Warrior Cats: Into the Unknown.(1/3)

Chapter 4

Fernpaw dropped into a hunting crouch, her tail waving behind her. She stalked forward, slowly, step by step, on the smooth moss floor. "Don't wave your tail like that." Sparktail murmured, padding up to her. Fernpaw tucked in her tail and crept forward again. "Good, now pounce onto that flower." The dark ginger she-cat murmured, pointing at a bright pink flower a fox-length away. Fernpaw braced herself for the leap, before springing off the ground and, clearing two fox-lengths, landed on the flower and crushed it beneath her paws. "Great job." Fernsong mewed from the edge of the clearing. Fernpaw stood up again and puffed out her chest. It was a quarter moon since the encounter with the dead fox. Bramblestar had sent out a patrol to bury it outside Thunderclan territory. Fernpaw forced her fur to lie flat again on her shoulders when she remembered the horrible prophecy. Jayfeather hadn't taken his eyes off her since she'd slept in the medicine den for a night. But since she received the prophecy, her dreams had been dark, and she'd gotten little sleep. "You're turning into a good hunter." Hollytuft praised her as she sat beside Fernsong and Ambermoon and the other apprentices. "Yes, you're turning into a formidable hunter." Fernsong added with an approving nod. Fernpaw felt her mind brighten at the warriors' praised, and she scuffed the ground with her front paws. But her heart sank when Ambermoon didn't say anything. But then, her mentor never said anything to her, or gave her tips. The ginger she-cat was staring into the forest, her eyes clouded with thoughts. Fernpaw wondered what was going through the she-cat's mind. "Alright, Timberpaw, your turn." Fernsong nodded into the training hollow. Timberpaw heaved himself to his paws with a groan. Fernpaw chuckled slightly as she scrambled up the smooth stones and to sit beside Oakpaw. Timberpaw hated hunting practises, but she knew that he would be a dangerous warrior when he'd get older. He had massive paws and a strong, bulky, muscular body. Fernpaw shivered. "Stop complaining, Timberpaw. You need to learn these moves whether you like it or not." Fernsong mewed as he leaped down the rocks and landed smoothly on the ground before turning and looking up at his apprentice. Timberpaw gave a heavy sigh before scrambling down after his mentor. "Alright, you're hunting a mouse. What do you do?" The light ginger tom asked. Timberpaw dropped into a hunting crouch. Fernpaw held in her laughter, but burst out when Oakpaw yowled: "You look like a lopsided badger, Timberpaw!" Fernpaw and Cloverpaw yowled in laughter, but shrank away as Hollytuft gave them a harsh cuff with sheathed claws. "Don't be so rude." She snapped before sitting down beside them. Timberpaw had spun around, baring his teeth hwile the fur across his shoulders had risen so he looked twice his size. "Try to drag your brother up instead of dragging him down." Sparktail added, giving them a hard glare. Fernpaw ducked her head, feeling ashamed. "Sorry, Timberpaw." She mumbled, and Oakpaw and Cloverpaw echoed her. Timberpaw nodded before dropping into a hunting crouch again. "Now, let's see. Try tucking your hindlegs under your belly more." Fernsong mewed before placing a paw on his apprentice's back and pushing him further into the ground.

