BLOOD AND DEATH

CHAPTER 4💫

"Moonpaw, it's time for your lesson," Rubystar called out.

"All right," replied Moonpaw, as she walked over to her mentor.

"Today we will be doing battle training. I want you to fight in the place of your father if there is an attack on the camp. Now do as I say, try to pin me down on the ground. Go!" Rubystar ordered and leaped into defense. Moonpaw crouched low, and tried to find a weakness then she aimed at Rubystars shoulder and pounced, trying to knock her down on her back, but Rubystar was fast, she leaped away and tackled Moonpaw until Rubystar was the one who was pinning Moonpaw down.

"Nice try, but you took too long and the enemy would have attacked you first, try again," Rubystar encouraged letting Moonpaw get up.

This time Moonpaw didn't hesitate, as soon as she got up, she leaped onto Rubystar and pushed hard.

"Well, little Moonpaw, you learn fast, like Diamondstripe," Rubystar purred.

Moonpaw beamed at Rubystar. As the sky darkened, Moonpaw kept training.

"Okay, that's enough battle training for today, you may go back," the leader suggested.

Moonpaw gave a little nod, and ran back to the apprentice den.

"How was training today?" Carnelianpaw asked. "You look kind of torn up!"

"Rubystar took me to battle training! She said that if there was a fight, I would join in for dad," Moonpaw snarled. "Besides, you look kind of torned up yourself,"

Shimmerpaw stood up and padded over to Carnelianpaw.

"Join in a fight? Ha! That's an obvious lie, she would've chosen one of the senior apprentices, like Carnelianpaw," she sneered.

"It's not a lie! If you need, go and ask her yourself!" Moonmpaw argued.

Then she leaped at Shimmerpaw's shoulders and knocked her down.

"How's that for some skill?" Moonpaw smirked. Shimmerpaw growled and struggled to get up.

"Carnelianpaw, don't just STAND there, come help me!" Shimmerpaw growled.

"Uh..." Carnelianpaw stammered nervously.

"Moonpaw...would you mind...getting off?" he mumbled.

Moonpaw sighed, sure Carnelianpaw looked like Jasperheart, but he acted NOTHING like him, he's supposed to be fierce and a 'DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!' cat. not a shy and

'I like to be pushed around and I don't know what to do.' cat, Moonpaw rolled her eyes and leaped off Shimmerpaw.

Carnelianpaw shot her a grateful glance. Shimmerpaw sat up and glared at Moonpaw.

"You got dust all over me!" She groaned, and sat down in a corner to groom herself.

"Ugh, if only I could live with someone agreeable! You have the same mindset of a kit!"

Carnelianpaw started to disagree, glaring at Moonpaw, but Moonpaw interrupted.

"Carnelianpaw, come here for a moment,"

Carnelianpaw looked confused but followed her anyway.

"What do you want?" he hissed. Moonpaw looked taken aback.

"You have to stop letting others push you around!" Moonpaw snarled.

"I don't let anyone push me around!" Carnelianpaw argued.

"Yes, you do! Don't think I haven't seen how you act with Shimmerpaw!" Moonpaw growled.

"Enough, I don't want to have this conversation anymore, get out!" Carnelianpaw growled.

"You can't tell me what to do! This is my den too!" Moonpaw protested, but Carnelianpaw had already turned and went to sit by Shimmerpaw.

Moonpaw hissed, digging her claw into the cold earth. She decided to go to the medicine cat den.

"Peridotleaf?" Moonpaw asked, peering into the den.

"Yes? Make it quick, I have patients to take care of," She replied, sorting the herbs into bags.

"Oh, I just wanted to visit Silverpaw and my dad," Moonpaw explained.

Peridotleaf nodded. "You can't visit Jasperheart, he's sleeping, but you can visit Silverpaw, it'll do her good."

Moonpaw walked down the tunnel to one of the bigger medicine cat caves where Citrinefur was resting.

There was Silverpaw, hunched over, and staring at her mother intently, as if she stared hard enough she would magically wake up.

Moonpaw walked quietly to sit next to her, she had her tail curled in on her claws.

"Hello." Moonpaw mewed.

Silverpaw nodded, but said nothing.

"Coralpaw and I miss you."

Another moment of silence.

"Come outside with me, she's not getting any better with you sitting here." Moonpaw persisted.

Silverpaw took a deep breath and quietly said:

"Okay."

Moonpaw led her out the medicine cat den and into camp.

"Let's go say hi to Coralpaw." She suggested

Silverpaw nodded, "That's a good idea."

And then for a bit, Coralpaw and Moonpaw filled her in on Shimmerpaw's new insults, gossip in the clan, and ships; really girly stuff by the way.

"There's a rumor," Coralpaw whispered. "That Zirconheart likes Agatestorm."

"OOOOOOOOOOOOO" Moonpaw and Silverpaw squealed.

"What do you think their kits will look like?" Silverpaw asked.

"Ooh maybe like red stripes?" Guessed Moonpaw

"Yeah!" Meowed Coralpaw excitedly.

"Hey she-cats, what are you talking about?" Asked Agatestorm, walking over.

They froze.

"Nothing.."

"Hm, ok. See you." Agatestorm meowed but she looked suspicious.

And she walked off.

They all started giggling.

"Do you think she heard what we said?" Asked Moonpaw.

"Probably not, warriors dont have very good ears, I tested on my dad yesterday." Said Coralpaw.

"Literally who does that?" Said Silverpaw rolling her eyes.

"Ahem, I do?"

"Anyways I'm tired, I'm going to bed." Silverpaw yawned.

They all nodded and headed for the apprentice den.

"Wait, I need to check on Rubystar for something," Moonpaw said.

"Okay, we'll come with you," Silverpaw meowed.

Moonpaw padded over to Rubystar's den and peeked inside.

"Rubystar?" Moonpaw called. No answer.

"Rubystar?," Moonpaw tried again. No answer again.

"Hm, that's weird, let's check the camp," Silverpaw suggested. Together they check every den, the nursery and even behind the Highcrystal. Nothing.

"When have you last seen her?" Coralpaw asked.

"Since my training," Moonpaw took a deep breath,

"I am terribly afraid that Rubystar is missing,"