Poisonberry's Vengence

Missed Prey, and Mentor Trouble

Screechpaw! Base by Louixie

Hopepaw stalked up on a hare, paw steps as light as feathers. Her soft paw pads made it so that she made no sound on the thick, damp snow, and she was close enough that she could see its nose twitching, round face covered in brown fur, speckled in the last shedding hairs of white. 

With a deep breath, she sprang, catching her prey in her claws, and rolling as it squealed and tried desperately to shake its attacker off. Trying to rake its throat failed, and she felt herself losing the fight. As suddenly as it had started, the struggle was over. The rabbit kicked out hard with its hind paws, striking Hopepaw hard on the muzzle. With a gasp of pain, she tumbled into the snow, blood trickling from her nose. 

Tumblesoar hurried over, tail twitching. "Well, an attempt was made. The attempt failed, but all that matters is that you tried." He meowed dryly.  "Are you okay?" Nose smarting and eyes watering, she rubbed the blood off of her fur. "That stupid hare." Tumblesoar shrugged. "You had good coordination, at least." Hopepaw's eyes narrowed, a fowl mood settling over her like a dark cloud. "I had the coordination of a dying, senile hawk. I hate hunting." 

Her mentor sighed. "We'll try fishing later. Let's go get something for that nose." 

"I don't need anything for my-"

"Come on. Back to camp." Drying blood staining her cream fur a daunting shade of crimson, she began the long trek back to camp.

                                                                             ~❆~

Cats stared at Hopepaw as she stepped into the underground camp, making a beeline for the Medicine cave. Only Screechpaw was there, Frostedmoss had gone herb-hunting at dawn and left him in charge. It was his first time being left without his mentor, and he was proud but nervous. 

As she padded deeper into the small hole in the wall of the main cave, glowing lichen brushed her back, its pale glow making Screechpaw's golden eyes gleam as he turned to face her, mouth quirking into a smile before his face fell when he saw the blood. "Hello, Hopepaw! Whoa, you're covered in blood!" He rushed over and began tilting her muzzle back and forth to try and see what had happened to cause the bleeding. "Did something hit your nose?" She nodded. "Yeah. A dumb hare kicked me." He tipped his head sympathetically. "How badly does it hurt?" 

"Not too bad. Just a bit sore." She answered. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't think I have anything to give you. Just clean the mess off with a piece of wet moss, and you're good to go! I can give you a poppy seed later if it hurts too bad to sleep." Hopepaw smiled gratefully, before turning from the den. "See you later, Screechpaw!" Screechpaw waved his tabby paw after her, and she returned to the main area of the camp. 

There, she spied Bluepaw sitting beside Emeraldpaw. Immediately, she narrowed her eyes. I can't understand what he sees in her. She's such a rude, snooty cat! Am I the only one who sees that? Hopepaw thought, annoyed. She has him wrapped around her paw. All she has to do is blink those big green eyes, and he'll do anything. Bluepaw glanced at her and turned back to his conversation. They had barely talked in the almost two moons they'd been apprentices.

                                                                             ~❆~

Hopepaw dipped her paw into the stream, attempting to hook the small, silvery fish from the swiftly flowing creek. Tumblesoar hovered over her shoulder, giving out instructions that made no sense. "Put your paw down slowly, like you're going to pet the fish." 

"It's not going to sit there and let me pet it. I have to strike fast."

"Try!"

"Do you want me to lose it? I'm trying to catch it, not make friends with it!" Fed up, she jerked her soaking paw out of the chilly creek and flicked it to rid it of the droplets of water. "Have you ever even fished before?" She questioned him. "Yes, of course, I have!" He snapped defensively. Hopepaw quirked her brow. "That's odd because you seem to know close to nothing about it."