Soulpaw
I thrashed around in the stream, trying to grab a branch or something. Lightpaw was even more mouse-brained than I thought. Did she think that I was going to drown myself?
My eyes stung from the water and my vision was blurry. But that didn't stop me from seeing an easy-to-reach bank up ahead. I grabbed ahold of it and lifted myself. I was in an unfamiliar area with no warriors or help with me. How bad could this be?
So mouse-brained. Why can't I swim like all of the other RiverClan cats? Because you're not pure RiverClan, maybe not even RiverClan at all.
I looked around. Some trees, and prey. Prey! I didn't even realize that I was starving. I saw a squirrel over near a tree. I used what little I had learned and started to creep up from behind the squirrel. I pounced and...
"What do you think you're doing?"
I stopped mid-pounce and fell to the ground. The squirrel ran into a red-colored she-cat's claws and met its fate. She looked at me with narrowed eyes.
"This is our hunting grounds, stray. Now scram," she ordered. I shrunk under her intense glare.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little lost," I confessed.
The she-cat scoffed. "Lost? Here? You must have come a long way." She examined me. "Say, you do look quite young to be wandering alone. Where did you come from?"
"I come from RiverClan. Where did you come from?" I inquired.
The she-cat looked confused. "RiverClan? Never heard of it. I come from the Tribe of Clear Skies, little one."
I cocked my head. "Really? So you don't use the same naming process?"
"Naming process? What did they name you?" The she-cat asked.
"Soulpaw. I'm only an apprentice."
The she-cat blinked. "So, all apprentices in your Clan have the word 'paw' in them?"
I nodded. "Exactly. Then it changes once you get to be a warrior or a medicine cat."
The she-cat looked puzzled once more. "Come again?"
So she doesn't know about the Clan traditions. Just great.
"You know what? Just never mind. By the way, I never got your name." I meowed.
"Hm? Oh, forgive me. I wasn't taught to introduce myself to trespassers." The sarcasm was clear in her voice. "But you seem alright. Just don't go talking about it, ok?"
"Of course, but I don't think my Clan would know you anyway," I agreed.
"The name's Hunter That Waits For Prey," she announced.
I blinked. "What?"
The she-cat laughed. "Just call me Hunter."
What kind of name was that? What was the point of having a long name when you're just going to make it a short one?
"Wow, that's a complex name," I observed.
Hunter shook her head. "Not for me, it isn't."
I looked down. Wait, I still needed to ask for some directions to get back home!
"I know you don't know where the Clans are, but could you point me in the right direction?" I asked.
Hunter rolled her eyes in annoyance. "As I told you, I don't know where you came from. But... maybe Skywatcher could help you."
"Who?"
"Our leader, and my mother," Hunter answered.
Before I could reply, I heard thunder in the sky. Really loud thunder. I knew what that meant. I remember when I first heard it when I was out hunting with Rosedapple.
*Boom*
I flinched. What in StarClan was that? I felt rain tickle my fur. I looked around for my mentor.
"Rosedapple?" I yowled with rising fear. Nothing.
It's okay, I told myself. I know where the camp is. As I started to backtrack to the camp, I thought about happy things to calm me down. Memories of me and my sister, Lightpaw. I remembered when we used to play together as kits. But as soon as we left the nursery behind, Lightpaw suddenly wanted to be the best at everything. And she was. Perfect little Lightpaw. Splashflight couldn't be more proud. I'm always-
*Crack*
A huge light of some sort lit up the sky, sending me running straight to the camp. That was the most fear I've ever felt in my life.
Too bad even worse was to come as Hunter guided me to her camp.
