Split: Book One: Dimming Embers

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

"Darkpaw!" Darkpaw turned, glancing up at her mentor. "Are you ready for training?" Darkpaw hesitated before nodding.

"Fine," she sighed. She stood up, mewing a quick goodbye to Graypaw, Bearpaw, and Leopardpaw before following Spottedfire out of camp.

It had been a little over a moon since Darkpaw had gotten suspended from patrols, and she was finally allowed to resume her training.

Spottedfire led Darkpaw back down to the beach, which provided a better area for sparring as opposed to the crowded and uncomfortable woods.

"Today, we're going to practice anticipation," meowed Spottedfire when they got there. "Essentially, you're going to try to predict my next move before I make it."

"How? Isn't that impossible?" blurted Darkpaw. Spottedfire gave a small smile.

"Not necessarily, but it is tough. Here, let me show you."

The ginger she-cat stood up, and Darkpaw mirrored her. Without warning, Spottedfire's paw shot forward, and Darkpaw ducked her head quickly. "See that?" said Spottedfire, but Darkpaw was still confused.

"But I didn't anticipate that, I just dodged."

"Right," said Spottedfire. "You reacted and used your reflexes. Now, if you are able to train your reflexes right, you will notice the signs of an opponent about to be able to attack, and you won't have to rely on your reflexes. When you dodged my paw just now, it was a bit clumsy, and I could have used your surprise against you." Darkpaw remembered how much easier it had been to attack Brightpaw when she didn't see it coming, and how stunned the apprentice had been. She nodded hesitantly.

"Yeah, I think I get it. So what are the signs?" Spottedfire stood, and smiled approvingly.

"Well, if you're paying attention, one sign is if your opponent focuses specifically on one spot. For example, if they look really fiercely at your face, that might be a warning sign that they're about to attack you. Anticipate the attack, and you'll be able to reflect smoothly and counter-attack. Let's try it."

The two cats circled one another, and Darkpaw focused on her mentor's face as fiercely as she could. Suddenly, her mentor's eyes glanced down, and Darkpaw stumbled into the sand as her mentor swiftly knocked her legs out from under her.

"Hey!" complained Darkpaw, spitting out wet sand. "That's not fair! You didn't tell me you were going to sweep my legs!"

"That's the point," said Spottedfire calmly. "Your opponent won't tell you. But I did see you stiffen when you noticed my eyes go downwards. You were too late, but you're getting it."

"I bet Brightpaw's already a master at 'anticipation'," Darkpaw muttered sourly, turning her head to glare at the ocean. Spottedfire sat next to her, pressing one of her paws onto Darkpaw's.

"I don't understand why you hate Brightpaw so much," she murmured. Darkpaw kept her gaze on the waves.

"It's because everyone treats her super special, and everyone seems to think that she's our lord and savior," Darkpaw muttered so quietly that it was almost drowned out by the persistent wind. "And- and because she's good at everything.." Darkpaw stood up, her voice rising with suppressed rage. "And she wins every competition, and she wins every battle, and everybody loves her and compliments her..."

Darkpaw was shouting now, her voice ringing out across the waves. "And she can get away with everything she wants because she's the precious savior of all the Clans! But no one cares about Darkpaw, her stupid failure of a sister! Because I can't do anything right, and everyone thinks she's better than me! I just know it!"