Warriors: Lost

Chapter 8

As Mudstar led the way back to their camp, Shinepaw felt nothing but guilt as he walked beside Brambletail. He was going to sneak out of the camp next half moon! What would Brambletail do to him when she finds out?!

"We're here," mewed Brambletail.

"Hey, Shinepaw!" yowled Runningpaw. "How was meeting the other clans?"

"It... was good," Shinepaw reported flatly. "I'm going to sleep."

He stretched and curled up to sleep. Shinepaw thought about the escape plan. How would they ever even imagine pulling it off? Brambletail wouldn't think of even letting him.

The next day, Brambletail woke him up by yowling his name. "SHINEPAW!" She yowled. "Get up!! We're on dawn patrol!"

Shinepaw stretched and went outside the apprentices' den. Brambletail lashed her tail in frustration. The other warriors, Ashpelt and Brightfur, also glared at him.

"Sorry," sighed Shinepaw.

"'Sorry' catches no prey." hissed Ashpelt, flicking her tail. "Now, come on; the prey will die of old age before we get there at this point."

With Brightfur leading the patrol, Shinepaw, his mentor and Ashpelt followed suite. Suddenly Brambletail decided to pause in order to teach him battle moves. Brightfur agreed to let her, although Ashpelt hesitated but reluctantly agreed.

"Alright, Shinepaw. The first thing you need to know is to always attack when the enemy least expects it. Like—" Brambletail paused when Shinepaw leapt up and gave her a cuff on the ear, claws sheathed.

"Like that!" She purred when he landed. "Come and pounce on me. Keep your claws sheathed."

Shinepaw nodded and pounced on her, making her stumble onto the ground. She went limp. Wait... I know that trick! Runningpaw tried that on me when we were in the nursery!

Shinepaw didn't loosen his grip. He felt a purr coming from his mentor below him. "Nice job, Shinepaw. I didn't expect for you to not fall for it." She purred. "Now, let me up."

Shinepaw let her up, every muscle tensed in case she tried to pounce on him. "Nice job," mewed Brightfur. "Swiftpaw fell for that the first moon he was apprenticed."

Shinepaw flicked his tail. "Runningpaw tried it on me before when we were playing."

"Sharp memory," Ashpelt commented. "I like that. We'll be holding a warrior ceremony sooner rather than later."

Shinepaw's ears perked up. Ashpelt rarely gave anyone direct praise. She normally gave a nod or a flick of her tail and/or ears. Shinepaw felt pride running from his ears to tail tip. I managed to impress Ashpelt! Take that, Swiftpaw!

"Come on. You can teach Shinepaw the hunting crouch and how to hunt actual prey, Brambletail." meowed Ashpelt.

As Brightfur led the way to prey, Shinepaw couldn't help but feel guilty.

I managed to impress Ashpelt, he repeated. But I have to leave during Half Moon. What if I'm having my warrior ceremony?

"Shinepaw." Brambletail flicked his ear with her tail. "Do you have cotton in your ears? I told you to try the warriors' hunting crouch."

Rabbit-brain! Shinepaw told himself. "Sorry, Brambletail."

Shinepaw flattened himself, and stiffened his tail. He leapt for Brambletail's tail, claws sheathed. Once he caught it, Brambletail took it away.

"Don't forget, this is not a kittypet trying to catch a red light(laser) with their twoleg. This is hunting."

Shinepaw nodded, and instead of letting Brambletail snatch her tail away from his tiny paws, he held on to it with a hard grip. Brambletail let out a mrrow of laughter.

"Nice," she commented. "But the time for training is over. Time to actually hunt."

Shinepaw nodded, and dispersed from his clanmates, keeping his eyes peeled for Cinderpaw, Redpaw, Nightpaw, and/or Luckypaw. Shinepaw's tail relaxed in relief once he tasted none of their scents in the air.

He shivered.

He already knew their scents! They were only together for only a Gathering.

But Shinepaw focused all his senses on hunting when he tasted a rabbit in the air. Ha! Take that, RiverClan cats! Your fur's too thick and you'll be too slow to catch a rabbit!

Shinepaw leapt up at the rabbit and killed it in one small bite of its neck. With a flick of his tail, he carried the rabbit over to the prey pile where he, Ashpelt, Brambletail and Brightfur would meet. Shinepaw ran off to catch more prey.

He had caught a squirrel and a wood mouse by the time they met up. "Nice job, Shinepaw!" said Brambletail.

"Yeah, you're a real prey-catcher," Ashpelt meowed.

"Thanks!" Shinepaw mewled.

"Let's go back to camp, shall we?" asked Brightfur and with a flick of his tail, led them back to camp. Shinepaw trotted into the apprentices' den to be greeted by Swiftpaw.

"Hey, Preypaw. Did you commit cannibalism?" Swiftpaw purred of amusement and let out a mrrow of laughter. "Me and Runningpaw are having our assessment tomorrow. Too bad you can't come!"

Shinepaw snarled. "Say another word, and you're crowfood." Okay, maybe leaving won't be so bad if he gets to leave this jerk of a dennate behind.

Suddenly, another apprentice named Sunpaw came in; Sunpaw is a she-cat with beautiful tabby patterns and light gray fur.

"Hey Shinepaw!" purred Sunpaw.

"Hey, Sunpaw." He responded nervously with his pelt getting hot. He liked Sunpaw. She was kindhearted, gentle, and was a great hunter. Her mentor was the WindClan deputy,Whitemist.

"How did your third day as an apprentice go?" asked Sunpaw.

"It went." He answered simply.

"Oh, and guess what? We have nests next to each other." Sunpaw replied cheerfully.

Every negative emotion he felt turned to joy. "Really?!" Shinepaw asked.

"Yep!" Sunpaw nuzzled up against him.

Swiftpaw snarled. Shinepaw turned to him. Swiftpaw curled up to sleep. Shinepaw scowled at Swiftpaw and also curled up next to Sunpaw.

If I leave, I'll be able to leave Swiftpaw behind.

Then his ears drooped.

If I leave, I'll leave Sunpaw behind too.