Darkstar's Wrath - A Faith's Journey Super Edition

Chapter 26

Leaf-fall's chill had continued to sink its claws into the territories of the four clans. Cool breezes blew through the forest and whistled through the grass throughout the days. The leaves browned and shriveled as leaf-fall meandered on.

Above the chilly territories and sleeping clans, Darkblood and his apprentices of a few moons, were training as the moon moved across the starry night sky.

Pinepaw ducked a blow from Silverpaw and as he ducked, the brown tom darted under the CreekClan cat. He drew his claws across the back of Silverpaw's ankles. Pinepaw wriggled his way out from under Silverpaw and came out on his left. Silverpaw then unexpectedly, brought the full weight of her front paws down on Pinepaw's back. Pinepaw's stomach crashed to the ground, causing his legs to splay out at his sides. He let out a frustrated grunt as Silverpaw held him there.

"Nicely done, Silverpaw." Darkblood called from the side of the dark clearing, his outline barely visible against the pitch black forest. Though his amber eyes glowed through the gloom, pride shimmered in their depths for Silverpaw. Silverpaw's face glowed and she ducked her head awkwardly. 

"Now what did you do wrong, Pinepaw?" Darkblood turned his attention to his other apprentice, as Silverpaw let him get up.

Pinepaw stared at his paws. "I forgot to duck out the way I had come..." He mumbled.

"Correct." Darkblood replied.

"You still put up a great fight!" Silverpaw added, bumping him in the shoulder with her own. Pinepaw smiled at her gratefully.

Another flash of pride coursed through Darkblood's veins for the young silver cat. Silverpaw's confidence continued to grow and grow the more she practiced.

"You should look at your mentor when he's talking to you." A drawling voice said from the shadows. 

Silverpaw's claws gleamed as they dug themselves into the ground and Pinepaw's ears were pricked, ready to pinpoint where the possible enemy was lurking.

"Well, at least they're vigilant." A cat stepped out from the gloom that surrounded the hollow. "You've done something right with them, Darkblood."

The voice belonged a dark brown tom with white stripes, scars along his flanks and shoulders, and electric blue eyes that bore into the other three cats in the clearing. His claws glinted in the gloom, they were long and twisted like slightly gnarled branches.

"Wildtalon." Darkblood replied, meeting the gaze of the blue eyed tom.

"Training going well?" 

"Yeah, they're learning our tactics well." Darkblood explained, glancing at Pinepaw and Silverpaw out of the corner of his eye.

"Good." Wildtalon replied. Wildtalon studied the two young cats, carefully. After a few moments, his gaze slid over to Darkblood again. "Perhaps, you would let them use their moves against me?" 

Darkblood felt his fur prickle with unease. Wildtalon was known to go very hard on new apprentices, showing no mercy. What was the point of training young cats if they never got to use their new skills to serve their clans?

"Tone down your strength and I'll let you."

A twisted smirk crawled onto the brown tabby's face. "Don't worry," His eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I won't kill them."

"You better not." Darkblood hissed. He felt protective over Pinepaw and Silverpaw, despite being of different clans in the waking world.

Wildtalon ducked his head to the black warrior and padded over to stand in front of the two apprentices.