Hollowed Shadows- Rise of the flame book two

Chapter four

"We have  a few things to announce!" Novastar yowled. Hollypaw strode over to Highledge. "First, we have a loner in our camp who got ripped to pieces, so we are taking care of her.  Second, we have to apprentice two cats. Duskkit, Pinekit, please step forward." Both kits looked like they would jump up and down. "Duskkit, from this moment on, you will be known as Duskpaw."Novastar looked around." Sandpool, you will mentor Duskpaw. You are ready to take on an apprentice. Sandpool, you have shown yourself to be smart and brave.  Do all that you can to pass on what you know down to Duskpaw." Cats meowed in surprise. A mother mentoring her kit?  "Pinekit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Pinepaw.  Cinderfall, you are ready for another apprentice. You have shown yourself to be fierce and smart, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Pinepaw. " He looked around as the cats cheered. 

"Pinepaw! Duskpaw!"

"White, would you please come out?" The bloodied she-cat crawled out of the medicine den. "White, would you like to become an apprentice of the Clan?" White looked a bit surprised, then saw Mintsong. 

"I would  love to become an apprentice."White cheerily replied. "Mint was my mother's friend's son. My mother always talked about him. If he's a Clan cat, I'll join."

"Actually." Mintsong interrupted. "The name is Mintsong. I used to be Mint."  White nodded.

"Okay then." Novastar replied.  "White, you have reached the age of six moons, and from this moment on until you become a warrior, you will be Whitepaw.   Stormwing, you are ready for your first apprentice. " He nodded to Stormflash's son. "You have shown to wear the darkness like ShadowClan wears it like a second pelt,and you are brave. Teach Whitepaw the ways of ThunderClan."Cats cheered for Whitepaw. Hollypaw grinned lightly. Whitepaw seemed to gleam with pride. Lionclaw padded over to Hollypaw.

"Ah, quite the view." He murmured to his temporary apprentice.  "How about we battle train?" He suggested. Hollypaw nodded in agreement and Lionclaw strode out of camp with Hollypaw scampering after him. Lionclaw padded into the hollow where apprentices had been training for moons. "Let me teach you something." Lionclaw grinned. He dashed forward, swatting Hollypaw's leg twice, once on the too of the muscle, again on the side, moving so fast Hollypaw could barely react. She felt her leg quickly go numb. She was surprised at how fast Lionclaw had moved.

"Ow." She muttered, shaking out her leg. "What's the point of that move?"

"When your enemy's leg is numb, it gives you more time to do a more dangerous attack. "Lionclaw explained. "You try it." Hollypaw ran forward, and when she lifted her leg to swipe, Lionclaw dodged the attack and Hollypaw fell over. "You have to move faster, Hollypaw. Enemies won't lie down and wait to be defeated."Hollypaw headed back to the other end of the clearing and zipped forward, trying to move faster than last time. Again, Lionclaw dodged and she ended up with a mouthful of sand. "Again! Faster!" Lionclaw ordered her. Hollypaw spat out the dust and tried to move faster. Again and again, she had moved too slow. "Hollypaw, you need to be quick! There will be no enemy that can be overcome by strength alone." Lionclaw told her. Hollypaw, at this moment, felt all her built up frustration from the training erupt from her.

"I know!" She yowled, lunging for her mentor in an explosive attack that Ambershadow had taught her, jumping upward and landing on Lionclaw. He was so startled from the attack it was an easy start. With a swipe to the side of the head, she stunned her mentor for a moment. She then used the move Lionclaw had been teaching, two swipes to the leg, and she flopped on the ground, panting.

"Nice work." Lionclaw reluctantly meowed. "Let's try that disarming move again." Hollypaw, ready to use the move she had been practicing, leapt to her paws and swatted Lionclaw with the move before he could expect it. He shook out his leg with a hiss.  Hollypaw instantly felt a pang of guilt.