Maplepaw raced across the heather fields in pursuit of a rabbit. Her paws pounded against the ground as she pushed herself to run faster and faster after the creature. Her mentor, Weaselthorn, raced beside her offering tips and useful advice. With a well-timed leap, Maplepaw launched herself onto the rabbit and delivered the killing bite to the back of it's neck.
"I got it Weaselthorn!" Maplepaw exclaimed proudly looking up at her mentor.
"Good job," Weaselthorn responded affectionately flicking Maplepaw's ear with his tail. Maplepaw picked up her prize and began following Weaselthorn back to camp.
Maplepaw smiled and trotted beside Weaselthorn through the heather fields. Her copper eyes shone with pride in the warm sun as she discussed the hunt with her mentor. "I can't wait to show Mudpaw! He'll be so jealous!" Maplepaw purred confidently puffing out her chest.
Weaselthorn looked on in amusement. "He sure will," The tom meowed, his amber eyes glowing with pride as they arrived at the thorn tunnel that signaled they were at camp.
Maplepaw strutted proudly over the fresh-kill pile and placed her catch next to a warm sparrow. Maplepaw looked up and saw another cat had padded up next to her and leaned in to examine what the fresh-kill pile was consisted of.
"Hello, Maplepaw." A she-cats voice greeted Maplepaw warmly. Maplepaw turned to see Heathercloud, a queen, smile as she leaned over to pick up a few mice from the top of the pile.
"Heathercloud! How are the kits doing?" Maplepaw greeted turning to face the queen. Heathercloud flicked her tail towards the nursery where her kits, Willowkit and Ravenkit, were playing with each other. "Brindletail is watching over them while I get us some prey and stretch my legs." Heathercloud's eyes shone with love and pride in her tiny family.
"Oh ok! Tell them that I said hi!" Maplepaw meowed over her shoulder as she trotted away to the apprentice den where she saw her brother Mudpaw's hazel pelt. She grinned and dashed in to brag about her prey when she noticed more cats in the den. Confused about who was in the den Maplepaw padded in curiously.
"Oh hey Maplepaw!" Mudpaw's deep purr echoed through the den.
Maplepaw flicked her tail at her brother and greeted the other apprentices in the den. She realized that Ivypaw and Birchpaw were in the den saying their last goodbyes before leaving for Training Camp. Normally when apprentices graduate they aren't seen by clanmates till they're ready to become warriors.
"Birdpaw and Ivypaw are just here to say goodbye before they leave to training camp." Ivypaw rolled his eyes at Mudpaw for speaking for them.
Birdpaw just stood there looking at her paws nervously. It seemed as if she didn't want to go to the training camp but every apprentice eventually has to, it's where they learn how to survive away from the rest of their clanmates,
"We should be going now. Briarstalk and Cloverwing are getting ready to take us to the training camp." Ivypaw stretched out his legs and yawned. "See you guys in three moons I guess." He waved his fluffy light gray tail in the air motioning for Birdpaw to follow him out of the den.
"I'm gonna miss Briarstalk for three moons." Mudpaw sighed and stretched out his legs as well. Briarstalk was going to be training Ivypaw for three moons and won't be returning back to camp till after that.
"At least Hazelsong will be staying around, I couldn't bear to be here without both of our parents." Maplepaw looked over to Ivypaw and Birdpaw as they were preparing to exit the camp.
Before they could go a voice rang through the camp. "All cats old enough to run on the moor join me under the Great Willow!" Featherstar stood on top of a branch on the Great Willow that stood in the camp. Her feathery silver-gray pelt rustled in the brisk new-leaf breeze.
Maplepaw padded out of the den with Mudpaw right at her tail. The two of them curiously padded up to the Great Willow to see what the meeting was about.
Featherstar waited a few moments for all of the cats to gather around before starting to speak. After they all had arrived she lifted her tail for the clan to silence itself.
YOU ARE READING
Maple Leaves
Fanfiction~Currently being refurbished and completed~ Maplepaw was growing up in a great time for her clan after barely escaping leaf-bare's cold grip. She lived when other kits wouldn't. "Two survived!" They all said. "It's a miracle from StarClan!" They al...
