Blossomstar's Way

THREE

"So what are we going to do today?" Blossompaw asked Bluefrost, bouncing with excitement.

"I'm gonna show you our territory, okay? Or, do you want to learn how to pick moss? For the elders, as you know. "

"Can you show me our territory?"

"Ah, knew you were gonna say that," Bluefrost mewed, smiling. "No apprentice likes to pick moss. But the elders will be grateful!They were apprentices once, too."

Just then Moonpaw ran up to her and mewed happily, "Rainflower's gonna show me our territory!"

"Bluefrost is, too. Where are you starting?"

"Dew Forest. You?"

Bluefrost answered for her. "Dew Forest as well."

They headed to Dew Forest, Moonpaw bouncing up the rocks to get there first. When they got there, they found out the forest was just like its' name, with leaves covered with dew.

"I guess you're pretty clear why this forest is called the Dew Forest?" Bluefrost joked.

"Yeah," Moonpaw said. "Isn't it obvious? What else are we gonna do here? Can we learn how to hunt?"

"Sure," Rainflower mewed. "Why not?"

Blossompaw had seen many apprentices practice their hunting crouches. It seemed pretty easy. She bent down, tail swishing. Moonpaw did the same thing.

"First things first. You're never going to catch any prey with your tail swishing like that. The prey might hear you," Rainflower told them.

Blossompaw changed her pose so that her tail was still. "Very good, Blossompaw!" Bluefrost praised her. "See if you can catch that mouse over there."

Blossompaw crept toward the mouse. You can do this, Blossompaw! Blossompaw was so nervous. Am I gonna catch it??? What if I don't? Snap OUT of it, Blossompaw. Catch it already! She sprang forward at the last second, and killed the mouse with a bite at its neck.

"You did it!" Moonpaw was staring at her, amazed. "Good job."

"Hey!" Blossompaw mewed, "There's a rabbit over there. You can try too."

Moonpaw instantly stalked through the tall grass toward the rabbit, killing it with a rake of her sharp claws.

Everyone was happy with their fresh-kill. Bluefrost caught a bird by jumping into a tree.

"How did you do that?!" Rainflower asked. "I can't jump like that."

"Well... I'm part AutumnClan. My mother, Orangeleaf, was AutumnClan, you know. AutumnClan cats excel at jumping, because their territory doesn't have much place to hide, so they just jump into trees. Of course, they've adapted to a bit of forest now. Their camp is in it now," Bluefrost replied.

"Wow," Rainflower mewed with surprise. "Cool."

They returned to the SpringClan camp happily, dropping their prey in the fresh-kill pile. A smaller kit, Ribbonkit, watched with wide eyes.

"Whoa, you CAUGHT that? Amazing!"

"I'm so proud of you guys," their mother mewed. "You're gonna be the best hunters SpringClan has ever seen!"