Marrowfrost is about to leave for school, so she'll make this short and sweet:
Reviews:
DappledleafTheBootiful - 1) Dove will always be amazing to me. And Blaze is one of the best cats, it's true. 2) Thank you!
Whitespirit - 1) Yep, it's finally gone! 2) Well, here's chapter 21, if it helps. 3) She's a wonderful mouse-brain for sure! 4) Yeah, I updated the summary. 5) It's alright. I like getting your OCs!
Firegaze wearily opened her eyes. She was in a nest. Her vision was still blurry, but she could make out the shapes of cats in inside the den she was in. The last thing I remember is Dylan telling me to get help from ThunderClan, and then running here. And then passing out of course. Not much time had passed since she'd passed out, right? StarClan, please let Dylan be okay! A RiverClan battle patrol had attacked a SkyClan hunting patrol, which she, Ivy, Stone and Dylan were on. RiverClan pulled such a cowardly move!
"Okay you two, show me your hunting positions." Ivy demanded. Firegaze instinctively dropped down into a hunting position, eager to please Ivy. She trained my own mentor! Maybe if I can please her, then I'll be made a warrior quicker! Dylan followed, but Firegaze could tell he wasn't doing it properly. His tail was upwind, meaning that prey would be able to smell him a fox-leap away. Dylan's hind legs were more spread apart than they should be.
Firegaze narrowed her amber eyes. "You need to do it like this, Dylan!" She huffed. Dylan rolled his lime green eyes, purring a little. He got into the position exactly like Firegaze. "Good."
"Firegaze, I think I know how to mentor my own apprentice." Ivy meowed firmly. She turned towards Stone. "Would you like to tell Firegaze what she's doing wrong?" I'm not doing this wrong! I'm probably better at hunting that you, anyways!
"W-Well, maybe you should stop lashing your tail, Firegaze." Stone suggested, unsure of what to say. Firegaze looked back to see her tail lashing in excitement. I think that's excitement. Or anger. Or both.
Ivy narrowed her dark blue eyes. "Enthusiasm doesn't fill any bellies, Firegaze. A calm warrior can actually feed their Clan. An excited apprentice like you would make us all starve to death." I-Is that true…?
Dylan growled at Ivy. "Leave her alone! She can be excited if she wants to!" Ivy's tail lashed in anger.
"Not if she scares away all the prey in the forest!" She hissed at him.
"Firegaze is a great hunter! I'm sure she'd still catch something to make up for it!" Dylan snarled at his mentor. Great StarClan, Dylan! You don't have to do this for my sake!
Ivy snorted. She glanced at Firegaze with amusement shimmering in her eyes. "The only reason you think that is because you're padding after her." Firegaze looked over to Dylan, who was glaring at Ivy.
"That's not true! She's my friend!" Dylan growled. "She's my friend, and that's how it'll stay!" Is that true…? Why am I so upset over this, anyways? I shouldn't like him in that way.
"Okay, okay. Keep your fur on!" Ivy sighed, rolling her eyes. "I was only joking!"
Dylan was still growling at her. "Yeah, right." I've never seen Dylan this annoyed… She leaned closer to Dylan. His eyes were full of doubt and anger. "Just leave me alone for now, Firegaze." He sighed.
Stone and Ivy were ahead of them, already hunting in the river. What was the point of practicing hunting on the ground if we're hunting in the river?! Firegaze cast one last glance at Dylan, who was muttering to himself angrily. His lime-green eyes were glittering, and he looked as if he would attack anyone who'd come nearby. I don't care if he says he needs to be alone. He shouldn't be alone. Firegaze padded back over to him.
"I told you to leave me alone." Dylan hissed. Firegaze nearly flinched at his words. Dylan's never snapped at me before…
Firegaze looked down at her paws. "D-Dylan, you shouldn't be left alone like this." Dylan narrowed his eyes and then looked away from her. His eyes widened in shock and anger.
"Firegaze, you need to leave." Dylan meowed urgently. He gently nudged her shoulder.
"W-Why?" She asked him.
"Because-" He began.
"RiverClan, attack!"
"You're awake now? Good." A raspy voice mewed. "Get up. Why'd you come to ThunderClan?" Firegaze saw an old gray she-cat with a flat, broadened face glaring at her.
