[Strelles] Strike the Match

Chapter 9: The Mastery Assessment (Edited)

Cardinalpaw put his paw over his mouth, trying to stop himself from yawning too loud even as his vision blurred in his attempts to focus on Asterdawn. It seemed that vision in Spottedholly's den had been the trigger for his dreams to become restless again. Every time he started to relax in his nest, his dreams would twist and morph creating monsters and madness that would shake him back into alertness. At first his dreams only featured vague silhouettes, potentially the ones he'd seen from the Sight in Spottedholly's den.

Then they escalated.

If the dreams from before had left him tired, these left him panicked. Now he was being attacked by shadow figured clawing their way from the ground near the gorse tunnel. He attacks them sometimes, but his claws never seemed to connect, always passing right through the attacker's body only for their teeth to connect in his skin. A pained wail would ring through his ears, its voice filled with rage tinted grief as a warm flash would encompass him before she would go toppling to the ground. No matter how fast he ran or how many times he twisted, claws would find their way into his shoulder and he'd be slammed to the ground, attacked by another; claws piercing his belly and it stung as the world grew fainter and fainter-

"Are you alright Cardinalpaw?"

He jolted a little, blinking tiredly up at his mentor as she watched him with eyes full of concern. Spottedholly had done as she'd promised and told her about the Sight he'd had and she'd called him into her den that morning. He'd been worried that she would be transferring him after all, that it didn't matter what he wanted - to his surprise though, she's asked him gently how he'd felt seeing the vision. She'd let him lean against her and talk about what he'd seen, empathy and sadness poured from her very being and Cardinalpaw wondered what she'd experienced of Sights to be so distressed by his.

"Just tired," he said honestly. He'd had odd-dreams most of his life and sadly, this wasn't even the first time he'd been killed in one. He shudders remembering the first dream he'd had of it happening - a flash of teeth and claws, a thick coat of white screaming nonsensical things to him already injured and running, running- he shakes his head again. "Bad dreams. I used to have them a lot but I've been so tired from training I guess my brain hasn't had the energy to make any."

Asterdawn made a sound of concern in her throat but she nods all the same, "You and your cohort were very busy yesterday so today is a short one. Just one assessment and some rank-specialty training then you may rest."

"As assessment?" Cardinalpaw asked, perking up.

"Yes," said Asterdawn. "It's time for your Foundations Mastery Assessment. You've been a cadet for almost four moons now and despite the catch-up you had to do, you've advanced well. You should have mastered the basic skills that any legionaries should have - hunting, stalking and defense stances. If you pass, then we will begin to focus on training your elanki."

"Elanki?" Cardinalpaw said, a bit of his tiredness lifting.

"The powers granted to us by the Mauwas," Asterdawn purred to him. "When Nettleflower used her claws to attack you, that was her soulspark - unaligned but still very powerful."

She means makai, Cardinalpaw connected immediately, nodding in understanding to her words. He flexed his paws a little in excitement - makai was usually restricted to Guardians as most cats from the kingdom simply weren't able to manipulate it. He and his siblings had already received basic training in using it to defend themselves given that they were heirs and assassination attempts were still possible but they'd never really gone beyond learning to sense when someone else with the ability to manipulate it was nearby.

"I'll get to do that too?" he said, trying to inject some energy into his tone.

"Yes but only if you pass your foundations assessment," Asterdawn chuckled at him. "Do you remember which rule that was?"