Chapter 6: Close to lightning...
Songpaw fur was standing on end, Ravenpaw had just fled in horror from what she had just said, she had acted like nothing had happened, but in reality she had heard everything. It must have been a message from Starclan. But who could she tell? Would Ravenpaw run around telling the clan she was going mad?! Would she be kicked out? No. Stop being so paranoid, that's the reason you're such a stupid loner, no one likes you because you're always acting like a deranged elder! She told herself, sometimes she would talk to herself, quite alot actually in her head and out loud. She looked up and saw it was sunhigh already, time for her training session. She stood up and shook her brown pelt, shaking the dirt and moss from her fur. Okay, first day as an apprentice, time to make some friends... Songpaw was the only cat in the clan that seemed to be alone constantly, even Purdy had company now, from Sandstorm, Millie and Greystripe. Songpaw trotted over to her mentor, Leafpool who was sitting with the huge group about to go to the sky oak. Leafpool stood up and padded over to her, smiling. "Good, your here, we were just about to leave." Leafpool purred.
Songpaw just nodded. "Go with the apprentices, I'm sure you can make a few friends?"
Songpaw didn't reply, she simply padded over to Stormpaw who gave her a friendly grin. Lionblaze scanned the group, and then nodded. "Let's go!" he mewed cheerfully. The huge group slowly squeezed through the camp entrance, not designed for such a gathering to go through all at the same time. Songpaw trudged slowly, only just keeping pace with the group. "Hi there." Songpaw looked up to see Dewpaw looking down on her.
"Hi.." she mewed shyly.
"So, I'm going to be training you lot today, so you better show me what you've got." Dewpaw grinned.
Stormpaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because an apprentice's first training session means he actually knows an attack move to do."
Ravenpaw started laughing, as usual. "So where are we going?" Songpaw asked deciding to be sociable.
"The sky oak, it's the biggest, most oldest tree in the forest, its HUGE!" Dewpaw mewed.
Snowpaw cuffed his paw over his brother. "Wow, Dewpaw.. really?"
Dewpaw's amber eyes narrowed and his dark grey fur fluffed up. "what?" Snowpaw's amber eyes lit up with laughter in response. Stormpaw's ears pricked. "looks what the dog dragged in." He growled.
Songpaw looked away from the two older brothers who were now arguing, to see Wolfpaw and Swiftpaw running towards the group along with Squirrelflight and Bramblestar, Amberpaw and Whitewing followed. "Nice to see you too Stormpaw." Wolfpaw grinned and he gently cuffed his friend round the ears.
Songpaw smiled, it was nice to see the clan so relaxed. Ravenpaw bounded up to Swiftpaw and the two started chasing each other around in circles.
Lionblaze stood at the trunk of the sky oak and looked around to see nearly every apprentice doing something stupid. "May I have your attention?" He growled. All the apprentices stopped immediately and untangled themselves from each other. Bramblestar stood next to him. "What if Darkclan saw us now? They would think thunderclan lets it's apprentices be kits and play all day instead of training them. Attack would be imminent. You impatiently waited your entire kit hood for your apprenticeship, now show us we were right in making you apprentices." Bramblestar growled.
All the apprentices ducked their heads and sat in a line facing their leader and deputy, their mentors gathered in a group to the left of them, discussing what the training session would be.
Lionblaze stepped forward and raised his voice. "Today we will be working in groups, today it is about attack. We will work in two groups, each group will start at the base of the tree." He flicked his tail to the huge trunk. He then walked over to a twig with bright green leaves on it. He picked up the stick and placed it about ten tail lengths away from the tree. "You must work as a team, to get the stick and get it back to the tree trunk without the other team getting it. Choose your fastest cat to carry the stick, the rest of you protect him or her from the other team. The other team must try to take the stick back and get it to the tree also. Everyone understand?"
"Yes" came the group reply.
"Good. Cloudtail, you will lead group cloud." Lionblaze flicked his tail at the white warrior.
"Cool, a group named after me." Cloudtail grinned.
"In group cloud there will be.. Blackpaw, Spiderleg, Snowpaw , Amberpaw, Whitewing, Swiftpaw, Squirrelflight, Wolfpaw and Bramblestar." He dipped his head to the leader.
