Truesilver

Chapter 2- Bluepaw

Bluepaw padded away from Silverkit angrily. He didn't want her to get in trouble! But she obviously didn't care! He lashed his tail as he padded out of camp to hunt. His
mentor, Stormcloud, had just recently taught him how to do the hunter's crouch and he was eager to try it out on some real prey, instead of a practice wad of moss.
Bluepaw pricked his ears for the sound of prey, but he heard nothing. Frustrated, he kept walking. He didn't want to wander off too far. He kept his paws light, careful to avoid any crunchy leaves of twigs that could alert prey of his presence. He felt his heart ache for company, and he knew he needed Silverkit. She seemed like his only friend, and now it appeared she was gone too.
Bluepaw felt a twig snap under his paw and flicked his tail in anger. Why was his life so hard? He couldn't even catch a stupid mouse without messing something up! Bluepaw felt the fur on his spine bristle and calmed himself. He knew he couldn't feed the Clan if he continued to beat himself up. Bluepaw listened and watched the forest around him. He finally spotted a fluffy fat squirrel scuffling around on the root of a big sycamore tree.
He hunkered down, making sure to follow his mentor's instructions. He kept his tail up slightly off the ground. He lifted his paws, and set them down lightly. He seemed to slide across the forest floor, as silent as a snake. He kept his eye on the squirrel, but he kept his mind on his body position.
The squirrel continued to nibble on a little nut, clueless of Bluepaw's presence. When the young tom got close enough, he wriggled his hindquarters and pounced. He landed about a mouselength too short and cursed as the squirrel ran up the tree. Bluepaw raced after it. He dug his claws into the tree and heaved himself upward after his prey. The squirrel ran out onto a branch and Bluepaw followed close behind. The squirrel came to the end of the branch and had nowhere to go. Bluepaw ran over to it. He was only a few pawsteps away when it leapt from its branch into a different tree. Bluepaw's heart sank, only to fill with anger and frustration.
Bluepaw bunched his muscles and jumped from the sycamore branch into the yew's branch like the squirrel had done. He saw the squirrel's nest above him, a huge wad of leaves and sticks. He climbed up to the nest and found a small hole. He put an eye up to the hole and saw the squirrel inside. It's beady black eyes opened wide in terror and it scrambled to get away. Bluepaw, who could easily fit into the big nest, shoved his way into it. He scrambled around blindly with the squirrel before locating its neck. He clamped his jaws around it and tried to snap it quickly. But it was almost as big as he was, so that didn't go very well.
The squirrel squeaked loudly and Bluepaw felt bad. He struggled to hold it down in the dark nest, and pinpointed its throat. Bluepaw bit into it, feeling very guilty as it slowly stopped breathing. When the poor creature was dead, Bluepaw dragged it out of the nest and onto the branch. He saw blood around its neck and its eyes wide and glazed. Bluepaw felt sympathy fill his chest and he closed its black eyes gently. Bluepaw licked away the blood to make it seem less brutal.
Bluepaw took the squirrel in his mouth and started to climb down the tree. His claw got stuck in the bark as he wiggled his way down. He tried to tug it out, but it was very painful. He felt a squirrel hair tickle his nose and braced himself for a sneeze, hoping he wouldn't fall out of the tree. He sneezed loudly and dropped his squirrel. It plummeted to the ground and landed with a big thud.
Bluepaw inched his way down the big yew tree, and at the bottom found his squirrel in a big heap. He picked it up in his mouth and started to drag it back to camp. As he carried it, he smelled a strong pungent odor. He inhaled, yuck! It was sour and gross.
Bluepaw tried to figure out what it was, but he couldn't quite decipher it. Then he finally knew what it was.
Snake! Bluepaw saw the long creature slithering around on the ground and leapt a foxlength into the air in fright. The snake's slitted eyes flicked to Bluepaw. It began to make its way towards him and he backed away slowly. The snake was getting too close for his liking! Bluepaw scrambled up a tree as quick as he could. The snake below his slithered right over the squirrel and went to the base of the tree he was in. Bluepaw got an idea!
He went a little lower in the tree and stood on a dead branch. He jumped up and down until it started to crack. Bluepaw shook the branch under his paws, and he felt it begin to fall. Bluepaw swiftly hopped into the branch above him and watched as the dead limb fell. It landed right on top of the snake.
Bluepaw climbed back down the tree and pushed the branch off of the snake, which was now dead. Bluepaw grabbed his squirrel in his mouth, and then barely managed to squeeze the snake in his jaws as well. He tasted the sour, bitter stench of it and made a face.
Bluepaw walked back to camp, stumbling over his catch's tail as he walked into camp. He quickly located Silverkit. She was lying outside of the nursery sunning herself. Bluepaw caught many of his Clanmates' attention with his snake.
"Nice catch, Bluepaw!" Stormcloud said as he spotted his apprentice. "It's meal time, why don't you go share your squirrel with a friend?"
Bluepaw let the nasty snake fall out of his mouth and padded, tail held high over to Silverkit. She looked at him without emotion.
"Wanna share this squirrel?" he asked cheerfully.
Silverkit shook her head, "I already ate." She showed no sign of caring. She didn't even say thank you!
Bluepaw lashed his tail and padded over to the corner of camp, where he flopped down with his prey. He spotted Mosspaw trotting over to him. She stopped in front of Bluepaw, "You're not going to eat all that by yourself are you?" She asked peppily.
"No, I could use some help," Bluepaw responded, feeling his heart warm at the thought of sharing a meal with another apprentice. Mosspaw could be his new best friend!
She flopped down beside him. "So, you are liking being an apprentice?"
Bluepaw smiled, "Yeah, it's really great. Stormcloud's teaching me battle moves tomorrow!"
Mosspaw purred, "I'm not bragging or anything, but I already know most of the battle moves. You wouldn't want to take me on in a fight!"
Bluepaw rolled his eyes and nudged her playfully, "I bet I could beat you anyday!"
"I bet you couldn't." She cast him a mischevious glance, and at that, they sprang to their paws and began circling each other. "Bring it on," Mosspaw said through a purr.
Bluepaw sprang at his new friend, and they started play-fighting. Mosspaw tugged on his ear while he kicked at her belly, claws sheathed. They laughed and Bluepaw realized he had never had so much fun!
"What are you two, kits?" Growled a cranky elder when he wobbled past.
"Sorry, Barkpelt," Mosspaw said quietly and the two broke apart. Bluepaw took a bite out of the juicy squirrel, looking at Mosspaw, his purr as loud as a monster on the Thunderpath. He glanced over at Silverkit, and realized she was watching, a scowl on her face. She chose not to share with me, he thought, Mosspaw is way more fun anyway.
But he couldn't help from feeling a sense of longing. He wanted to feel her warm silver pelt against his, but he knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. He'd lost his old best friend so suddenly, but now he had Mosspaw, and one friend is better than none.