Warriors of the Leaf

By: Deolureium

Chapter 3

Start of Training

She snuck out every night to see Darkwater, and he taught her how to fight, stalk, catch prey, and use her advantages. Soon she was able to spot him, not before he spotted her of course but she still saw him. "Darkwater," she purred lightly and bounded to him.

"Getting better," Darkwater commented and flicked her shoulder with his tail. He started moving and she followed.

"Mossriver still won't talk to me, he avoids me so much I barely see a whisker from him. The other cat's still don't like me either, even Blazeriver stopped talking to me. Almost like he's afraid of me or something." Darkpaw said.

"Then make yourself useful," Darkwater said coldly. She grew used to his cold words.

"I tried, but every time I go near, they chase me off like some annoying kit."

"You're near the entrance of the camp? Then be a sentry. Any cat that goes in and out won't get past you." Darkwater said, and it made sense, no cat got past her without her knowledge. "Now tell me, what do you smell?" When he said that it was time to be quiet and start learning. She told him everything that she smelled and how long ago it was. She was getting better at it, and since she and Darkwater had all night to train, they barely took breaks from it.

"I smell, cats," she said abruptlyand looked across the water. She spotted two cats and one of them smelled familiar. "I know one of them," she said.

"Hm, that's Waterwhisker. He's a warrior of Waterclan. I wonder what they are doing out so late, it's too late for a night patrol, and way too early for a dawn patrol." Darkwater mused. The four cats looked at each other then moved on with their roles. Darkpaw wondered who the cat was, she had already forgotten their scents since they split ways, and clearly the other didn't want anything to do with her.

"Waterclan leader is Riverstar and deputy is Waterlilly, Fireclan leader Tallstar and deputy is Mossriver, Earthclan leader Yellowstar and deputy is Darkrock, and. . . Windclan leader is Rushstar and deputy is Lightfoot." Darkpaw recited. Darkwater always made her know her neighbours, what they were good at, what they weren't, what they ate, how strong they were, and where their weak points are. Soon it was time for her to go back and rest before the dawn patrol leaves. She walked in tiredly and laid down in her dirt ditch near the entrance.She was happy that they didn't question her scent all over the entrance, mainly because she was there constantly. When the dawn patrol gathered she looked up and watched them carefully, as she always watched when the cats leave, but she never remembered their scent. This time she was determined to figure who these cats were. 'Mossriver is joining the patrol this time, same with Tigerblaze and Mousepaw. Small patrol, wonder why.' she thought and watched them walk by her. Darkwater made it a point to not stay close to him on a count that they weren't suppose to be there. So she kept her distance from him but he stayed near enough for her to learn from him. No cat suspected her or her nightly training sessions.

To the clans of elements two shall arise.

Darkpaw looked up to the sky and saw a leaf fluttering down. She bunched up her well used muscles and leaped high into the air and caught it between her paws. She landed gracefully down and started batting the leaf around. Then more leaves started falling and she started jumping up to get them, then she surprised herself and flipped when she was going down to land on her back. She was shocked, but easily got over it when a leaf attacked her nose.

"Tallstar!" Blazeriver nearly yowled running into the leaders den. "She's doing something strange again!" The two cats walked out, but Darkpaw was laying in her dirt ditch laying on her captives.

"Yes, laying down on leaves is quite strange," Tallstar said and walked back into her den.

"You don't get it! 'Fire and Leaves will run with the wind, that brushes over water, but falls with the blood red clouds' I got it last night," Blazeriver said. "And a few suns ago, while I was collecting herbs, I saw a cat doing the exact same thing as she had done."

"What did she do?" Tallstar asked wearily.

"She-I don't know what she did, she jumped and turned in the air." Blazeriver said still frantic.

Over waters, and up on lands beware of the clans.

'My prisoners! You shall never see the light of day!' Darkpaw thought gathering all the leaves in her reach. Her ear flicked at a small sound and she turned her attention to the returning patrols. She sniffed at them and recognized a scent. It was the blonde cat, and the dark ginger. She tilted her head as she watched them walk by. She sat up allowing her captives to breathe, the fur on her neck rising. She watched the interaction and seen that the two were prisoners. She later saw that they were getting the same treatment as her. 'Well, we're on opposite sides of the camp,' she thought and stretched. It soon became night, and now she had to watch the two cats, she noticed that they didn't dare take their eyes off her. She flicked her tail irritably and got up and left. She went to the meeting spot and waited for Darkwater to show, when he did he was accompanied by two other cats.

"Who are they?" she asked curiously and gave a sniff.

"Darkpaw, meet my two new apprentices, Itachi and Kisame." she nodded to them and looked at Darkwater.

"So you'll be training all three of us? Or am I finished?" she asked.

"Oh no, you are no where near done. Let's go," Darkwater said and started walking. She followed without question.

"Two new cats entered the camp, I never got their names, one of them is yellow and black and the other is a dark reddish orange with a black tail and paws." she said.

"Interesting, have any trouble leaving?"

"Oddly no, but they are being treated the same as me, so the possibly of them following me out is very high." Darkpaw said.

"Dammit, un!" a new voice sounded.

"You just gave our position away!" another voice said. The two cats stepped out of their hiding spots and into the open. Darkwater assesed them quickly.

"More apprentices, perfect. Darkpaw, make sure they keep up with our pace." Darkwater said and finally started moving quickly. Darkpaw stayed behind the group and pointed out the land marks as they passed, and she resumed her recite of the clans and it's leaders and the status of the clans. Darkwater gave her a new assignment, hunting. With Darkwater it was either learn on the go, or starve. She done plenty of starving, and was ready to put her skills to the test. "Watch, Darkpaw. She's been at this longer then any of you, and she's only going to show you once." now this was a challenge. If she didn't catch anything then her learning with Darkwater proved nothing. 'High hopes for me,' she thought and got into position. She waited a moment and heard the faintest sound, she quickly went for it barely making a shuffle as she ran full speed and finally caught the mouse. She picked it up and brought it back quickly and quietly. She set it before Darkwater and sat at his side to watch the others. "Very good, Darkpaw. Eat well," Darkpaw nodded and picked up the mouse and went a ways watching them as she ate the mouse. Of course none of them caught anything, and she wasn't allowed to share. Only one of them came close to catching anything and it was Itachi.

Darkwater went out hunting and caught two rabbits, one for himself and one for the others to share. Darkpaw stood up and waited for her next lesson. "Darkpaw, smell the area," she did and said what she smelled. Soon it was time for combat lessons, and she pinned the others down with ease. She was surprised because she was never able to do this with Darkwater. Soon it was Darkwater's turn and of course he won. Then they started on copying Darkwater for the rest of the night, soon it was time for them to return. Darkpaw finally got the two cats names the golden tom was Deidara and the dark ginger was Sasori. All four of them have been renamed. Deidara is now Amberpaw, Sasori is now Cherrypaw, Itachi is now Ravenpaw, Kisame is now Bluepaw.

"Remember no one knows we're out here so keep all this under wraps, even your new names." Darkpaw said to the others as they neared the camp.

"How can you do this every night?" Cherrypaw asked.

"Easy, no one pays attention to me," Darkpaw said and they slipped into camp. She laid down in her dirt ditch and the other two joined her. At first she was shocked, but then relaxed when they fell asleep. She kept her eyes opened and watched as the morning patrol left.

Deon/Sin: Hope you enjoy this update, this is only the beginning :D