Warriors: Ashfur's Insanity

Chapter 8

"Stonepaw, you will be mentored by Thornclaw," Ashstar meowed. 

Jaykit's brother touched noses with his mentor.

Ashstar turned to look down at Millie. "Jaypaw-" He didn't look at her, "You will be mentored by Millie," He meowed. He blinked slowly as they touched noses.

"Well! What about the deputy? Will we have one?" Hazeltail yowled.

Jaypaw's pelt prickled with irritation. Ashstar would show weakness if he didn't appoint a deputy.

Every cat was eyeing Graystripe.

"The deputy shall be Thornclaw," Ashstar sighed.

"Thornclaw! Thornclaw! Thornclaw!" The clan yowled.

"Now! I need a hunting patrol!" Ashstar called. He looked at Thornclaw and Stonepaw. "Thornclaw, organize some patrols!" He meowed. He turned to look at Millie. "Millie, take out your apprentice."

"Yes, Ashstar," Millie dipped her head.

"What will we do first?" Jaypaw asked her mentor. "Hunting? Fighting?" Jaypaw sounded excited. Her voice then sounded boring. "Exploring?"

"You'll see once we get out," Millie told her.

Millie crouched down. The mouse still didn't see her. "So, watch me carefully," She whispered.

Jaypaw narrowed her eyes, making every move burn into her mind.

Then Millie sprang and the mouse ran towards Jaypaw. It was so frightened that it didn't notice her. Jaypaw awkwardly slammed her paws down on the mouse and hooked it in her claws, killing it.

"Nice!" Millie meowed. "We don't always use teamwork, but I guess this was the right time!" She meowed.

Jaypaw looked at her mouse. Her first kill! She wondered if Stonepaw was hunting.

"Now, bury your prey and lets go," Millie meowed.

Jaypaw buried her prey and followed her mentor. They were in a silent clearing that was surrounded by fat, tall trees.

"I will teach you two battle moves. Just in case we run into an enemy or a fox," Millie meowed.

Jaypaw listened and watched Millie carefully. It was boring, but she was excited.

Dawn had come by the time they started to head back. Jaypaw had learned how to hunt and how to fight- well, she only learned two moves.

Jaypaw and Millie entered camp. Millie sat down her mouse in the fresh-kill pile. "You can rest if you want," She meowed.

Jaypaw watched as she padded away.

"Jaypaw!" Stonepaw's voice called her.

Jaypaw darted to her brother. He was crouched over a brown lump of fur. It was smaller than him, but barely. Jaypaw realized that it was a rabbit.

"Look! I caught a rabbit!" He meowed. He breathed deeply and Jaypaw almost thought she heard his heart thumping.

"Cool! But....what's so important about it?" Jaypaw asked, irritated. Her paws itched to know. She thought he was hiding something. A secret.

Stonepaw leaned on her shoulder, his voice barely a whisper. "I hunted it on WindClan territory. So, it's the good kind!"

Jaypaw shot her brother a look that was mixed with anger and worry. "Stonepaw!" She lightly cuffed him over the ear. "Don't do that! That's against the warrior code!" She hissed.