Chapter 2: A New Path

Jaypaw sensed Brook behind him, disregarding it, he continued to the apprentices den. Despite him just sleeping, his muscles felt sore and exhausted from the training and the journey back. "You look exhausted! where have you been?" Hollypaw's distressed mew asked. "I'll explain later," the tom mumbled, fantasizing the thought of getting some actual shut eye. "Let me help. You're too tired to manage alone," his sister suggested, leaning close to assist him. "I don't need any help, I can see perfectly fine," the apprentice argued. He sensed surprise laced with concern emanating from Hollypaw. Giving a slight mischievous chuckle, he padded back in and stepped perfectly over a sleeping body. Settling down, he closed his unseeing flaxen orbs and slipped off into sleep.

Jaypaw once again opened his now seeing eyes into the blackness of the Dark Forest. "Are you ever going to actually let me sleep," he grumbled. Tigerstar glared at him through amber slits. "You said you wanted to be unable to rely on anyone, this is how you will do it," the dead cat argued, flicking his tail. "Now, we will continue with battle moves. We will be learning the leap-and-hold technique followed with a counter move for the drop-and-roll." The apprentice dipped his head as Tigerstar demonstrated a hop followed with the unsheathing of his claws. "When facing a larger opponent, this could be useful."

Jaypaw continued to watch as Hawkfrost took hold of a vole and ripped straight through it's spine, allowing crisp crimson ichor cascade down its side. Grinning, he stared with slight hostility over at the convulsing apprentice before them. He began to nip at the vole, serrated ivories tearing through flesh. Tigerstar glanced approvingly at his son. "You must jump up," he continued. "Unsheathe your claws and cling to your foe's back. Do not let go. The barrage them with sharp jabs at the most sensitive pressure points. You can cause severe wounds if you do so. If you like, even death."

The apprentice's ear twitched. "But.. Tigerstar.. Firestar told me that though in battle, we must not attempt to 'kill' our enemy. Isn't that supposed to-" He was cut off by Tigerstar's growl," Firestar is weak and has kittypet blood coursing through his veins. Do you want to be delicate, fragile as a leaf?" Tigerstar sibilated. "No," Jaypaw sighed, his ears flattening. He avoided eye contact with such malevolence warrior. Looking over at Hawkfrost, he was returned with the same glare. He glanced down at his paws. I know Firestar's my leader… but it's true… he's a kittypet, like Tigerstar said. There's only one problem keeping me from believing that he is weak though. He had became leader and had defeated the one who took this great cat down. The pale gray tom contemplated. "As I was saying, if your foe does the same to you, you can drop and roll, then pin the other cat down to the ground. If your opponent does the move instead, you can kick out your hind legs, causing them to unbalance and fall. Now try the move against me."

Jaypaw bobbed his head, sliding out his claws. He dug them into the ground, keeping himself steady as he got into his now perfected battle stance. Hawkfrost observed from behind. He seemed quite impressed at this apprentice's quick learning. The gunmetal feline bounded up, grappling at Tigerstar's pelt. Catching onto a piece of fur, he slightly slid down, his body sagging. The cat beneath him started to wiggle, jolting in quick flicks. Through sheer stubbornness and determination, the smaller grimalkin bared his serrated molars and fought his way up, unsheathing his claws and digging them into Tigerstar's scapulas. Once the ghostly felis cactus attempted to roll him off, the apprentice kicked out his hind legs and added a small move with him stepping on the other's tail followed with his paws pinning the larger tom beneath him."StarClan and your clanmates may believe that you are too weak to become a warrior, but we think differently," the tabby leader mused, nodding his head and kicking off the pale gray feline's grip. "You will make an excellent warrior…"

Jaypaw smiled with pride at Tigerstar's compliment, when suddenly he heard a shout. "I need to go, clanmates are calling for me," he apologized. The other cat dipped his head in acceptance, then everything went dark. The press of a paw warmed his flank as he was silently shaken up. After his sleep, his muscles still felt slightly sore, but he was more relaxed even though there was training. Feeling Lionpaw's presence, the golden tom mewed," We are going hunting, Brightheart's waiting for you." The other apprentice yawned a bit, before stretching and following him outside. Scenting the warrior's scent, the slate colored feline joined his mentor before heading out.

