Warriors - Burnt Skies

Chapter 25

"Dunepaw! Hazelpaw! Spiritpaw!" The names of BirchClan's first apprentices rung in Nightstorm's ears as the Clan raised their voices into chant, howling into the orange - tinted sky. They had decided the new apprentices would not be mentored by any one cat - instead, the whole group would have training sessions together, in an effort to fill in the gaps in knowledge of everyone in the Clan whilst also building trust. They would also learn basic healing, which Dawnbreeze had insisted upon.

"I'm going to be the best warrior ever!" Hazelpaw yowled, pouncing onto a leaf.

"You've only just been made an apprentice, and you're already starting to think about becoming a warrior," Nightstorm purred.

Hazelpaw grinned at her. "That's because now I can't wait to become a warrior!"

Nightstorm watched as the young apprentice leaped onto Dunepaw's back, engaging in a play fight.

"When's the first training session going to be?" Emberheart mewed excitedly, amber eyes gleaming as much as the three young apprentices'.

"Tomorrow, I suppose," Nightstorm meowed, and the others nodded in agreement. "Should we just do it on basic hunting techniques, like how to stalk a mouse?"

Emberheart and Dawnbreeze nodded once again, but Blizzardfrost frowned.

"Fishing should be one of the first things everyone learns. Me and Snowflight seem to be the only ones capable of doing it, and it'll prove useful in leafbare," he huffed.

"So... You're going to teach everyone to fish!?" Emberheart asked, waving his tail in anticipation.

Blizzardfrost scowled. "If I have to."

"You was the one who offered," Nightstorm pointed out. "Anyway, you do have point. Leafbare is coming in fast, and it's better if everyone in the Clan is prepared for when it does."

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Nightstorm's claws sank into the damp grass, which was wet with morning dew, dripping perfectly clear water droplets onto the black fur of her paw. The moistness of the ground next to the river made her shudder, but she figured that she'd get used to it.

She was sat on the bank of the river that ran through the territory, and, looking down it, she could see the other members of the Clan spread out at intervals. She was at the end of the row, with Dunepaw on her right, meaning that she would be the last one to be taught the wonders of fishing. Blizzardfrost was slowly making his way along the row on her side of the river, and Snowflight was doing the same on the other.

"Nightstorm?" Her ears pricked up at the sound of her name.

"What is it, Dunepaw?" She turned towards the cream tom beside her.

"What if I can't fish?" the young tom asked, looking up at her nervously.

"That's the whole point of this lesson, Dunepaw, so that you'll know how to fish by the end of it," she meowed, nudging the tom reassuringly.

"I know, but what if I'm so bad that I actually can't do it, even after this lesson?" he asked, voice quivering. "Will I be kicked out the Clan?"

A snort came from behind them. "Of course you won't. We've already went to the effort of officially making you an apprentice now, so that would have been a complete waste of time if we just decided to kick you out. No one can instantly be perfect at something, it just takes time."

Nightstorm turned to face the grey tabby that had just joined them. "Look at you, being nice for once," she teased.

Blizzardfrost rolled his eyes and squeezed in between them, pointing to the river with his paw. "Now shut up and listen. The first thing to know about fishing is that it takes patience. You need to let the fish come to you, which is quite a lot different than actively looking for other prey, such as a mouse, when hunting. You need to crouch down and keep very still."

Blizzardfrost lowered himself into a crouch and Nightstorm and Dunepaw done the same. Blizzardfrost gently nudged Dunepaw's haunches until he was in the correct position.

"Good. Now, when you see a fish-shaped shadow in the water, I want you, Dunepaw, to try and catch it. You need to stick your paw out and sink your claws into it, before it can slip out of your grasp," he meowed firmly. "Also, both of you, make sure to not cast your shadows on the water."

"Can't you show us how to catch it first?" Dunepaw asked tentatively.

"No. There's not an endless supply of fish," Blizzardfrost growled before slinking away.

Nightstorm stared at the ever-changing reflections of the birch tree on the water, hoping for something to disturb them. Her paws quickly became numb and her legs stiff from crouching there for so long, but her companion hadn't given up yet, so she wasn't going to either.

Her concentration was broken by a large splash as Dunepaw's paw shot into the water, coming out with a smooth, silver scaled fish caught in his claws. Nightstorm shook the water droplets of her whiskers.

"Well done, Dunepaw!" She meowed, privately wondering how the tom had spotted the fish before her.

The apprentice puffed out his chest in pride, setting his catch down on the bank. Blizzardfrost came bounding over.

"You actually caught something," the tabby meowed, inspecting the fish with one paw. "Take this back to camp - you're done for the day."

Dunepaw picked up the fish in his jaws and bounded towards camp, Hazelpaw, with a minnow in her mouth, running to catch up with him.

"It looks like two of our apprentices have caught something," Nightstorm commented, turning to Blizzardfrost. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you were proud."

"I guess it's just nice knowing that I don't have an entirely negative impact on everyone's lives," he grunted, turning away from her, but not before she saw the glimmer of sadness in his eyes.

Nightstorm paused. "You don't have a negative impact on my life. And I don't think you do on anyone else's either."

Blizzardfrost gazed thoughtfully at the river. "If we hadn't been forced together from the literal destruction of all four Clans, would you have wanted to be my friend?"

"I don't know," Nightstorm admitted. "But what I do know is that the Blizzardfrost sitting next to me right now is my friend, and I am glad about that. I wouldn't choose any other cat to be forming a new Clan with than you."

Blizzardfrost set his icy blue gaze on her. "I don't know if I deserve to be friends with you, Nightstorm, or any of the others, but I promise that I'll try to be as good a friend to you as you are to me."

He stood up. "Now, get back to fishing."