"CoarsePaw, stop dragging your tail." BrightTail snapped at him as the apprentice made no effort to hold a stalking posture.
"Now, everyone get in a hunting position. Today we are going to refresh ourselves on how to hunt Rabbits." BrightTail slumped low to the ground, his trainee's following his posture. As they crouched down, BrightTail padded around them, fixing their posture where needed.
"Good work IrisPaw," he commended the small she cat who was in a fairly refined stance. "And CoarsePaw, don't drop your head so low. You want to be looking at what's in front of you not below you."
CoarsePaw lifted his head up slowly, glaring daggers at the tree in front of them, anger seeping from his body. BrightTail was a little taken back by the intensity in the young apprentice's eyes. He chuckled a deep hoarse laugh, amused by the fire ignited in the young Tom.
"That's the face of a warrior. Good work, don't worry, we'll work on your stance." He flicked his tail, signaling them to follow him.
"Now let's go see if we can catch anything to bring back with us."
. . .
RatMaw exited the warriors den, anxiety and guilt coursing through his mind.
"How could I let this happen..." he said with a heavy sigh that did little to help the breathlessness he felt in his lungs. "I should have pushed him harder...I should have encouraged him on what he did well... I should have-" but a small mew from outside of the den stopped his train of thought.
"BrightTail?" A dusty black and grey apprentice called into the darkness of the den.
"What is it SootPaw." Answered RatMaw tiredly, squinting to see the tomcat through the vines that hung from the den.
"Oh, hi RatMaw!" SootPaw mewed back in an upbeat tone, moving into the den and out of the sunlight that blinded him. "Do you know where BrightTail is?" He asked, peering his head toward the corner of the den but not seeing any other warriors.
"He is with IrisPaw and CoarsePaw. They are training right now." Answered RatMaw in a disinterested voice, his stress influencing his tone.
"Oh- okay! Thanks!" The apprentice moved from the den back out to the center of the clan, his dusty gray and black coat gleaming in the sunlight.
(TBC)
YOU ARE READING
Warriors: The Red Den.
FanfictionAfter being kicked out of WindClan due to his lack of interest in becoming a warrior and poor performance, CoarsePaw fights for his own way in the forest, the deep wound of WindClans betrayal aching at him and souring his mood. As his skills sharpen...
