Turtlestar's Destiny: Book 1

~Chapter 22: Professional Help~

~Chapter 22: Professional Help~

"So now I'm prisoner here?" The rouge plopped himself down in the den, his eyes calm and focused. Turtlepaw watched as Larkstar nodded. He groaned, laying down and staring coldly at Larkstar, who simply padded away without another word. His gaze fixed onto Turtlepaw. "What do you want?" he snapped, lashing his tail. "I-um.....nothing!" she stuttered, rushing away. She passed Snakeleg, who had a vole clamped firmly in his jaws. She observed him walk to the rouge, drop it, and with a curt flick of his tail stalk away. She blinked. The rouge may be prisoner but did he have to be treated like a alien? Turtlepaw shook her head out. "He's a rouge, an intruder, a prey stealer. He deserves no mercy." she thought coldly and continued on her way to the fresh kill pile.

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"Time for battle training." Hollowstep interrupted Turtlepaw's good meal of a juicy robin. She sighed a little bit but followed him out of camp to the training circle. They met Frogpaw with his mentor Snakeleg, and Otterpaw with her mentor Beepelt. Otterpaw looked drowsy. Turtlepaw fretted that she wasn't fit to train right after a brutal battle. Beepelt noticed the worry in her gaze. "Otterpaw will just be watching today." he announced, eyeing Turtlepaw, who breathed out with relief. Then he and Otterpaw retreated to the edge of the clearing, followed by Hollowstep. Turtlepaw watched them go, then faced Frogoaw, her opponent. She looked at him for a weakness. He was skinny and quick, like her, but she knew that he was slow to land blows. She wriggled her haunches, ready to spring. He stared at her, and tensed his muscles. But instead of pouncing, Turtlepaw sprinted forward, taking Frogpaw by surprise. She slid underneath the larger tom, raking her sheathed paw along his exposed belly. She got up quickly, and whipped around to face him. "Nice move!" Beepekt calked oyt, his eyes shining at the skilled young apprentices. She smiled, but suddenly fell flat on the ground under Frogpaw's weight. She blushed at being able to get distracted that easily. She landed a oft blow on his head, then threw him off. He recovered quickly though and leaped ontop of her, pushing her to the ground again. Her mind raced. She was losing this battle. Turtlepaw rolled over, scrambling out of Frogpaw's reach. He smirked playfully at her. "Enough!" Beepekt boomed, stepping forward. She nodded to both of them. "Good work. You are dismissed." Turtlepaw and her clan mates departed, but she felt unsatisfied.

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"May I go hunting?" Turtlepaw asked her mentor, catching up to him. Hollowstep shrugged. "Fine. But don't be out too long. Thunderclan is at large." She smiled and nidded, taking off towards the lake. Turtlepaw breathed in the fresh smell of lake water and prey mixed. She closed her eyes, lapping up sone of the clean water, then lefties her head to the air to scent for prey. "Mouse." She thought quickly, snapping her eye open to see it testing in a log not far off. She dropped to the ground, lifting her tail slightly and keeping her paws light just as Hollowstep had taught her. She snaked forward, taking her time. Then, Turtlepaw pounced, but missed, and the mouse scuttled away. She pawed the ground. "Mouse dung!" She said to herself, stepping off the dampen log.

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Turtlepaw watched as the sun sank lower into the sky. She yawned, being too tired to continue hunting. She sat down at the shore. "The moon will shine but the lake will bleed, and Leafbare and Greenleaf will have to work together." The eerie words of the Starclan cats echoes in her mind. She sighed, looking up to the stars. "Why did you gave to give this to me?" She cried, looking helplessly up to the stars. "I need help." she thought, "Professional help."

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"Lakesong?" Turtlepaw whispered, sneaking into the medicine cat den. Breezepaw laid in her nest, eyes shut and flank rising and falling slowly to confirm she was asleep. "Yes?" Lakesong replied dully, her back turned to Turtlepaw, busily sorting herbs. "Um...can we talk somewhere private?" Lakesong turned to glance at her, her stare hardening. "Okay." The two she-cats walked into the moors, the moon shining down on them. "What's the problem?" Lakesong asked, sitting down across from her. "I-I got a message from Starclan." The medicine cat's eyes widened. "Oh really?" She said, a hint of doubt in her voice. Turtlepaw nodded. "Honestly! They gave me a prophecy." Lakesong kept staring, silent for a few seconds. "I will consult Starclan next time I visit moon pool." She narrowed her eyes. "We should be getting back, you need sleep." She growled, turning tail and disappearing though the undergrowth, not waiting for Turtlepaw. Turtlepaw sighed, trudging after her.

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