Foxleaf bared her teeth. She somewhat slowly drew out a paw to swipe at Maplepaw, as if uncertain. I can parry that easily! Maplepaw lifted a forepaw to bat away Foxleaf's attack, but as quick as lightning Foxleaf drew her paw back and flashed out another, swiping Maplepaw's other foreleg out from under her. Maplepaw's front landed on the ground with a little whump.
"Wow, that was cool!" Maplepaw commented, standing up. "If you were quick you could've been on top of me."
"Exactly," Foxleaf mewed. "The trick is to switch your paws quickly so you don't fall over. Now try it on me."
Maplepaw slowly began to swipe at her mentor with a paw, then quickly put it down and swiped with the other.
"Looks like you've got it," Foxleaf mewed, impressed, as she shook leaf litter off her pelt. "Now, do you know the trick to avoiding that move?" Maplepaw shook her head. "Actually, all you have to do is get low to the ground and dig your claws in, if you feel like they'll try it anyway. You could also try putting more weight on your forepaws, and then they'll be harder to move. What's that sound?" The russet she-cat twitched her ears, and looked in the direction of the ShadowClan border. Maplepaw heard it too; the screech of a cat in pain, abruptly silenced.
"Let's go!" Foxleaf ordered her apprentice; they dashed off to the sound, and were met by nothing at all.
"What in the…?" Maplepaw muttered.
"Well. Must've been nothing…" Foxleaf sighed. She doesn't really believe that. "Come on, you must be tired. Let's go back to camp."
Maplepaw took a bite of her shrew and wondered when Thunderpaw would return. And at that very moment Sagetail and Thunderpaw burst in. Sagetail looks distressed. No, that's an understatement. She looked to Thunderpaw. And he looks shocked. Where's Wolfpaw?
"You've got to come at once!" Sagetail wailed, then dashed out again. Foxleaf, Maplepaw, and Foggypaw went after her. Sagetail and Thunderpaw stopped at the place where Foxleaf and Maplepaw thought they had located the shriek. Sagetail led them to a hole that reeked of fox. A fox den! She exchanged a glance with her mentor. Why didn't we scent it?
And as they padded inside, Maplepaw saw a cat's body. She gasped. The dead cat was a gray tabby tom, and his bright green eyes gazed sightlessly into the distance…
"No!" Maplepaw shrieked, pelting to the body. "Wolfpaw!"