- The Origins of Smolderspirit -

Chapter Seven: Frenemies?

Smolderpaw bounded out to the training grounds. It had been maybe a half moon since Smolderpaw had gone on a border patrol with some guides and a few lionets. Brightstar had offered to teach and give a few lionets some advice to hone their hunting techniques. Smolderpaw had been working hard to sharpen her skills. Junipersight, Lynxfang, Dewfur, Foxflight decided to watch the Chief work with the lionets. They sat down, and observed silently. All four of the lionets sat down, listening to Brightstar. She showed the lionets how to sneak up on a mouse, the proper way to catch a squirrel, how to crouch when stalking a rabbit, and other things. The guides gave advice on different lionets.

"Remember, Smolderpaw. When stalking mice or voles, you need to be light on your feet. Put all your weight in your haunches, so your prey won't know anything until you're ready to pounce," Brightstar commented. Smolderpaw adjusted herself, and slowly moved, not making a sound. She then pounced as if a mouse had spawned in front of her. "Very well, young Smolderpaw!" Lynxfang congratulated. She smiled, and mewed a thank you to the wise lion. Gingerpaw suddenly pounced on Owlpaw, and they bowled over, laughing.

"Good job! Gingerpaw! I thought you were Tiger for a second!" Foxflight congratulated her lionet. Gingerpaw meowed, and Owlpaw got back up, casting a crude look towards the she, and licked his fur back down. But while cleaning himself, you could see him smile slightly. Copperpaw continued his stance for catching squirrels. After a while, Smolderpaw sat down, and looked at her clanmates. She noticed Owlpaw stared blankly at the others, seeming upset for some reason. It was a little before sunhigh, and Junipersight suggested, "Should we allow the lionets to test these skills?"

The other guides nodded, and brought the lionets to different areas of the forest. Junipersight brought Smolderpaw to Darktrees. "Use what you have learned," he told her, and he darted off into the forest. "But, Junipersight, I-!" she tried to tell him. She didn't feel comfortable all alone in the forest. The surroundings suddenly became unfamiliar. Her heart quickened, and she broke out into a sweat. It all seemed to cave in on her. She took a breath. She reminded herself to take a look around. She could still smell her clan's scent, which gave her some reassurance. She knew to follow the scent markers if she needed to get home at some point. But even though rushing home felt like the best thing to do, she remembered her own words. "I want to be able to serve and protect my clan, even if The Clan Within the Stars throws every possible challenge at me!"
Her words, voice and tone echoed in her head. "How will I be able to do that if I can't even catch a leaf for the clan's sake without tucking tail and running home!?" she thought.

She then took a deep breath, and focused on her assignment. She drank in the scents of the forest, searching for the smell of prey. She then spotted a squirrel a few tail lengths away from her, nibbling on a nut. She dropped down, remembering what she was taught.

"Squirrels are quick, and they are always alert. If they sense you, they'll dart up the trees. So move slowly, and watch where you put your paws. Since you haven't been taught to climb yet, try to get it before it runs up the tree. You must strike quickly," she heard her guide's words.

She inched closer carefully, remembering to keep silent. She kept her pawsteps light, placing each paw gently. She focused on the squirrel carefully. She stopped after she was close enough to pounce. Then, after the squirrel noticed the danger, it was too late. Smolderpaw had pounced on the unsuspecting animal, ending its life quickly. She looked up to the sky, and thanked her ancestors for the life the squirrel gave to feed her clan. She then put it down, and drank in woodland scents again. She smelled vole and mouse. In the distance, she heard a bird chirping. She covered dirt over her prey, and started off towards the scents.

After walking for a while, she spotted a vole sniffing around. She dropped into the hunting crouch, and remembered the technique to hunt voles, which happened to be similar to catching mice. She kept her weight in her haunches, and after she was close enough, she pounced, killing it before it could squeak. She had decided she'd caught enough for now, so she then went back to get the squirrel she had caught earlier.