//Un//marked

// chapter 2 //

    Leaves rustled. A bird called. Sounds of scurrying travelled through the forest.

    That was far from what she was looking for. The every day sounds of the forest would do very little to help her corner her prey. She listened closer.

    The hurried beating of a heart as a shrew ran past. The quiet flutter of wings as a magpie settled in the tree above. The swish of air as her own tail flicked in frustration.

    Get it together, she growled to herself. Her body stilled, her muscles tensed, and her ears pricked up higher than ever.

    Still nothing.

    She nearly cursed – but then she heard it. The soft patter of footsteps.

    By the time the tom came into view her legs were burning with the discipline required to stay still. Absolutely motionless, down to the end of her tail and the tips of her claws. She scolded herself as she realized she was grinding her fangs together with the anxiety of waiting.

    He came closer, ears up and nose twitching but never once seeming to notice her. She held her breath.

    She saw him start with surprise as she burst out of the bushes, but he recovered quickly. She was ready for him, swiping aside the paws the reached out to stop her, and hit her mark – his chest – just as originally planned. The tom fell beneath her and in one quick movement her fangs were at his throat.

    "Alright, alright, I get it, you won this time." He was terribly out of breath.

    "Just had to make sure, Flamestrike," she replied, letting him up. Settling before him, she wrapped her speckled tail over her white paws.

    He took a moment to shake out his ginger fur before turning to her. "That was very well done, Lightpaw. I had no idea you were there." She puffed out her chest proudly.

    "Only four moons into my training too," she pointed out. "Do you think I'll be a warrior soon?" Her hazel eyes widened with excitement at the thought.

    Flamestrike purred. "Perhaps. But there are still many things you need to learn. Dawnstar is widening the training regimen and wants apprentices trained in many more skills than they were before the rebellion."

    The rebellion. Lightpaw shivered.

    "Nothing to worry about," her mentor continued. "Based on how well you're already doing, you should have the rest of your skills in no time."

    The pale tortoiseshell brightened at that, bouncing to her paws. "Can we do more training today?"

    The ginger tom lifted his head to the sky, visible through the gaps in the fire-coloured leaves above. "It's well past sunhigh. We should be getting back. Spiderthorn wanted us on a border patrol at dusk."

    Lightpaw nodded, disappointed but knowing her duty to the Clan came first.

    "Practice your stealth on the way back," Flamestrike suggested. "Let's see how quiet you are when you're on the move."

    Eager to please, the apprentice softened her footsteps.

    //

    The camp was busy at this time of day, caught in that moment between the return and departure of patrols and mentors with their apprentices. Lightpaw noticed Duskwhisker and Newtfang entering the camp with Stormpaw and Yewpaw in tow, both apprentices looking tuckered out by their day of training.

    "Go talk to the other apprentices about training," Flamestrike said, following her gaze. "There's a lot you could all learn from each other." He padded off to join Dapplefrost and Smoketalon near the warriors' den.