Warriors- Dawn of An Era: The Journey Begins {Book 1} (COMPLETED)

Chapter Eighteen

Scarredbelly crouched down next to Applepaw, slipping into a perfect hunting crouch. He stalked silently forward, eyes narrowed as he focused on the twig. His claws unsheathed and dug into the ground before he launched forward, front paws snapping forward to land on the stick. With a snap, it fell under his paws, two halves instead of one.

"Wow!" Applepaw exclaimed, rising to her full height. "That was amazing, Scarredbelly!"

Scarredbelly's tail flicked, pelt warming. "Thanks," he meowed and padded back to the apprentice. "You try." Angling his ear to a leaf, he went on. "If you do exactly what I showed you perfectly, we will go hunting."

Applepaw's eyes brightened and she quickly nodded, crouching down. Scarredbelly heard her take a deep breath before slowly advancing toward the yellow leaf.

A few days had gone by since Scarredbelly's naming ceremony and Applepaw had been accepted into the Clan by Rainstar. She'd claimed that a father and sister chasing their daughter and sister out of a Clan wasn't loyal in the slightest.

"You said you haven't been learning anything useful during your time as a SkyClan apprentice," Rainstar had remarked as she had examined the situation. "Don't worry, Applepaw. Your mentor will now be Darkfang, she will teach you the skills your previous mentor lacked."

Now, Darkfang had begrudgingly grown to like her new apprentice, even if she was from a rival Clan. She faced Scarredbelly, her hollow eyes staring into his soul. "She admires you," she noted.

The warrior glanced at the mentor, tail flicking. "Who, Applepaw?" At her nod, Scarredbelly flicked his ear dismissively. "I doubt a blind badger would want to look up to me."

Darkfang's eyes flashed with surprise, the first emotion that Scarredbelly had seen since Ripplepelt's death. "Don't be a mousebrain, mousebrain." She countered, tail flicking over her paws. "I've seen how you act with and around her; we all have."

Scarredbelly's fur grew hot and he looked away quickly. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." He spluttered, paws shifting on the ground.

"I know love when I see it," Darkfang meowed, looking over at her apprentice before looking back at Scarredbelly. "When she's with you, you walk with more pride than you used to, your eyes shine with confidence, and your tail is held high." As she spoke, she gestured with her paw to his features. "Despite your scars, emotional and physical, you're a good cat, Scarredbelly. You have a handsome face, much like your father, and you have a fun and laid back personality." She paused, her tone softening. "She-cats like Applepaw and Sweetpool like that in a tom."

Scarredbelly's ears burned as his cheeks flushed a cherry red. "I-I..." He couldn't speak. Do I love Applepaw? Does she love me? At the thought, a smile parted his lips as his tail tip curled in delight.

"Yes!" Applepaw's triumphant yowl made him snap back to the present as she trotted toward the two warriors, the leaf dangling between her teeth. "Got it!"

Darkfang turned to the tabby she-cat, nodding in approval. "Good job," she meowed and jerked her muzzle to Scarredbelly. "You two may go hunt by yourselves now. Be back at the camp before the sun sets."

Scarredbelly dipped his head. "Of course, Darkfang. We will." As the dark tabby mentor nodded to Scarredbelly, she turned and bounded away, leaving the pair alone.

"Where will we go first?" Applepaw asked as she peered up at Scarredbelly, eyes shimmering with determination. Scarredbelly didn't answer as he stared into the abyss of her strikingly mesmerizing green eyes. "Scarredbelly?"

He hadn't realized he had leaned forward, their noses barely touching as he peered into her leaf-like eyes. She peered up at him, her breathing gentle and barely brushing against Scarredbelly's muzzle. One step and she would be his. One step and he may throw everything Waspthorn had told him about Rushspring away.