Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

    It had been quite a lot of moons since Willowpaw had been apprenticed, and things had gotten so much worse. She woke up early that morning. One thing Willowpaw had noticed was how strong she was. She was stronger than almost all the other apprentices, except Icepaw and Direpaw. At the thought of Direpaw, Willowpaw sighed. He had been messing with her extremely badly the last couple of moons. Though, her and Icepaw had still grown ever closer.
Willowpaw yawned as she stretched in her nest. She was used to maneuvering her paws around the cramped den space so she would never wake any of her denmates with an accidental tail flick or a missed step. She had also grown a reputation for having the quietest paws in the clan. She could walk over almost any surface without a sound.

As Willowpaw stepped out of the den she took a deep breath. I have an important assessment today. Let's hope Bloodclaw doesn't accidentally kill me..She thought with sarcasm. Bloodclaw had been absolutely tortuous the past moons! And I pray to Starclan Direpaw could leave me alone for just one day! She thought with annoyance. She was getting tired of these two cats quickly. She looked down from the dusky dawn sky over to the nursery. Leaffall will be having her kit any day now. And Fiercekit and Mountainkit are bigger now, walking and talking and running and jumping. Hawkwing is also expecting. She started around the same time Leaffall did, so she'll be expecting any day now too!  She thought. As her trail of thought finished, Willowpaw began to pad towards the thorn tunnel. Passing the night guard, Spottail, she saw him give her a sympathetic look. Bloodclaw would have her out of camp earlier than any of her clanmates every dawn so she could battle train with him. Though this made her stronger than almost all her fellow apprentices, Willowpaw was usually pretty tired by late sun high.

As she padded through the forest, Willowpaw looked through the trees towards the rising sun. It would be another warm day of green leaf, not great for working in though. Green leaf is only going to get hotter. She thought. As Willowpaw came to the training hollow, she stopped at the edge of the trees, just barely hidden from view. She widened her eyes in fear when she saw a rogue seemingly having a casual chat with her mentor. She recognized the rogue as a tom named Otter. He had been bothering the clans lately and was very dangerous. What could he possibly be doing with Bloodclaw!? She wondered in alarm. She strained to listen but they were too far away. When Otter didn't leave after some heartbeats, Willowpaw got the courage to step into the clearing. She saw Otter lift his gaze to look past her mentor and at her.
"Who is this?" She heard him snarl. Bloodclaw turned around with a smile on his face and a cold look in his eyes.
"This is my apprentice, Willowpaw. She trains with me every dawn before any of her other apprentices. She has become one of the best in her rank." He said with a flash of pride glowing in his eyes. Not for me, but for himself. She thought seeing past the fake outer layer.
"Bloodclaw, she seems like a fine apprentice. Do you think she would be a good addition among.." Otter said, the last part of his sentence hushed. She saw Bloodclaw pause for a moment.
"She needs more discipline first. She's a very strong and obedient cat. She would benefit us, but she's attached to a certain apprentice." Bloodclaw said. He's speaking like I'm not here! She thought.
"Bloodclaw what is this rogue doing he-" Willowpaw was cut off as Bloodclaw spun around and hit her with his paw. She bent her gaze away from him submissively. Her cheek stung from where he had hit her, but Willowpaw showed no sign that it hurt, keeping a blank face. Anger bubbled inside her. After a moment, she sat down and continued to watch and listen silently. Otter had a look of impressment on his face.
"She does seem very obedient. But does she have the skills?" He asked. Bloodclaw sneered while looking at her.
"Oh she has the skill. Want to see?" He said. Otter nodded. Bloodclaw got up and faced her.
"On your paws, let's show my friend your battle training skills. Do not embarass me, mouse-brained she-cat.." He murmured the last part at the end, but Willowpaw heard it. Bloodclaw padded to the middle of the clearing. Willowpaw followed him and faced him head on at the center as well.
"Ok, show me what you would do if you needed to kill this cat before you." Otter said, his voice rang out clearly in the sandy hollow. Kill? Why?! She thought. But if I don't do what he says, he'll probably kill me... She thought. Willowpaw braced herself, stiffening as she locked her gaze on her mentor. Bloodclaw had a different look in his eyes than he usually did. There was a lust in there, a lust for fighting and bloodshed. Willowpaw swallowed her fear, wanting to be brave. She took a deep breath, then began to run towards him. Bloodclaw watched her movements carefully, but she remembered her training. She held her mentor's gaze as she ran to the side of him. Bloodclaw spun around to face her but Willowpaw was quicker. She had already darted behind him. She leaped up on his back and began to roughly cuff at his ears. She felt Bloodclaw try to roll over to squish her but she leaped off before he had the chance. Once he had his underbelly revealed, Willowpaw saw opportunity and leaped on him, pinning him to the ground. She imitated clawing and ripping at his underbelly, finally pretending to close her jaws around his throat, then ripping her head to the side, imitating tearing his throat out. A move I taught myself! Willowpaw thought. She stepped off her mentor and stood off to his side as he got up. He sat close beside her as he straightened himself.
"That was extremely well done Willowpaw. I must say, I'm impressed. Bloodclaw, you've taught her well." Otter said. She felt her mentor glow with pride, though Willowpaw didn't feel anything but guilt. Why is Otter here? He's a danger to the clans themselves! I don't want his pride in me! She thought.
"Good job Willowpaw." Bloodclaw murmured in her ear. This, Willowpaw took a sliver of pride from. Her mentor rarely ever complimented her, seeing as she never seemed to be good enough.
"Bloodclaw, I will be seeing you sometime later." Otter said, turning away from them and heading into the trees. After he was out of sight, Bloodclaw turned to face her.
"Now, let's begin your training session." He said getting to his paws. Willowpaw sighed. The sun was still only just rising and she had a million questions about what just happened, but she knew her mentor wouldn't answer.

