Gray Wing led his apprentice into the forest. He was out to give him his first assessment now that Fire Heart was halfway through his training. He would be a warrior soon.
Gray Wing felt uncomfortable in the forest, just as he always did. He couldn't run without tripping over a bramble every other step or swerving out of the way of a tree. The air was full of so many different smells and noises- it was so overwhelming.
At least Fire Heart seemed at ease in this environment. "What'd you suppose I'll be able to catch?" He asked.
"Whatever you can. But I'm sure you'll be able to catch anything!" Gray Wing meowed, encouragingly.
Suddenly, a screech sounded in the distance. Gray Wing stiffened but Fire Heart shrugged. "It's probably ThunderClan. They're weird like that."
"No, no! That sounded like Moon Shadow! Again! C'mon!" The two took off and sure enough found Moon Shadow wrestling with ThunderClan cats.
"Of course he'd be the one to get into trouble," Fire Heart commented.
Gray Wing pulled Dustpaw off while Fire Heart pulled Runningwind off with difficulty. And again they were on ThunderClan's side. "Okay, this has gotta stop!" Runningwind spat. "He attacks us for no reason when all we do is mark our borders."
Moon Shadow shrugged carelessly. "Like I said, I'm just making sure you stay on your side."
"Wow," Bluefur, the third cat on the patrol, meowed, rolling her icy blue eyes.
"Come on," Gray Wing muttered, embarrassed at the ThunderClan cats' unimpressed stares of Moon Shadow's logic. He led his Clanmates away, wishing more than anything to claw Moon Shadow.
But he was the calm one. So he resisted.
The duo hurried out of camp and to Sandy Hollow. Tigerclaw wasn't there yet, so they sat and waited.
"Are you worried about the assessment?" Graypaw asked Ravenpaw. The older tom was pacing back and forth, nervously. "There's no need to be. Since you're Tigerclaw's apprentice, he must be a great mentor."
"Sure," Ravenpaw muttered.
"Sit down then," Graypaw urged. "You'll wear yourself out before we even get started."
By the time Tigerclaw had arrived, it was noon. The clouds had thinned into soft white puffballs. The sky was blue beneath.
Tigerclaw nodded to them. "Lionheart and I have taught you how to hunt, and you've both grown decent," he growled. "Today, you'll show me exactly what you've learned."
The two apprentices exchanged glances. One excited and one anxious as always.
"Ravenpaw, you'll go to Snakerocks. Graypaw, you'll go to the Thunderpath."
Graypaw sighed in disappointment.
"Remember, I'll be watching you," Tigerclaw finished.
Ravenpaw was the first to hurry off toward Snakerocks. Tigerclaw waited a moment, then followed, leaving Graypaw behind.
Graypaw took one look at the direction they went and left to his location, muttering, "good night, Ravenpaw."
A movement caught his eye. A blackbird was pecking in the pine needles. Fire Heart dropped into a crouch, keeping his weight light. The blackbird didn't notice him until Fire Heart pounced. He killed it swiftly.
Out of the corner of his eye he realized he was near the border and spotted Snakerocks, a landmark of ThunderClan. To his surprise and shock, the nervous black apprentice, Ravenpaw was on top of the pile of rocks, fighting a snake for a mouse!
The snake lunged out with a hiss but Ravenpaw leaped back with a hiss and swatted it over the head, knocking it out. Ravenpaw lunged and killed it quickly. He looked at his catch in disbelief before he jumped off the rocks to safety.
"Wow! Amazing catch!" Fire Heart called.
Ravenpaw jumped and turned to see Fire Heart. He blinked shyly at him. "Th-thanks."
"How'd you do that?"
"Um," Ravenpaw shrugged. "Skill?"
Fire Heart laughed and the ThunderClan apprentice joined in. "Anyway, I should get going. Don't wanna keep Tigerclaw waiting…"
"See you!"
Fire Heart watched the black tom leave, still in awe. He would have never been able to dodge snakes! He was lucky to not be Ravenpaw. Shaking his head in wonder, Fire Heart went back to his hunt.
When Ravenpaw returned with the snake, Tigerclaw's eyes practically bulged out of his head. Not only because of the snake but because of the fact that he was back first. And alive at all.
"Y-you're the first one back," Tigerclaw stammered, regaining his composure. Ravenpaw wondered if he would attempt murder on him right then and there now that they were alone. After all, Ravenpaw knew his biggest, darkest secret.
Finally Graypaw arrived and Tigerclaw helped them carry their loads. Graypaw was staring at the snake in shock. When they entered camp, Ravenpaw received similar reactions from the rest of his Clanmates.
"You two are going to the gathering," Thistlestar grunted, but looked faintly impressed at the sight of the snake as the two apprentices deposited their load. Graypaw gave a bounce.
Ravenpaw didn't. He didn't like Gatherings. They were big. And loud.
Tigerclaw looked annoyed.
I do like writing Moon Shadow. Next up is the Gathering. More drama on the way!