Chapter 24 Training
It was sunhigh and Lightclaw had just woke up. He left the punishment den and headed to the camp. As he did, cats were leaving their dens and Stormpaw was already out along with Blizzardpaw, Glimmerpaw, and Shimmerpaw. All three apprentices headed towards their mentors and Stormpaw waited patiently for Lightclaw. Lightclaw looked over at the slave camp and saw Duskpaw, Shadowpaw, Mistypaw, Nightpaw, Applepaw, and Gingerpaw leave the slave apprentice den and headed towards their mentors.
"Lightclaw!" a voice yowled.
Lightclaw looked over and saw Fronzenpelt approaching him. Moonsong and Echoshine were a few feet behind him.
"Hey Lightclaw, me, Echoshine, and Moonsong are taking our apprentices to the tree. Do you wanna come?" Frozenpelt offered.
"Thanks, but…I'm gonna take Stormpaw out hunting." He meowed.
"Are you sure? Your battle skills are pretty amazing, the apprentices could learn a thing or two." Frozenpelt commented.
"Thanks, but…I think it's best if I train my apprentice alone." Lightclaw meowed.
He walked past Frozenpelt and approach Stormpaw. He jumped with joy and ran up to Lightclaw.
"So Lightclaw, what are we going to do today? Stormpaw asked excited.
"Well, we're going to hunt." He meowed.
"Really? Are Duskpaw and Darkheart coming with us?" Stormpaw asked.
"No, we're going to learn some basic slave techniques." A voice meowed.
Lightclaw flinched. He and Stormpaw looked over and saw Darkheart and Duskpaw approaching them. Lightclaw hated that, basic slave techniques were lessons slave apprentices learn about being slaves. Cleaning dens, how to respond to your master, proper stances, and learning about the slave law. It was one of the agonizing things Lightclaw was going to have to get used to seeing. After all, what could Lightclaw do, stop it? Not with Lightclaw being a warrior he couldn't, especially with the clan leader and deputy being slave supporters. Lightclaw nodded at Darkheart, trying very hard to hide his disapproval.
"Hello Darkheart, I'm going to go take Stormpaw out hunting." He meowed.
"Cool! Can we go with you?" Duskpaw asked.
"No Duskpaw, I'm going to teach you some basic techniques remember?" Darkheart reminded her.
Both Stormpaw and Duskpaw were disappointed and had their heads down and ears flattened. Lightclaw looked at Stormpaw.
"Head to the entrance, Stormpaw. I'll meet you there in a minute." He meowed.
Stormpaw nodded and ran off. Lightclaw's expression changed to anger and frustration. Darkheart caught on.
"I know you don't like it Lightclaw, I don't like it either." She meowed.
"Then why teach apprentices then?" he asked enraged.
"You know why, it's my job. I'm the slave leader and dark-pelt cats like me and Duskpaw are slaves." Darkheart answered.
"No. Duskpaw and you are cats, living, breathing cats! The only reason you're slaves is because of a mouse-brained leader and a bunch of cowards that won't do anything." Lightclaw hissed.
"That may be true." Darkheart meowed.
Lightclaw bowed and shook his head. Surely slaves have not accepted this as their life, have they? I mean every cat that has been enslaved or kidnapped would like freedom, right? Lightclaw walked away from Darkheart and headed for the entrance. He wondered why Darkheart had said that. Even if she was a slave leader, surely she was longing for freedom, right? Lightclaw headed for the clan entrance and Stormpaw followed him out of camp. Both cats headed to the southeastern part of the territory and stopped at a area with trees, tall grass, and dirt areas with a few rocks. Lightclaw sat down and looked at Stormpaw.
"Now Stormpaw, when you're hunting, there's gonna be a lot of things to remember. How to do a proper hunting pose, scents, the prey, and the wind and your position." He meowed.
"The wind?" Stormpaw meowed confused.
"Yes, it's important to look at the grass and see where it is blowing. If we're here and the wind is blowing to the right, than the prey will smell us, but if it blows to the left, than the prey won't smell us. Basically, make sure the wind blows the opposite of where you are and stay upwind." Lightclaw explained.
"Got it." Stormpaw nodded understanding.
"Good, next is the prey. Rabbits can hear things from a mile away, mice can feel the undergrowth, birds can fly, and squirrels can scurry fast and climb trees. Each of these are things you need to remember when you're catching prey. Now, use your nose and tell me what you smell." Lightclaw instructed.
Stormpaw nodded. He raised his head and sniffed the air. After a few moments, Stormpaw's eyes are wide.
"I smell something." He meowed.
