethal bite.

"No!" I yowled, rushing over. I leapt nimbly and sank my claws and teeth into Scytheclaw's back. He yowled angrily.

Flowerpetal launched herself at him, nipping the tom on the tail. Scytheclaw let out a screech and hurtled back across the Thunderpath. I looked around and saw no more ShadowClan warriors. Flowerpetal faced me.

"You did very well, Bluepaw," she panted. "Waterpool will be proud."

I held my head higher and said, "Thank you, Flowerpetal."

"Is everyone all right?" It was Waterpool, making sure the rest of the patrol was fine.

"Yes, we're all good, Waterpool," mewed Speckletail. "But did you see this apprentice fight? I wouldn't want to get in another fight with her!"

I purred happily as Waterpool faced me.

"I'm sorry I didn't see it, Bluepaw," she meowed. "I shall tell Eaglestar how you are shaping up."

I nodded and bent down to lick the wound on my shoulder. Sharpclaw nudged me to my feet.

"Come on, Bluepaw," he meowed. "You can see Wolfpelt about that scratch Nightpelt gave you."

We walked back to the camp rather slowly, our injuries slowing us down.

"Why did ShadowClan attack us anyway?" wondered Speckletail.

"I don't know," answered Waterpool. "We weren't on their territory."

"I know! Mouse-brained fools. They should be fed mouse bile!" spat Dappletail.

Our patrol entered the tunnel to ThunderClan camp. The Clan stared at our scratched, bitten bodies. Eaglestar padded quickly forward. "What happened?" demanded the brown tom.

"ShadowClan attacked us," replied Waterpool, growling angrily. "For no reason! We just checked their border, and all of a sudden, Rippletail and her gang comes attacking us."

Eaglestar narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and leapt up to the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

ThunderClan walked slowly out of their dens, stretching in the sun, and padding over to the Highrock.

"Our patrol tells us that they were attacked by ShadowClan." Eaglestar glanced at us. "They were attacked for apparently no reason."

Thistleclaw, a black and brown tom, leapt to his feet. "Fight!" he cried. "Let's give them a fight they'll never forget!"

I narrowed my eyes at the warrior. Thistleclaw wasn't the nicest cat around, and he always wanted to fight. But he was strong and brave, and the Clan needed him, but sometimes I wondered if his need for power would bring trouble.

"No, Thistleclaw,"mewed Eaglestar. "We don't attack ShadowClan; that would be stupid. We will discuss things at the next Gathering. Until then…" He leapt down from the Highrock, signaling that the meeting was over.

Goldenpaw padded over to me. "Are you okay?" she mewed anxiously. "That cut on your shoulder looks bad."

"I'm fine," I answered.

"You should see Wolfpelt," suggested Goldenpaw. "It's still bleeding."

"Right," I mewed, not really wanting to go any place else because I was so tired. I padded over to Wolfpelt's den and called inside. "Wolfpelt?"

The large black she-cat strode quickly forward. "Bluepaw," she mewed. "You got hurt during the ShadowClan attack?"

"Yes," I answered. Spottedpaw walked forward too.

"That looks bad," she commented.

"Now, Spottedpaw, what do you do for basic wounds?"

"You put cobwebs on them and feed the cat poppy seeds for the pain," she answered promptly.

"Good. Now go do that."

Sighing, Spottedpaw went into the back of the den and returned with several cobwebs on her paw. I winced as she pressed them on the scratch on my shoulder.

"Flowerpetal and Waterpool told me I fought like a warrior today," I mewed.

"Really?" Wolfpelt turned. "That's great, Bluepaw."

"Thanks."

"All right, you're done, Bluepaw," reported Spottedpaw.

"That feels better," I commented. "Thank you, Spottedpaw."

"If it hurts, come get some poppy seeds, okay?"

"Sure," I answered, and left for the fresh-kill pile.

As I happily ate a rabbit someone had caught, Redpaw and Runningpaw walked up beside me.

"You were in a fight, you lucky furball," commented Redtail.

Runningpaw gave him a look and mewed, "I'm sure you fought well."

"Thanks." I swallowed. "Waterpool said I did!"

"That's great, Bluepaw, you'll probably be a warrior before us," he commented.

Goldenpaw sat down next to me. "Attacked on your second day of an apprentice," she mewed, shaking her head. "You are one lucky mouse-brained idiot."

"Er, thanks."

"Come on." Runningpaw nudged me. "Goldenpaw's just being a pain. You need rest, Bluepaw. I don't think you have another patrol."

"No, I don't," I answered, and followed him into the apprentices' den.