Chapter six: Scars
"Come on Tigerpaw! It's time for training!"
Goldenpaw seemed to be calling from outside the den. "Okay... Just a few more heartbeats..." Tigerpaw murmured sleepily. Some cat's paws seemed to be getting closer to his nest. "A real warrior doesn't mope around needing rest! GET UP!" Tigerpaw's head shot up from his nest to see Thistleclaw standing over him. His mentor hissed. "What are you waiting for?!" Tigerpaw began stammering, "S-sorry Thistleclaw... I th-thought you were some other ca-" Thistleclaw's paw slammed into his head. "I don't care!" He spat. "GET INTO THE CLEARING NOW!" Tigerpaw ran like lightning into the clearing, his head still spinning from the blow his mentor gave him. Dawn was only just starting. Huh?... I didn't oversleep... Tigerpaw shrugged and turned to see Thistleclaw hissing at the other apprentices to get up, except to Snowpaw, who he gently murmured as a wake up call.
Tigerpaw rolled his eyes. It was getting obvious that his mentor was falling in love with Snowpaw. It was very likely they would become mates. Although he liked Snowpaw's sister Bluepaw the same way he liked rolling in badger droppings, even if he didn't show that emotion as clearly. And what about you and Goldenpaw? What if you became mates- Thistleclaw's voice cut into Tigerpaw's thought."Okay everyone! I'm going to wake up your mentors now so don't go anywhere all right?"
When the group if apprentices and mentors were together in the clearing, Stonepelt, Bluepaw's mentor, yawned and stretched. "You're in charge for now Thistleclaw. What are we going to do today?" Thistleclaw's grey and white fur shone even in the faint light that showed in through the trees. "We are going to do some battle practice. Snowpaw's, Bluepaw's and the rest of the apprentices' assessments are going to be soon right? Well, except Tigerpaw. Anyways, they need as much practice as they can get in fighting. As for you Tigerpaw, you need to start learning anyways, so let's go everyone!" A small nag of disappointment weighed Tigerpaw down. He didn't want the apprentices to leave yet! Especially Goldenpaw... He sighed. Padding after the other cats, he followed them to the sandy hollow where they trained for battle.
"So, Bluepaw and Snowpaw, since you two have been apprentices the longest, you can show the other apprentices some moves. Have you learned the half-turn belly rake?" Swiftbreeze was talking to the two sisters. Bluepaw and Snowpaw nodded. Swiftbreeze twitched her tail to Bluepaw. "You show them." Bluepaw crouched down, eyes narrowing. With a sudden dash, she ducked, turned, twisted, and raked her hind claws against the belly of an invisible warrior. Tigerpaw's eyes widened. "Woah! I wanna try that!" It was Lionpaw who spoke the words out loud, although Tigerpaw's mind had been saying the same thing. "Sure." Bluepaw purred. "Remember, when you twis-" before Bluepaw could say more, Lionpaw had shot forward, ducked, twisted, and banged her chin on the ground. "Ouch!" Lionpaw winced. Tigerpaw sighed. I bet I could do better...
"Okay Goldenpaw. It's your turn to try it on Bluepaw." The apprentices had been training for a while now, still focusing on the half-turn belly rake. At once Goldenpaw crouched, sprang, ducked as a sheathed paw swung towards her, twisted, and raked soft paws under Bluepaw's belly. She than shot up onto Blupaw's back. Bluepaw shook her off, and aimed a well-timed blow at Goldenpaw's ear... With claws unsheathed. Tigerpaw didn't even have time to hiss in shock when Goldenpaw shrieked, more with surprise than pain, but it sounded as if the world exploded in Tigerpaw's mind. Bluepaw gasped. "Goldenpaw! I'm... I... I don't know... Why I did that... I'm so sorry!" Goldenpaw's mentor Dappletail was at her apprentice's side immediately. "Bluepaw! What did you that for?" Bluepaw still look stunned. "I just... I don't know..." Thistleclaw sighed. "I guess that's it for today. Come on everyone. Let's go back to camp." Tigerpaw shot Bluepaw a glare full of hatred before he padded out of camp.
I'll never forgive you Bluepaw!
Wheee! A reason Tigerpaw doesn't like Bluepaw any more than his mentor does! Please review! :)