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I realized I didn't add a Skyclan mediator to the allegiances. :P
So here's the meditators (There's two):
Leafflower - a pale gray she-cat spotted with white, pale brown, and black and gold eyes.
Beesong - a pale sandy ginger she-cat with black stripes down her back and green eyes.
Continuing with the story…
Chapter 6
Blossompaw's POV
"It's okay, Blossompaw. Try again."
We had been doing this for half a moon and I still haven't gotten the hang of hunting. Fighting, fishing, swimming, sure, but not hunting! Why hunting? Grumbling, I slowly picked myself up. That cheeky mouse! If it just stayed still for a bit longer…
No, Blossompaw, I silently scolded myself, prey don't just stay still and wait for you to catch them. How stupid are you? I raised my head only to meet Swallowheart's disappointed gaze. "This time," he said, "Think about what you did wrong. What did you do wrong, Blossompaw?"
My ear twitched as I thought about it, "Err…" I mewed uncertainly, shuffling my paws, looking around frantically to see if there were any clues. And to my luck, there was. One essential one.
Lakepaw.
He was stomping loudly and, occasionally, glancing my way with his blind eyes before his mentor, Nightstalker, almost screamed at him for scaring away all the prey. Swallowheart glanced at the now, well, playful arguing (I did hear some rumors that Nightstalker was the most kit-ish warrior around, really playful. I don't think he can beat Vipersong's record of the most pranks, but still,) and turned his gaze back on me. "Well?"
I didn't know if it was really a clue, but if it was, I was going to take it. We were supposed to step softly when catching a mouse because, quoting Swallowheart, 'they will hear you before they see you.' "I was not putting my paws down softly enough?" I guessed.
Swallowheart's nodded in with approval. "Correct. Now, try to catch that mouse that was somehow stupid enough to come back, cause it's probably blind or deaf," he flicked his tail at that mouse that I had failed to catch the first time. It had returned to its nut and was chewing happily on it, "while I sort out this mess with Hissingstep and Goldsong." Hissingstep and Goldsong were already trying to make the apprentice and mentor, who had somehow started wrestling, apart. Swallowheart leaped into the fray and, well, tried to help them.
I snickered softly under my breath. Not like it was making any difference.
Sighing quietly, I crouched and pinpointed that mouse, who was a few fox-lengths away from us, trying to put my paws down lightly.
And guess what? I stepped on a dumb stick lying on the ground. It had to be there right now.
The mouse leaped up, alerted by the sound (well, at least that proved the mouse wasn't deaf,) and started to scurry away. I leaped up from my crouch and ran after it dodging trees and bushes. Well, it led me into a bush, where I finally caught it (Trust me, this was the first piece of prey I've ever gotten.) Sadly, it was a thorn bush. Why was everything bad to me today? Starclan must be up there laughing at me right now!
I returned to them with my pelt full of deeply embedded thorns and a limp and mangled mouse in my jaws.
Let's just say that I'm more efficient at breaking up a fight than three warriors.
Nightstalker was the first to see me and collapsed in laughter, rolling around on the floor. I hissed at him, pelt bushed out, and dropped the mouse. No matter how bad my hunting skills were, I still had some fighting skills…
Lakepaw sat up, confused at why his mentor stopped wrestling with him. "What happened? Please tell me!" Nightstalker was too busy laughing to answer him.
Swallowheart turned toward me with a confused look on his face that, unfortunately, didn't stay on long. His eyes grew wide and he slapped his tail over his muzzle, "Err… Hi, B—Blossompaw. Nice f–first catch. Did that aggressive Skyclan mediator teach you how to become bush today?" he stammered, before collapsing on the ground beside Nightstalker and bursting in laughter.
To make the long story short, Hissingstep, Goldsong, and Lakepaw were more kind to me than my own mentor. My own mentor. Hmph.
I curled up in my nest in the apprentices den, poultices and cobwebs covering my body. Rootsong had only let me out of the medicine cat den because I pleaded him to. He wasn't happy, but he obeyed because the injuries weren't too harsh. All the other apprentices were asleep, but I stayed awake, watching the moon rise up.