"The second group is group lion, led by me. I will have Songpaw, Leafpool, Foxpaw, Berrynose, Stormpaw, Tigerheart, Ravenpaw, Dewpaw and Birchfall."
Songpaw ran over to Dewpaw, who grinned. Lionblaze stood at the head of the group, Cloudtail did the same, they started to discuss tactics. "okay, who is the fastest cat here?" Lionblaze mewed quietly.
"Ravenpaw is!" mewed Stormpaw.
"Shhh!" whispered Ravenpaw. She nodded her head to the other group, who could have been listening.
Lionblaze nodded. "okay, Ravenpaw you dash for the stick, we've got your back."
"we're ready!" called Cloudtail. Lionblaze nodded.
"On three... one..." Songpaw glanced at Dewpaw who grinned and prepared to spring.
"two..."
"three!"
Ravenpaw dashed forward, her paws outstretched and her claws unsheathed to help her get a hold on the dry ground, she panted heavily and her thin tail streamed out behind her, she peaked a look to the left, she wasn't surprised when she saw Swiftpaw dashing for the stick, her friend wasn't called Swiftpaw for nothing. Ravenpaw's green eyes widened, Swiftpaw was flying! Not up in the air flying but she was going impossibly fast, her paws almost a blur they were flinging back and forth so fast, her muscles contracting and relaxing quicker than Ravenpaw could blink. Swiftpaw was about three tail lengths in front of her, with her impossible speed she snatched the stick and turned on one paw, Ravenpaw had to stop for a second. She stared at Swiftpaw in amazement, she was going even faster! Her body a blur as it streaked past the cats, who were beating each other up. Swiftpaw was so close to the tree trunk when Lionblaze knocked her down, taking her to the floor. Swiftpaw dropped the stick, the wind being knocked out of her. Ravenpaw streaked over to her mentor, ready to snatch the stick from Swiftpaw. However as she got there she reached down for the stick and a paw knocked her down. She looked up to see a serious Wolfpaw. His amber eyes narrowed and his lips drawn back in a snarl. Ravenpaw felt a little intimidated.
Wolfpaw cuffed his father's ears and Lionblaze flipped him over, and held him down with one paw. Ravenpaw saw it was now up to her, she saw that Swiftpaw now had the stick in her jaws and was about to leap forward to start running again, Ravenpaw grabbed one of her paws, following instinct and decided to see if she could figure out some fighting moves. Swiftpaw struggled on the ground, hissing and then leapt up into the air and landed on Ravenpaw taking her down. She laughed and jumped off of her friend and quickly dashed for the tree. Placing the stick beside it. "I claim this tree for Cloudclan!" she yowled.
All the warriors from each group noticed that Swiftpaw had made it to the tree, the cloud group started cheering whereas the lion group gave a sigh. Ravenpaw felt her ears burn with shame.
"ok then, how about we do it again?" Lionblaze called. All the lion group warriors' spirits lifted, another chance to show their clanmates what they were made of.
"WOW! Swiftpaw! Your soooo fast!" Snowpaw mewed. Grinning at the fiery apprentice.
Swiftpaw looked at her legs in shock. "I never knew I was that fast!"
Lionblaze purred and licked his daughter's head. "we were right in calling you Swiftkit huh?"
Swiftpaw purred. "yep!"
Ravenpaw grinned and flicked Swiftpaw with her tail. "Can you slow down a bit?" she laughed.
Swiftpaw grinned. "No way!"
Blackpaw came forward, ruining the mood with his presence. "That was odd though, how quick you were... seemed a little... unnatural?"
Ravenpaw hissed at her brother, he just had to ruin everything. "Just because you're jealous Blackpaw."
Blackpaw grinned, and stalked in a circle around Swiftpaw. "I'm just saying what every cat is thinking, you are too, aren't you Ravenpaw. That was no normal speed. For a cat." He snarled.
"Go and die in a hole Blackpaw." Snowpaw growled.
"Since when did you get so protective Snowpaw?" Blackpaw grinned.
"Shut up Blackpaw, how about you go and find a thunderpath, and then get run over?"