As Willowpaw began to pad out of the training hollow with her mentor, she felt a question bubble in her.
"Bloodclaw, who will I be facing in my assessment today?" She said. Bloodclaw smiled a little to himself for an unknown reason.
"Direpaw of course!" He said, his voice low and eerie. Willowpaw suppressed a shiver. Of course it had to be Direpaw, why wouldn't it be. Why, oh, why couldn't it have been Icepaw! She thought with disappointment.
"Your assessment is at sun high today. You know not to miss it." Bloodclaw said, padding ahead of her into camp. She sighed, not feeling ready. It's only this one and then my hunter's assessment, then I'll be free of him. Bloodclaw...His name echoed in her head. He'll be a cat I'll tell my kits about one day.. Not having anything to do, Willowpaw looked for Icepaw in the camp. She gazed up and down, left and right. Icepaw wasn't anywhere. She peeked her head in the nursery, the apprentice den, the elders den and even the medicine den. He's probably out hunting with Blackwing. As she padded away from the medicine den, she saw Bloodclaw and Blackwing huddled under the high ledge talking in hushed voices with Toothpaw. Maybe he's out with other apprentices or warriors? Willowpaw shook her head. Willowpaw, he's fine. Stop worrying so much. She told herself assertively in her head. She went to go sit by the sunning rocks, waiting and saving her strength for her assessment.

In a daze, Willowpaw didn't notice the cats next to her, and was surprised when Direpaw rammed into her, knocking her into Birdpaw who, unbeknownst to her, was sitting very closely next to her. Birdpaw landed on his back and Willowpaw landed on his underbelly. She got up quickly, helping up Birdpaw and apologizing. He had a look of embarrassment and a strong emotion emitting from him she couldn't recognize.
"I-It's ok! I'm f-fine, don't worry!" The tom said. Willowpaw gave him a kind look. He's got a good heart. She turned to face Direpaw, annoyance flaring in her.
"Direpaw don't you have someone else to bother?!" She hissed. The tom chuckled.
"Who else but you?" He said standing on the ends of his paws and leaning towards her. Willowpaw didn't move. She just stared him dead in the eyes with a glare of no amusement.
"Heheheh, you'll never beat me in your assessment. I bet you'll ask to drop out of the challenge before sun high!" He sneered. Direpaw's yellow eyes had a tinge of sinister intentions that Willowpaw had begun to recognize in the past moons. What does he want with me!? Willowpaw turned away from Direpaw, desperate to get away from him.
"Come on Birdpaw, lets go hunting." She said, looking into his eyes with plead. He had been watching and listening, and he understood her plead. Birdpaw got up and stood beside her like Icepaw would always do. Their pelts brushed, and she could feel his gentle breath behind her ears.
"Lets go, Willowpaw. Somewhere where Direpaw isn't." He said with confidence she never heard him speak with before. She and him padded side by side out of the camp and they kept going until they were well into the forest. Once Willowpaw was sure he didn't follow them, she sat down, Birdpaw doing the same.
"Thanks Birdpaw, I owe ya one." She said. She felt the tom blush a bit.
"I-It was nothing. I'd always help you out." He said, his ears out to the side being the skittish tom he was. They sat in silence for a few heartbeats when Birdpaw spoke.
"Hey, I was actually going to ask you..e-earlier, if you wanted to go h-hunting with me. Y-You know, to get your mind off of..of.." Birdpaw paused, seeming as though he was trying to say something different than what he wanted to say.
"E-Errrr, uh, y-your assessment! Yes! Y-Your assessment." He said, his speech sped up in his skittish nature. Did you originally mean Icepaw...? Hmmm..She thought.
"Yeah sure, why not. I'll hunt with you for a bit." Willowpaw said. Birdpaw lit up.
"That's great! C-Come on!" He said jumping to his paws. Willowpaw stood and stretched her legs. Her and Birdpaw took off into the woods at a fast trot with their jaws open, scenting for prey.