“We’ve been on a hunting patrol!” Nutpaw mewed, scampering up to Yellowpaw. “I caught a mouse!”
“And Rowanpaw caught a starling,” Finchflight added. “They’ve both done very well.”
“Well, there’s no point in standing around watching our fur grow,” Deerleap meowed. “What about giving the apprentices a joint training session? They could all do with practicing their battle moves.”
“She never stops, does she?” Rowanpaw muttered into Yellowpaw’s ear as the other two mentors murmured agreement and led the way to the thorn tunnel.
“At least fighting will keep us warm,” Yellowpaw pointed out.
She and her littermates followed their mentors to the shallow training scoop not far from the camp. Raggedpaw and Scorchpaw were already there with Brackenfoot and Crowtail.
“Watch this,” Crowtail mewed. “They’re getting really good.”
The two older apprentices were circling cautiously around each other. Raggedpaw flashed out a paw, but Scorchpaw leaped backward and the blow never connected. With a yowl Raggedpaw pushed off with his hind legs and thrust himself into the air. Yellowpaw winced, expecting him to land on Scorchpaw and knock him to the ground. But while Raggedpaw was still in the air, Scorchpaw twisted onto his back. He splayed out all four legs, claws extended. Raggedpaw landed on Scorchpaw’s belly, and immediately Scorchpaw fastened his four sets of claws in Raggedpaw’s shoulders and haunches. Then he rolled over, pinning Raggedpaw to the ground.
“Enough,” Crowtail meowed, and the two apprentices broke apart. “Now try it again, and Scorchpaw, you leap this time.”
“That’s a brilliant move!” Rowanpaw exclaimed.
“It’s a good one to remember if a cat leaps on you in battle,” Brackenfoot explained as the older apprentices circled each other again. “Often the cat who’s underneath has the worst of the fight, but this way you can get back in control.”
“Can we try?” Yellowpaw asked when she had seen the move demonstrated for the second time.
“Of course,” Deerleap meowed. “That’s what we’re here for. Yellowpaw, you can work with Nutpaw. Scorchpaw, you practice with Rowanpaw.”
Rowanpaw looked slightly disconcerted at the thought of working with an apprentice who already knew the move, and Scorchpaw was obviously not too happy about being paired with a younger cat. But they knew better than to argue.
“Keep your claws sheathed,” Brackenfoot instructed. “We don’t want any shredded fur.”
Each pair of cats began circling. Yellowpaw was leaping down onto Nutpaw, who had his paws extended ready for her, when she heard a startled yowl from Rowanpaw. At the same time a sharp pain sliced through her shoulder. She let out a screech and crumpled to the ground at Nutpaw’s paws.
“For StarClan’s sake, what’s happening?” Finchflight exclaimed, bounding over to his apprentice. “Rowanpaw, are you okay?”
As Yellowpaw rolled over, gasping with pain, she saw her sister sprawled on the ground on the far side of the training area. Blood was welling slowly from punctures in Rowanpaw’s shoulder.
“Scorchpaw, we said sheathed claws!” Crowtail snapped.
“Sorry,” Scorchpaw muttered. “I forgot.”
“I don’t understand how two apprentices could be injured at the same time,” Amberleaf meowed, padding up to Nutpaw. “What did you do?”
“Nothing!” Nutpaw’s eyes were wide with dismay. “I never touched Yellowpaw, honestly!”
“Whatever. It still hurts,” Yellowpaw snapped, scrambling awkwardly to her paws.
“I’m okay.” Rowanpaw sat up, turning her head to swipe her tongue over the spots of blood on her shoulder. “I want to try again.”
“Okay,” Finchflight meowed. “But let’s all be more careful this time.”
The pain in Yellowpaw’s shoulder was fading, but she was wary of being hurt for a second time. When they practiced the move again, she knew she wasn’t giving it her best effort.
“Grab your opponent harder,” Deerleap advised. “Don’t think about what his paws are doing. Just concentrate on hanging on to him and pinning him down.”
“I think that’s enough for today,” Finchflight decided, when the apprentices had practiced the move once more. “Rowanpaw, you’d better see Sagewhisker about those scratches.”
Rowanpaw nodded, though Yellowpaw noticed that the claw marks weren’t bleeding anymore, and her sister hardly limped at all as they headed back toward camp. While Rowanpaw padded off to the medicine cat’s den, the rest of the apprentices and their mentors gathered around the fresh-kill pile.
“Yellowpaw, do you think you should see Sagewhisker too?” Deerleap prompted.
“No, I’m fine,” Yellowpaw mumbled through a mouthful of the squirrel she was sharing with Nutpaw.
Deerleap looked doubtful. “You’d better take the rest of the day off,” she mewed, giving Yellowpaw’s shoulder a sniff. “I can’t see any injury, but you never know. Get some rest, and see Sagewhisker if the pain doesn’t clear up.” She turned away to choose some prey for herself.
Yellowpaw didn’t want to rest. I feel okay now, she thought. Maybe I just landed badly.
When she had finished her share of the squirrel, she decided she would go off by herself to practice the new move. She still wasn’t used to being able to leave the camp on her own and she felt a thrill of confidence as she strode out through the thorns. When she had found a secluded spot in a hollow screened by holly bushes, she tried the move again: first the leap, and then rolling over to splay out her paws, ready to grab her opponent.
It doesn’t work so well with only one, she thought, disappointed.
“Do you want any help?”
The voice startled Yellowpaw; she looked up to see Raggedpaw standing at the top of the hollow. “No, I’m fine,” she mewed, scuffling her forepaws in the earth.
Ignoring her refusal, Raggedpaw padded down to join her. “You really need a partner to do that move,” he meowed.
Yellowpaw gave her fur a shake. I’d be mouse-brained not to let him help me. “Okay,” she agreed. Won’t Deerleap be surprised when she sees I can do the move perfectly!
Raggedpaw gave her a brisk nod. “I’ll leap and you grab,” he told her. “That way, you get to practice the difficult part.”
At first, Yellowpaw was afraid that she was going to be squashed into the forest floor by the heavier apprentice. “I can’t get my paws in place fast enough,” she complained, sitting up and shaking scraps of dead leaf off her fur.
“You have to watch me more closely,” Raggedpaw replied. “You should know when the leap is coming, and be ready. Try again.”
This time, Yellowpaw spotted the tensing of Raggedpaw’s muscles before he leaped. She rolled onto her back and spread her paws wide. “Got you!” she yowled as she wrapped her paws around him and flipped him over.
Raggedpaw scrambled to his paws and gave her a cool nod. “Better.”
Better? Yellowpaw thought indignantly. It was brilliant!
“You’ll be able to do it next time you’re in a training session,” Raggedpaw went on. “Now I’ve got to go. I want to hunt before it gets dark.”
“Thank you!” Yellowpaw called after him as he climbed back out of the hollow. “You really helped!”
Raggedpaw didn’t respond. Yellowpaw stood blinking after him, surprised by her feelings of gratitude. Maybe he’s not so bad after all.
Chapter 6
The early morning sunlight sparkled on the dewy grass and on the cobwebs draped across bushes and clumps of bracken. Yellowpaw paused to taste the air. The scent of damp earth flooded her jaws, with a trace of fresh green growth.