AN: Thank you Wolfstar and 123CocoLee, my first reviewers!
Oh! And I changed the rock where the leaders sit. It is now called the Moon-Rock and is dappled gray and white.
Chapter 6: Sparrowpaw
Stormpaw stretched, back arching and claws extending. Her shoulder was only a little sore and her other scratches she had acquired from the battle for Moss Rocks had healed well. Half a moon had passed and Sunfall had finally declared her able for battle training. Stormpaw reached around to wash her blue tabby pelt. She washed the dirt and dust that clung to her fur. When she was clean and groomed, Stormpaw stood, ready to go ask Firelight if they could do some training.
Stormpaw approached her mentor. "Can we do some training? Sunfall said my shoulder is fine," she meowed.
"I was just going to tell you we're going to the Sandy Clearing with Rainsong and Sparrowpaw," the ginger she-cat responded, heading for Rainsong. Stormpaw bounced on her paws. After the battle with Marshclan, she wanted to train so she could beat a cat on her own, and not have to fight with Willowpaw. She like her sister, but Stormpaw wanted to fight well enough on her own.
At the Sandy Clearing the apprentices were instructed to face each other.
"Stormpaw, try to get to that branch behind Sparrowpaw," Firelight ordered.
"And Sparrowpaw, you have to defend it," Rainsong added. Stormpaw nodded and crouched, facing her opponent. Sparrowpaw just yawned. Her gray tabby fur bristled. She needn't seem so relaxed! Stormpaw raced at the brown and red apprentice but Sparrowpaw sidestepped and slid a paw underneath her, catching her back paws. Stormpaw rolled and collided with Sparrowpaw.
"Try again," Firelight called. Stormpaw traced Sparrowpaw's movements with her eyes. This time she looked alert. She's probably expecting me to feint, so... Stormpaw darted forward, heading for Sparrowpaw's left but slid to the right. As she predicted, Sparrowpaw didn't throw herself where Stormpaw seemed to go; she was light on her feet and merely hopped into Stormpaw's way. Instead of stopping though, Stormpaw soared over Sparrowpaw's back. Landing neatly on top of the branch, she turned and made a show of washing her face. To her delight, Sparrowpaw huffed.
"Well done! That was clever to jump over Sparrowpaw," Firelight praised. Sparrowpaw muttered something under her breath.
"What was that?" Rainsong frowned at her apprentice.
"Nothing," Sparrowpaw muttered. Rainsong narrowed her eyes but said nothing more.
"Falconpaw, Foxpaw and Willowpaw should be coming soon. I talked to their mentors and we will be doing some partner fighting. For now, you two can practice against each other," Firelight meowed.
"You should watch each other and learn some tactics, you could benefit from each other that way," Rainsong meowed. Sparrowpaw snorted. "Now try to pin the other cat down," she ordered, stepping back.
Stormpaw took her place across Sparrowpaw and waited for her to make the first move. She didn't have to wait long. She rolled to the side to avoid Sparrowpaw's paw, which came crashing down. Stormpaw leapt to her paws and jumped on Sparrowpaw, boxing her ears. As quick as she jumped on, Stormpaw sprung off, using Sparrowpaw's back as a spring. Her opponent was sufficiently angry now. Sparrowpaw flung herself at Stormpaw. Before she could move, Sparrowpaw was on top of her. Sparrowpaw cuffed Stormpaw, none too gently. This time it was Stormpaw who hissed in annoyance. Sparrowpaw was heavier and she knew she wouldn't get out of her grasp.
"Sparrowpaw wins!" Rainsong announced. Sparrowpaw waisted no time in getting off.
