Cinder

Chapter 23

Ravenclaw sat, waiting to see who would be the mentors of Lizardkit and Shadekit. He felt nothing but foreboding inside of him. Switcheye was going back to her deputy duties, much to Blazeheart's dislike. Darkstorm look up at Mudstar in anticipation, waiting to see if he would be made a mentor. A
    "Shadekit, until you are a warrior, you will be Shadepaw. Jaggedclaw, you are a fierce and bold warrior. Pass on your skills to this apprentice." Shadepaw scampered over to the huge ginger tom. Ravenclaw felt nothing but dread at the pair. Jaggedclaw was cold, and a killer. Shadepaw wanted to be just like his father. "Lizardkit, until you are a warrior, you will be Lizardpaw. Ravenclaw, you did well with Sageleaf, pass on your skills to Lizardpaw."
    Ravenclaw stared at his leader at shock. Why him! Mudstar knew he was not a ruthless bloodthirsty warrior. Darkstorm gazed up at the leader in pure shock and fury. He gave Ravenclaw a glare of pure hatred. Ravenclaw tried to ignore it as he touched noses with Lizardpaw, who bounced around him in excitement.
   "I knew it!" He cried happily. Switcheye looked at her kit fondly. Shadepaw wound around his brother happily.
    "Now we can finally learn to fight!" He beamed. "Let's go!" Shadepaw followed Jaggedclaw out of camp.
    "Are we going to fight first too?" Lizardpaw asked.
    "No. I was thinking of taking you around the territory." Ravenclaw explained. Lizardpaw brightened instantly.
    "Okay!"

    Once they had patrolled the borders, Ravenclaw stood in the forest and faced his apprentice. "Show me your hunting crouch." He said. Lizardpaw crouched to the ground, his tail lashing from side to side.
    "Keep your tail straight. You don't want to alert your prey." Ravenclaw instructed gently. Lizardpaw stilled, his short tail sticking up like a twig. "Good!" He started to slink forward slowly, putting each paw carefully in-front of the other.
   "Very good!" Ravenclaw praised.
    "Switcheye taught me!" He purred.
   "Let's try it for real." Lizardpaw caught sight of a mouse scuffling among the roots of a tree. He crouched down, tail still, and inched his way toward it. Then he pounced, landing on top of it and killing it with a clean nip to the neck.
    "Fantastic!" Ravenclaw purred. Lizardpaw trotted over to him, mouse swinging in his jaws. "We will make a fine hunter of you." He purred.

    When they reached camp, Ravenclaw had captured a black bird.
   "That was a lot for one day. Spend the rest of the evening resting and making your new nest. Tomorrow I want us on dawn patrol."
    "Thank you Ravenclaw!" Lizardpaw bounced away happily. "Shadepaw! I caught my first prey!" He raced to his brother, who sat with Jaggedclaw.
   "So? I learned how to fight!" Shadepaw boasted. 
    "Hunting is more important. The clan needs to be fed in order to be strong!" Lizardpaw retorted.
    "Well said my son." Mudstar trotted over to the two apprentices. "Hunting is very important. But fighting is equally important. Make sure your mentor teaches you moves. We have enemies on all sides." Mudstar glanced coldly at Ravenclaw. He got the message.
    "I'm proud of you both." Switcheye meowed to her sons. Ravenclaw decided to sit beside them. He ignored Mudstar, who seemed to be glaring at him.
    "Ravenclaw is a great teacher!" Lizardpaw mewed happily. "I can't wait to learn everything from him!"
    "I'm sure!" Switcheye purred. Ravenclaw left them to take his share of the pile. Darkstorm glared at him from where he sat with Blackpelt. Ravenclaw tried to ignore his brother. It was not his fault Mudstar chose him to be a mentor again. If only he could get him to understand....

Hazelstream took the lead of the dawn patrol. Squirreltail and Whiteflower trotted behind her, while Ravenclaw and Lizardpaw followed behind. He noticed that Switcheye had not ordered any of the fierce battle hungry warriors to be on the patrol. They checked the WindClan border. He noticed a WindClan patrol trotting over to them with fear and hostility in their eyes. Briarthorn was in the lead. Behind him stood Shellspot, Creekpelt, Featherheart and Patchfur.
    "Don't come any closer!" Briarthorn snarled.
   "We don't want trouble." Hazelstream mewed smoothly.
    "How can we believe you?" Patchfur growled, fur rippling along his spine.
    "None of us in this patrol want any trouble." Whiteflower pointed out mildly. "We are not the ones wanting to cause any trouble." She added.
    "I should hope not." Featherheart muttered. Ravenclaw hated the tension between the clans. It was all Mudstar's fault. He wanted nothing but peace, but that seemed impossible.