Yay! I'm finally starting to write again. Here's the next chapter! This is the first chapter where StepLight and StepClaw have their point of views in the story.
StepStorm opened her eyes. Around her, in the dim light of the moss growing on the walls she saw the sleeping bodies of the other learners. It was her second day of being a learner of the tribe. She slowly got to her paws and carefully stepped over StepLight who was sprawled in front of the entrance of the bramble den.
"I can't eat another bite," said StepLight, swatting at something in the air.
StepStorm blinked and shook her head. She was getting used to StepLight's hyper attitude. After the she-cat was able to get out of the learner den she was hit by how quite the main part of the cave was. From the light streaming from the cave opening, StepStorm guessed the sun was barely up. She walked over to the fresh-kill pile but there was only a scrawny fish in it, a leftover from the night before.
Not really knowing what to do and not feeling like going back to sleep, she decided to go for a walk outside. SpiralClam told her they would get started after the first patrol went out for food and by the way it looked, that would be a while. She slowly made her way out and down the rocks, onto the sand. The waves lapped gently against the shore, the only sound she could hear in the quiet morning. She glanced to the right, to the thick forest. What did the cats of ForestRose look like? Were they as amazing as the cats of OceanTide?
"StepStorm? Why are you up so early?"
StepStorm jumped and glanced in the direction of the voice. It was SpiritCave. A pile of white flowers were by his paws. He had probably put them down to talk to her. "I…I could ask you the same thing," she shot back. She winced after the words left her mouth. The spiriter was somecat to be respected! How could she snap at him like that?
SpiritCave didn't seem to be offended by StepStorm's words at all. He just chuckled. "I was out gathering henna," he said, gesturing to the white flowered plants by his paws. "I need it for my paws."
StepStorm cocked her head to the side. What did that mean? Use for his paws? She stared at SpiritCave's paws. What could they be…wait. "You're paws are a different color!" she exclaimed.
SpiritCave nodded. "Yes. We, spiriters use henna to dye our paws. It shows that the Spirit Wind is guiding our paths. "It's something we have to do. It's one of the many duties of the spiriter."
"Well, can I help you bring them back?" asked StepStorm, really wanting something to do.
"That would be helpful," purred SpiritCave. He picked up half while StepStorm grabbed the other half. The two cats headed back to camp. StepStorm was proud she was able to climb up the rocks without breaking something or the flowers. The scent was starting to get into her nose and she felt like she would not be able to smell after this.
When they entered the cave, some of the warriors were already awake. ShadowStripe, StepGull, BurningRusset and DriftingStick were getting leaving together. StepStorm guessed they were the dawn patrol.
SpiritCave placed his tail on StepStorm's shoulder, reminding her of her current job. She nodded and the two headed for the spiriter's den. Once they were outside, SpiritCave put down the henna flowers and turned to StepStorm who looked up at him in confusion. "Thank you for your help. Just put the flowers down here."
StepStorm suddenly remembered. Only spiriters were allowed inside. She dipped her head and dropped the flowers on top of the other ones.
"StepStorm!" called SpiralClam from the fresh-kill pile, "Let's head out. I'll catch us something to eat on the way."
"Coming," called StepStorm.
"Good luck with your training," said SpiritCave, "You will have a purpose in this tribe. I can guarantee you that."
StepStorm nodded. Somehow when he said it, it seemed like it could be possible. "Good luck with whatever you are doing," said StepStorm, before running over to SpiralClam.
StepLight
"Watch your step," purred ShiningFeather, "pineapple plants grow a lot around here and I do not want one of those sharp leaves in your paws."
"Yes ShiningFeather," said StepLight, her eyes glued to the ground. They were in the small strip of grassy field just before the ForestRose territory. They were here so StepLight could practice listening to sounds. It was easier to practice here since ForestRose was so close and rustling of leaves was easier to hear.
"For a true warrior of OceanTide, you must be able to have ears on everything. You need to be able to listen to whatever is going around you, in the tribe as well as the outside," said ShiningFeather stopping.
StepLight stopped right behind her, wondering what was next. "I kind of get it," she said, "I mean, if a tribemate is in trouble then I must try to help anyway I can."
"That is correct," said ShiningFeather, looking down at StepLight. For some reason StepLight had a feeling that ShiningFeather was not looking at her as a learner but as an equal. But how was that possible? She was only a beginner learner! The leader gestured to the trees with her tail. "Listen to the sounds of the forest. Tell me what you here. Within and outside the forest."