"If you ever are in that situation again, you can go limp and pretend to be exhausted. That may trick your enemy in thinking you're defeated and loosen their grip. Then you can suddenly attack when they're distracted," Firelight suggested. Stormpaw nodded eagerly. She couldn't wait to try that. The scent of cat wafted over. Stormpaw quickly identified it as Willowpaw's and Birchtail's so she wasn't surprised when their bodies appeared. Behind them came Mossheart and Foxpaw. Finally Falconpaw and his mentor Sandpelt entered the clearing. Stormpaw kneaded the soft dirt impatiently, wondering when they would start.
"We should split in teams and do team fighting," Sandpelt suggested. The other mentors nodded in agreement.
"On one team there will be: Foxpaw, Stormpaw, and Willowpaw. On the other will be Sparrowpaw and Falconpaw. Each team will have a stick. They are trying to capture the other team's stick and put it beside their stick," Mossheart explained. Birchtail and Firelight appeared next to her, each with a small branch of the same size. It would fit easily in the apprentice's mouth.
"You can have a little time to make a strategy," Sandpelt added. Stormpaw followed Foxpaw to one side. A plan was forming in her head.
"Any ideas?" Foxpaw asked.
Stormpaw stepped forward, "I do." She explained her plan.
Foxpaw nodded. "Okay, that could work," she meowed and padded to the starting positions. They took their places, Stormpaw on the far left, Willowpaw in the middle, and Foxpaw on the right. Facing Stormpaw and Willowpaw was Falconpaw while Sparrowpaw faced her sister.
"Ready? Begin!" Firelight yowled. Stormpaw and Willowpaw raced at Falconpaw. Together they worked smoothly, one darting in to pummel his belly while the other added some quick jabs to the side. Willowpaw was good at finding tender places so she usually stayed on the flank while Stormpaw, who was stronger, unbalanced him and wind him when she could.
The littermates worked like this until Falconpaw showed signs of weariness. Then Stormpaw shot off toward the stick. Of course Falconpaw chased her and was surprised when Stormpaw stopped in her tracks. As soon as Falconpaw took off after Stormpaw, Willowpaw swerved around them, taking a different route. Stormpaw distracted Falconpaw with a couple blows to his head.
"Sparrowpaw! Get Willowpaw!" he cried desperately. But Willowpaw was too fast. Quick as a mouse, she grabbed the stick and raced for the spot she needed to set it. Falconpaw jumped after her but Stormpaw grabbed his tail with her teeth and gave it a sharp tug. The silver tabby gave a triumphant yowl when she dropped the stick next to their stick. Stormpaw purred loudly after she released Falconpaw's tail.
"Well done Foxpaw, Stormpaw and Willowpaw! You can choose first at the freshkill pile," Mossheart praised. Stormpaw raised her head with a smirk at Falconpaw. He just grinned good naturally.
"Can we hunt too?" Stormpaw asked.
"Sure! And we can turn that into a contest too!" Firelight swished her tail excitedly over the soft training ground. Around her the apprentices' eyes light up. Stormpaw couldn't wait to try to beat Falconpaw at hunting too. He was older and more experienced, but only by three moons.
Sandpelt nodded, "that's a good idea. Whoever can return with the most prey by sunset wins."
"Of you go then!" Mossheart purred. Stormpaw fought to be the first out. She ended up being behind Foxpaw. As soon as she was out, Stormpaw raced in the camp's direction. She figured the more popular places would be Moss Rocks and Tall Pines so she wanted to hunt in a place more empty of cats. The territory behind the hollow was an inline, sloping upward. It was at the top where Firelight showed Stormpaw the sunrise and she remembered scenting a bit of prey.
Stormpaw paused, taking in the smell of the birch trees and frost in the air. It was a pleasant mixture, earthy but sharp and fresh. A clump of pines entered her vision and she could see the lowest branch shaking slightly. It wasn't high, just about two tail lengths from the ground directly under it. Stormpaw slunk through the little undergrowth, moving smoothly and silently. Suddenly the shaking stopped. Stormpaw also froze, not daring to move a whisker.
