Another installment! Please enjoy!
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Stoatpaw woke up in the morning and immediately cast a glance towards Mothpaw. The golden tabby apprentice was sleeping in a way that made it look like she was hugging the wall.
Stoatpaw felt a pang in his heart. Sure, he was the one who began talking with Mothpaw, but it was Tigerpaw who met her first, and had more time to talk to her. It was also Tigerpaw who became fast friends with Silverpaw, and it was Tigerpaw who would always tease him for being chubby and weak!
It really hurt him to see Tigerpaw get all these amazing benefits whenever he was out somewhere being unsocial or whatever. The jealousy burned his pelt, and he had to step outside of the den to collect himself. Just as he set a pawstep outside, Rowanleap and Leafclaw approached.
"Stoatpaw, could you go get Mothpaw? I'd like you two to train together." Leafclaw asked, and Stoatpaw nodded, turning around.
"Do you want me to grab Tigerpaw as well?" Stoatpaw asked.
Leafclaw shook his head. "No need, Stoatpaw. I wanted to use you to help Mothpaw train since you... well, Tigerpaw just learns a lot faster than a lot of apprentices." Stoatpaw knew Leafclaw meant no harm, but he couldn't help his feeling of anger that burned under his pelt as he woke up Mothpaw.
"Whuzzat?" the apprentice mumbled, raising her head groggily. "S-Sugarberry? What's goin' on? Where's Daisykit?" her eyes adjusted and narrowed as she looked at Stoatpaw. "Oh. It's you."
"Y-Yeah, it's me..." Stoatpaw muttered, turning around and beckoning Mothpaw with his tail. "Rowanleap and Leafclaw want us to train together, so we have to go now."
"What about Shiningeyes? Is she coming?" Mothpaw asked, her bad mood gone.
"... No. She's Tigerpaw's mentor." Stoatpaw responded, refusing to look at the golden apprentice. "It'll be just me, Leafclaw, and Rowanleap today." he spun around and followed the two mentors out of the cave and to their training clearing.
The rest of the day, the two trained together. They teamed up together to catch mice and the like, and Stoatpaw's opinion of Mothpaw steadily changed. He found she was funny and imaginative, and a quick learner. Like Tigerpaw.
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"... So then I said, 'Go catch your own mouse!'" Mothpaw and Stoatpaw crowed loudly at Stoatpaw's little joke; she and him were steadily becoming fast friends. The two were sitting in the cave next to the apprentice's den and sharing a thrush, Stoatpaw's favorite. "Sageberry was so mad that time! I was surpised she didn't claw my fur out!"
Mothpaw gave another loud laugh, but stifled it when Tigerpaw stalked up. She shuffled her paws and gave a weak smile. "Hi, Tigerpaw! Care to join us?"
Tigerpaw nodded, sitting down. Mothpaw seemed like she wanted to say something, but couldn't. It was either because of Stoatpaw, or because of Tigerpaw.
"Uh... I'll be right back. I need to make dirt." Stoatpaw lied, standing up abrubtly and heading behin the Hot Spring's Paw to make dirt. He was hidden in the shadows and listened to the conversation going on between the two.
"Uh, so, Tigerpaw..." Mothpaw began, taking a ginger bite of the thrush. "I have a question."
"About what?" Tigerpaw responded.
"About Stoatpaw."
Stoatpaw's heart twisted; what was she going to say? She'd just gotten to know him, she couldn't possibly say anything mean. He prayed to Starclan she wouldn't!
"What is it?"
"Stoatpaw's been an apprentice as long as you have, right?" she asked, taking another bite out of the thrush. Stoatpaw heard Tigerpaw mutter something inaudible, to which she responded, "Okay, yeah. I thought he was your brother. But... why is he so weak?"
"Weak?"
"Yeah. I mean, I've scuffled with kits back in Hailclan who are stronger than him. He seems like a leaf: one scratch and he's torn. You sure he's made out to be a warrior?"
Stoatpaw was steaming with anger. He thought she was his friend! But here she was, spewing on and on about how much of a weakling he was. He hated that word weak. He hated how often it was used to describe him!
Enough was enough. He wasn't going to let him being weak bother him anymore. He'd beat Tigerpaw into the ground in the next fight they had, whether it was through training or anger, and show Mothpaw just how great he could be! He wasn't weak; he was on the path to become a strong warrior, just as anyone else!
He emerged to Mothpaw now chittering about mice, and politely excused himself. He made a beeline for the apprentice's den, heading into his nest and forcing himself to sleep.
Now, like Tigerpaw, he had a goal in life: to prove that he wasn't a weakling and that he could beat his brother in any fight!
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Stoatpaw awoke in a much different dreamscape than before. The sun was shining brightly, and the forest around him was lush and bountiful with prey. His mouth watering, he landed on a fat vole with ease, scarfing it up like a cat who hadn't eaten in ages.
