The Wounded Compass #1: Deepest Shadows [Warriors Fan Series]

~Chapter 7~

Deadpaw bunched his muscles as Hollypaw lunged his way, paws outstretched. He leapt to the side, whirling around to ram her to the ground. She collapsed some tail-lengths away, immediately getting to her paws and keeping her stance.

"Very good, both of you," Goldenfoot meowed from the edge of the clearing. "I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of either of your paws!" Deadpaw looked at his mentor, retracting his own stance as he purred. Hollypaw panted from her spot, ears perking.

"We need to get you two back to camp." Mellowflower said with a shake of his fur. "All this training is making me hungrier than a badger in leafbare. Besides, the gathering is tonight and it's just after sunhigh."

"Alright," Deadpaw uttered as both he and Hollypaw followed the two warriors. Mellowflower and Goldenfoot were walking ahead of them, their flanks brushing together as they made their way through the forest. Deadpaw twitched his ear, hanging back slightly to give them space. Hollypaw looked back at him, following his pace before looking at their mentors.

"They're getting close, aren't they," She purred, mildly amused.

"Seems so," Deadpaw muttered, his eye flickering between them. "Goldenfoot never seemed the type to really.... like anyone else. Let alone get so close." Hollypaw nudged him playfully.

"C'mon now, don't get jealous," She jeered, causing Deadpaw's face to heat up. "If something like that is possible for her, it's a definite for you." Her jeering was replaced by a soft gaze. He calmed slightly, feeling joy flutter in his chest.

"Well, even if it was possible, I wouldn't know. Besides, I want to be the best in the forest so I can protect those who need me." Just like Nemesis said.. Deadpaw returned his attention to his mentor, who was speaking softly with Mellowflower. In recent moons, Nemesis had been secretly guiding him so that he was ahead. Where many apprentices at nine moons would barely be past abrasive moves, he's taken on everything from basic evasive tactics to the precise 'Jump and Pin'. His ears flattened thinking about the phantom cat, and his tail flicked uncomfortably.

Hollypaw pressed to his side the same way their mentors were, looking at him with rounded eyes. Deadpaw lifted his head, touching his nose to her ear.

"Sorry. Just got a lot on my mind." He uttered softly.

"I could tell. Everything will work out. You're already the strongest warrior in my eyes, Deadpaw," She mewed gently, nosing his neck fur. Deadpaw purred softly as they strode into camp, still pressed to one another while their mentors went their own way through the camp. At the elders' den, Spidernose was chatting with Owlshade, who has yet to kit. Ever since Rosepond died, she's been keeping the elderly tom company while Bonetooth was busy.

Her gaze darted to the entrance where Deadpaw and Hollypaw were purring as they walked in side-by-side.

"Hollypaw!" Owlshade called out, frustration lining her voice. Snapped out of their trance, they both looked at Hollypaw's mother, who's tail was lashing.

"I'm fine, Owlshade," She said cooly. "I'm not a kit anymore. You have more to worry about," Her tail flicked to the queen's belly. Owlshade gritted her teeth, looking back to Spidernose who seemed to be staring right through them.

Deadpaw peered around Hollypaw, whiskers twitching. "She still doesn't like me, huh?"

"I'm afraid not," Hollypaw sighed, drawing him toward the fresh-kill. "But that doesn't matter to me. We make an amazing team and she'll see that one day."

Deadpaw purred, feeling almost embraced by her kind words. "Yeah. One day."

The clearing was ringing with a mix of excitement and anger as Shadowclan entered the gathering island. He tread lightly behind Rainstar, who was equally as confused about the state of the other clans. Windclan cats circled a few Thunderclan warriors, who were ranting with their shoulder fur raised. Cobblestar looked on from the Great Oak as his other warriors were speaking to Riverclan members. Halfstar spoke softly to Silentstar, their deputies Moonstream and Applewood scowling with their ears flat. The elders from all of the clans convened in their own little group, grunting as if someone raked their ears with thorns.