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Featherpaw dropped down low in a hunting crouch and slowly padded forward. She padded around a bush and saw the squirrel in sight. She took another step... SNAP! The sound seemed to fill the silent forest.
The squirrel turned and saw Featherpaw, then dropped it's seed and sprinted up the tree.
Featherpaw stood up and hissed loudly.
"Good try Featherpaw." A voice mewed behind her. Featherpaw turned around to see her mentor, Seedfur. "Next time don't only focus on your prey. Also pay attention to where you put your paws."
Featherpaw just nodded. They where taking a hunting lesson with no one else around. Featherpaw liked these kind of practices. No one around to yell at you -but Seedfur but she would never do that-, no being teased by older apprentices if something goes wrong, and only one pair of eyes watching your every move.
"Want to try again?" Seedfur asked. She had promised that if Featherpaw caught two pieces of prey they could go back to camp. By now it was starting to turn dark.
"Yea." Featherpaw mewed and then sniffed the air. She could smell a bird not to far away. She turned around and saw it pecking at something in between roots of a tree.
Featherpaw dropped down low in the position she had been taught. She slowly padded forward, stepping lightly over a small twig that was in her way.
Featherpaw paused, wiggled for a moment, and then... Jumped! She flew through the air and then landed, paws on the bird. She smiled and held it still as she bit it, killing it immediately.
"Good catch. Dig up your prey, and lets go back to camp." Seedfur told Featherpaw.
Featherpaw nodded and padded over to the tree -bird in jaws- where she had thrown dirt over a vole she had caught earlier.
She dug it up an then carried both prey back to camp with Seedfur at her side.
"Bring those to the elders and then you may get something for yourself to eat." Seedfur mewed.
Featherpaw nodded and then padded to the elder's den. She stepped in side and saw only Graystripe was there. He was napping in his nest.
Featherpaw set the prey next to his nest and left the den silently. She headed for the fresh kill pile. She grabbed a vole and then headed to the apprentice den.
Driftpaw and Patchpaw chatted out side of the den while Stripepaw listened sipently, nodding every now and then.
"... it's going to be fun!" Patchpaw was saying as Featherpaw came into hesring range. "I can't wait!"
"Can't wait for what?" Featherpaw asked, sitting down and setting the vole on the ground.
"Hi Featherpaw." Driftpaw and Stripepaw greeted at the same time.
"I was just talking about the Gathering tonight." Patchpaw mewed. "I wonder if I get to go."
Featherpaw bit into the vole and through a mouthful said "Probably not. We are the youngest apprentices in the clan. I bet that Honeypaw and Smokepaw are going."
"No. I think it is us." Patchpaw mewed, turning away. "I can't wait!" She yowled excitedly.
Stripepaw glanced ober at Featherpaw "Well I agree with you. Me and Windpaw have only been to a Gathering once and I am half way through being an apprentice."
Featherpaw nodded and then took another bite of the vole.
"Featherpaw, guess what?" Driftpaw jumped into the conversation.
Featherpaw swallowed. "What?"
"Jayfeather said I can start training tomorrow or the day later. I have been healing vary well." Driftpaw mewed.
Featherpaw looked closer at him. He had been healing well. The scratches where gone, and the worst of them where now scars. There was only one of two scratches left.
"Great. Maybe I could come with you when you get the tour around the territory." Featherpaw smiled.
"Maybe." Driftpaw shrugged.
"All cats gather for a clan meeting!" Bramblestar called from the Highledge.
Featherpaw looked over to the leader. Cats quickly gathered in the clearing.
"I have chosen the cats to go to the Gathering." Bramblestar started.
Patchpaw wiggled like an excited kit next to Featherpaw.
Bramblestar started listing off the cats and ended with "... , Windpaw, and Stripepaw."
Patchpaw let out a disappointed sigh.
"Finally!" Stripepaw let out a surprised purr then got up and padded over to the rest of the cats who are going to the gathering.
Featherpaw smiled and then bit into her vole again.
"All the chosen cats, lets go." Bramblestar jumped down from the Highledge and left with the chosen cats following closely behind.
"So... what is a gathering? It seems pretty important." Driftpaw asked.
Patchpaw gasped as if it was the most important thing to know. "No one has told you?"
"Hi Whitepaw." Featherpaw greeted as her brother sat down and joined the conversation.
"Hey." Whitepaw licked his paw and drew it over his ear.
"A gathering is at every full moon and all four clans go. Thrunderclan, Shadowclan, Riverclan, and Windclan. It is a time of peace. No battles will happen at this time. So all the clans go and share news and tell what had happened." Patchpaw mewed, eyes twinkling. She really wanted to go to a gathering.
"What are the other clans like?" Driftpaw asked.
"Shadowclan are all dark and mysterious. They like to be separate from the other clans, or so I have heard. Riverclan cats like to swim and eat fish. And Windclan cats look too skinny." Patchpaw told him. "They can't even hunt a squirrel. I have seen them try from this side of the border. They can only hunt rabbits!" She snorted.
"So Whitepaw, how was your day?" Featherpaw changed the subject.
"Oh, pretty good. Berrynose is the best mentor. I caught a huge rabbit today! Then we practiced fighting moves. I'm going to be the best warrior!" Whitepaw purred as he still washed his pelt. He had always been a show off.
"Cool." Featherpaw yawned. She had never really liked Berrynose. He was fun to tease when she was a kit but she had always gotten in trouble so she stopped. Now he was just plain annoying. She would probably explode if she had to be with Berrynose just about all day.
"Well, we shouls be going to sleep." Driftpaw commented.
"I agree." Patchpaw mewed and stood up. She padded into the apprentice den. Driftpaw padded behind her, followed by Whitepaw.
Featherpaw finished her vole quickly and then whent into the den. She layed down in her mossy nest inside the warm, dark den. She listened to Patchpaw mewed excitedly to Driftpaw as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
As she was just about to fall asleep a thought hit. She had to tell Redfur or Jayfeather about the dream. She had completely forgoten about it untill now.. Tomorrow... She fell asleep
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