Featherlight's lover

Warrior Ceremony

       Featherpaw didn't hesitated on the squirrel Jasperpaw brought her. "I thought you might enjoy this." he said. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 Featherpaw gulped a mouthful of it with happiness. "You seem to be enjoying yourself back at camp." Bristlepaw smiled and sat beside her. Featherpaw purred. "You think I wouldn't miss warrior life?" she joked and hit her tail on Bristlepaw. "Well, Poleice told me you'd get a second chance of your missed warrior assessment." Bristlepaw chuckled. Featherpaw got up looking shocked. "What? Are you serious?"

        "Of course I am! You think I'd lie about something important as that?" Featherpaw and Bristlepaw both bounced and squealed with joy. Luckily, no one saw them since they were next to the back of the medicine den in the shadows. It would have been embarrassing if any cat saw them acting like kits. "I can't believe it! Am I dreaming?" Featherpaw yelped excitedly. "Featherpaw." Poleice called at her. "It could be it!" Bristlepaw said and nudged her out. "You got this!" "Thanks Bristlepaw!" Featherpaw called back joyfully and trotted over to her mentor. "I suppose Bristlepaw told you already. You're going to do your warrior assessment." he casually said to her. Featherpaw legs were shaking from excitement. "Come on, let's get going." Poleice turned around and walked to the tunnel entrance out in the forest. Featherpaw followed by his tail.

       "The directions : You are going to catch at least two pieces of prey and bring it back into this spot. You will hunt for a while until sunset. I will be hiding and watching you. You won't be able to see me but I'll be able to see you." he explained and flicked his tail over into the forest. "You can start off there." he nodded to her and ran off into some bushes. Featherpaw was left alone standing by herself. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 Poleice's words echoed in her mind. 𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝑰 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅. She marched confidently in the forest, tasting the air for scent of prey. 𝑴𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆, 𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒍....Featherpaw thought. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒄𝒆? Featherpaw decided to catch as many prey as she can before her time runs out so she crept up to the mouse, keeping her paws light on the ground while trying to slide them. Two mice was eating beechnuts underneath a tree. Perfect. Featherpaw would slam each of her paws on each mouse. She leaped and trapped them under her claws. Little squeaks of alarm faded when they fell limp. 𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕. She dug the ground to store the prey for later. Maybe she should try to catch a bird this time. It could surprise Poleice for sure with her leaping skills. A shrill call came from a distance. Featherpaw spotted a blackbird on a low branch. She quietly climbed the tree and leaped on the bird, snagging her claws in its wings. Featherpaw felt the bird's bones beneath its flesh. Before it could squawk and alarm nearby prey, Featherpaw bit the neck and it went limp. While she was biting the neck, Featherpaw almost forgot to land on her paws. She quickly turned herself in the air and landed on her paws on some nearby bracken. She looked around nervously for Poleice. Hope he didn't see that. She dug dirt next to roots of a oak tree and quickly sought for her next prey.  𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒕. 

           Featherpaw happily placing three chaffinches in her mini fresh-kill pile, proud of her work. Poleice sauntered behind a tree, no approving look in his eyes. Featherpaw held her ears back and tucked in her tail. Was she not going to pass her warrior assessment and not become a warrior? Poleice stared at the heap of fresh-kill. "You did well hunting in leaf-bare. I suppose you passed your warrior assessment successfully. Your warrior ceremony will be held tonight before the Gathering." he meowed and flicked his tail. Featherpaw's tail went upright and let out a loud purr. "Yes! Thank you so much Poleice!" she exclaimed blissfully and dipped her head respectfully. Poleice nodded in reply. "You are welcome." he murmured softly. He flicked his tail to Featherpaw to follow him back to camp. He grabbed some of the prey while Featherpaw held the rest.