Warriors: Skytail's Reckoning (COMPLETED)

Chapter 18

Skytail watched as Sappaw crouched down, pressing his belly against the moorland grass. His paws were close together, and she could tell he wasn't comfortable. She shook her head. "Widen your stance," she suggested. "And make sure your belly isn't grazing the ground. You want to be able to move, right?"

Sappaw nodded and adjusted his position. "Yes, Skytail." He meowed and looked up at her. "How's this?"

Skytail nodded approvingly. "That's much better," she meowed and twitched her tail to a small rock a few tail-lengths away. "Try pouncing on that." She instructed, looking back to her apprentice.

A few days had gone by since Sappaw's naming ceremony and Skytail noticed a few things about her new apprentice. He was very nervous and didn't do much as a kit, for fear of being scolded or rebuked. Even though Skytail gently encouraged improvements, but even so, Sappaw wasn't very confident in himself or his skills.

What little skill he possesses, a little voice inside of her piped up. She forced it down with a swallow, watching as Sappaw stalked soundlessly toward the stone. They were alone on the moor, the chill wind ruffling their fur as they practiced in the early morning light. She could barely see her apprentice, but she could make out the silhouette of the tom. With the sun starting to rise and leafbare just starting, Skytail didn't have a heartbeat to waste to get Sappaw into hunting.

Cats had already started getting sick, and it made Skytail's heart sink whenever she saw one of her Clanmates being guided to Softear's den. Redstar had been the first to fall ill, and he was confined to his den. Softear and Shadepaw were also confined to the camp, although they were able to slip away to get more herbs, which were dying in the cold moorland. Hawkpool was sick, so was Fernpelt and Slatefall. They didn't go near Redstar's den, but the leader had talked to them one-on-one about something Skytail didn't know. Or, didn't want to know.

"I caught it!" Sappaw reported, cutting Skytail out of her thoughts of sick cats and prey. Sure enough, he came trotting up with the stone in his jaws, his hazel eyes sparkling.

Skytail nodded approvingly. "Very good, Sappaw." She mewed and rose to her paws, stretching stiffly before shaking out her thin pelt. The cold is starting to sink in, she realized, looking around at the moor. "Let's head up here and see if there are any rabbits around." She blinked to the far slope that overlooked a small dip in the land.

"What if there are none?" Sappaw asked, following her at her side. His breath puffed in front of him, icy and heartless.

Skytail blinked in surprise before shrugging her shoulders. "I guess we'll have to find prey elsewhere," she conceded. Raising her head, she bunched her muscles and leaped from boulder to boulder until she reached the top, panting slightly.

Sappaw was breathing hard from the climb, and he sat ungracefully down. "Why do we have so many hills on our territory?" He complained, looking up at his mentor with wide hazel eyes.

Skytail flicked her tail under his chin, her eyes stern. "Do not complain about something that gives us prey," she warned. "In greenleaf it gives us more rabbits than we know what to do with."

"What about leafbare?" Sappaw asked, looking more interested as he looked up at her. He shifted closer, seeming eager. "How do we catch prey when they hide?"

"The tunnelers work best in leafbare," Skytail answered. "They go into the holes and tunnels and catch prey for us." Her tail whisked in a circle and she nodded to the hills. "Now, get up. We have hunting to do." Looking back at her apprentice, she decided to quiz his memory. "What do we do when we get within reach of a rabbit?" She questioned.