Rise From Darkness {COMPLETE}

Thornstar's Terror -Chapter 4-

"I know you can do better than that!" Falconclaw snapped as he threw Thornpaw to the side. He felt his side connect with an oak tree. The air rushed from his lungs as his body felt into a patch of bramble, digging into his pelt. Thornpaw hissed in annoyance as he desperately tried to scramble his way out of the thicket.

"Honestly I'd have more a challenge fighting a deaf rabbit!" Falconclaw lashed his tail. "Pathetic!"

"Shut up!" Thornpaw hissed and broke out of the bramble patch, feeling blood drip down his pelt as he charged at Falconclaw. He launched himself onto Falconclaw's back and lashed at his back, drawing blood with his claws.

Falconclaw suddenly flipped onto his back but Thornpaw predicted this. He leapt off his uncle's back and landed on his paws. He whipped around in time to see Falconclaw's paw connecting with his face. He felt a sharp slicing sensation just under his eye and jumped back. He could've blinded me! Thornpaw felt blood welling in his eyes, forcing it closed but Falconclaw showed no mercy.

He was thrown onto his back and felt Falconclaw's claws pressing against his throat. "And now you're dead." Falconclaw hissed and let him go, stepped back and licking a few of the wounds that Thornpaw had given them. "I know you can do better than that." He flicked his tail.

Thornpaw panted heavily and used his paw to wipe the blood from his eye, feel the stinging of the claw mark just under his eye. "I still got some wounds I you." He spat.

"What difference does it make if your opponent walks away with a few claw marks in his flank while you're bleeding to death?" Falconclaw scoffed. "Clean yourself, we're going hunting."

Thornpaw huffed and did as he said, washing the wounds that Falonclaw had given him. Thornpaw had been an apprentice for a little over three moons and every day had been nearly the same. Waking up before dawn for vigorous and intense training. Even his hunting training was intense, with Falconclaw refusing to let him rest and eat until he had multiple perfect catches.

Everyday Thornpaw was exhausted and in pain but over time he grew used to his as his body did, just as Falconclaw had told him. His apprenticeship was intense and brutal, but it showed in his comparison to his littermates. He always brought back the most prey, in the few times they did train together he easily took them all down in combat, but he had to remind himself not to use his claws.

Falconclaw always used his claws during training and expected Thornpaw to do the same. This left many small scars across Thornpaw's body, he knew his littermates were concerned but none of them could stop this. He was dedicated to being the best warrior he could be, and Falconclaw was going to train him to do just that.

He got his wounds cleaned up and the two of them ventured out go hunting. He knew that if he wanted any rest he would have to be at his absolute best, he would have to ignore the pain in his body and focus solely on hunting. He had done it before, he could do it again.

It didn't take long for Thornpaw to spot his first catch, a plump squirrel at the base of a tree, digging for its store of food. Thornpaw dropped into a pristine hunting crouch, tucking his legs in and focusing all his attention on the squirrel.

With no issue, Thornpaw sprang forward. Before the squirrel could even blink, his claws sank into the squirrel's soft body and he used his jaws to snap its neck, killing it silently. His tail flicked and he lifted his head to face Falconclaw who didn't seem impressed. Thornpaw withheld a sigh and buried his catch, continuing the hunt.

He kept moving forward with Falconclaw behind him silently. He wished he could hunt without Falconclaw constantly stalking him and watching over his shoulder, but he would never complain. If he ever complained, he could get batted over the ear by Falconclaw's paw. He enjoyed the trainer, but sometimes he just wished for a break.