warriors: in the trees

chapter nine, moon nine.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Keep your tail off the ground!"

Briarpaw corrected her stance. She was learning, again, how to hunt squirrels. I hate this, she thought. Hunting was no fun. Having to resist eating the prey in your mouth when you're starving was even less fun.

"Good, now slowly..." Sunclaw guided her. Briarpaw took dainty steps, slowly slithering closer to the squirrel. It was drinking out of a pool, with its back turned to Briarpaw.

Stupid squirrel, she thought, and she lunged for the prey, clasping it between her forepaws and swiftly ending its life.

"That was better," Sunclaw praised. "Now just remember how to do that."

Briarpaw nodded, holding the squirrel in her jaws. Her stomach rumbled. I can't wait to get back to camp a-

The leaves rustled around Briarpaw, and two brown toms leaped out: Owlhaze and Thistlepaw. Briarpaw jumped back, surprised at the two tom's sudden appearance. She dropped her squirrel. Owlhaze looked disheveled, and Thistlepaw looked utterly annoyed.

"Owlhaze," Sunclaw acknowledged, his voice a little bitter. "That was an entrance."

Owlhaze, noticeably in a panic, replied, "Yes, Sunclaw... can you watch Thistlepaw? I need to get back to camp, Ebonyheart..."

Thistlepaw rolled his eyes. Briarpaw giggled.

Sunclaw sighed. "Ebonyheart what?"

"She's kitting!" Thistlepaw butted in. He pushed Owlhaze towards camp. "Hurry up, old man!"

The light brown tom nodded and made a break for camp. Briarpaw watched him scurry off before disappearing into the trees.

"Good," Sunclaw said, clearing his throat, as Briarpaw turned back towards her mentor. "We could use more kits. I hope everything goes well."

The only kit in the nursery after Briarpaw and her littermates left was Rustkit. Rustkit was born when Morningpaw and Puddlepaw were still in the nursery; when Briarpaw, Thrushpaw, and Floweringpaw were three moons. He should be almost six moons now.

"We aren't going to head back to camp?" Briarpaw questioned. She secretly just wanted to get out of hunting training, and back into the shelter from the violent sun. Briarpaw couldn't imagine how Floweringpaw must feel in this heat.

Sunclaw nodded. "Of course, but we should give Ebonyheart some space first. I'm sure Willowtuft and Juniperpaw have it under control." The ginger tom glanced at Thistlepaw. "Want to do some fighting training?"

Perfect. Time to flex the gift Moonstar gave me.

Briarpaw loved fighting. She was good at it; unlike catching squirrels. She glanced at Thistlepaw. His eyes glimmered with excitement for the pending challenge. "Of course," he said, milking his words. He turned to face Briarpaw, and the brown she-cat turned toward him.

Sunclaw cleared his throat. "Thistlepaw, I'm not sure what all you know, but just remember that Briarpaw is younger than-"

Thistlepaw pounced, cutting off Sunclaw, but Briarpaw was ready. She tucked and rolled under Thistlepaw as he lept, reaching out her paws in a failed attempt to rake the tom's stomach.

Briarpaw got to her paws but was quickly knocked down as Thistlepaw crashed into her. They rolled for a few mouse lengths before Briarpaw ended up above the other apprentice. She used all of her weight to pin him down.

Thistlepaw went limp, but Briarpaw had seen this film before. She maintained her grip until Thrushpaw tensed again, trying to throw Briarpaw off.

She knew it was coming, and prepared the best she could, but Thistlepaw was larger and stronger than she was. He sent her tumbling backward into a tree, sending birds flying out of the leaves when she crashed into it.