Featherlight's lover

Chapter 4

      The mouse was busy chewing on the tree bark to not pay attention to Featherpaw. She crept closer and closer to it, careful not to hold her tail up from excitement. Then, Featherpaw pounced on it, trapping the mouse under her paws and gave it a clean, killing bite. "Thank you Starclan for this prey" she said aloud and brought it over to Poleice, who looked at her approvingly but no glint of feeling in his eyes. "It's good to be out of camp again" Featherpaw said, ignoring Poleice's eyes. "Let's take back the prey and call it a nice hunt." he said, nodding and turned around. Featherpaw looked at him dissapointed but followed. 𝑨𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒆 Featherpaw grumbled, her ears flatting down. She then turned to a tree and began digging the ground to find a squirrel Poleice caught earlier. Poleice grabbed it in his jaws and kept walking. Both of them walked to the clearing where they will meet the rest of the hunting patrol. Soon, Finleap, Spotflower, Owlpaw, and Sleekpelt came back all holding prey in their mouths. "Come on, let's get back to camp" Sleekpelt said muffled with a plump vole in his mouth and walked away. Finleap follwed on his side while Spotflower and Poleice talked to each other behind his tail. Owlpaw and Featherpaw walked behind. "That's a fat rabbit. Should feed the queens alright" Featherpaw told Owlpaw. "Yep, how is it getting back to training?" Owlpaw asked. "Oh it's alright. It would be better if Poleice showed some expression" Featherpaw replied and looked away. "He's just born that way. You can't blame him Featherpaw" The patrol soon reached camp and deposited the prey in the fresh-kill pile, took some for themselves, and walked over to their clanmates to share tounges. Featherpaw deposited their prey and took a vole for herself while Owlpaw took her rabbit to the nursery. Featherpaw looked around for her littermates but they were nowhere to be seen until she saw her mother waving her tail at her to sit beside her. Featherpaw went to a flat crouch and took famished bites of the vole. "So, how is your day back to apprentice duties?" Cinderheart asked. "Just fine" Featherpaw said with her mouth full, "It's hard to control your hunger." Cinderheart chuckled softly and washed her ears, "Anything else to say, Featherpaw?" Featherpaw finished her vole and sat back, hesitating. "Poleice could be a more praising mentor, such as fixing his cold expression. It's giving me the creeps." Featherpaw muttered. Her mother's eyes suddenly turned into concern. "Featherpaw, you can't say that about him. He was born that way and no medicine cat could fix it. Every cat felt sorry for him when he was just a kit. No cat dares talk about that in front of him. You just got to accept the way he is. Poleice is a fine warrior who had a ceremony not long ago." Cinderheart said and soothed Featherpaw. Featherpaw did felt a little sorry for him but was dissapointed still. 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎? "Featherpaw!" Poleice called. Featherpaw did a quick groom and then got up. "Just try not to show him your dissapointment" Cinderheart called out behind her. As soon as Featherpaw reached him, she stared into his eyes and felt nervous for a heartbeat. "Come on, we are going to battle train with with Sparkpelt and Honeypaw." Poleice said and turned around to walk up the tunnel. Featherpaw followed him, glad he didn't ask why she stared at him like that. Sparkpelt and Honeypaw, who was holding her tail up high, were waiting for them. "Let's go Honeypaw" Sparkpelt said and walked towards the forest with Poleice by her side. Honeypaw slid right next to Featherpaw. "I'm so glad you're back! I learned so much while you were stuck inside camp like a kit!" Honeypaw exclaimed. Featherpaw gave her a gentle cuff in the ear and continued walking. She flinched when she heard a blackbird make a tchup somewhere in the forest. Honeypaw noticed it and tried to hold her laughter and coughed. Featherpaw jerked her head at her. "It's not funny. I'm still not used to the territory" she said with a slight edge to her tone. Honeypaw immediately stopped coughing and looked ahead. Featherpaw did too and saw a big clearing. "Here we are," Sparkpelt announced, " Featherpaw, here is the battle-training area. We learn fighting techniques here. Poleice, would you like to lead this session?" Sparkpelt stepped back letting Poleice go in front. "First, we'll review what Honeypaw learned first. Use me as target Honeypaw." he said and Honeypaw and Poleice went into a crouch position. Sparkpelt nosed Featherpaw out of the way to let both of them demonstrate. Poleice charged at Honeypaw but she ran around him and kicked her back legs at him, claws sheathed and pinned him down. Poleice kicked her belly and she hurled off. He quickly hit his paw on her muzzle but Honeypaw leaped on his back and pinned him down again, triumph glowed in her eyes. "Good" Poleice said, ruffled. "Good job Honeypaw. You have learned a lot." Sparkpelt praised. Featherpaw narrowed her eyes at Honeypaw with jealousy.𝑰𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒐 Feathpaw thought glumly. "You try Featherpaw" Poleice insisted. Honeypaw shoved Featherpaw softly forward. She crept up nervously in front of Poleice. "Let's try the front-paw blow. Frontal attack. Bring your front paw down hard but not too hard on my head. Do it hard if you're in battle but this is just practice. Remember, keep your claws sheathed" he said. Featherpaw braced herself and hit her paw on his head. Poleice didn't flinch one bit. "Again" Poleice ordered," Harder." Featherpaw did it again a little harder. "Again but harder" he repeated. Featherpaw did it harder but Poleice repeated again. Featherpaw's fur started to bristle but kept it flat. With all her might, Featherpaw slammed her paw on his head harder than she expected. Poleice still didn't flinch but said," Good. Sparkpelt, you can train Honeypaw personally" Sparkpelt acknowledged him and led Honeypaw into the clearing behind Featherpaw. "Now, try back-kicking. He demonstrated as we lifted his hind legs up and kicked in the air with full force. "Now you try." Poleice ordered. Featherpaw kicked her hind paws up in the air but wobbled her front paws and fell on the ground. She shook her pelt and got up, determined to master it. Just when Featherpaw was about to do it again, Poleice walked up to her and nosed her flank. "Make sure to judge your distance carefully, then lash out with your hind legs, taking all your weight on your front paws. Balance with precision is the key." Poleice walked back, giving Featherpaw some space. She felt more confident and did it again. This time, Featherpaw didn't fall but still wobbled a little, but her back kick was better. Poleice nodded and flicked his ears, ordering Featherpaw to repeat it. She did it again and Featherpaw and Poleice continued to battle-train until the end of the day.