Back at camp, Birdstar gathered WindClan around to celebrate their victory. Bloodpaw couldn't help but remember her claws aiming to tear away her brother flesh and watch him bleed. Luckily, Stormpaw had stopped her before she did.
Stormpaw was on RiverClans side now...and would even kill her to prove his loyalty.
"Before I send out our patrols and continue our day, I have one paw important announcement. Bloodpaw, will you step forward please."
Bloodpaws eyes lit in excitement when Birdstar called her forward. The crowd separated, letting Bloodpaw pass through. She felt Spottedbelly and Cloudygazes tails brush her shoulder as she did. It's finally time I become a warrior!
Birdstar met her gaze, a slight smile upon her visage. "Bloodpaw, you have fought hard in battle for a cat who barely learned how to fight. I think my decision of making you a medicine cat apprentice was," Birdstar paused for a moment, her smile fading,"wrong. So I believe you deserve a rightful position as a warrior apprentice!"
"Bloodpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior cat code and fight alongside WindClan?" Birdstar asked, raising her head and glaring down at Bloodpaw.
Bloodpaw narrowed her eyes, meeting Birdstars gaze proudly,"I do!"
"Then I Birdstar rightfully places you as a warrior apprentice. Your new mentor will be Runningstorm. Runningstorm, I expect you to pass down your loyalty and intelligence to this young apprentice," Birdstar waited until the tortishell tom pressed his nose to Bloodpaws then announced,"Clan dismissed."
Runningstorm nudged Bloodpaw, who glanced over at her mentor. He was lean, but muscular. His tail flicked as he smiled down at her.
"I'm guessing you've already seen the territory back when you were a medicine cat apprentice, eh?" He asked her.
Bloodpaw nodded simply as the tom continued,"Then I guess we will go right now and start with some battle techniques!"
She met her mentors gaze but was soon left staring over the camp. The whirled around to spot Runningstorm waiting impatiently at the camp exit,"C'mon!"
Smirking, Bloodpaw raced after her mentor who bolted off. Heather and moist grass crunched under her paws as she stormed off. She was glad her mentor was exciting and didn't tease her for her backstory.
She glanced over a hill, spotting Runningstorm waiting for her below. Bloodpaw leaped and landed midway down the hill. Wind tugged at her fur as she came to a halt near her mentor.
"Lets start with a simple dodge and attack move," Runningstorm spoke right away,"Now, I want you to charge at me and let me demonstrate the move. Whenever your ready."
Bloodpaw took in a deep breath and fixed her gaze on Runningstorm. She rushed forward, heading swiftly towards the tortishell tom. When she was about a fox tail away, Her mentor skidded to the right and Bloodpaw lost focus. She tripped over her own paws and toppled to the ground, snorting in frustration.
Runningstorm placed a heavy paw on Bloodpaws spine and applied enough force to almost knock the breath out of her.
He stepped off of her and she scrambled to her paws, almost tripping again. "This move causes your enemy to panic and lose focus, and they will stumble to the ground on their belly. But when the fall this way, their own front paws will most likely lock underneath them giving you a advantage. Applying pressure on their spine will hold them down for good, but it's only likely this will keep them down long enough for a deadly blow if your opponent is smaller than you."
Amazement flickered in Bloodpaws eyes as she listened to her mentor explain the move. He knew so much and was very intelligent. She was glad he was her mentor instead of anyone else.
Runningstorm backed away and dipped his head,"Your turn now."
Before Bloodpaw could think, Runningstorm charged for her like lightning. She swerved to the side and he tumbled to the ground with a thump! Bloodpaw spun and raised her paw to slam it down on his chest. But she was too late.
Runningstorm had got to his paws and jumped away from her slashing paw. He punched forward and slammed into her chest, knocking the air from her. Runningstorm then swung to the right and slammed his head into Bloodpaws shoulder.
Bloodpaw collapsed on her side, breathing heavily. What was that about?!
"You've got to be faster on your paws to avoid any counter attacks," Runningstorm snapped the moment she stood to her paws.
"I'm sorry," Bloodpaw mumbled, glancing down at her shuffling paws.
Runningstorms tail lifted her head up to glance into her mentors eyes. "It doesn't matter, we'll just try it again until you get it right."
He backed off and crouched down, narrowing his eyes. "Ready?"
Bloodpaw smirked,"Ready!"
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Bloodpaw woke in the middle of the night. She quietly got to her paws, glancing around the apprentice den.
Thistlepaw nest was near hers, Wolfpaw snoring beside his brother. Patchpaw, the eldest apprentice, slept near the corner, clawing at her nest in her sleep.
Bloodpaw slowly and cautiously prowled out of the den, scanning the camp. Nobody seemed to be guarding the camp entrance this late, so she easily sneaked outside of camp.
The apprentice made her way through the meadows of WindClan, the wind howling and the moonlight washing down on the moor before her. Bloodpaw took in a heavy breath of air then sighed. Maybe Stormpaw will be at the border. I must confront him.
The gorge caught Bloodpaws gaze. As she neared, the river was crashing loudly against the side of the gorge wall. But what more importantly caught her eye was a gray tom standing on the tree that led across the gorge.
Stormpaw.
"I never thought you would actually come,"Stormpaw sighed, slowly padding forward.
Bloodpaws hackles and fur rose as her brother approached her. She couldn't forgive him at all for what he did earlier today. Never.
She swiped out a unsheathed paw, grazing his muzzle. Stormpaw pulled back in fear as blood trickled from the tiny wound.
"I know your hurt for what I did," Stormpaws tail fell as her met her gaze with sympathetic feelings,"But I'm sorry. I guess being in a clan made me forget about you and our special sibling relationship. Please forgive me."
"Forgive you?" Bloodpaw spat out the phrase, Stormpaw wincing at her harsh tone. "Forgive you for what you did? I never forgot about you and our relationship, and that's why I pulled away from attacking you! But you put your clan before me," Bloodpaw clenched her teeth,"And attacked me even after I let you go."
"I'm sorry! Being in a clan has changed me and now I know that I should've never attacked you and hurt you like that," Stormpaw sighed,"Just please forgive me and we can go back to our old home."
"Our old home is gone," Bloodpaw snapped,"Our twolegs left us because they were leaving. That's why I left, because I heard rumors of it happening. I hated leaving you behind and when I first saw you at the Gathering, I couldn't believe it was you and left as soon as possible with my clan to thing about it."
"But when I saw you during the battle, I looked into those eyes I first saw when I was just a tiny kit and knew it was you. I could tell you did too, but you picked your clan over me. Your path is fine with me, and I guess I will be staying with my clan as well. I will make sure I get back at you for hurting me."
Just as Bloodpaw began to march away, Stormpaw growled,"Then so be it!"
Bloodpaw felt her anger swell up inside of her. From Birdstar, Stormpaw, and many more. They would all pay....