Fernpaw trotted after Ambermoon as her mentor hurried through the forest. She tried to push away her awkwardness. She'd never been alone with her mentor, and Ambermoon gave her no attention. She gave out a low cough. "Do you want me to tell you what I can smell?" Fernpaw mewed carefully. Ambermoon gave no response. They were patrolling the boundaries that bordered the unknown forest. Fernpaw stopped and stared into the forest. She felt anger rising in her chest. Why didn't Ambermoon give her any attention? She'd never given her tips, or took any notice of her hunting skills or taught her anything. A growl rose in Fernpaw's throat. "Okay, can't you just tell me why you hate me? You don't treat me like anyone else. You treat me like a rogue, or something dangerous!" Fernpaw snapped, taking a step toward the ginger she-cat. Ambermoon whirled around, her eyes blazing with fury. Fernpaw shrank back at the fire in her mentor's eyes. She was going to turn around and run away, but Ambermoon bowled into her and carried her off her paws. Fernpaw gave out a terrified yowl as Ambermoon pinned her to the ground and pushed her face into the mud. "Because you are dangerous! Far more dangerous than any clan cat. A spark inside you will one day flare up and you will burst out into flames, and your fire will spread across the clans' territories, and you will bring the end to our kind." She growled, her claws unsheathing so they sank into Fernpaw's scruff. The grey she-cat struggled frantically to escape the warrior's sharp claws. She yowled in fear as she scrabbled at the ground around her with her paws. Her eyes had rolled to the back of her head as she tried to tug herself away from Ambermoon's cruel claws. Fear surged up inside her, and threatened to swallow her up. "If I let you go, then you promise not to run away?" Ambermoon growled into her ear. Fernpaw didn't have time to think straight and nodded eagerly. Ambermoon stepped off her and Fernpaw sprank to her paws. She bared her teeth and unsheathed her claws, her fur bushing out so she looked twice her size. She backed steadily away, although her heart pounded in her chest and she could smell her own fear scent. "Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you." Ambermoon murmured, sitting down. "Why did you do that?" Fernpaw whispered, tipping her head slightly. "Because I'm terrified of you." Ambermoon growled, her eyes blazing with cold fire. Fernpaw shrank back and crouched. "But I haven't done anything to you or anyone else." Fernpaw croaked, her voice high-pitched. "Yet." Ambermoon mewed, standing up. The ginger she-cat stood up and strode over to her, her eyes a whisker away from Fernpaw's. "I was chosen for something." Ambermoon murmured in her ear. She stepped away from her again and gazed into her eyes. "I was chosen to train you. Not by Bramblestar, I asked to be your mentor." Ambermoon mewed, her face deadly serious. Fernpaw opened her mouth to ask why if she never took any notice in her. "I have to train you to fight against the power inside you. To turn it into something good instead of bad. But the task will be hard and difficult, and I fear nothing more than you and the future." She murmured before turning around. "Your life will not be easy, Fernpaw. That's why I was chosen, because my paws are guided by Starclan so they'll teach me how I can stop it, yet I don't know if I will succeed." Ambermoon murmured over her shoulder. "We will begin your training tomorrow." She then mewed, her voice stronger. "Come on, and show me how fast you can run." She growled before leaping into a clump of undergrowth and disappearing. Fernpaw staggered after her, her mind spinning after all the information she had just received. "Come on!" She flinched at Ambermoon's furious yowling. She then sprang from her place and plunged after her mentor. She raced on, her paws barely touching the ground as she skimmed over the eart, spraying up soil behind her. The wind ruffled in her fur as she bolted onward. She was panting after a few heartbeats, but Ambermoon didn't slow down. Then, suddenly, the she-cat's scent stopped. Fernpaw skidded to halt, confused. She spun around in circles, but she dare not call out the warrior's name. She let out a shriek of surprise when heavy weight landed on her back. Fernpaw's legs buckled out from under her and she collapsed under the weight on her back. Sharp claws dug into her shoulders and hindquarters, and the cat that had gripped