A Red Journey

Part 5

" I'm proud of you Mid," he says with his loving gaze fixed on me, "You have found the loners and will be guided by your warrior ancestors and family to fulfill the prophecy, also, you will be trained by HawkEye and AshClaw" my eyes widen at his words, HawkEye and AshClaw were two fierce warriors that were killed saving kits from the rapid part of a river.

" Don't worry," DoveFlight murmurs in her smooth and soft voice, "We will watch over you, also who's the boyfriend?" she asks with an edge of amusement in her voice. I blush at the thought of them seeing the moment with the black bird and our noses touching.

" Um, that's my denmate Shard" I reply embarrassed by the look she gave me.

" Sure, just a denmate, anyways, it is time for us to go, we will return" She touches her nose to my forehead and my parents walk into the light.

I wake up and instantly realize that Shard isn't curled around me and sigh. I purr at the thought of him and realize what I'm doing. Am I in love? I can't be, I just met him. I decide that I can't love him, not yet anyways. But still, the thought of him warms me up and I bubble up inside, full of affection for him. I get up and shake my pelt. I'm so hungry I could everything the light touches. That's a lot of prey. I pad out of that den and see Eri, Shard, and Kozu.

" Well good morning Oreo," Shard purrs scanning me up and down. I look back at him as Kozu and Myrix nudge each other and mew under their breaths to each other.

" Alright," a tom with a pale gray pelt and black paws says padding towards us, "today is your first day of training and I am your mentor, Badger." we nod and follow him to the training grounds great starclan, it's so frickin far. I think to myself as we walk to the training ground. He sits and says:

" Today we will begin on how to do the proper hunters' crouch" as he gets down he explains what to do, " Press yourself onto the ground and stay downwind, also keep your tail lifted a bit so that you don't stir the leaves." We nod and mimic him. "Myrix, Midnight, that's just right," he purrs, "Kozu, Shard, try to lift your tail a bit and press your body down a bit more" Soon they get it right and we are ready to hunt. I spot a thrush near a clearing I get into the hunters' crouch and slowly stalk towards it. Then I judge the distance for some reason earlier than the regular cat would and I pounce. My leap cleared half of the forest and I land on the thrush with deadly precision and I kill with a sharp nip that snaps its neck. I take it in my jaws and walk back towards the training grounds. As I come back into sight I see Badger looking at me in surprise and Shard looking glad when I look at Kozu and Myrix, they look at me with pinned back ears. I swipe a feather off of my muzzle and sit cautiously.

" Wow that was great," Badger says with an edge of shock in his voice, " You could have easily missed that kill" No I couldn't have I think to myself. I want to say it but I didn't want to make him suspicious of me being in the prophecy. I just nod and get up soon they others catch their own prey.

"Let's head back before sunset" Badger says already turning around and heading back home. We follow him in silence and soon we get back to camp and Shard and I go straight to our den.