Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 5

"So, how was it?" Wheatpaw mewed eagerly.

Waterpaw, Wavepaw, and Tussledpaw stood at the entrance of the apprentices den.

"I'm too tired to tell you," Tussledpaw yawned. "After I've got a good night's sleep I'll tell you."

Wavepaw nodded. "We're all tired."

"Okay," Wheatpaw meowed sadly, then sunk into her nest.

"Wavepaw! Wavepaw!" Bushkit scrambled out of the nursery. "Tell me about the Gathering!"

"Does Dawnpool know you're awake?"

Bushkit shrugged. "She's sleeping. And it's boring here! And Squeakkit and Greenkit never want to play!"

Wavepaw's whiskers twitched. "Squeakkit and Greenkit's eyes haven't even fully opened yet, and it's the middle of the night. We're only awake because we just came back from a Gathering."

Bushkit's tail drooped. "Can you please tell me about the Gathering?"

Wavepaw smiled. "I'm sure you'll hear everything when Reedtail tells Dawnpool tomorrow."

"Okay." Bushkit paused. "Wavepaw?"

"Yes?" the light grey apprentice asked, surprised.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Wavepaw sat down and curled her tail so it was sitting on her paws.

"Can you mentor me when I'm an apprentice?"

Wavepaw laughed. "That's up to Goldstar to decide. Plus, I might not even be a warrior once you're an apprentice!"

Bushkit's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Wavepaw answered. "Now I need to get to sleep, and you need to go back to Dawnpool."

"Okay..." Bushkit said reluctantly, and went back into the nursery. Wavepaw, exhausted, padded to her nest and flopped down. She fell asleep instantly.

***

"You won't get away that easily!"

Wavepaw lunged at Wheatpaw, paws out, but Wheatpaw dodged it and Wavepaw tumbled to the ground.

"I'm no good at fighting," she sighed, standing up.

"You'll get better," encouraged Speckledfur. "Just try to aim where she might be if she dodges, and always be prepared for a move to fail." She nudged Wavepaw. "Try it again. Wolfpaw will go with you this time." Wavepaw's brother nervously stepped forward. Wavepaw studied him. Okay, I know he's a lot like me in battle training, always lunging first thing. Sure enough, Wolfpaw jumped toward her almost immediately. Wavepaw noticed that he made the mistake of leaving his belly exposed and she charged straight at him, her head crashing into his belly and Wolfpaw flying into the ground.

"Much better!" Speckledfur praised. "Now, that's enough fighting for today. You'll go change the elder's bedding and check for ticks. Make sure to go to Mintleaf for mouse bile."

Wavepaw perked up. She didn't like checking for ticks and changing bedding, as did most apprentices, but she loved the elders' stories. She went and grabbed some moss, then padded over to the elders den. She would get the mouse bile later so it didn't stink up the den.

"Hi Wavepaw," Sandypelt grunted. "I'm assuming you're here for duties." Wavepaw nodded and began to rip out the old bedding of Sandypelt's nest.

"Now, I'm expecting that you want a story," the yellow-brown tom said. Wavepaw looked up and nodded eagerly. Sandypelt smiled.