Warriors: Rising Secrets (Book 1)

Chapter Seven; Training

Dawnfire woke up feeling confused. What did Swifleaf mean?

Frostflower was already awake grooming herself. "Good morning Dawnfire. You were muttering in you sleep. Are you all right?" She asked.

"I'm fine, just a bad dream that's all. Do you want to go hunting with me?" She asked her friend.

"Sorry Dawnfire. I'm going on dawn patrol with Mudpelt and Dovepaw along the ShadowClan border." Frostlower replied.

Dawnfire nodded her head and decided to take her apprentice out for some battle training instead. "Poppypaw," she called across the clearing "You ready to go do some battle training?'

Poppypaw jumped up from where she was sitting beside Ravenpaw. "Sure! Can we do some hunting afterwards?"

"I will see."

Poppypaw said goodbye to her friends and followed Dawnfire out of camp. They made their way to the clearing where the apprentices were trained.

Runningshadow was already there training her apprentice Hawkpaw. The two cats stopped when they saw Dawnfire and Poppypaw approaching.

"Dawnfire," Runningshadow mewed. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, is it all right if me and Poppypaw train here for a bit?" she asked the deputy.

Runningshadow nodded her head and carried on training Hawkpaw. "OK, Poppypaw, I'm going to teach you how to defeat a WindClan warrior. Now, WindClan are fast, but we are stronger. When a WindClan warrior comes at you, you dodge to the side and knock them over with your paws like this," Dawnfire pushed her apprentice over with her strong forelegs.

Poppypaw stood up, slightly winded. "OK."

"Lets practice. I will be the WindClan warrior and then we'll swap around." Dawnfire lunged at Poppypaw and she tried to knock her over. "Almost, now you be the WindClan warrior"

Poppypaw screeched and hurled herself at Dawnfire but not fast enough. Dawnfire moved out the way and barreled her apprentice over. "That was very good Poppypaw, you were just a bit too slow, now for the second part. When you have knocked them over you quickly jump onto their side. Get yourself onto their backs and it will weigh them down. Make sure that in battle you have a good grip on them. we'll practice it now but claws sheathed."

OK, can you be the WindClan cat now?" she asked.

Dawnfire nodded and lunged for her apprentice again. Poppypaw only managed to knock her over and pounce on her. Dawnfire struggled a little under the apprentices weight.. Poppypaw held on to her but Dawnfire shook her off. When Popppypaw was on the ground, Dawnfire turned and leaped at her. Poppypaw tried to get away but was too slow. Dawnfire landed on top of her with such force she was sure she would squish Poppypaw.

"Thats not fair!" Poppypaw protested.

"Well WindClan isnt always going to let you win are they?" Dawnfire mewed as she got off Poppypaw.

"Runningshadow padded up to Dawnfire with Hawkpaw following her. "Your apprentice is learning well. How about she goes up against Hawkpaw?"

Dawnfire wasn't sure, Hawkpaw became an apprentice a moon before Poppypaw and was almost ready to become a warrior."I guess it will be good practice," Dawnfire mewed.

"OK, Hawkpaw. You are up against Poppypaw. Who ever manages to keep the other on the ground for five seconds wins something from the fresh-kill pile, without habing to tend to the elders first." Both the apprentices' eyes lit up at the sound of getting fresh-kill without having to see to the elders. "and you don't have to do anything for the rest of the day."