ωåтєɾfåℓℓ ➳ warriors fanfic

| chapter 10 |

Cinderpaw couldn't remember the last time she had been so thoughtful in training. Bluemist couldn't blame her though. Although Dawnpaw and Hawkpaw took great pleasure in beating and wounding her slightly in battle training. Despite them being a moon older than herself, they weren't too much stronger. Amberpaw was on Cinderpaw's side, taking on most of the attacks. Another moon had passed, although Cinderpaw was still thinking everything over, her mind spinning,

Bluemist was becoming agitated, though. She lashed her tail, watching as Hawkpaw snarled and pinned her apprentice easily to the ground. Cinderpaw's spine smashed down, making her loose her breath, winded. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth together, her claws unsheathing once again out of instinct.

"Cinderpaw! Fight back!" Bluemist snarled.

"Bluemist, don't push her too hard," Hazelrain murmured softly.

"Who cares? She should be focused on becoming a warrior, not that she'll become one anytime soon," Branchshadow growled. Hazelrain glared at him, shaking her head.

"Brackenstar said to let her go a bit easy, although I do agree partly with Branchshadow," Lionsun said. "We need to start easing her back into her proper training. With the amount of tension in the air with LeafClan, her skills need to be sharp. Leaf-fall is on the way too, which then means leaf-bare will take its place and prey will be scarce."

Cinderpaw heard this and shook her head, clearing her mind. She hissed and readied herself to lunge at Dawnpaw, who had managed to pin Amberpaw down and was slicing softly at her side. Cinderpaw was about to leap when she lost her footing and was smashed to the ground... by Hawkpaw. The older apprentice stood over her, snorting. Angered, she reached up and a paw and smacked him across the cheek, getting to her paws. Hawkpaw growled at her. Amberpaw finally managed to throw Dawnpaw off and was about to pin her down when Bluemist called an end.

Dawnpaw and Hawkpaw backed away and glared at them before switching over to their mentors. Lionsun was the first to move from the group of warriors and sat between Cinderpaw and Amberpaw and Hawkpaw and Dawnpaw. His golden pelt shone in the touching sunlight. It was leaf-fall, after a long and enjoyful season of plentiful prey, it was time for prey to slowly start thinning out.

"That wasn't too bad. Amberpaw, just work on finding that strength to pin others down. Hawkpaw... learn to control your power; you'll waste your energy if you throw it around," Lionsun remarked softly. "That wasn't too bad Cinderpaw. But I want to talk to you alone for a moment."

"Oh, umm... alright," Cinderpaw puffed, catching her breath.

"You three and your mentors take a hunting patrol out at sunhigh. Bluemist, at moonrise you, Cinderpaw and I will go out on a patrol so you don't miss anything. Now all of you, back to camp and see if there's anything to eat." Lionsun watched as Branchshadow crept forward and nudged his apprentice away, back across the fields and toward camp. The others followed, Amberpaw giving Cinderpaw a smile of good luck.

Lionsun flicked his tail and turned away from Cinderpaw, running up the small hill of the Fallen Hollow. Tilting her head curiously, she tumbled after him, wondering what he wanted to say. The tom padded on towards a stream cutting through the territory with a tree on either side of it. Cinderpaw had seen this place a few times, particularly when she had gone to Gatherings and done border patrols around the whole territory. The place had been given the name Stream Leaves because of the leaves that fell from the trees and floated down into the water.

Stream Leaves had always been a peaceful place, where queens would often take their kits when things were too loud in camp. Some cats even became mates there, since it was such a beautiful sight. Others believed it was just a calming place and it was the best place in TideClan territory to just sit and talk to one another.