Hailpaw woke, poking his head out of the den. It was still dark. Sliding out into the empty camp, he padded towards the exit and into the enclosed hollow. Somehow, he felt like he had to practice. A shadowy cat appeared, and Hailpaw reared up, gasping in shock. The dark brown tabby growled, "It looks like you need help, eh?"
Hailpaw gasped, realizing this tawny cat realized what he needed most. Glumly, he mumbled, "Yeah... I feel all clumsy and pathetic when I'm fighting. I want to be the fiercest cat ever, but I have a gut feeling that I need more training-more than just in the daytime." Shock hit him, and he exclaimed to the tabby, "Can you train me at night??" The brown masculine growled dryly, "Finally you figured out why I'm here. Your working on the death blow, right?" Hailpaw nodded. The mysterious feline continued, "Ok. So, when your rushing for the opponents face, you need to be light on those massive paws of yours." Hailpaw ducked his head in embarrassment, and the feline continued, "Then, as you lung for their face, rake your claws across their muzzle. Then, duck underneath, and rear up, to throw them off balance." The tawny feline demonstrated the racing foward, slashing his muzzle, ducking under and rearing up. Hailpaw fell flat onto his spine, his eyes seeing stars.
He exclaimed, leaping to his paws in admiration, "Wow! That was great! Can I try??" The bracken colored cat nodded, and Hailpaw concentrated, and raced swiftly towards the ghostly cat. He slashed his muzzle brutally, and ducked underneath. Unsheathing his kitten-claws, he reared up, raking the tawny brute's stomach as well. He leapt to his paws, his eyes shining. The brown cat nodded, and announced, "Good. After you rear up, pounce onto them, while their stunned, and then bite their throats." Hailpaw nodded, backed up, and rushed foward smoothly. He slashed the feline's nose, and ducked underneath his stomach. He reared up, and sent the tawny brute sprawling. He sprang to his paws and lunged for the masculine, jaws tearing, claws flashing. He snarled as he sunk his teeth into the ghostly cats throat. He let go and backed up.
The ghost-cat sprang to his paws, and dipped his head, fading, "I will always be here when you need me." Hailpaw mewed, "Thank you!! What's your name?" The ghostly cat was nearly invisible, but before he left, he whispered, "Brackentuft."
Hailpaw blinked as the ghostly cat disappeared, and headed back to the den. He ducked underneath the dumpster, and curled up, pride brimming off his pelt. He murmrued, "Thank you, Brackentuft........" He let his voice trail off, as he fell into asleep.
Hailpaw woke, Silvertalon poking him in the side rudely. He abruptly said, "Come on. Training later. We will get your spiked collar and dog claws this morning." Hailpaw excitedly exited out of the dumpster, and followed his mentor, to get his official BloodClan markings.
Hailpaw entered the training hollow, flexing his dog-claws. He shook out his coat, getting used to his new royal blue collar, which was also studded with dog-claws. He let out an eager mew, and asked, "What's now, Silvertalon?" His mentor growled, "Patience, young Hailpaw. Today we will work on a fore-paw slash. Do it like this." Silvertalon demonstrated, raising onto his hind legs, and swiping in the air powerfully. Hailpaw backed away as he felt the rush of the wind as his mentor swiped. When Silvertalon dropped down on all fours, he nodded condescendingly and rose to his hind-paws. He began to swipe forcefully, making the air rush as Silvertalon did. Silvertalon nodded, and hissed, "I think you are ready. We will fight, one on one."
Hailpaw raked the ground with his dog-claws and snarled, "Great." Silvertalon narrowed his eyes to slits and leaped. He bowled Hailpaw over, and he went flailing. Hailpaw began to lash out, catching Silvertalon on the eyes and muzzle. He reared up, flinging Silvertalon off. As his mentor got shakily to his paws, Hailpaw lunged foward, slicing his nose. He dived underneath his stomach, wrestling him to the ground. He sunk his teeth into his mentors throat. He retracted them then, and backed away, an ear twitching.
Silvertalon slumped to the ground, panting. Hailpaw rushed over, and licked his mentor's bloodied coat. He whispered, "It wasn't on purpose!" Silvertalon let out a screech and tackled Hailpaw, pinning him to the ground. Silvertalon raked his claws across Hailpaw's stomach. Hailpaw gasped in pain, and thought, "My stomach has been ripped out!" Silvertalon hissed and quickly clawed his flanks, and his muzzle. He then bent down, and hissed, "Goodbye." He sank his teeth into Hailpaw's throat, and Hailpaw thrashed around, gurgling, blood bubbling at his neck. Silvertalon let go and stepped back. Then he padded away.
Hailpaw lay motionless on the ground. He blearily opened his eyes, a small sigh escaping his mouth. The alabaster masculine laid his head back down onto the terrain. He rested for a while.
After he finished relaxing, and regaining his strength, Hailpaw stood up and limped heavily to camp. He headed to the side, and flopped down. He knew he was loosing a lot of blood. He knew he might die.
