Chapter 27

Mistyfoot felt drowsy when morning came, but despite that she was grateful it had – traveling through Twolegplace just those few days had made her feel backwards, waking up at night and sleeping during the day. Even if it seemed that non-Clan cats lived that way, it felt wrong to Mistyfoot. She pushed herself to her paws and yawned.

"I can't believe it!" Feathertail mewed as she stretched in her nest. Stormfur was grooming himself beside her. "We're almost there! Isn't that exciting?"

"I know!" Nightpaw's tail was bristling with anticipation. "I can't wait!"

"Well, calm down now," Stoneheart reasoned. The big gray tom curled his striped tail around his paws. "The lake isn't going anywhere… and we don't know what we'll find when we get there. I say we ought to loosen up our muscles a little before we get going."

Nightpaw frowned, looking downhearted. "Yeah, but my leg… I don't think I can train right now…" The injury looked like it was fully healed to Mistyfoot, but she could understand his hesitance.

Stoneheart shrugged. "Neither can I," he pointed out. "But that just means we'll have to rely on the others to help us, and that means they should definitely take the time to brush up on some moves."

"I agree," Stormfur meowed. He stepped out of his nest and shook dew off of his pelt, much to Crowpaw's annoyance. "Let's split up the apprentices between us and work on some basic moves. I'll take Shadepaw."

Shadepaw's head shot up from her nest, her eyes wide. "Really?" She scrambled to her paws. "Let me check Nightpaw and Stoneheart's injuries first!"

Stormfur nodded, flicking his tail at her. Shadepaw dug through her nest for some leaves and hastily began looking over the injured. Her tail was flicking impatiently from side to side, and Mistyfoot stifled a purr – she could get just as excited as Nightpaw about things.

"Mistyfoot, you take Crowpaw," Stormfur suggested.

Mistyfoot swallowed, anxiety buzzing in the back of her mind as she looked at the scrawny black tom. He didn't look pleased with the decision, narrowing his dark blue eyes at her. She glanced back at Stormfur, hoping he might change his mind – especially after their conversation about Shrewpaw – but the RiverClan tom was leading a bouncy, eager Shadepaw towards the other side of the clearing.

"I'll see if I can rustle us up some fresh-kill," Feathertail decided.

"Let me come with you," Nightpaw insisted, getting up out of his nest. "My leg feels just fine! I think I can manage that!" He glanced at Shadepaw, who paused to nod at him.

"All right, but take it easy," Feathertail agreed, swishing her tail over Nightpaw's back. "No jumping for birds!"

"I'll come with y'all," Purdy rasped, stretching in his nest. Mistyfoot winced, seeing all his bones poking through his pelt. He could do with more than a few feedings. The rumpled tabby nudged Nightpaw wit his muzzle. "I'll keep the youngin' outta trouble."

"Well?"

Mistyfoot jumped at the sharp grunt. Crowpaw was staring her down, his whiskers twitching with annoyance.

"Are we going to train or what?" Crowpaw growled.

Mistyfoot forced her fur to flatten. "Y-Yes," she said. "Let's go over here."

Trying to keep her legs from shaking, Mistyfoot led Crowpaw over to the side of the clearing opposite Stormfur and Shadepaw. There was plenty of space, with the roots from the nearby trees only poking through the ground enough to be felt, not tripped over.

Mistyfoot busied herself with clearing away some stray sticks, her heart pounding in her ears. What should I do? She wondered. Oh StarClan help me not to screw this up!

"Show me a roll," Mistyfoot decided. That was a basic enough maneuver, and every Clan cat knew it regardless of what part of the forest they grew up in.

Crowpaw sighed, rolling his eyes as he preformed the move. His technique was impressive, and Mistyfoot reflected that Crowpaw had been very near the end of his training before the journey had taken him away from WindClan. It shows.

She frowned, trying to think of what to do next. She didn't know any WindClan moves – and asking him to show her might make him upset. Anxiety was already bubbling up in Mistyfoot's mind and she could just imagine it taking over… She looked over at Stormfur, and her ears pricked in surprise.

Stormfur was very clearly showing Shadepaw a RiverClan defensive move – he hunkered his body down and charged at Shadepaw shoulder-first. The glancing blow made Shadepaw shift her position and gave Stormfur an advantage in the mock fight.

That's it! Thanks, Stormfur…

Mistyfoot swished her tail, feeling a burst of confidence push away the anxiety for a moment. "Let's try a ThunderClan move," she decided.

Crowpaw's eyes flashed with interest.

Mistyfoot observed Crowpaw – he was tall and skinny, unlike the more even-bodied ThunderClan cats Mistyfoot was used to. Would he be able to understand a ThunderClan move? Don't doubt him, she told herself. He's smart. You've seen it.

"Okay," Mistyfoot began. "This one is pretty simple… I'm going to have you attack me, okay? Watch what I do."

Crowpaw nodded, hunkering himself down to prepare his strike.

Mistyfoot signaled him, and Crowpaw charged at her. Mistyfoot reared back on her hind legs instead of dodging, like how Crowpaw likely anticipated – she slammed down on the WindClan tom before he could strike, pressing him to the ground with her weight.

When she got off of him, Crowpaw was bristling. "Not fair!" he hissed.

Mistyfoot flicked an ear. "ThunderClan's territory is cluttered," she reasoned. "You've got to use what space you have to your advantage. Now I'm going to try on you."

