Faith's Journey - Book One (Warriors Fanfiction)

Chapter 10

Faithpaw sat beside the Apprentice's den, sharing a morning vole with Acornpaw.

"What do you think Thistlestar is teaching you today?" Acornpaw asked through a mouthful of vole.

Faithpaw shrugged. "He said yesterday that he would take me hunting soon."

"Cool!" Acornpaw exclaimed, but ended up choking on the prey that she hadn't swallowed.

Faithpaw snorted but quickly covered it by munching on a bite of prey.

Acornpaw narrowed her eyes at her friend but her smile held amusement. "What did you think of FernClan's territory?"

"It was awesome! It was everything I imagined, it was so beautiful!"

"You should see it in leaf-bare. It's like everything is covered in stars when the sun reflects the snow!" Acornpaw replied, her eyes lighting up.

"Faithpaw!"

Faithpaw turned to see Bluewillow padding up to her with Shadowpaw, and Hollyhawk beside her.

"Yeah?" She asked, when the patrol reached the two apprentices.

"Thistlestar is unable to train you today so he asked us to teach you how to hunt." Bluewillow explained, gesturing between herself, Shadowpaw, and Hollyhawk.

"Alright." Faithpaw replied, shooting a quick glance at the Leader's den beneath the Lone Oak.

"Let's head out." Hollyhawk said, drawing Faithpaw's attention back to them. 

"C-Could Acorn-Acornpaw come...?" Shadowpaw asked hesitantly. "I mean, she's already here..." He shifted his paws. "And she boosts my confidence in myself..." He mumbled quietly that no cat could hear.

Bluewillow smiled down at the timid black tom. "Yeah, she can come. We'll be hunting at Fern Hollow today, follow us." She stood up and started toward the hole in bracken boundary. Hollyhawk gave them a flick of her tail and followed at Bluewillow. Faithpaw brushed past the two other apprentices and smiled to herself as she felt heat pulsing from Shadowpaw's pelt, as Acornpaw laid her tail over his back.

The patrol came to the sunny hollow surrounded by trees and bracken. The ground was dappled as the sun filtered through the branches and leaves. A soft breeze blew through the woods. It was a good day for hunting.

"Alright, Acornpaw, Shadowpaw, you both can go and hunt while Hollyhawk and I teach Faithpaw the basics." Bluewillow nodded to them and Acornpaw bounded away with Shadowpaw following more slowly after her. Bluewillow padded to the center of the hollow, while Hollyhawk sat with her tail curled around her paws, on a tree root sticking up from the earth. "Okay Faithpaw, show me your best crouch."

Faithpaw flicked her ears and bent down, bunching her back legs under her and her belly fur brushing the grass.

"Pull in your front paws, lower your tail and keep it still, and lift your chin." Hollyhawk meowed to Faithpaw.

Faithpaw shuffled her front paws under her chin, lowered her tail sightly and forced it to stop flicking in excitement, and raised her head up a bit.

"Good." Hollyhawk commented.

"Now, Faithpaw, I want you to creep forward slowly," Bluewillow pulled a leaf off of a branch, and dropped it a few tail-lengths ahead of the apprentice. "and pounce on this leaf."

"Okay." Faithpaw responded and lurked forward slowly, her paws landing lightly on the ground. She came closer to the leaf and paused. Faithpaw wriggled her hunches and kicked off hard with her back legs, she planted a paw on the leaf as she landed.

"Good job. Make sure your tail isn't brushing the ground when you stalk the prey or it'll hear you." Bluewillow said.

"Ow!" Came a surprised mrrow from ahead of them. Faithpaw looked up to see Shadowpaw running into the clearing as if his tail was on fire, Acornpaw hared after him.

"Shadowpaw, come on! It's just burrs!" She meowed.

"They hurt and a blackbird attacked me because of them!" The black apprentice yowled back as he went crashing into a tree.

"What happened?" Hollyhawk asked, as Acornpaw helped Shadowpaw back toward the group, giving his ears soothing licks.

"Shadowpaw was stalking a blackbird, who was peeking at something in a bush, and when he leapt for it, he got stuck. The bush was apparently filled with burrs and I think he left some of his fur behind." Acornpaw gestured to the many burrs clinging to Shadowpaw's pelt and the patches where Faithpaw could see his pale skin beneath his black fur.

Hollyhawk shook her head in disappointment. "Faithpaw keep practicing and Acornpaw, help Shadowpaw out with his burr situation." 

Faithpaw glanced over at Shadowpaw and Acornpaw, who was now picking at the burrs and snagging them between her teeth, which was making Shadowpaw wince.

"Okay..." She drew out the word and turned back to her task at paw.

"Now, I want you to try out your stalking for real." Bluewillow said.

Faithpaw nodded and sniffed the air. The breeze carried the scent of squirrel with it, which sent Faithpaw's claws twitching with anticipation. She wiggled her ears and heard the scratching of tiny claws as the squirrel scrambled over leaves and twigs. She dropped into a crouch as she heard it stop. She looked around and caught sight of its fluffy tail sticking out from behind a tree. She crept toward it, making sure her tail was still and it hovered over the forest floor. Faithpaw came around the tree and saw the squirrel in full view. She bunched her legs under her and leapt, letting out a yowl. Faithpaw landed on the squirrel's back and dug her claws in, her teeth lunged for the prey's throat and she sunk them in. The squirrel let out a squeak and fell limp.

Faithpaw scooped it up and carried it back to Bluewillow and Hollyhawk. She dropped it at her paws and stared expectantly at the dark blue, light blue stripped she-cat, and the clan deputy.

"Great catch Faithpaw!" Bluewillow praised. "You're already turning into a fine hunter! Keep practicing for a little bit and then we'll head back."