Jaypaw padded wordlessly next to Brightheart, letting his paws trod up a slope and into the forest where he could feel various things. He could sense prey sleeping in their burrows while other cats obliviously continued their trot. Tipping his head, he scented the other various cats on the patrol, Lionpaw, Ashfur, Mousepaw, and Spiderleg. Catching another smell of Graystripe and Millie, the feline felt pleased of how well he could detect everything. A fallen tree had blocked his path, but he had surpassed it with ease that surprised a few grimalkins, even his mentor. The apprentice settled down along with the others once they reached their destinations. "Bet you can't slide in these leaves farther than I can," Lionpaw challenged Mousepaw, who replied back with a cocky mew," Oh, yes I can!" They competed against each other with both going various lengths. The blind tom stood up and stepped over to where they were brawling. Slipping into a flawless jumping position, he recalled Tigerstar's lesson. Let your legs spread and your body to slightly lean forward. When you jump, put all your strength in your hindquarters and tilt. Reminding himself to then tuck in his legs, he hopped up to an impressing height and closed his paws toward his body. Skidding along the fallen leaves, he found that he had slid farther than both of the other cats.

Lionpaw and Mousepaw stared at him, mouths slightly agape as to what caused Jaypaw's sudden boost of skill. The apprentice sensed an approaching cat, Hollypaw and Brackenfur. "What are you doing here?" his brother questioned his sister with surprised emotions aerating from the golden tom. "Meet my new apprentice!" Brackenfur introduced, head held up in pride as the black she-cat's ears flattened. Jaypaw listened to the praises and congratulations that were being passed including himself applauding," Nice to see that you left the boring job of a medicine cat. Welcome to the team." After more arguments and suggestions of the area to hunt, the group finally decided on the beech tree. He immediately dove after Brackenfur and sped up, paws leaping fluently over various obstacles. "Impressive, Jaypaw. I improved so much then the last time I saw you," Bightheart complimented, her words warming up his heart. The silvery tom dipped his head in thanks.

Weaving between an open space in the bracken, Jaypaw could clearly sense a mouse taking cover behind one trembling leaf. "Keep you tail still," Brackenfur instructed to Hollypaw, who's inky appendage was twitching with clear excitement. His sister apologized as Lionpaw hurriedly whispered," I see something!" There was a rattle of bracken followed with a terrified squeak and a thud of paws. The sable she-cat had felt elation again, causing the thicket to rattle and the mouse to leave in a horrified panic while the golden apprentice leaped for it. Unfortunately, he did not catch it in time.

"Too late! You scared it off!" Lionpaw accused in anger, snarling at Hollypaw. She flattened her ears, gaze downcast as she apologized once more. While they were having their little ruse, Jaypaw had sensed further tiny vibrations and heard the small scuffle of padded feet, rabbit. Placing his paws gently down in a hunting position, he stalked forward quickly, like a snake slithering in grass. A hunting technique he had learned from Hawkfrost. The white animal was average size, not too fat and not too skinny. It sniffed busily around the ground, oblivious of the apprentice's presence. Quick as thunder, he lunged out of his hiding spot and gave the killing nip. Picking the still warm limp oryctolagus cuniculus, he padded back to the group, hearing a snippet of Brackenfur's orders,"...from its burrow for the rest of the-" The warrior cut himself off as he spotted the blind tom with a kill in his jaws. "Excellent job, Jaypaw," he praised, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

After a few more attempts, there was a decent amount of prey. Lionpaw caught a mouse, Ashfur caught a vole, Mousepaw caught a sparrow, and Hollypaw finally caught a wood mouse after a few failed attempts. Jaypaw had also added a tiny thrush to his rabbit. When they were heading back to camp, Brightheart drew her apprentice to the side. "I don't know how you did it, but you improved so much. I am very proud of you. I think it's time for some battle training at last," she mewed, a grin cracking on her torn face.