Dappled Shadows

Chapter Six

After being scolded by her mentor and Lilyheart Dapplepaw retreated sullenly to the shelter of the apprentice's den.

"How was your day?" Flowerpaw questioned padding over to sit next to her sister.

"Probably worse than your day," Dapplepaw muttered and launched into the details of the day's events.

"Great StarClan! Was he scary?" Flowerpaw interrupted when Dapplepaw got to the part about meeting Flint.

"No he was actually quite nice." Dapplepaw meowed. The two sisters talked about their mentors and duties until their exhaustion overcame them and they slipped into sleep.

" Great StarClan I hate elders. They're sooo demanding." Shadowpaw was ranting. "Adderweed made me adjust his bedding seven times before he was satisfied. Seven!"

"Calm down Shadowpaw. Elders can be annoying but they are elders after all." Flowerpaw purred soothingly.

Dapplepaw yawned and stretched her legs. She was losing the kit-like fluff around her tail and ears and starting to look older.

"Where's Amberwind anyway? She usually collects you at the break of dawn." Dapplepaw meowed to Shadowpaw.

"I hear she's in the medicine den. She was on patrol with Quailfeather and Dustclaw and something happened." Shadowpaw replied.

"Did ShadowClan attack them?" Flowerpaw mewed anxiously. Ever since a ShadowClan cat attacked the camp a few moons ago Flowerpaw had been living in constant fear.

"Oh I hope so. With Amberwind's training I really can fight ShadowClan." Shadowpaw purred, a sadistic glint in her piercing blue eyes.

"Well I'm gonna go find Blazeheart." Dapplepaw mewed padding into the clearing.

***

"You're improving." Blazeheart said approvingly. Dapplepaw purred in happiness at her mentor's praise. It was rare and when he complimented a battle move or hunting technique and when he did he really meant it.

The two cats were in a sheltered section of the forest practicing fighting skills. "Work on turning faster and putting more power in your leap. Other than that it's looking great." Blazeheart meowed.

"Okay." Dapplepaw replied. She did what Blazeheart told her to do and Dapplepaw didn't fall this time.

"Great job Dapplepaw!" Blazeheart purred. "Next time ShadowClan attacks, we'll be ready."

After more training Dapplepaw returned to camp with her mentor.

"Go get something from the fresh-kill pile and bring it to the elders. After that you can eat and go do whatever it is you young cats do." Blazeheart meowed trotting over to Leafsplash and Nightfang.

Dapplepaw picked up a mouse and quickly delivered it to the elders before joining Shimmerpaw and Ravenpaw near the apprentice's den.

"Fox dung!" Ravenpaw cursed as he stepped on a small yet sharp stone near the entrance to the den.

"Can you please be quiet? Some of us are trying to rest," hissed Shadowpaw from inside the den.

"I'll take him to the medicine den Dapplepaw offered quickly helping the black tom up. "Can you walk?" Dapplepaw asked.

"Yeah," Ravenpaw grunted lifting his paw to get a better look. "Great StarClan it's stuck in there," Ravenpaw groaned looking away.

"Are you okay?" Shimmerpaw asked her brother anxiously.

"Oh I'm fine except the stone in my foot," he replied dryly as he and Dapplepaw started to make their way to the Medicine Cat's den.