Finally finished the cover image. It looks similar to my profile picture, and that's because it's actually a redo of it. I didn't know what to do, so I did that as it's an important part of the book and I hope you like it!
I would like to thank DawnFrostOfThunderClan74 for their kind words, and now onto the first chapter!
(Just so you know, I wrote the first 5 or so chapters last year, so I promise the writing will improve soon)
Chapter One
"Not like that!" Swifteagle's exasperation was noticeable as his long grey tail thumped on the ground, glaring impatiently at his young apprentice, who shrank back slightly.
Why does he have to be so mean? Raccoonpaw averted his gaze from the senior warrior, wishing that just for once Swifteagle would cut him some slack.
He bit back an offended retort, copying his mentor's pose without comment.
"Now move your paws slowly through the grass. Not that slowly, for StarClan's sake!" The tabby gave a frustrated growl, demonstrating what he meant.
Raccoonpaw watched his every paw-step, deciding that this time he would make his mentor proud. This time he would do it right.
Feeling Swifteagle's gaze on his pelt, the young apprentice went into the hunters' crouch, moving near-silently through the undergrowth. For once, the grouchy tabby didn't comment, giving a begrudging nod. Unfortunately for Raccoonpaw, it didn't take long for him to begin speaking again.
"It wasn't perfect. You still have a lot to improve on." He began reeling off a list of nit-picks. Racconpaw struggled to hold back a yawn. Of course, it wasn't going to be perfect! This was his first day trying to hunt! His mentor seemed to expect him to be instantly perfect, making the younger tabby feel a little bit useless. Maybe he was meant to do it perfectly. Maybe he would be an awful warrior. His dreams of becoming Raccoonstar seemed disappointingly out of reach.
"Can I try on some real prey now?" He cut in, wincing afterwards at how demanding he sounded. "I just want to do something, and not hunt twigs!" Maybe if he brought Swifteagle some prey, then he'd show how good he was!
The senior warrior's pelt bristled at his tone, "Once you can hunt twigs without failure then, and only then, you can hunt prey."
The younger feline huffed, getting back into the crouch. Swifteagle made his apprenticeship seem boring. He hoped that Cherrypaw was having more fun than him, though he didn't see how herbs could be more fun than hunting. Whatever, Cherrypaw was weird.
With an exaggerated sigh, he began the mundane task of stalking the twig, finding the right angle to pounce onto it. Why could he have been with the other apprentices? Apparently, the two others were going to do battle training. Raccoonpaw would have loved to battle train with his own sister, Cherrypaw, but it seemed like she'd rather be stuck in a stinky herb den all day long. His neck fur bristled with resentment towards her chosen path. At least he was here, within the lush moorland...hunting twigs. Which probably wasn't much better, come to think about it.
His mentor's irritable tone cut through his wandering thoughts, "Get on with it!"
"Miserable flea-pelt." The ticked tabby muttered beneath his breath, ears flattening slightly with undisguised annoyance.
Mercifully, his words did not reach Swifteagle's sharp ears, and he resumed 'hunting'.
Slowly and carefully, he crept up on the twig which now, in his mind, was a young and unguarded mouse, twitching and moving around only a few tail-lengths ahead of him. Jaws watering at the thought, he leapt up into the air, landing on top of the twig, lowering his jaws in a mock attempt to deliver the killing bite, before bringing the twig back to his mentor.
"How'd I do?" The young apprentice forced a note of cheerfulness into his mew, bracing himself for the long stream of complaints.
"You did decently, for your first day." Swifteagle miaowed simply as he began turning around, "Let's head back."
"But you said that I could hunt live prey once I hunted a twig!" Raccoonpaw sped up to walk alongside the older warrior.
"You're ready when I say you're ready." The tabby turned his head to face the impatient apprentice, "And you are not ready."
This is so not fair! Dragging his paws as he walked, Raccoonpaw scowled down at the dirt. He wanted to prove himself but how could he when he could only hunt twigs!
The walk back to camp was a short one, and he was greeted by Cherrypaw, who gave a purr of delight when she saw her brother return.
"How was it?" She asked, "Did you see any foxes? Or badgers, or eagles? What was hunting like? Do you like Swifteagle? No offence, but he sounds like a grumpy hairball."
Giving a mrow of amusement at all her excited questions, the young apprentice turned to face her,
"Let's just say that I became a master at hunting twigs." Raccoonpaw's tone was cheerful, but he felt impatient and annoyed with his mentor, sure that he was ready to serve his clan. "What about you?"
Cherrypaw looked confused at his first words, though quickly began listing everything that she had learnt, "Cobwebs can help stop bleeding, borage is for fever, poppy seeds help a cat sleep…"
Her words droned on and Raccoonpaw felt a stab of jealousy. His sister had learnt so much and he had barely done anything.
The calico broke off, aware of his sullen expression, "What's wrong?" She asked, still too excited about it all to appear sympathetic.
"I'm going to sleep." He muttered, brushing past, ignoring Cherrypaw's offended gaze. Even a medicine cat apprentice seemed to learn more than him.
To his irritation, his sibling pursued him, her excitement replaced by genuine concern.
"Wasn't it fun?" Her head tilted slightly. Raccoonpaw increased his speed, determined to feel sorry for himself. "For StarClan's sake, Raccoonpaw, stop wallowing and tell me what's wrong!" Her tri-coloured pelt bristled slightly, and her hazel gaze bore into his, begging him to understand.
"Leave me alone!" Her sibling snapped, lashing his ringed tail before stalking off toward the den. This time, Cherrypaw did not follow.
