Tangletuft's Mistake; (complete)

Chapter eighteen

Tanglepaw began stalking a rabbit, her eyes narrowed as she crept forward, trying not to step on the tall grass.

The rabbit suddenly raised its head and Tanglepaw ran towards it. The rabbit skidded off but Tanglepaw began following it. Her throat had a strong burning sensation as she began running farther but she pushed on, not letting her cough take her down. She pounced forward landing squarely on the rabbit's back. She quickly bit down on the large creature's neck. Thank you StarClan for this wonderful food. She thanked, closing her eyes.

"Nice catch!" Breezepaw ran up to his sister.

"Awesome! The Clan will love that rabbit." Darkwing padded up to her, looking pleased.

For the first time in a while pride soared from her white fur. Cats were proud of her. And she was proud of herself. For those few moments she felt like she could do anything.

"Well the extended leaf-bare is finally behind us. Hunting is way easier now." Tanglepaw mewed, shrugging her shoulders and feeling hot under her fur.

"We should get back." Darkwing meowed, looking at the rising sun "We've been out since dawn."

"Alright," Breezepaw nodded before turning to Tanglepaw "Do you need help?" He asked.

Tanglepaw just nodded, her mouth full of rabbit fur.

The three cats began setting off towards camp, as the sun also began warming their pelts as they got closer. Today would be a warm day.

As they reached camp, even in the open moor they could hear the birds chirping to each other. Unlike ThunderClan, WindClan preferred not to eat the birds that calmed them in new-leaf. They didn't really like birds to eat anyway really.

Some warriors raised their heads to see Tanglepaw and Breezepaw carrying the big rabbit. Some came up to the two, casting them happy glares.

"Nice catch Breezepaw!" Tanglepaw heard Willowflight call.

"Good job Breezepaw!" Another voice said.

And it continued like that, the warriors saying Breezepaw had caught the rabbit.

After the two apprentices let the rabbit on the prey-heap, Tanglepaw expected Breezepaw to say she got it, but he let the warriors crowd around him, he even answered some of their questions!

"Don't worry," Darkwing placed her tail on Tanglepaw's back "A true warrior will catch prey without being praised. They'll do it for the sake of their Clan."

"But it's not fair that Breezepaw gets all the glory for what I did." Tanglepaw sighed, sitting down and watching her brother in the crowd of cats.

"I know I know it's hard but stay strong." Darkwing paused, trying to find the right word "Stay strong like lightning. This won't be the last time this happens. I know from experience."

"Lightning? But it's only there for a short time.. Yeah it can hurt cats but if there's no storm there's no lightning." Tanglepaw just shrugged before noticing Snowblaze alone with a rabbit at his paws "I have to go." She mewed, turning back toward Darkwing.

Darkwing looked over to Snowblaze before amusement glittered in her eyes "Oh I get it." She let out a mrrow of laughter before letting Tanglepaw go.
What's her problem? Snowblaze and I aren't even friends Tanglepaw just thought to herself, her paws bringing her over to Snowblaze.

"Hey." She mewed, stopping right in front of him, her white paws matching the rabbit's fur.

Snowblaze looked up, confused at first before a warm look took over his fluffy face "Oh hey," He paused, looking down at the rabbit before looking back up "Want to share?"

Tanglepaw just let out a small giggle "That's why I came." She took her place beside Snowblaze and began chewing on her half.

"So," Snowblaze sloppily said in between bites "What did you do today?"

Tanglepaw finished chewing one piece of her rabbit "Good good. I caught that rabbit there." She motioned with her tail towards the large rabbit on top of the prey-heap. It must've been the biggest rabbit there.

"You caught that?" Snowblaze stared in astonishment "That's huge! It's like the size of Berrypaw!" Snowblaze and Tanglepaw switched their views towards the young apprentice. He sure was the smallest out of the four. He was so tiny. Tanglepaw always thought he should've been called Tinykit instead of Berrykit.

"What did you do?" Tanglepaw asked, changing the subject and looking at the bigger cat.

Snowblaze, and his littermate Smoketail, had been warriors for around half a moon. Tanglepaw had to admit she missed the two cocky cats in their apprentice bedding but she would never say that out loud.

"I led my first patrol today!" Snowblaze excitedly said "Foxgaze, Silverblaze and Smallfoot were on it as well. I led two senior warriors! Foxgaze also kept complaining that I was too young to be leading. Smallfoot didn't seem to care about anything, and Silverblaze seemed very distant."

"That was a mouthful," Tanglepaw joked before continuing "That's great! I can't wait till I lead my first patrol, and have an apprentice, a mate, kits maybe and grow old in the Clan I love!"

Snowblaze just nodded and purred "You'll be a warrior soon enough."

"It's felt like I've been an apprentice forever! I can't wait to see what my warrior name will be." Tanglepaw began thinking of possible names.

"Maybe it'll be Tanglemouth because you talk so much." Snowblaze joked, earning himself a playful nudge from Tanglepaw.

"Or maybe it'll be something pretty like Tanglestream, Tanglefern or maybe even Tanglestar one day."

"I like Tanglemouth," Snowblaze gave her a weird face before mewing "Let's finish eating."

And the two cats began chowing down on the rest of the rabbit, staining their white muzzles a pinkish-red colour.

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AYYE SORRY IT TOOK 5EVER