Chapter 9

"Come on, runt," Tiger growled, leading Fleet to the door. "Let's not make this any more difficult than it has to be."

"I'm not doing anything," Fleet defended. "I just want to learn how to hunt and fight. And eat, for stars' sake. I haven't had a meal since yesterday!"

"You're wasting my time is what you're doing," Tiger hissed, giving one of the door guards a glare that the poor cat seemed to understand, as the doors were opened in a hurry. "There are things that I need to be doing right now that I can't because of you. And tender-paws don't get breakfast."

The two tom-cats sped through the quiet city, and Fleet tired quickly. "Where are we going?" he panted as Tiger breezed across a nearly empty road. Seemed that not many round-paws liked to rise early.

"The training ground. Someday you'll have to run all the way there."

"Oh."

"Doesn't seem like it'd be too hard for you, though. You can live up to your name, can't you, Fleet?" Tiger sneered, putting on an extra burst of speed as a large, smooth, city-stone clearing came into view, and, muscles trembling, Fleet did the same.

Most of the tender-paws were already there, and not even the youngest of the group seemed winded. Their expressions were filled with contempt as they eyed the newcomer appraisingly.

"What are you doing here?" one spat, a somewhat older tom-cat with cold eyes. "Shouldn't you be at home with your humans?"

"Training," Fleet replied as patiently as he could. "Like you should probably be doing." That seemed to work, and the tom-cat left to rejoin his increasingly impatient mentor. The white tom-cat did the same, turning to face Tiger. "Now what?" he asked.

"I told you earlier. There are things I need to do. Go find some other cat to train with for now," the orange tabby hissed, stalking away.

With a sound of irritation, Fleet surveyed the small crowd of six tender-paws and six mentors. It was clear that the majority of full grown cats were training another, as he recognized all of them. He sat down heavily, tail twitching in frustration, when a small voice sounded from behind him.

"Hello," a little she-cat said, and Fleet turned around to face her. "My brother, Jet, and I were only made tender-paws a moon ago. You're...you're welcome to come and train with us."

The kindness of the young cat lifted the white tom-cat's spirits, and he managed a faint smile. "Thanks," he purred. "I don't know much of anything, though. Could you help me?"

"Sure!" she replied, a squeak in her voice making her seem all the more kit-like as she bounced to her mentor. "I'm Dawn. And you're Fleet, right? Your promotion was this morning."

"Yeah," Fleet said, following the energetic she-cat. "I don't think Tiger's really interested in training me, though."

Dawn shrugged. "If he ever gives you any battle training, you'll take back what you said," she purred. "He's the best fighter in the entire band."

"Is that so?" The white tom-cat was lost in thought, half listening to the younger tender-paw's words.

What if nobody can beat him? he wondered. What if he's just so strong that he takes over and nobody can stand up to him?

"Hello?" Dawn asked with a grin. "You with me? We have training to do."

"Right," Fleet replied, straightening. "Training." He followed the reddish she-cat and dipped his head in respect to her mentor, a big tom-cat he knew to be Cliff.

"So I see I'm helping you, then," the tom-cat said gruffly, "Okay, I can work with that. Funny-looking face though," he added with a smile. Fleet smiled back. "Let's get started. Dawn, show your friend the hunter's crouch."

The little she-cat dropped into a crouch with her paws underneath her and her belly fur barely brushing the ground. Her tail twitched back and forth as she imagined her prey sitting before her.

"Good," Cliff said. "But you're looking a little heavy on your paws. Make yourself as light as you possibly can. And keep your tail still."

Dawn shifted and lowered her tail, and after a thorough inspection from her mentor, was allowed to stand.

"Perfect, little one. You're a quick learner. Now," Cliff turned to Fleet. "You try."

The fluffy cat mimicked the younger tender-paw as best he could, but felt awkward and heavy in his crouch.

Cliff frowned. "You're...close. But keep your head down. And, uh, lower yourself a little more, you're too high up. And lean a little to your right, you're tilted." Fleet scowled. "And stop glaring at me! For stars' sake, it's your first try! Did you expect to get it right?"

Thoroughly irritated, Fleet tried again.

"Better. Same as Dawn, be a little lighter with your paws. Imagine that it's a hot summer day and you're walking on metal."

Envisioning the scenario, Fleet raised his paws so that he was on his toes and bunched his muscles tighter.

Cliff smiled. "Good, good. Now let's see some stalking."

The rest of the day passed in a similar fashion, and Fleet was beyond exhausted by the end. The grumbling of his belly reminded him of his journey into the city, leaving him feeling uneasy and anxious. Tiger didn't show up at all, so Fleet followed Cliff and Dawn back to the camp.

Socks was waiting for him with a blank expression. "Go get me a blackbird," she ordered. "And one for yourself, too."

Fleet did as he was told, bringing two birds back to the leader who was sitting outside her den. "What's happened?" he asked passing one blackbird to her.

Socks smiled. "You assume that my want to talk means that something has happened?"

"I-"

"You'd be right. I overheard something this morning that I found suspicious."

"From me?"

"From Tiger." Her tone grew serious, and Fleet noticed that neither had touched their meals. "He's not come back yet, has he?"

"No. Why?"

"Do you remember what he said this morning? About having things to do?"

The morning seemed moons ago, but Fleet did remember the cross tom-cat complaining. "I do."

"Did he train with you at all today?" Socks seemed to be getting a bit uneasy, but Fleet didn't bring it up.

"No. He dropped me off at the training area and left. What's going on?"

Socks got up and started pacing. "I tender-pawed you to him to keep him busy, but it's not working. He's sneaking off anyway." She stopped, staring Fleet in the eyes. "I need you to follow him tomorrow. Find out what he's doing, and report back to me immediately."

"But-"

"And don't get caught!" she hissed before regaining her composure. "I'll take action accordingly. Whatever you find out is vitally important to the safety and wellbeing of the entire band."

At a loss for words, Fleet simply nodded.

"Do this right, and I'll let you stay with the other prisoner during the remainder of your apprenticeship," she added. "I have a feeling that the tender-paws won't be so welcoming after a couple of days. You are dismissed."

"Thank you," Fleet said, picking up his blackbird and heading over to where the other tender-paws were gathered in the evening light, sharing prey. After eating quickly and giving himself a quick grooming as urged by Dawn, he curled up and fell asleep at the furthest edge of the young cats' den, slumbering soundly on the packed dirt floor.