Just as he finished, he heard paw prints behind him. He stood up and whipped around, only to be faced with a very pretty she-cat with almond-shaped amber eyes. Her fur was a deep brown tabby color, but in no way did she look like Pineholly. She was the slimmest cat he'd ever seen, but she had muscles that rippled beneath her pelt like waves.
"Hello, Stoatpaw." she said smoothly, walking briskly up to him. "I have heard your pleas, and have come to your aid. You seek to become stronger, yes?"
Stoatpaw nodded, looking up at this mysterious cat. "Who... who are you?"
She seemed to think for a minute, then smiled. "My name is Coppersnake. I help cats just like you to recognize their potential." she circled around him, her skinny tail going around his neck. If cats could blush, he certainly would've at that moment. She looked him in the eyes; hers were a brilliant green color he'd never seen before.
Suddenly, she struck. Stoatpaw didn't know what to think; he fell to the ground in a whining pile as Coppersnake continued to dart back and forth, striking just like a snake: a nip here, a snarl there. At one point she stood to her full height and roared, "Stoatpaw! You are not weak. You just let your opponent knock you down and don't even try to get back up!"
At those words, Stoatpaw thrust himself up and lunged. A sparkle rose in Coppersnake's eyes; Finally, some resistance. She found the small apprentice to be extremely fast, even though she was ultimately faster. She purred loudly.
"That's it, Stoatpaw! Use your speed; not everyone will be as swift as you are!" she dodged all of Stoatpaw's moves while saying this, and finally, when the apprentice seemed tired, stopping to catch his breath, she stop bouncing around. "That was good, Stoatpaw! Now let's--"
The small tom had suddenly rushed forward, a paw outstretched as he hit her hard on the side of the head. She let out a hiss, and he back away, arching his back in anger. "Don't you ever call me weak again, you Starclan cat!" he hissed, an angry gleam in his eyes. "You were weak enough to let yourself be killed!"
Coppersnake rose, glaring down at the tom. "Stoatpaw, no matter what happens, you will still die. But you're younger. You just became an apprentice. Now, again. And don't try any more dirty moves!"
The two fought and trained all throughout Stoatpaw's dream; she taught him how to dodge an attack and take a hit. She'd accidentally snagged his ear with one of her claws, forgetting she wasn't actually fighting for her life.
"That shows progress." she told him, and he felt good about himself. This... cat of Starclan was helping him achieve his goal and show Tigerpaw and Mothpaw that he was just as good as them.
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Stoatpaw awoke to giggling and chittering. He blinked his eyes to find the camp extremely dark; the sun hadn't even rose! He licked his lips, heaving himself to his forepaws. He'd been awoken from his dream for this?
"Shh, Mothpaw! He's awake!"
"What's going on?" Stoatpaw growled, his blue eyes scanning the room to find Mothpaw and Tigerpaw. He found them, and was shocked to see them glaring at him. "What? What'd I do?"
Mothpaw spoke in her soft, pretty voice. "It's just... we were talking, is all."
"You seemed to be having a nightmare, Stoatpaw." Tigerpaw told him, and the moss shifted. Stoatpaw watched Tigerpaw's silhouette come and sit right next to him. "Are you okay? You seemed like you were in pain."
Stoatpaw looked away. "I'm fine. Just... having a nightmare is all." he turned to his brother. "What were you two talking about? Surely not my nightmare, this entire time!"
His fur fluffed out in anger as no one responded. "What, were you talking about how weak I am? Again?" the white apprentice swung his head to face Tigerpaw and Mothpaw. "Well? Why were you two up?"
"Stoatpaw, you're not weak--"
"You certainly seemed to think that last night!" Stoatpaw roared at Mothpaw, who shrunk back. Tigerpaw got in front of her, hissing. Stoatpaw leaned forward to hiss in Tigerpaw's ear, "Don't even think about trying to feign this attraction towards Mothpaw. We both really know it's the Silverpaw show going on in there."
Tigerpaw's face fell, and if cats could pale in fright, he certainly would've.
Stoatpaw felt something rise up inside of him; it was a strange sensation, to know that he was getting to Tigerpaw. The tom in question leaned back, his eyes wide. Stoatpaw realized he felt triumphant. He was getting to his brother in a way no one else could, and he liked it!
"Stoatpaw, y-you're not weak." Tigerpaw firmly stated, narrowing his eyes. "And I have no idea what you're talking about. Silverpaw is a very pretty apprentice, sure, but falling in love with an Oakclan cat would break one of the most important clan rules!"
Stoatpaw hissed, heading back to his nest. He looked his brother in the eye. "Tigerpaw, later today, we're going to train. And we're going to fight." he took a deep breath, the glint of determination appearing in his eye.
"And I'm going to win."
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Ooh! Stuff's going to *probably* start picking up here in a little bit, but I don't doubt that this story will be long-- whether it be chapter or word wise.
Please read and review! I really want to make it to ten reviews!