Jaywatcher's Love [Old, DISCONTINUED]

∆ chapter 13 ∆

Jaypaw's tail lightly brushed the ground accidentally, scaring the squirrel she was stalking.

"Awh!" She let out a hiss and stalked back around to the rest of her patrol. Newtspeckle and Owlfang were there, with Rowantail.

"You alright, Jaypaw?" Rowantail asked. "You've been slipping up on your hunting recently."

"I'm fine." Jaypaw forced a friendly smile. The thought of war between ShadowClan and ThunderClan was making her overthink.

"Jaypaw, come on." Owlfang purred gently. "You can tell us anything."

"I said I'm fine." Jaypaw protested. "Let's go back to hunting."

Ears pricked, Jaypaw hinted the squirrel that had ran away before. She instinctively dropped into a hunter's crouch, tail lashing. She leapt as the squirrel ran past, but she missed by a mile and her claws hit dirt.

Rowantail looked at his paws, and so did Jaypaw. That was embarrassing. She thought as she scrambled up to a sitting position.

"So." Rowantail cleared his throat. "Jaypaw, follow me. You guys can go hunting on the other side of the territory." He flicked his tail at  Newtspeckle and Owlfang.

The two warriors slipped into the bushes and trees, their pelts dissapearing. Jaypaw's fur felt hot. Was she in trouble? Had Rowantail found out about Leafpaw?

"It's about time you had your warrior assessment." Rowantail began. Jaypaw's heart lifted, forgetting everything about Leafpaw. "Ready?" Rowantail asked, his own eyes gleaming.

"Of course!" Jaypaw jumped up and down like a kit. "Let's go!" She leapt over tree roots and bounced back to Rowantail's side.

Her mentor let out a little purr of amusment. "Let's go, follow me." Rowantail trotted around trees and rocks, and Jaypaw followed eagerly.

They reached a clearing of trees within minutes, and both the apprentice and mentor halted, face-to-face with each other.

"Alright. First up, battling." Rowantail announced. "Claws sheathed, you have to pin me down first. And-"

Jaypaw didn't let him finish his sentence before she lunged at her mentor, eyes glittering with excitement as she barreled him over onto his back. She placed her paws on all of his legs, looking down at Rowantail.

Jaypaw's mentor let out a shaky breath. "Wow-" he wheezed. Jaypaw had guessed that her pinning him down quickly had in knocked the wind out of him.

Jaypaw scooted away from her mentor, and he stood up, pelt covered in dirt. "Alright. Good job. Now where do you attack a cat first in battle?" He asked.

"Their neck, belly, back or muzzle. It stuns them enough that you can fight back." Jaypaw recited what she had learned.

"Good, good." Rowantail praised, lifting Jaypaw's spirits. "Now, we have to go over hunting. I'll hide, and you have to hunt like normal."

Jaypaw nodded. "Where do I go?" She asked her mentor, already scanning the area for prey.

"Go in the direction of the Thunderpath. Once you get there, stop and find prey." He instructed as Jaypaw scampered off.

The sounds of the distant forest made it difficult for Jaypaw to hear for prey once she reached the Thunderpath. The passing monsters didn't help much either.

She was aware of Rowantail's eyes, stalking her somewhere in the trees. A passing monster nearly scared Jaypaw out of her fur, but she flattened her ears and kept stalking for prey.

The faint scent of mouse hit Jaypaw's nose like a burst of wind. Her eyes slits, she trotted quietly over to the scent, ears pricked.

She passed a honeysuckle bush, and a tiny brown figure was scuffling across the ground. It was busy eating a berry. Jaypaw had to act quick.