Echoes of the Past: Chapter Four
BRIARPAW
Briarpaw huffed as her paws slammed against the ground, and not Snowfang's back. The white she-cat aimed a blow at the apprentice with her light grey paws, throwing her off balance as she tumbled to the ground. Opening her eyes slowly, she winced as the bright afternoon sun got in her eyes, and she squeezed them shut quickly.
"Again." Her mentor commanded, sitting down across from Briarpaw and wrapping her thin tail neatly around her paws.
"No matter how many times I try, I won't get the move right!" The warrior in training growled, lifting herself off of the ground with a grunt. Her white chest fur was now a pale brown from the dirt, and she rolled her ice blue eyes before lapping at it.
"The Upright Lock isn't that hard." Lightningpaw snorted, sitting next to his own mentor, Stormwing.
"Don't be rude!" The blue and grey tom grumbled, swiping his apprentice over the ears while he huffed in annoyance.
Briarpaw stared down at her paws, her pelt heating up in embarrassment at Lightningpaw's comment. "I'll never do it right... I've been trying this since early this morning and I keep failing!"
Snowfang brushed against a few ferns making her way towards Briarpaw, and the apprentice was all too ready to be scolded. "What are you doing wrong?" She asked, staring down at her with an unwavering gaze.
Out of the corner of her eye, Briarpaw could see Stormwing lean down and whisper something in Lightningpaw's ear before straightening again. "We're going to go back to training. Thanks for letting us observe, Snowfang." Stormwing called out, before vanishing into the bushes beside them in the clearing they were all standing in. The warrior nodded at him before watching Lightningpaw until he too had left.
"Answer my question." Snowfang mewed again, turning her amber stare back to her apprentice.
Briarpaw scowled and stood up, shaking out her pelt. "Well I don't know. If I knew I wouldn't be doing it by now."
The white she-cat's gaze quickly hardened, and a small growl escaped her lips. "Do not talk back to me! I am your mentor and wether you like it or not, you will treat me with respect. Got it?"
Briarpaw shrunk back at Snowfang's harsh tone before nodding her head. "Yes, I'm sorry, Snowfang."
There were a few moments of silence before the she-cat stood up. "I don't like your attitude lately, Briarpaw. You need to learn a lesson. Go back to camp. I want you to search all the elders for ticks, and when your done, you'll spend the rest of the day in camp. Do you hear me?" Snowfang eyed her carefully while Briarpaw bowed her head in shame.
"Yes... I'll go do that now..." The brown and black tabby she-cat turned towards a small path near the base of a nearby willow tree and began walking.
• • •
"There you go, Goosefoot." The warrior apprentice sighed. "You're tick-free."
"It's about time!" Goosefoot mumbled, leaning his head back and inspecting his ruffled white fur before grunting. "Thank you dear." A long furred black she-cat said kindly, looking up from washing her paws.
Briarpaw smiled tiredly and dipped her head before setting the mouse bile down on the ground. "It was no problem Tanglefur. If either of you need anything else don't be afraid to ask." Both of the elders nodded they're heads as she picked up the mouse bile again and slipped out of the den and towards the outside of camp.
"Hey Briarpaw!" Her head snapped towards a dark grey tom with black stripes and startling orange eyes as he hurtled towards her.
"What?" Briarpaw said, her words muffled by the foul smelling moss in her mouth. Smokypaw halted a few feet away before padding towards her again, only slower.
"Where are you go- oh... I see..." A small smirk played the tom's features as Briarpaw rolled her eyes and continued on walking. "Snowfang made you check the elders for ticks? Oh, and let me guess why, cause you were being a little miss sass?"
The warrior apprentice began laughing as she dropped the moss and quickly kicked dirt on it before she turned towards him. "Spot on..." She grumbled, turning away and padding back into camp.
Smokypaw stopped laughing and padded after her, frowning a little. "Hey, I'm only joking... You know that, right?" The tom said quietly, nudging her shoulder softly. She let out a small sigh and sat down, before staring up into the darkening sky.
"Yeah I know... I'm just...tired, I guess." Briarpaw whispered, before turning to Smokypaw. He sat down also and nodded in understanding as his head slowly tilted up to look at the cloudless violet colored sky.
"Yeah... I get like that a lot too..." There was a small shared silence between the duo, before Smokypaw let out a puff of air. "I'm gonna go get something to eat... Wanna share?"
Briarpaw nodded and smiled brightly at him before standing up. "Sounds good. I'll be over in a minute." The grey and black tabby tom quickly jumped up and scampered towards the apprentices den, while she sat alone in the center of camp.
"Where's Amberfrost and Hawkpelt?..." She whispered to herself as she looked around. After a moment of looking, she spotted her Father's dark brown and white tabby pelt, and right beside him, her Mother's light brown one. "Amberfrost! Hawkpelt!" She called, scampering towards them.
They turned around and smiled upon seeing they're daughter. "Hi Briarpaw! How was training today?" The deputy asked eagerly.
"Great." Briarpaw lied, forcing a smile while Hawkpelt nudged her playfully.
"Well that's good! Was there anything you needed?" He asked, his pale green eyes narrowing a little.
"Nope!" Briarpaw chirped. "I just wanted to talk to you guys for a bit. I'll get out of your way now."
The she-cat chuckled and took a few steps back while her parents nodded. "Alright, well have a good night, honey." Amberfrost purred before laying down.
The brown and black tabby nodded before trotting towards Smokeypaw, laying at the enterance to the apprentices den with a large rabbit at his paws.
