SplashStar's Vision - Caves, Grass, Sea and Sky - Warrior Cats Adventure

Chapter Three

Oceanwater woke Splashpaw up early. Wearily, Splashpaw followed him out by the gateway.

"I told you we were going to learn to swim. Now, go swim." He sat and wrapped his tail neatly around his paws, waiting for Splashpaw to leap into the swirling water.

"I don't know how to swim, though. What do I do?" Splashpaw asked, wondering if Oceanwater forgot that he had just started training.

"You will learn. Go and swim. Meet me on the island." Oceanwater responded calmly. Shaking his head to clear it, Splashpaw stepped right up to the gateway.

Crystalpaw and him had been taught from a young age to always follow their mentors instructions, but Splashpaw wasn't so sure anymore. His mentor was telling him to jump in to waters he couldn't master. Staring at the gateway for a bit, Splashpaw cast Oceanwater a look.

Oceanwater didn't say anything this time. He sat, patiently waiting for his apprentice to follow instructions. Finally, Splashpaw willed up enough courage to step even closer to the gateway.

It must be easy if Oceanwater had nothing to tell me about it, he decided.

He inhaled sharply, hoping it wasn't his last, and leaped into the swirling currents.

Water pressed against his body from all sides. He forced himself not to take a breath, knowing he'd just inhale water. He begged his paws to move, to paddle to the surface. When he kicked, nothing happened. He just swirled to the side more. Franticly trying to grip the stone marking the border, his paws skimmed right underneath it. Panic was rising in his chest. He couldn't make it!

Gripping firmly on his mind, he kicked his paws back and forth, up and down, getting a sense of rhythm for it. He rose a bit, but not enough. He had little air left. The water was turning blackish-green. He wasn't rising, and he was just draining more energy trying to rise. His body went limp. His legs stopped kicking. He failed as an apprentice.

Blinking his eyes wearily awake, he felt bumped and bruised. Coughing, he sputtered out nothing but water. Scratches ran down his back, and his hind leg felt close to collapsing. What happened? Why didn't he drown? He recalled franticly swimming to shore, but failing as he sank. Then, he didn't remember anything else. 

"He's awake." Oceanwater's voice made Splashpaw stand. His mentor! Had his mentor done something? Turning, he eyed the big warrior.

"I thought so. When they go out like this, you never know. Why'd you test him like that? Wouldn't that damage him? What did you expect?" It took Splashpaw a moment to recognize Finfish's voice. Finfish was the medicine cat of the clan. She always had a way with words, but she didn't sound very convincing right now.

"Yes, I expected just as happened. Buddy, I can tell you everything you did wrong," he nudged Splashpaw's flank. "You were thinking too much. Also, you were only using your hind paws. That will help a little, but use all four legs so you can get to the surface. Splay your paw out like this, " He let each tip go as far as they could away from eachother, "And then start swimming. This way, you'll mimic the webs on a ducks foot, and you can grab and push away more water. You'll get to the surface much faster. It might help."

"You could also lean forward more, and swim more like a cat and less like a twoleg. You were swimming straight up and down! Go forward as if you're walking so you can get up faster. You would have gotten up if you did that. Ditch all the other things and just lean forward, and you might of made it. Still, I didn't expect you to know that. We'll work on it." Oceanwater finished. 

Finfish plastered some strong scented herbs on his scratches. They stung for a bit before settling. She held them on with cobwebs, and stepped back, admiring her work. "Dock to keep away infection. That's all you need, and a little rest. The pain will stop overnight when they heal. Don't lick off the herbs." She warned, and padded away. 

Splashpaw admired his new surroundings. The island had little flower sprouts here and there, as well as clumps of herbs. Dirt leaned over and formed a den for the medicine cat.

Splashpaw and Oceanwater went out again, training to swim a little more. After a little while, Splashpaw could swim much better. He was still pretty slow, but he learned how to use the current by the gateway to take him to the island. He could veer off and go swim somewhere else, but they were staying near the camp for then. 

Before grabbing prey from the pile, he chatted with Crystalpaw. Then, he walked back out to the beach, and watched the waves.