A squirrel dropped to the ground. Stormpaw carefully settled in a crouch. After a moment of tension, she sprung. She quickly ended it's life and buried it beneath the pine so she could pick it up later. Tasting the air again Stormpaw could pick up the scent of water. It didn't actually have a smell, she could only smell the reeds and water plants. Farther along there was a small pond accompanied by the smell of water voles. Easily Stormpaw dispatched two of them and buried them.
Hmm... just one more mouse or two and it will be time to head back, she decided. The sun was brushing the tree tops and Stormpaw wanted to get back before dark. She wandered over to a dead fallen tree a ways from the pond. Stormpaw purred to herself when she caught the scent of shrew. It was carrying a seed in its mouth, scurrying upon the log.
Stormpaw went through the usual procedure but as she was about to spring her tail brushed against the bracken, making an ominous crackling. The gray tabby lept anyway but the shrew gave a loud squeak and darted away. Stormpaw hissed, blue eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Stupid bracken!" she growled then sighed. She turned back to the votes she caught earlier. The sun has almost set so Stormpaw hurried back to the point where she buried the squirrel and dug it up. On the way back she also snagged a sparrow and added that to her catch.
When Stormpaw arrived at the entrance tunnel, she saw Sparrowpaw also there. She noted with satisfaction that she had caught just as much as Sparrowpaw, if not more. Sparrowpaw held only a couple of mice and what looked like a scrawny shrew. At the freshkill pile the mentors were sitting in a group, watching the entrance tunnel and conversing among themselves. Foxpaw and Falconpaw were also there with their prey in between their paws.
"Well done," nodded to them. "Now we wait for Willowpaw."
Stormpaw sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. Not long after she and Sparrowpaw arrived Willowpaw's silver head appeared in the entrance tunnel. In her jaws she held two squirrels, two mice and a finch. Stormpaw was impressed and a little envious of her sister's hunting skills. At least I'm better at fighting, she told herself. And she wasn't just trying to comfort herself. Stormpaw was quick thinking and strong, good aspects for one to have when fighting.
Sandpelt beckoned with his tail. "Okay, lay out your prey," he ordered. "We will judge your catch."
The mentors stood in front of the apprentices, eyeing their prey. Stormpaw felt confident that she wasn't the worst hunter. Falconpaw caught a robin, two moles and a shrew; Foxpaw didn't do as well, only having two chickadees and a plump mouse.
The mentors whispered to each other but eventually Mossheart stepped forward and meowed, "we have come to a decision. Willowpaw came in first, followed by Falconpaw and Stormpaw."
Stormpaw purred with satisfaction and next to her Falconpaw and Willowpaw brightened.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High-Stump!" Pinestar yowled. Stormpaw looked at the black she-cat in confusion. What was happening? "As you know it is the full moon tonight and the Gathering will soon take place. I have decided that the following cats will attend: Blizzardpelt, Mossheart, Oakfur, Rainsong, Firelight, Birchtail, Silvermist, Willowpaw, and Stormpaw."
"What happens at a gathering?" Stormpaw meowed to Firelight.
"Each clan brings some of it's members and share news. Don't give anything away though. There will be cats trying to get information out of young apprentices," Firelight meowed sternly. Stormpaw nodded but didn't think she would be that stupid to let any thing slip.
"Come on! Let's go," Willowpaw nudged Stormpaw. She nodded and followed the group of cats going out the entrance tunnel, led by Pinestar. As she stood at the end, Stormpaw felt excited and nervous. She was curious about the other clans. She wondered if they would have interesting features like the Rippleclan warriors.
As Stormpaw bounded down the slope, her paws tingled with excitement. She remembered the brown apprentice, Hazelpaw, and hoped she was there. Stormpaw liked the spunky apprentice, although she had only seen her once. Finally the hill can in view. Glancing at the shining moon, Stormpaw let out a small purr of excitement.
Any ideas on what should happen at the Gathering? Nothing to dramatic though. As always, please review!
I won't update until I get a few suggestions...