The moonlight peeked into the apprentice's den, painting my pelt a beautiful glowing silver color. It was almost full moon, when the Gathering would take place, though I doubt I'll be going, since my hunting skills are so bad. Streampaw (Yes, I was ignoring Creekflower's demand for me to avoid her son. As if I weren't her daughter. Of course, she doesn't think I am. To be honest, I wish I was like Streampaw. He's good at everything. No wonder Creekflower only likes him,) and Stormpaw taunted me about it playfully. I know that they were just teasing, and when I miss prey, they would comfort me about it for a while, but that still stung. Surprisingly, Dustpaw has been staying silent from me for the past moon that I had been an apprentice. Thank Starclan. I didn't want his muzzle interfering with my hunting problem.
I glanced at the moon one more time before closing my eyes. I could keep working on my hunting skills tomorrow. If only there weren't kidnappers out on the loose. Then maybe I could go out by myself and practice…
Little did I know, when I fell asleep, that someone was still awake, and watching me.
Dustpaw's POV
I know that I should apologize. I really know. Watching as she fell asleep with a sad aura enclosed around her was enough for me. Did I really make her that upset? I haven't said anything to her in this past moon, shouldn't she be happier by now?
Maybe she'll be happier if you apologize, that little voice snapped at me, right now you are just lagging around refusing to apologize to her. Is it really that hard?
Yes, I mumbled back, Yes, it is. I'm not ready yet. I'll apologize when I am ready.
When you're ready, the voice huffed, When you're ready. Hmph. It stayed silent after that, but the tension was still there, deep in my mind.
I finally stood up, too restless to sleep. I'll go out into the forest for a while, I decided, Surely no one will miss me.
Blossompaw's POV
Starclan really does hate me, don't they?
I tumble and leap through the camp clearing, Blossomkit again, with Streamkit by my side. Creekflower was watching us play happily, chatting with Whitesong as if nothing bad had happened in a long time, no her abandoning me, nor cats disappearing, and laughing as she and Whitesong watch Twigblossom chase Dustkit, Heatherkit, and Ivykit around camp. Dustkit, Heatherkit, and Ivykit ran by a few times, pleading us to save them from the ferocious grasp of their mother, but like always, we watch them amusingly as Twigblossom tried to make them get into their nest in the nursery and actually nap. It was really interesting to watch, since they always split up and ran crazy around camp and no one lifted a paw to help their poor mother. Really poor indeed. Stormkit, Leopardkit, and Owlkit were already napping, but Creekflower didn't seem to have any plans to force me and Streamkit into the nursery. Yet. No one could predict the unpredictableness of the evilness of naps will strike.
Streamkit had stopped for a second when Twigblossom finally caught her kits and was watching Dustkit pout at him. The other kits, courtesy of their poor mother, were being quiet as Twigblossom somehow ushered them into the nursery. Streamkit had turned his back on me and wasn't paying attention to me anymore. I grinned. Never leave yourself unguarded.
I leaped onto Streamkit and pinned him down in laughter. One of my favorite games, even though it was kind of pointless. Streamkit squirmed underneath me, laughing. I grinned at him, for it was funny to see him so small under my paws. Like I was leader and he was deputy. Hah. Fat chance. Streamkit'll be leader before I could even blink my eyes.
I wish this could never end. This was perfect, just like how it was before…
Sadly, it did.
The scene faded as fast as it came.
Now darkness surrounded me. Everyone was gone. Streamkit, Creekflower, Dustkit, Ivykit, Heatherkit, I mean everyone.
It was just me now.
I smelled a weird choking smell all around me, and I tried to make myself smaller in fright, but it didn't work. I leaped in terror as I saw small red dots hiding in the shadows.
Eyes. Red eyes.
I turned tail on the eyes and ran, though I swear that I could feel those eyes chasing me. The air beside me started growing thicker and thicker, trying to suffocate me.
Invisible claws closed around my throat, cutting off my air source.