her rolled over. Fernpaw felt her paws and tail flailing and she let out a yowl of pain. Her eyes widened and panic rose inside her when she caught Ambermoon's scent. Fernpaw wriggled and twisted, and lashed out with her paws. She managed to catch the she-cat over the eye. Ambermoon let out a yowl and kicked her away from herself before scrambling to her paws. Fernpaw felt all breath blown out of her and she let out a grunt of pain when she landed two fox-lengths away from Ambermoon. She rose to her paws to see her mentor racing toward her, her pupils narrowed into slits. Fernpaw reared up and spun around. "Good!" Ambermoon yowled, skidding to turn around. Fernpaw landed on all four. This was a training session? Ambermoon lashed out with her sharp claws, but Fernpaw managed to duck just in time. Ambermoon growled in frustration mixed with satisfaction. She lifted a paw high into the air, and Fernpaw's gaze followed it, but then Ambermoon flashed out her other paw and hooked Fernpaw's paws out from under her. She grunted as her chin slammed to the ground. She felt claws pierce her flanks and she let out a yowl and she struggled frantically to escape her mentor. "Stop!" She begged as she writhed around, twisting and lashing out with aimless, clumsy blows. "Why are you doing this?" She cried when Ambermoon sliced at her ears. "If you are to be trained by me, you must be okay with my style." She leaped away from her and Fernpaw staggered to her paws, her eyes wide with fear. "But why are you doing it like this? Why not like how the other mentors train their apprentices?" Fernpaw mewed, urging her mentor to understand her frustration. "Because that won't teach you well enough. You have to grow into a strong warrior that won't give up, one that has stamina and energy, one that has patience. You will turn into the greatest warrior the clans around the lake will ever see. You'll be a greater fighter than Tigerstar himself." Fernpaw flinched at the evil cat's name. But surely she couldn't be so great? She shook her head. "I don't want to be like Tigerstar." She mewed, drawing herself up. Ambermoon snapped her head toward her, all warmth gone out of them and replaced with a cold light. She lunged forward, her jaws open, showing fierce, sharp teeth. Fernpaw gasped and rolled over before springing to her paws, only to be swatted to the ground again like a fly. "Never question me like that!" Ambermoon yowed at her. "Now, if I hold you down like this, what do you do?" Ambermoon growled, pinning her down with a paw on Fernpaw's chest and neck. Memory flashed in Fernpaw's mind from when she was a kit. Acornpaw and Frogpaw, Cherryfall's and Fernsong's kits, had been training in the clearing. Frogpaw had managed to pin his sister down, but then she had scrabbled at his belly and pushed him off her. But Ambermoon was too big for Fernpaw to push off. Then determination flew into her head. She lifted her hindpaws, her claw unsheathed, and she scrabbled wildly at Ambermoon's belly. Blood gushed out of her wound and she leaped away yowling. Fernpaw sprang to her paws, pure triumph rising up inside her. "Great job." Ambermoon grunted, her shoulders hunched, but her eyes shone with satisfaction. "You're a fast learner, young one." Ambermoon murmured, rising up again. Fernpaw flattened her ears when she saw blood drip out of her mentor's wound that she had inflicted. Then, with a jolt, Fernpaw realized that Ambermoon's body was covered with scars. Her eyes were sliced, and scars crisscrossed over her shoulders, hindquarters and on every limb. Fernpaw flicked an ear. Not even the senior warriors had so many scars. "Why do you have so many scars?" She cautiously questioned. Ambermoon flicked an ear. "I haven't only been trained by Thunderclan warriors." Cold fear gripped around Fernpaw's heart like an eagle's talons. Had Ambermoon been training with Shadowclan or Windclan warriors? "No, I've been training with rogues most of my life." Ambermoon mewed wistfully as she rose to her paws, as if she'd already guessed what Fernpaw was thinking. Fernpaw's eyes widened, and she unconsciously took a step back. What loyal warrior would do that? "I'll take you to meet them one day." Ambermoon mewed, but Fernpaw didn't miss the flicker of fear in the she-cat's eyes. "Come on, let's get back to camp and let's see to those wounds." She mewed, padding into the undergrowth again. Fernpaw bounded after her, trying her best to ignore the pain that screamed