"I think I said that RiverClan was attacking, didn't I…?" Firegaze murmured, completely out of it. The only thing I care about is Dylan being okay… She felt sick to her stomach. I should be fighting alongside Dylan right now! Not in ThunderClan camp pleading for help.
The old she-cat narrowed her eyes. "Yes, and Bluestar sent a battle patrol to help right after you passed out." She turned over to face the pale tortoiseshell she-cat who was preparing to treat battle wounds. "Wasppaw! Go help the SkyClan apprentice here around camp." Wasppaw nodded and led Firegaze out of the medicine den.
She glanced at Firegaze briefly. "You were the one who helped pull me out of the river all those moons ago. I must thank you again for what you did." Not this again…I didn't do that much, really…
"It wasn't all me…my mentor Twyla, Ivy and her apprentice, Dylan helped more than I ever could." Firegaze mumbled. She looked down at her paws as she and Wasppaw headed towards the fresh-kill pile. Wasppaw picked out a vole and gave it to Firegaze.
Wasppaw nosed it over to Firegaze. "You must be hungry. Here." But I don't eat ThunderClan prey- I eat SkyClan prey! Firegaze wanted to retort. She pushed back her dislike of eating the vole and bit into it. I should just be grateful they're letting me eat something. To Firegaze's surprise, she was most definitely hungry. She lifted her muzzle to see Wasppaw watching her through narrow eyes.
Firegaze tilted her head. "What is it?"
"Why are you so condescending to yourself?" Wasppaw meowed with a hint of anger in her meow. "You definitely helped me. So why aren't you congratulating yourself?"
"I-I…" Firegaze stuttered. She shook her head. "No, I-I can't right now…" It's nothing to do with being condescending to myself, it's because of River… Being told that you're stupid since kithood really has a lasting effect on you. Firegaze took another bite into the vole.
Wasppaw sighed, shaking her head. "It seems that there's no changing your mind." Yeah, there isn't.
Firegaze looked up at Perched Rock, expecting to see Violet or Tristan announce the oldest kits as apprentices. I can't wait to see Blaze and Dylan become apprentices! She was mainly excited for them to move out of the nursery so she could sleep without getting kicked by Blaze or Dylan. Or was that River…? She saw Violet jump up onto Perched Rock to declare the Ten Flames newest apprentices.
"All cats of the Ten Flames, gather under Perched Rock for a group meeting!" Violet yowled across the camp. Everyone looked up and came closer to hear the announcement. "Today we have two young kits ready to become apprentices." Firegaze looked back at Blaze and Dylan. Blaze looked nervous, while Dylan looked excited. Is he excited about being an apprentice or getting away from me and River?
"Blaze and Dylan, you've reached the age of six moons and by the Ten Flames ancestors, I name you both as apprentices." Violet mewed, welcoming the two kits into the Clan. "Spiritmask, you shall teach Blaze the path of a mediator. Ivy, you shall teach Dylan the path of a fighter."
"Blaze! Dylan!" The group cried in joy. Soon the crowd dispersed, leaving Firegaze behind. She noticed Dylan padding up to her. Oh great. Now he's going to rub it in.
To Firegaze's surprise, Dylan only purred. "I can't wait for you to become an apprentice, too, Firegaze." Wait, really? "Then I'll have someone to train with, since you're also planning on being a fighter." Oh.
"Not like she'll be a good fighter." River sneered from behind them. "She's too stupid to learn anything, really." Why're you calling me stupid?
Dylan growled at him. "Shut up, dirt for brains."River snorted and padded away from them. He looked back at Firegaze. "I don't know how you put up with him…"
Firegaze looked over to the rustling camp entrance. ThunderClan cats emerged, smug looks on their faces.
"ThunderClan and SkyClan have won!" The leader bellowed. All the cats behind him followed. The leader of them was a dark brown tabby with amber eyes. Tigerclaw. Firegaze realized.
QotD: What are your thoughts on Twyla, Firegaze's former mentor?
I like her feistiness and having the boldness to oppose Violetstar's opinions so often. Plus, she's Violetstar's littermate and she's one of my OCs. Of course I enjoy Twyla.