Oakheart's Promise - A Warriors AU

Chapter 9

"You're doing it wrong!" Mapleshade shouted as Oakpaw stumbled on his paws.

Oakpaw turned, facing Mapleshade. "I'm not a ThunderClan cat! Of course I'm doing it wrong!"

Mapleshade ignored him, crouching down and tucking her paws under the thick fur on her chest. "Like this," she demonstrated, leaping into the air and reaching out her paws. She landed, clawing at the crumbly dirt under her paws.

"I don't need to know how to hunt like that," Oakpaw complained. "Only ThunderClan hunts mice."

The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat chuckled, grinning at Oakpaw. "You've got it all wrong." She explained, "I'm not teaching you how to hunt. I'm teaching you how to fight."

Really? That's how you fight? Oakpaw closed his eyes, trying to picture Mapleshade pouncing and landing on an enemy. Wouldn't she just tumble off and hurt herself? "I don't understand."

Suddenly, Mapleshade dashed away. Her ragged pelt disappeared behind the dark brambles that dotted the forest. Oakpaw spun, trying to see his mentor as she slinked through the brush. But he couldn't even hear her pawsteps. It's clear she was a ThunderClan cat.

Just when Oakpaw was preparing to ask Mapleshade where she was, the she-cat hurled herself out of the bushes, her paws slamming into Oakpaw's back. She was much larger than him, easily shoving him into the dirt. He squirmed under her paws, rolling onto his back to face her.

"Do you understand now?"

"Yes," Oakpaw answered hurriedly, coughing and attempting to push Mapleshade off of him. She shifted, allowing him to slip away from her paws and stand beside her. He licked his paws, trying to clean them after they were shoved into the ground.

Raising her head, Mapleshade continued, "I would like to practice more with you next time." She lowered her gaze, facing Oakpaw. "But you must remember your promise if you would like to keep training with me."

"Of course!" Oakpaw smiled. "I promise to be loyal to my Clan above all else!"

"And?"

"And that the Clan is all I need to care about!" Oakpaw added as the thick, black forest began to fade away.

"Good," Mapleshade breathed, her presence becoming only a voice in Oakpaw's head. "You will be the greatest leader the Clans have ever known."

Oakpaw blinked his eyes open. The sun shone into the den, two of the other apprentices still curled up in their nests. He rolled, trying to locate Crookedpaw in the weak light. I want to tell him about StarClan.

Should I? Oakpaw found himself questioning. He doesn't need to worry about my destiny, the apprentice decided. He looked around the den, spotting two empty nests in the corner.

"Oakpaw!" A voice called from outside of the apprentices' den. Skittering to his paws, he made his way towards the entrance. His mentor, Cedarpelt, continued, "Eat some fresh-kill with your brother. We'll be leaving camp after the sun rises."

Nodding, Oakpaw responded, "Alright!" He followed Cedarpelt out of the den, veering away and heading towards the fresh-kill pile. Before he could get there, however, he saw Crookedpaw with Beetlepaw. A half-eaten trout laid at his paws. Oakpaw leaned forward, listening to the two apprentices.

Beetlepaw scoffed, "You're too old to be making a mess out of your fresh-kill, Crookedpaw!"

Crookedpaw's ears flattened. He tried to bare his teeth, but he was only able to shift his broken jaw. "I'm not trying to, fuzz-brain."

I should help him. "Crookedpaw!" Oakpaw called, gesturing to the trout at his brother's paws. "There's enough of that left for us to share. Let's go."

Without a word, Crookedpaw lifted the trout. It nearly slipped out of his jaws, but he was able to carry it until they settled down in the corner of the camp. Beetlepaw stared scornfully at them but stayed near the apprentices' den, waiting for Volepaw and Petalpaw. A breeze ruffled his already pricked fur.

Oakpaw took a small bite of the trout before passing it back to Crookedpaw. "You can have the rest of this," he offered.

Crookedpaw smiled, dragging the fish towards himself. However, he stopped. "Can you make sure Beetlepaw doesn't come back over here?"

"Of course," Oakpaw agreed. He stood, moving to sit in front of his brother. He blocked the young tabby from the rest of the camp, keeping a lookout for Beetlepaw and his siblings. Luckily, they never showed up, allowing Crookedpaw to eat in peace. Though he was slow, Oakpaw was willing to wait for him. Mapleshade would want me to help my Clanmates.

Does that mean I need to be nice to Beetlepaw? Oakpaw wondered. He scrunched up his muzzle. I'll never listen to that piece of crowfood, he decided, even if StarClan wants me to.

Once Crookedpaw finished eating, Oakpaw brought him back to the center of the camp. While most of RiverClan's warriors were wandering around the clearing, Rainflower was nowhere to be found. As they sat together, Shellheart and Cedarpelt approached them.

Shellheart smiled at Crookedpaw and Oakpaw. "Are you ready for some training?"

"Yes!" Oakpaw responded before Crookedpaw could. His thoughts echoed Mapleshade's words. I'm going to be the best leader the Clans have ever known!