Inkpaw lunged herself at her target, putting all of her weight on the she-cat, causing them to roll until her target sent her flying. Inkpaw had to think fast, she put her feet down to catch herself and slid across the grass.
"Great job! I can see you improving everyday!" Pepperfur purred, both of the cats still panting. "Thanks, I almost lost my balance there." Inkpaw mewed her thanks before wiping sweat off her paw pads. "You should try to stop putting all of your weight on me without a plan though, without thorough planning, weight will get you nowhere." Inkpaw nodded, straightening herself.
"Now, let's try again." The speckled she lightly pushed the black and white apprentice into a crouching stance. "This time, try to get into this stance before—" Pepperfur stopped talking and began staring straight past Inkpaw. Inkpaw rose from her crouch, confused glittering her gaze. "Pepperfur?" She mewed, tilting her head. "What are you looking at?" There was nothing there? "Inkpaw... Go get a patrol." Pepperfur murmured, barely even meowing. "Tell them there's a bear in the territory." Inkpaw's heart dropped before dashing back to the ravine.
Inkpaw broke through the clearing. "Help!" She wailed. "There-there's a bear!" Cats perked, eyes wide. "What? Where's Pepperfur?" It was Wormwiggle. He didn't look angered he looked... worried? "She's out there with the bear!" She blurted. Wormwiggle unsheathed this claws and pinned her down. "And you left her out there alone?" He snarled and spat in her face. The hairless warrior raised his unsheathed claws to scratch her, Inkpaw closed her eyes, she couldn't have the risk of becoming blind.
But suddenly, the weight was lifted. "Let her go!" It was Olivepaw. Inkpaw opened her eyes to see her friend, clawing the tom. "You bastard!" Wormwiggle spat, lunging at the tom.
"You idiots! We need to help Pepperfur, remember?" A tall, pitch black she pulled the toms apart, it was Hauntingripple. "Fine." Wormwiggle huffed, his eye bleeding from a scratch Olivepaw had gave him. It was only then that Inkpaw noticed the scars on Olivepaw's flank, were those from training with Wormwiggle? Suddenly, out of the nursery, a large red tabby she-cat padded out. "Mother!" Olivepaw yelped. "What did I tell you about fighting with Wormwiggle?" Inkpaw remembered overhearing her mother, Rueheart saying Olivepaw's mother's name was Firestripe. "He was attacking Inkpaw!" The white tom protested, his nose scrunched. Firestripe's brown eyes were blazing like fire.
Inkpaw turned around and realized that Wormwiggle had gathered a patrol with Hauntingripple. Olivepaw must have noticed too because he turned around before his mother could blurt out another word and joined the patrol, glaring at Wormwiggle. Inkpaw quickly nodded to Firestripe before bounding after the patrol to guide them to where Pepperfur and Inkpaw were training.
Once they got back to the spot, Pepperfur was laying on the ground, the bear hovering over her bloody body, snarling. "Pepperfur!"
YOU ARE READING
A Warrior's Home || Book One of A Path Shifted ||
Adventure« Inkpaw never felt comfortable in her clan, the only thing that held her down was her best friends, Olivepaw and Spottedpaw as well as her big sister, Hauntingripple. Over the moons, GorgeClan has been dying and Inkpaw knows she needs to help her c...