StepLight closed her eyes and turned her ears towards the forest. What was ShiningFeather looking for with this? Plus she didn't really know much about the forest. It was not OceanTide territory so why should it matter? "I hear…rustling," she said, opening her eyes, "Rustling of animals moving through the trees. But that's normal for ForestRose isn't it? Cause they have monkeys and stuff."
ShiningFeather purred, "Good."
"Why is it good?" asked StepLight.
"You are learning more about ForestRose," replied ShiningFeather, her blue eyes set on the greenery. "That is what we will focus on today. You will learn about ForestRose by looking from the outside in."
StepLight's eyes were filled with confusion. Why were they doing something as weird as this? Why did it matter if she learned about ForestRose? If they weren't at war with each other then they only met once every four moons. Why did this matter?
"You will understand in time," replied ShiningFearther, her eyes still on the forest, "Now, do it again and tell me what else you hear."
StepClaw
"Today we will be practicing the basic fighting moves," said SunTalon. Above the tom, the sun was slowly making its way up the sky. It was still pretty early but the dawn patrol had left and came back with the fish to feed the tribe.
StepClaw nodded, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Thank the Spirit Wind that SunTalon wanted to start her off by learning fighting moves. She felt like she was going to scream if she had to learn how to catch fish like all the other learners first. No wonder they were on the beach instead of the water.
The light ginger tom watched her with amusement. "You are different than most other learners. But, here's the deal. I teach you some basic fighting moves and you must promise me that you will let me teach you how to catch fish."
StepClaw's brown eyes flashed in confusion and anger. Why was he trying to cut a deal here? She wanted to learn how to fight! Not become a hunter! "But I don't want to know how to catch fish!" she snapped, getting up from her sitting pose. Her tail was twitching angrily behind her, her brown eyes blazing in anger. She had the urge to rip SunTalon apart and she unsheathed her claws.
SunTalon's eyes grew hard. "Feeding the tribe is just as important as defending it. I understand that you are eager to learn about fighting but hunting is important as well. I am cutting you a deal by teaching you basic fighting moves early."
StepClaw did not back down from the scolding. Instead she just stood taller. "Well I don't want to learn about hunting. It's pointless since I'm going to become the best fighter."
SunTalon got to his paws and he looked like he was going to say something else but he didn't. "If that is how you feel, then maybe you are not cut out to become a warrior. You should just go straight to the elders den instead."
StepClaw yowled at the insult. "How dare you!?" Her eyes were filled with anger and her whole posture was ridged with anger.
SunTalon shook his head, "You will not make a good warrior at all." He shrugged, "I don't even know why I bothered to have you as my first learner."
"Shut up!" snarled StepClaw, pushing off with her back legs. She landed on SunTalon's side and began clawing at his fur angrily while her teeth clamped down on his shoulder.
SunTalon yowled in pain. He twisted his body around and smacked her with his paw, causing her to release her jaw in shock. With another quick smack and unsheathed claws, SunTalon pried StepClaw off and she hit the sand in pain. Her side throbbed where one of SunTalon's claws had snagged onto her fur. She scrambled back to her paws, the pain in her side nothing more than a hindrance she would block out. She would show him!
"What are you doing!?"
StepClaw flinched at the voice. SunTalon also seemed surprised. FastFlight, KitFlight's warrior name, stormed over to the two cats, her blue eyes filled with anger. She looked back and forth from her kit to her mentor. "Well?" she snapped, "What are you two doing?"
SunTalon looked away, his shoulder and the claw wounds creating red stripes against his ginger fur. StepClaw realized her fur must look the same as well.
"Well SunTalon?" repeated FastFlight.
"She…would not accept my conditions so she attacked me," replied SunTalon, still not looking at StepClaw.
StepClaw's fur bristled. Why was he putting the full blame on her? It was partly his fault! If he just understood that she didn't want to learn to hunt then this would not have happened.
FastFlight sighed. "Both of you go to HealingWave right now." She shot StepClaw a glance that told the young she-cat that she would not get out of this one lightly. "SunTalon, I'm sorry about my kit's behavior. I will punish her myself on this one."
SunTalon shook his head, "No, it's alright."
StepClaw looked away. Great. Because of this monkeybrained thing her training would be on pause. Why in the name of the Spirit Wind did this have to happen?
"Come on StepClaw," said FastFlight, "Let's go back to the camp."
There was something in FastFlight's voice that told her that the punishment would not be light at all. StepClaw sighed, her throbbing side hurting more now as she followed her mother and mentor back to camp.