Chapter17: Smokepaw
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!" Blackstar's call awakened Smokepaw from her rest in the apprentices' den.
Smokepaw walked into the clearing, yawning. She sat next to Neetletail and asked, "What's happening?"
"Do you ever pay attention?" Neetletail purred in reply. With a start Smokepaw realized that it was Vinekit, Yewkit, and Hollowkit's apprentice ceremony. The three Ivytail's kits and they were six moons old that day.
"Vinekit, Yewkit, Hollowkit, step forward." The three kits bounded up to their white leader. "These kits have reached the age of six moons, and I asked StarClan to watch over them as they train to be a warrior. Vinekit, from this day forward until she has earned her warrior name she shall be known as Vinepaw. Her mentor shall be Crowfrost." The gray tabby apprentice bounded over to her mentor and touched noses, green eyes shining. "Yewkit, from this day forward until she has earned her warrior name, she shall be known as Yewpaw. Her mentor shall be Olivenose." Yewpaw's yellow eyes shined as the light gray apprentice did the same as her sister. "Hollowkit, from this day forward until he receives his warrior name, he is to be known as Hollowpaw. I will be his mentor." The black tom seemed shocked for a heartbeat, then he touched noses with Blackstar.
"Sorry you didn't get to be a full mentor today, Neetletail." The gray apprentice said as she walked to the training clearing.
Neetletail purred. "Blackstar asked me if I'd like to be a mentor, but I told him that I had to finish up you're training, first."
Smokepaw felt bad. "You didn't need to do that! Pinenose could finish."
"No, I felt I must. It's as much my responsibility." Neetletail stated.
They arrived in the training clearing to practice battle moves. They both knew that they needed to practice for when they would come across the rogues again.
"Ready for some sparring?" Neetletail asked. Smokepaw responded with a nod.
The two began circling each other. Smokepaw was awake of Hollowpaw and Blackstar watching her, and intended to do extra well. Suddenly, Neetletail lunged at her. She heard Hollowpaw gasp, but she dodged to the side and leaped on Neetletail before he could turn. Neetletail tried to shake her off as she pummeled him with sheathed claws. Neetletail flipped over, squashing Smokepaw. He rolled over and pinned her. Smokepaw clawed at Neetletail's exposed belly, and he got off her just as he would in a real fight. Smokepaw leaped back. She aimed for his shoulders and lunged, but went to the side and clawed Neetletail's flank. He whipped around, but Smokepaw had already disappeared. Neetletail moved cautiously forward, looking for her. She let out an earsplitting yowl and dropped down on the warrior using a tactic she saw the rogues use. This winded Neetletail and Smokepaw pinned his shoulders and brought her teeth around his neck.
"Dead," She announced, letting Neetletail up.
"That was amazing!" Hollowpaw exclaimed.
Blackstar nodded. "You did a great job, just as you did for the battle with the rogues."
Smokepaw puffed out her chest at the praise.
"Yea and you used that same tactic that rogues did to get the drop on us, although they did it at the start of the battle. It's kind of like what ThunderClan does, but they aren't sneaky enough to get up there in the middle of the fight!" Neetletail purred.
Hollowpaw crouched down like he was facing an invisible enemy. "You have to show me that move! You're so fast." Hollowpaw's eyes gleamed with admiration.
Blackstar nodded, eyes gleaming. "Maybe we could join in? Hollowpaw does need to start battle training."
Neetletail nodded. "That'd be great. Smokepaw, show us that move again."
Smokepaw nodded. "Okay, well, I distracted him than I ran behind him…" Smokepaw demonstrated on Neetletail. "Then, while he was recovering, I ran up the tree." Smokepaw jumped up a couple of branches, but she was still in view. "Of course, he could see me, but who would look up?" She dropped down on Neetletail for emphasis.
"Wow!" Hollowpaw exclaimed as Smokepaw and Neetletail stood up. "Let me try!"
Blackstar and Hollowpaw faced each other. Hollowpaw ran sheathed claws down Blackstar's flank as he ran. Hollowpaw quickly jumped three branches up. While Blackstar was distracted, Hollowpaw leaped down on top of the leader. The force of the blow wasn't enough to knock him over, but it certainly winded him. Hollowpaw got off Blackstar.
"Excellent!" The white tom exclaimed. "The Clan always needs great fighters. Especially now," The old leader added solemnly.
Hollowpaw looked confused.
