Once a Warrior Always a Warrior

Chapter 7

Dewpaw

I go to pad over to my mentor, Breezewhisker, but I hear something way more intrestting than catching mice.
"Grapepaw! You're lucky  I was there to protect you from that horrible cat." He let out a harsh hiss towards Grapepaw.
"Y...yes Sageclaw, our leader forced us to do that. She caused us to loose Quartzflower." Grapepaw mews back as she stares at her paws.
"Look, I want to make sure you're safe. You seem so much like Quartzflower. You have her eyes." He says sorrowfully.
"Dewpaw? Dewpaw! DEWPAW!" Breezewhisker's growl shoots through me.
"Y...yes?" I meow my voice quivering a bit.
"We're going on a hunting patrol. Look at the prey pile."
"But it's starting to rain!" I whine "Can I stay. Please?"
"No! Now follow me!" She growls angerly.
I slowly drag my paws across the ground and I nod my head towards Grapepaw. I stand up straight and I attempt to impress her. Somehow, I trip on a tiny stone and I fall flat on  my face. She giggles, helps me up and pads off.
Fustrated, I storm off with the rest of the patrol, angry that I just embarrassed myself.

I lift my head up high and I sniff the air. Mouse! I press against the ground. The grass tickerling my belly. I creep forwards towards the mouse. I leap into the air about to get it, then I suddenly get bowled over. The scent of Snakepaw glides up my nose.
"Get off me!" I hiss air blowing out of me. She gets up and glares at me.
"I had that mouse, and now you've just scared it away!" I growl.
"I was going to feed the clan with that nice, jucy mouse!" She hisses her fur standing on end and her claws digging into the ground.
"So was I!" I hiss unshething my claws
"No you weren't you were going to give it to your precious Grapepaw." She mocks shething her claws.
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"Stop it! You're acting like kits! Do you want me to call you Dewkit and Snakekit and tell you nursery stories?" Breezewhisker hisses padding off to catch a shrew.
I sniff the air and I reconise squirrel.
"I am going to catch that!" I hiss angerly, stalking across the ground. I leap into the air biting it swiftly. I kick dirt over it. Hoping it will not be dragged away by another cat.

I pad back to camp, a plump mouse, a squirrel and a small chaffinch in my jaws. I drop it into the pile except for one thing. The plump mouse.
"Grapepaw!" I call. Suddenly I see a cat speeding towards me. "Here!" I mew passing the mouse to her.
"I heard you got into a fight Snakepaw." She giggles as she takes a bite.
"I did." I meow back to her.
"Over a mouse!" She starts laughing even more, before taking another bite.
"Look, it was really fat and if Snakepaw hadn't bowled into me I would of had it and if she hadn't sat on me I would have got it in time. Then my mentor called me a kit." I slump down onto the ground anger bristling off of me. Grapepaw finishes of the mouse and burries it next to the pile. She licks my ear and smiles softly.
"Hey it's fine. I'll tell you a secret," She mews "I would have done the same thing."
I stare at her shocked then realisation floods over me. No cat likes her. Everycat would have done the same thing. Suddenly, Snakepaw pads past us. Glaring at me. I shrug and we carry on our conversation.