"Like this?" Leopardtail said as she slapped the air with her paws. Ravenwhisker was teaching her how to swim and he had to tell her how to move her front paws on land first before she actually swam for real.
"Yes, just like that, but more gracefully and you have to concentrate more on it." Ravenwhisker instructed.
Leopardtail sat with her tail curled neatly around her paws and watched Ravenwhisker slip into the water of the river. He swam gracefully to the edge of the river on Thunderclan's side and turned around and came back. Ravenwhisker padded out of the river and shook himself sending drops of flying water spattering all over Leopardtail's golden pelt.
"Thanks for getting me all wet." She mewed.
Ravenwhisker let out an mrrrow of laughter. "I'm sorry. Just trying to get my pelt dry."
"It's all right. I was just kidding anyway."
"You want to give it a try?"
"Sure!" Leopardtail exclaimed.
She bounded over to the river and slipped in. She was belly-high when Ravenwhisker appeared right next to her.
"Go ahead; if you have any trouble, I'll be right next to you." He meowed.
Leopardtail took one more step and didn't feel the ground beneath her pad. She stretched out with both paws and battered with her forepaws as gracefully as she could without flailing them. Ravenwhisker was with her the whole time they crossed the river and swam back. When they both crept out on the other side, Ravenwhisker spoke.
"You did very well, I'm surprised." He praised. "If you want, we can hunt, if you're not to tired."
"I'm not tired at all. Let's go!" Leopardtail said as she dashed off.
"Hey! Wait up!" Ravenwhisker called after her.
When he caught up to her, he pounced right on to of the she-cat and they tussled on the ground for a few moments before Leopardtail had Ravenwhisker pinned down, amusement glinting in her eyes.
"Do give up yet?" She asked.
"Never." Ravenwhisker growled.
Leopardtail thought that he had given up when he just lay flat on the ground. Suddenly, he heaved himself upward sending Leopardtail flying. She landed awkwardly on her side but in few moments she shot up, dazed. Ravenwhisker sat, his tail curled neatly around his paws as if nothing ever happened. Leopardtail launched herself at him but Ravenwhisker was ready. He leaped out of the way just in time and Leopardtail skidded across the ground. She stumbled but managed to gain her footing back. She spun around and crouched, her hackles raised as she prepared to leap at her opponent. Ravenwhisker's eyes widened and he dashed past Leopardtail. She lumped up and streaked after him.
His scent lead her to a clearing where two cats were rolling on the ground in a mangle of fur claws. Ravenwhisker was standing, wide eyed on the edge of the clearing. She took a pace forward but Ravenwhisker stopped her with a flick of his tail. The cats broke apart and stood facing each other, until they noticed Leopardtail and Ravenwhisker staring at them.
The first cat, a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat, stood up straight and gave her chest a few good licks.
"What do you want?" She asked with an edge in her tone.
Ravenwhisker's fur was bristling and he took a pace forward.
"Why are you on our territory?" He hissed.
The second cat, a brown tabby tom, growled and then leapt at Ravenwhisker but the she-cat wouldn't let him.
"Stop, Mudstripe! There is no need to fight." The she-cat yowled.
"But Berrytail-"
"Don't argue. Do as you're told!" The she-cat, or Berrytail, mewed.
"Why are you on our territory?" Ravenwhisker growled through clenched teeth.
The two strangers padded sided by side up to Leopardtail and Ravenwhisker. Then Berrytail hissed, "We have an offer for you."
