Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 9

In the end, Foxpaw managed to catch a mouse. She and Quillfeather were already on their way back to camp and the sun was sinking.

Foxpaw held back a yawn, carrying her mouse by the tail. Tomorrow she would eat before they left to train, because right now her stomach thought her throat was clawed out. She couldn't wait to get back to camp.

Quillfeather, on the other paw, seemed perfectly fine. He was carrying a squirrel and walking at a fast pace.

Foxpaw tripped over her paws, managing not to fall over. Training until exhaustion is so fun. She thought sarcastically, keeping her gaze forward.

Her paws were dragging across the ground when she saw the camp entrance. Foxpaw couldn't wait to go to sleep. She'd have to eat something though, she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep with an empty stomach.

Foxpaw saw no reason why they had to hunt near the edge of the territory. It was annoying. She had gotten too close to the border, according to Quillfeather, and had only caught the mouse by luck on the way back.

Quillfeather casted a quick glance over his shoulder at Foxpaw before disappearing through the entrance and into camp. Foxpaw followed, tail dragging on the ground as she headed towards the fresh kill pile to leave her mouse.

After barley going through the fresh kill pile, she grabbed a squirrel and headed towards the apprentices den.

Quillfeather had started following her, which she almost didn't notice.

" Don't worry, most days won't be like today, if there has to be any. Try to sleep in tomorrow. " he meowed, pausing on the outside of the den.

Foxpaw twitched an ear in acknowledgement, moving to her nest. Quillfeather left, saying something quietly.

Foxpaw started eating her squirrel, tiredness seeping into every limb. The chatting of the other apprentices faded into the background, and darkness was creeping into the edges of her vision.

*

Darkness. Foxpaw tried to look around, trying to find a light, any light. Voices. Words that she didn't understand. Foxpaw tried to move forward, but she was rooted to the spot.Was she even on her paws? She couldn't tell. She felt something against her, but she couldn't tell what it was. She tried to push it away, but to no avail.Were the voices coming closer? She couldn't tell. Maybe they were moving away. She didn't know how to feel about that.It was strange. She didn't know how, but suddenly she was moved from one place to another, completely different place.The voices must have moved closer. She decided, staring at the fuzzy land. It wasn't dark? When did that happen. She tried to move again, but couldn't figure out if she did or not. It didn't make a difference.She tried to understand what was happening, but she just couldn't. The voices were still going. What were they saying? She wanted to understand.Where was she? She needed to know. Was she in danger? She didn't… No, she was safe. They meant her no harm. How did she know that? She didn't know. But she was safe. She was ok.

*

Foxpaw woke up, her mind foggy. She felt confused, but didn't understand why. Her dream was fading from her mind. It might as well had never happened.

She lifted up her head, seeing a half eaten squirrel in front of her. She had probably fallen asleep while eating. Sleep had hit her so suddenly…

She should finish it. Before any training today. That was a good idea. She felt the confusion her dream had left with her fade away, leaving nothing but annoyance.

Maybe if someone hadn't decided that it would be a good idea to stay training until the sun had started going down, maybe I would have finished it. She thought, grabbing the squirrel, which had more than half still remaining, and started eating.

She had just finished when Whiteapple appeared outside of the den, fur twitching.

" Are you guys planning on hibernating? Because last I checked, cats didn't do that. " She grumbled, twitching her ears.

Leafpaw leaped to her paws, stumbling a bit. Foxpaw got to her paws as well, watching Leafpaw nudge Yarrowpaw, who grumbled something.

" I'll wait outside, near the fresh kill pile. Remember, hunting patrol. " Whiteapple meowed, stalking away.

" I'm pretty sure that you aren't my mentor, but ok. " Yarrowpaw grumbled tiredly, getting to his paws and licking his chest.

Leafpaw shook her head with a sigh, turning to Thistlepaw, who was already awake, was staring at the other two apprentices. Leafpaw looked at Foxpaw, before turning around and leaving.

Might as well get this over with.

*

Never again It was distracting!

First off, she lost a squirrel because Yarrowpaw had crashed into her. It wasn't her fault that he couldn't see her!

She had only caught a rabbit by luck, because Leafpaw had alerted it and chased it in her direction.

And Whiteapple had decided it was her job to annoy everyone.

" Foxpaw, you aren't catching anything like that, were you raised in a twoleg den? Yarrowpaw, great Starclan, Sleekwhisker taught you better than that! Leafpaw, stop stomping. Thistlepaw, you're distracting everybody else! "

No Whiteapple, you're distracting everyone. You're the loud one! Shut up, I'm trying to catch something. Please!

Luckily she had stopped. After the first half of whatever type of mousedung this was supposed to be.

And of course, the rabbit had to be heavy and awkward.

You could say Foxpaw was in a bad mood, but she was trying not to take it out on anybody.

She had said a rude thing to Leafpaw when she had stepped on her tail, but Leafpaw should watch where she was going. It wasn't really Foxpaw's fault, anyone would get annoyed about having their tail stepped on.

She tried to calm herself down, but she was already focusing too much on not stomping or lashing her tail.

Don't let this ruin your day. Ugh, does Whiteapple really have to be so annoying? I'm pretty sure everyone else is capable of telling their apprentices what to do. I'm sorry that you're not having the best day, it's no one else's fault!

" Foxpaw, did you hear a single word I said? " Quillfeather asked quietly, nudging her and breaking her focus.

Foxpaw flinched, looking at her mentor, who shook his head.

" Foxpaw, you need to pay attention. Not just because I'm your mentor, but because not paying attention could end up badly for you. " Quillfeather said, letting out a sigh.

" It wasn't that important anyways. " He added, shaking his head again and speeding up.

Camp had come into view. Foxpaw adjusted her speed so that she wasn't trailing behind. She heard Whiteapple grumble something at Quillfeather, who flicked an ear, not answering.

" All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather around tall tree for a Clan meeting! " she heard Swiftstar yowled.

Foxpaw felt the ferns against her pelt as she entered camp. The patrol had gone silent, for whatever reason. As Foxpaw looked around, she could see why.

Swiftstar was settling on his branch, cats gathering. Risingdusk sat under the tree, watching the patrol, which had started dropping their prey and joining the crowd of cats.

Foxpaw followed suit, dropping her prey and joining the cats.

" Well, now that everyone is gathered…."