Stormpaw followed the trail with Lightclaw behind him. They didn't run, but both cats paced until the reached a dirt-like area with tall grass and rocks surrounding the area. Lightclaw sniffed the air and smelled exactly what Stormpaw was smelling. He bent over to Stormpaw's ear.
"Now, what do you see?" Lightclaw asked.
"I…I don't see anything." Stormpaw whispered.
Lightclaw looked and saw that Stormpaw was right. There was nothing there, but that didn't mean that the scent was fresh. Lightclaw guessed that the scent was nearby, it would give him a chance to teach Stormpaw about the hunting crouch. Lightclaw bent over to Stormpaw's ear, again.
"Okay, I'm going to teach you the hunting crouch." He meowed.
Lightclaw directed Stormpaw a few feet from the area with his tail and sat down.
"Okay, listen carefully and watch what I do, alright?" Lightclaw meowed.
Stormpaw nodded and watched as Lightclaw did a proper hunting crouch. After a few moments of getting a good look, Lightclaw got up and turned around.
"Now, as your first try, you try it." He meowed.
Stormpaw nodded. He got into the same crouch as Lightclaw. It wasn't perfect, but it was good. The only thing was that Stormpaw's tail was a little bit out still. Lightclaw got behind him a bit.
"Keep your tail down a little longer. Tuck it into your belly." He meowed.
Stormpaw nodded and did as he was told. Now it was a perfect hunting crouch, Lightclaw was impressed.
"Very good Stormpaw. Now, go back to the area and see if the scent is still fresh, but be very quiet, got it?" he meowed.
Stormpaw got up, nodded, and walked back to the area. When he reached it, he stopped, and quietly got into a hunting crouch. Lightclaw approached behind him, saw what Stormpaw was seeing, and crouched beside him.
"That scent you caught was a rabbit. They can hear everything around them from a mile away. So first, I want you to check the air and unsheathe your claws." He whispered.
Stormpaw nodded. He checked the air and unsheathe his claws.
"Good, now what position are you in?" Lightclaw asked.
"I'm upwind! The breeze is blowing at me." Stormpaw whispered.
"Very good. Now, when that rabbit gets closer, I want you to not screech or yowl, but pounce, got it?" Lightclaw instructed whispering.
"Got it." Stormpaw whispered.
The rabbit was in the area eating grass and leaves. It moved around a lot, going to one plant to another. It sniffed the air and raised its ear a bit for any scent or sound of intruders. When the rabbit got a bit closer to Lightclaw and Stormpaw, it turned around to eat more grass.
"Ready? 3…2…1…go!" Lightclaw whispered.
The rabbit turned around when Stormpaw leaped onto it and bit his neck. The rabbit was dead in a matter of minutes. Stormpaw leaped for joy and Lightclaw stepped out of the grass.
"Well done Stormpaw." He praised.
"I caught it, Lightclaw, I caught it!" he beamed with joy.
"Yes you did. Now, bury the rabbit." He instructed.
"Why?" Stormpaw asked.
"It'll save it from decomposition." Lightclaw explained.
"Oh, okay." Stormpaw meowed.
"Now come on, I want to see if you can track down scents. I'll tell you what they are if you manage to track them down, got it?" Lightclaw meowed.
Stormpaw nodded and he buried the rabbit. For the rest of the day, Stormpaw managed to catch a sparrow and two mice. Lightclaw and Stormpaw carried the prey back to camp. Shinefur approached them.
"Stormpaw, is that your first catch?" she asked surprised.
"The rabbit was my first, I caught it all on my own." He meowed confidently.
"Well, I'm proud of you." Shinefur purred.
"Is Blizzardpaw back in camp?" Lightclaw asked.
"Yes, he's eating with Glimmerpaw and Shimmerpaw." Shinefur meowed.
Lightclaw nodded. Shinefur said her goodbyes and walked away. Lightclaw looked at Stormpaw.
"Give the sparrow and mice to the elders, but keep the rabbit, it's yours." He meowed.
"Okay." Stormpaw meowed.
He walked away before Lightclaw stopped him with his tail.
"Hold on, there's one more assignment." Lightclaw meowed.
"What is it?" Stormpaw asked.
"That plump rabbit you caught, share it with Duskpaw. Talk to her, chat with her, talk about anything, but share that rabbit with her, got it?" Lightclaw instructed.
"Yes sir." Stormpaw meowed gladly.
He dropped the rabbit and ran into the elders den to give them the sparrow and mice. After a few seconds, Stormpaw walked out, got the rabbit, walked up to Duskpaw, and dropped the rabbit. He laid in front of her and they started talking. Memories flooded in Lightclaw as it reminded him of the days he would eat with Darkpaw. Sadness overwhelmed Lightclaw as he grabbed a squirrel and headed into the punishment den to eat alone.