Blackpaw's eyes almost looked sorrowful for a moment, but he quickly returned to arrogance and stomped off to his group.
"Ok everyone, let's do it again!" yowled Bramblestar.
Ravenpaw stood next to Songpaw, ready to run again..."
Swiftpaw locked her green eyes on her target, the stick, as always she imagined herself going as fast as lightning, that was her goal, not that it was possible but she was extremely fast. She felt slightly annoyed though, how could Blackpaw call her strange? She was just quick that was all, or everyone was really slow. She could actually go alot faster, that was just a jog for her, but that could be seen as showing off, so she decided against going full speed. "Go!" yowled Cloudtail.
Swiftpaw leapt forward, her legs returning to the rhythm of her jogging speed, everyone was sooo slow! Ravenpaw was trying to keep up, Swiftpaw couldn't help but laugh, her tiny lungs screaming in agony, making Ravenpaw pant heavily, when Swiftpaw was breathing gently, her legs feeling no pain what so ever, this was a little jog, a walk through the woods, nothing compared to what she could do.
She was about half way there, the stick unclaimed waiting for her grasp. Suddenly she was bowled over, she looked to see her attackers were Blackpaw and Foxpaw. She laughed, new apprentices going against someone with two moons training. She smacked Foxpaw with her paw, and tried to do the same to Blackpaw, but like a snake he slid underneath her, and jabbed her tendon, she fell to the floor, the wind punched out of her. She was being beaten by a kit!?
Foxkit bit on her tail, teeth crunching her tail bones. She yowled loudly, as blood began to well up from the wound. She tried to defend herself with sheathed claws, but it didn't work, she didn't want to hurt them, but at the same time she wanted to rake her claws down their spines!
Blackpaw got on top of her, his claws raking down her back. She yowled again, angrily this time, he shouldn't have done that!
She rolled over, crushing them under her slightly bigger weight, and pushed her paw down on Blackpaw's head. Foxpaw angrily bit her paw, then Swiftpaw realised that Blackpaw was on her team! Dirty piece of fox dung!
She was swarmed by blows and continued to fight the pair, she wouldn't be beaten! Suddenly a flash of white caught her eye and she saw Snowpaw lift Blackpaw into the air with a single blow, the black tom fell to the ground with a thud. He stood up and crouched down ready to spring. "Blackpaw, remember which team your on! And.. we NEVER hurt our clanmates! Didn't anyone ever tell you that!?" he hissed.
"STOP!" Yowled Bramblestar. "Ravenpaw has claimed the tree! Lionclan wins!"
Blackpaw gave one last hiss and then disappeared with Foxkit into a mass of celebrating thunderclan warriors.
Snowpaw looked at Swiftpaw carefully. "Are you ok?" he mewed his amber eyes full of glittering concern.
Swiftpaw looked at her pelt, her dark ginger fur, her back had some scratches and her tail was bleeding along with her front left paw. "Umm.. not great but I'll live."
Snowpaw glared at where Blackpaw and Foxpaw disappeared. "Dung pelts." He looked back at Swiftpaw. "Can you walk? That paw looks bad."
Swiftpaw got up and tried to walk, but she fell over with the first step, pain stabbing her leg and travelling up it. "not exactly."
Snowpaw helped her stand and then helped her walk by letting her lean on his shoulder. "Thanks" Swiftpaw mewed through gritting teeth.
Snowpaw purred. "No problem."
He led her up to Lionblaze who was praising Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw caught sight of Swiftpaw and left her mentor immediately and ran to her with green eyes wide. "What happened?" she gasped.
Lionblaze padded up behind her his eyes hard. "Who did that to you?" he hissed.
"Ummm... well.. Blackpaw and Foxpaw." She mewed quietly.
Lionblaze's amber eyes lit up in anger. And he glared over at the two apprentices. "WHAT?!"
Angry Lionblaze once again... yay
So whos your fav character so far?
Ravenpaw
Swiftpaw
Snowpaw
Dewpaw
Blackpaw
Snowpaw
The choice is yours!
Please review and tell me who is your fav?
Till next time!
Neon xxxxx