Crowpaw frowned, but nodded. He flicked his tail to signal he was ready.

Mistyfoot launched herself at him. Crowpaw reared back on his hind legs, but he did it too fast – he staggered backward and fell onto his side with a huff. Mistyfoot halted, frowning.

Crowpaw got to his paws, looking cross. "This is stupid," he snapped.

"Just try again," Mistyfoot offered. "Make sure you can balance on your hind paws before anything else."

Crowpaw shook out his pelt and nodded.

They tried three more times – Crowpaw was having difficulty with the move, and Mistyfoot noted that it was likely because WindClan cats were so used to being able to run from their problems rather than confront them. She didn't say it aloud.

Each time he failed, Crowpaw looked more and more upset – until the fourth, where Crowpaw fell down again. He lashed out at the ground as he got up, bristling, and he spat, "This isn't working! I'm not going to get this stupid move!"

"Calm down, Crowpaw," Mistyfoot insisted. Worry flared in her heart as she saw how upset the apprentice was. "It's not a big deal…"

"Not to you," snapped Crowpaw, lashing his tail. His blue eyes burned. "You're not the kit of a dead deputy every cat in your Clan loved! You don't have to be so perfect all the time!"

Mistyfoot frowned. Was that where Crowpaw's attitude came from? She felt badly that she hadn't imagined the pressure the young cat must be under – Deadfoot had been a beloved cat, not just in WindClan. With that legacy, and with an aggressive cat like Mudclaw for a mentor…

"I understand," Mistyfoot soothed, feely sympathy well up in her. "Bluestar was my mother – that didn't make training any easier for me, you know. I'm not going to claw you for not understanding a move immediately, Crowpaw – calm down, and let's try again."

Crowpaw bristled at her still, but the burning in his eyes settled. "Sorry," he grunted.

"It's okay," Mistyfoot told him. "And remember – this is a whole other Clan's style of fighting! You're definitely not going to pick it up quickly…"

She continued the lesson. When Crowpaw seemed to pick up the first move well enough, she moved on to a few others – with patience and understanding for Crowpaw's limitations, he picked them up quickly. Mistyfoot couldn't imagine a less patient cat trying to teach him and getting anywhere fast.

By sunhigh Feathertail, Nightpaw, and Purdy had returned, all laden with fresh-kill. The training was halted so that the traveling cats could eat – they gathered together by the stream, pelts brushing as they ate.

"I just don't have the bulk to be a RiverClan cat," Shadepaw lamented. "But those moves were really interesting, Stormfur!"

Stormfur's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Not all RiverClan cats are bulky, you know…"

"Most of us are," Feathertail pointed out. "You can't ignore that!"

Stoneheart nudged Mistyfoot. "You did really well with Crowpaw," he murmured into her ear. "You're not as bad a mentor as you think."

Mistyfoot's pelt prickled with embarrassment. She glanced at Crowpaw and felt a new warmth towards the apprentice, as if he had really been her own. "I know," she found herself saying. "It was really fun."

"I just wish I could've trained, too," Nightpaw sighed. He nudged Crowpaw. "I'd show you a thing or two!"

Crowpaw flicked his ears. "Don't worry," he grunted, "I'll keep your claws sharp as soon as you're fit to train again."

"You'd better!" Nightpaw agreed, grinning excitedly. "I can't wait!"

Mistyfoot's eyes widened at Crowpaw. That was perhaps the friendliest thing he'd ever said to anyone but Shadepaw. Did Crowpaw see Nightpaw as a friend now, too?

He's changed so much, Mistyfoot thought fondly. She looked over all the cats in the circle, eating and purring and enjoying themselves. We all have…

"Well, it's time, everyone," Stormfur announced. "We should head off towards the lake."

Mistyfoot shook dirt off of her paws. She and Feathertail had just finished burying the bones of their meal, and they padded up to Stormfur as he gathered the journeying cats together with a swish of his tail.

"I'll miss y'all," Purdy admitted. There was a sadness in his eyes that made Mistyfoot wish they could keep traveling together. The poor old cat must be so lonely…

"Thanks for all your help, Purdy," Feathertail mewed, her own eyes filled with sorrow. She rested her muzzle on Purdy's head. "StarClan watch over you."

"StarClan watch over you," Stoneheart repeated.

Mistyfoot nodded and repeated, "StarClan watch over you…" The prayer was taken up by the other cats, each one touching noses with Purdy before going to stand beside Stormfur. The old loner looked dazzled and confused, but touched regardless, and Mistyfoot even thought she saw his legs tremble with emotion.

"Aw, y'all…" Purdy sniffled. "N-Now, don' go gettin' lost! Just follow this here stream and you'll hit that lake in no time!"

"We won't forget you!" Nightpaw purred, rubbing up against Purdy one last time. "Or your stories!"

Purdy's whiskers twitched. "Y'all come back here on yer way through an' I'll tell some more, y'hear?"

"Definitely," Stoneheart agreed warmly.

"An' I'll have a good route back for ye all planned out!" Purdy insisted. "Be careful!"

Stormfur raised his tail in thanks, and the group set off.

Mistyfoot found herself padding beside Stormfur, shoulder to shoulder, and for once she was not rushing to put distance between them. It felt very right, and Stormfur gaze was warm as he looked on ahead, as if having her by his side was all he needed to keep moving. She glanced back and saw that every cat was close to another, grouped up and traveling as one single unit rather than four separate Clans…

… and that felt very, very right.