"There are rogues invading." Smokepaw quickly explained.
Hollowpaw snorted. "Mere rogues? Then why is everyone so anxious? We can easily beat them. We're Clan cats!"
"They may have been too, at some point," Smokepaw muttered.
"Huh?" Hollowpaw questioned.
Smokepaw looked up. "Oh, nothing, nothing at all."
Hollowpaw nodded slowly. "Hey, Blackstar! Can we go hunting?"
Blackstar looked at Neetletail. "You know, I would have given him to you as an apprentice," He whispered, but Smokepaw still heard it.
Neetletail nodded. "I understand. Smokepaw and I can teach him some hunting tricks if you have the Clan you need to attend to."
Blackstar's eyes shined with gratitude, and he left to go back to camp.
"Okay, Hollowpaw. Smokepaw is going to show you the hunting crouch." Neetletail informed him. Hollowpaw was shaking with excitement. Smokepaw lowered herself into the hunter's crouch. "That is an almost perfect hunting crouch, except, Smokepaw, you need to roll yourself back a little more on your hunches to build more power for your leap." Smokepaw nodded as she fixed her hunting crouch. "Why don't you try, Hollowpaw?"
Hollowpaw nodded and copied Smokepaw's perfected crouch. Neetletail nudged him more into place. "As I said to Smokepaw, you need to roll yourself back onto your hunches more; it would give you more power when you leap. That's it! Now, how about we go hunting?"
Hollowpaw's eyes widened. For how much he had learned, Smokepaw was surprised when she realized that this was still only his first day.
They went deeper into ShadowClan territory. Suddenly, Hollowpaw perked his ears and scented the air. He flicked his tail to signal prey, and Smokepaw and Neetletail stopped. Hollowpaw did just as he was supposed to, he watched his surrounds, crept forward lightly, and approached from downwind. He even did a perfect hunter's crouch. Smokepaw was amazed, when the young apprentice was in range, he leaped and landed squarely on the mouse and broke it's spine. When he turned around, Neetletail and Smokepaw were both gaping at him.
"What?" He asked sarcastically.
"How did you do that?" Neetletail questioned.
Hollowpaw shrugged. "It just came to me."
Smokepaw narrowed her eyes and congratulated Hollowpaw.
When they got back to camp, Neetletail gave them permission to eat and padded off to Blackstar's den.
"Wanna just share this?" Hollowpaw asked.
We're just friends. Smokepaw told herself as she settled down with Hollowpaw.
Several warriors came up to them. "Did Hollowpaw actually catch that mouse?" One asked.
Smokepaw nodded as Hollowpaw stared at the ground in embarrassment.
"Wow! And it's just his first time out of camp."
"He's a fast learner." The warriors padded off.
"Today was a good day, huh?" Hollowpaw asked as they dug into their prey.
Smokepaw nodded. I wonder if I should tell him. There is just something about him… The moves he was demonstrating in training today were that of seasoned warriors. Not even a "fast learner" can be that good. Smokepaw decided to ask her ancestors during her dreams tonight.
When it was time to get some sleep, there were three new nests in the apprentices' den. Vinepaw and Yewpaw had made Hollowpaw a nest when they made their own. Smokepaw settled down in her own nest, and, to Smokepaw's annoyance, Hollowpaw moved his own closer. Their nests were so close, their pelts were practically touching. Smokepaw sighed and drifted off.
Smokepaw found herself in a pine forest. At the other end of the clearing was a familiar pelt.
"Littlecloud!" She called as she raced over.
Littlecloud purred. "It's good to see you again, Smokepaw. I believe there is something you wished to ask me?"
"Well… yes. It's about Hollowpaw…" Smokepaw started.
"Yes, there is something about Hollowpaw, I understand, but let your memories tell you." Littlecloud cut in.
Smokepaw closed her eyes. For a moment, nothing happened. Smokepaw was plunged into scenes of a young black tom that looked a lot like Hollowpaw but who was the age of a warrior. The scenes took place at what Smokepaw assumed to be The Old Forest, according to the elders. The New Hunting Grounds, a voice whispered in Smokepaw's ears. She watched how the tom moved the same as Hollowpaw. Suddenly, it hit her. Hollowpaw was from the past! I should tell Hollowpaw… She thought. Give it time. I still need to ask the others. She decided to wait, and as the world faded into darkness one name echoed in her mind.
Jackdaw's Cry…