Warriors: Outcast of Winter (ongoing)

Chapter 5

"Wake up, sleepyhead." A voice called to Mantispaw from the outside of the den. It was Lakefrost. Mantispaw blinked open his eyes. "...do I have to?" He muttered, still half asleep. "I ate a whole rabbit last night." 

"No time for excuses. You have fighting practice with Spiderpaw this morning." Lakefrost scolded. Mantispaw looked up at him. "But you haven't trained me in battle yet!" He meowed. "A-and Spiderpaw is almost five moons older than me!" 

Lakefrost looked at him. "So? What does age have to do with anything? Do you think your opponents will go easy on you because you're younger than them? Of course not. Besides, the best way to learn is through practice." 

Mantispaw's eyes widened. Maybe Spiderpaw would go easy on him. She was almost a warrior! Glaring at Lakefrost, he stalked past him and grabbed a piece of prey before padding over to the medicine den to talk to Dustthroat about his training. 

"Ah, Hello there, friend!" Dustthroat said, smiling. "How can I help you?" 

Mantispaw dropped the fresh-kill at his feet. "I brought you some food. I'm not hungry, so don't worry- besides, Lakefrost is making me do battle training today. I can't believe him! Spiderpaw is so much older than me!" He stressed. 

Dustthroat purred with laughter. "Don't worry about it, you'll be fine. It may seem like Spiderpaw is big and intimidating, but she plays by the rules."

Mantispaw waved his tail in frustration. "I'm just so mad at Lakefrost! Why would he put me into a fight that he knows I'm going to lose?" 

Dustthroat frowned. "It's perfectly reasonable to be upset with him, but try to give him a little grace, okay? He's doing his best to teach you. There aren't any other apprentices your age anyways, right?" 

Rainpaw's meow came from the back of the medicine den. "It could have been me! I could have been fighting, but you decided to choose me to crush up gross herbs all day! Ugh, why can't I fight with Mantispaw? It would be so much more fun!" 

Dustthroat scowled at her. "Hush, Rainpaw." He yowled, glaring at her. "Sometimes I wish I had chosen you..." He mewed quietly. 

"I heard that!" Rainpaw's voice came from the back. Dustthroat laughed. "Sorry!" He yelled back. 

"Anyways." Dustthroat said, turning back to Mantispaw. "You'll do fine. Just remember to do what your mentor tells you. He was the inone who trained Reedtail, you know!" 

Mantispaw nodded, his confidence now back up. "Thank you Dustthroat!" He said, grinning. "I'll do my best!"

Dustthroat shook his head. "And to think that I could've mentored you all day. You're so much more polite than your sister! Now- run along, don't keep Lakefrost waiting!" 

Mantispaw scurried off into the forest, tail raised high. 

Birds called out in a loud chorus as Mantispaw raced through the leaves. Tiny sprigs of grass were shooting up beneath the leaves, wildflowers blooming between the weeds and off the sides of trees, inviting butterflies to sweep through Hailclain in clouds, staying low to the ground or flying up high. The stream that bordered Birdclan was fresh and cold from the recent Leaf-fall. 

Stones covered in moss chased alongside it,  making perfect stepping stones for the kits to play on. Reaching the training hollow, Mantispaw stepped through the curtain of ivy into the clearing that the trees made, his paws meeting soft green grass as he entered. 

Spiderpaw looked up at him. "Waiting for your mentor too? I swear, Reedtail has been so lazy recently." 

She grinned. "How about we practice before we start sparring! I think it's unfair that Lakefrost is making you fight me with no experience. I can be your mentor now!" Purring with laughter, Spiderpaw got into a crouching stance. "Copy me!"