at her to stop. "I'll race you back to camp." Ambermoon mewed before leaping away. Fernpaw's eyes widened. She was already exhausted. She shook her head before taking off after her mentor. Fernpaw bolted through the forest, scenting rain on the harsh wind. Her eyes watered as it blew into her face. Her belly brushed the ground as she pounded after Ambermoon. Her mind was focused on her mentor who was just a few fox-lengths ahead of her. The ginger she-cat skidded to halt in front of the barrier. She whipped around and thrust her nose up to Fernpaw's. "If you tell anyone about this I will flay you." She snarled, baring her teeth, before stepping away and shrugging. She turned around and padded into the camp. Fernpaw didn't dare tell anyone about it, she wasn't going to do it anyway. She trotted in after her mentor. Her siblings were tussling beside the apprentices' den while Stormcloud and Ivypool sat side by side, watching their kits. Cloudtail, Brightheart, Thornclaw and Brackenfur were padding toward them. Fernpaw felt cold claws grip around her heart. Were they going to talk to her. She sighed silently with relief when the elders brushed past her and padded into the tunnel. Acornpaw was sitting beside Frogpaw and their mentors, Icefeather and Leafheart in front of the highledge. Fernpaw pricked her ears. Was here a clan meeting. She flicked an ear when she saw Acornpaw murmur something and pointing at the stick of the fallen. Rosepetal had told Fernpaw that since the Great Battle, appprentices had to know the names on the stick of the fallen before becoming warriors. Dewnose and Sparktail were crouching side by side, chewing on a rabbit. Rainsong and Flamingheart were tussling outside the warriors' den while Leafheart, Bumblestripe and Honeyleaf were dragging branches and brambles toward the nursery. Fernpaw whipped around when she heard paws approaching her just before she caught Pigeonpaw's scent. "Hi!" Pigeonpaw mewed, stopping in front of her. Fernpaw let the fur across her shoulders lie flat again. "Hello, Pigeonpaw." Fernpaw mewed, touching her nose with his. "Why are they patching the Nursery?" She asked, cocking her head toward Bumblestripe who was dragging a large branch toward the Nursery. "Squirrelflight says that there's a storm coming." Pigeonpaw murmured with an edge of fear and worry in his voice. Fernpaw felt a shiver run through her as a large, fat raindrop landed on her nose. "Hey, by the way, did you know that Cinderheart is moving into the nursery again?" Pigeonpaw asked. Fernpaw's ears shot up. "No, I didn't." Fernpaw mewed. "It's great though. More warriors will make our clan strong." She purred, her tail tip twitching. Pigeonpaw nodded before padding away to the fresh-kill pile. Molewhisker strode past her, his eyes blazing with fury. Cherryfall trotted after him, a worried look on her face. Molewhisker plunged into the warriors' den, but Cherryfall stopped outside and sighed. Poppyfrost trotted toward her and murmured something in her ear. Cherryfall nodded before padding away with her mother. Birchfall and Whitewing were dragging a large branch toward the Warriors' den. She looked up into the sky. Thick, gray clouds were massing up, blocking out the sun. Fernpaw sniffed the air. This was going to be a raging storm. She thought before turning around and padding toward her parents and her siblings. She sat down beside Stormcloud and leaned into him, burying her face in his fur. Her father gave her an affectionate lick as Snowbush trotted by. "Come on, the storm is drawing closer." Stormcloud then murmured to his mate. Ivypool nodded and heaved herself to her paws. Stormcloud stood up and padded after her as she headed for the warriors' den. Her father was right. The wind was picking up and by now the rain was pouring down. Raindrops pounded on the grass around her and scattering water onto her fur. She leaped away before whipping around and racing to the apprentices' den. The gray she-cat plunged through the entrance. Pigeonpaw, Swiftpaw and Willowpaw, Dovewing's kits, were sharing a plump squirrel while chattering about their training session today with their mentors. Fernsong was sharing tongues with his mate, Cherryfall, while their kit, Acornpaw, told them about her training session earlier that day. Fernpaw padded to her nest and flopped down. Her wounds ached and they burned. Why had ambermoon been so hard on her? Why couldn't she just train her like any other mentor would?