Knowledge's Leadership /=^-^=\ A Warrior Cat Fanfiction

Chapter 3

It had been a couple of sun-rises since Amberpaw had gotten angry at Fadedleaf. She had pretty much gotten over it, but still avoided Fadedleaf.

Onyxpaw and Topazpaw were also avoiding each other like the plague. The two had nests directly next to each other, and Topazpaw asked Amberpaw to switch nests. Amberpaw complied, forgetting that her nest was next to Kyanpaw. Every morning she would wake up to see Topazpaw staring at Kyanpaw.

The apprentices went on their first official patrols, Amberpaw on a hunting patrol, Topazpaw on a border patrol, and Onyxpaw on the other border patrol.

Amberpaw was still an inexperienced hunter, having only learned how the previous sunrise. She crouched down as the rest of the patrol, Jasperlight, Pearlheart, and Condorwing, each took their places around a squirrel that they were trying to hunt. Amberpaw began lightly stalking the squirrel. Suddenly, the squirrel turned around and saw the little she-cat about to pounce. It tried to scurry away as she leaped on it and dug her claws into its bushy tail. The squirrel let out a high pitched squeal and yanked itself away from Amberpaw's sharp claws, missing lots of fur in its tail after. The squirrel ran toward the nearest tree, when Condorwing, true to his name, pounced from a low branch and tackled the squirrel, effectively knocking it out. He neatly slit its throat as the other three cats gathered around him.

Pearlheart nodded at the two. "Good catch," she mewed.

They started to head farther away from the camp to hunt. Condorwing buried his prey and ran to catch up. The patrol spent until sun-high hunting, and ended up with a good amount of prey.

Once they walked into camp and dropped off their prey on the fresh-kill pile, Pearlheart turned to Amberpaw and Jasperlight. "Emeraldstar told me to inform you two that you will be joining us at the gathering tonight, along with your littermates--"

Amberpaw nodded.

"And their mentors," Pearlheart finished.

Amberpaw nodded again and headed into the apprentice den. Only Onyxpaw was there, who was neatly rearranging the moss in her nest.

"How was your border patrol?" Amberpaw asked.

Onyxpaw jumped, surprised. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" she exclaimed.

Amberpaw rolled her eyes. "I didn't sneak up on you-- I was actually walking quite loudly. You just weren't paying any attention," she paused. "So, how was your patrol?"

"Fairly good. Nothing happened," Onyxpaw mewed. "I did get a bit wet though, I slipped into the stream. Lucky for me, it was a shallow part."

Amberpaw laughed and then quickly composed herself. "I caught a mouse and helped catch a squirrel," she mewed.

"Good for you then!" Onyxpaw mewed excitedly. She looked down sadly. "I still haven't caught anything." Amberpaw felt a pang of sadness but then pushed it to the side.

"Don't worry," Amberpaw attempted to comfort her awkwardly. "I'm sure you will catch something soon."

"But what if I don't?" Onyxpaw mewed worriedly.

Amberpaw sighed, and refusing to be nice anymore mewed, "If you don't ever catch anything, then you're a horrible hunter and should try doing something else." in her irritation, she didn't notice Onyxpaw gasp in astonishment.

Onyxpaw made eye-contact with Amberpaw and immediately looked away. "Maybe I shouldn't ever talk to you about these things," she mumbled.

Amberpaw nodded. "You really shouldn't." She calmly stepped out of the den.

. . .

It was finally dark, and the Clan was about to head to the gathering. Only a few cats were going to remain in camp, since the majority of the warriors had apprentices. Kyanpaw was only going to show her fellow apprentices around the gathering.