Suffocating.
Alone.
Nothing.
I woke up in cold sweat, shooting up from my nest and looking around wildly.
That's when I noticed Streampaw and Dustpaw were gone.
Streampaw's POV
I woke up to rustling. I peeked open one eye to see what was happening.
Dustpaw had stood up and was slowly slinking out of the den. Suspicious. I quietly stood up and sneaked after him right after he left the apprentice's den. He looked around nervously before exiting the camp.
Suspicious. Very suspicious.
I slinked after him, crawling bush to bush. Then I jumped out on him.
Dustpaw shrieked in fright and leaped backwards, colliding with a tree and collapsing onto the ground. "Leave me alone, please!"
I laughed at him, "Who do you think I am, Emberbird? Calm down, doofus."
Dustpaw finally noticed it was me and sat back up, steeling himself, "What are you doing out here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," I shot back playfully.
Dustpaw's ear twitched. "True," he conceded.
"Let's go hunt, doofus," I mewed, turning my back on him, "Why else would be out here? Better go back with a good reason.
Dustpaw's POV
I couldn't even express how long it took them to find us. Of course, it's better if they don't find us, I'm not complaining, but still. Streampaw and I had caught at least eight pieces of prey by the time they even noticed we were gone, most likely.
You weren't supposed to be out, said that annoying voice.
I don't care, I hissed back.
And, also, of course snobby Emberbird had to be on the patrol.
"You are lucky that Blossompaw saw you were missing," he drawled on, "What if the kidnappers caught you? You could be dead right now!"
I'd rather be dead right now than listen to bothersome you, I thought venomously at him, and Blossompaw, always sticking her nose into everything.
Lightningstrike sighed, "Give them some slack, Emberbird. Besides, look on the bright side, they got prey! Nowadays, with our super big patrol, we barely see any prey. Even the fishes darted away. These will feed almost the whole clan."
"Yeah, Emberbird, give them some slack," Vipersong crowed, "They got some prey! And fish! Emberbird, if I didn't know better, I would assume you were living under a rock!"
"SHUT UP!" Emberbird screamed.
"I can't wait to see Emberbird's face when Vipersong becomes Viperstar," Streampaw mumbled gleefully in my ear, "They're practically mortal enemies, just like the legendary Firestar and that evil Tigerstar."
"How could you be happy at this time?" I hissed back.
Streampaw shrugged, "I'm just optimistic, I guess," he mewed.
Everyone was staring at us when we came back into camp, like everyone. Literally, it's still nighttime! How loudly did Blossompaw yowl?
Speaking of Blossompaw… the voice mumbled softly. I ignored it.
Shimmerstar was already sitting on top of Highstump, a look of disappointment plastered on her face. I bowed my head in front of her, ashamed.
"Well, I know that I should ban you from the Gathering and make you do elder duty for a moon," Shimmerstar began. Streampaw's eyes filled with panic at the word 'Gathering', but I held a little bit of hope. She said I know, not I will, "But since you have brought back a lot of food back to the clan, I will allow you to go to the Gathering," Streampaw's panic faded, "But you still have to do elder duty for a moon. Meeting dismissed," Shimmerstar finished shortly.
As we dispersed from under Highstump, I bumped into Blossompaw. She leaped up in surprise, before turning around to meet me, "Hi," she mewed warily.
I rounded on her, "Why did you report us," I hissed, "We were going to be back before dawn."
Her eyes suddenly flared up with anger. "I wasn't going to take the risk of my brother and his 'dear friend' to those cats," she spat back.
Now, the voice warned, don't make this worse…
"Well, you shouldn't have," I growled, "Stop sticking your nose into every corner."
Blossompaw froze, her body trembling, "Leave me alone!" she hissed, "I don't want to talk to you!" She turned back and ran. I watched her leave.
Look what've you done, the voice sighed.
I just stood there, shocked. What did I just do?
A/N: Next chapter is probably going to be Blossompaw's POV. Please leave a review down below!
See you,
Ravenyfrost.