Raine's Stained Paws

Chapter Two

"Your doing it wrong!" Brittlethorn bellowed.
Bloodpaw pushed herself upwards, snow falling off her pelt.
The training area was covered in snow but Bloodpaw, Cloudpaw, and Featherpaw's mentors insisted on training.
"It's the snow! It's slippery..." Bloodpaw pointed out as she shivered.
"That doesn't matter. We could be in a battle at any moment, you need to be prepared to fight in any conditions!" Brittlethorn countered.
"Now you've learned the basics. Fight me."
"B-but I'm supposed to fight the other apprentices-" Bloodpaw muttered.
"Your my apprentice I decide who you fight. Now prepare yourself!" Brittlethorn yowled as he leaped at Bloodpaw.
Surprised Bloodpaw backed away, she yowled in pain as claws dug into her shoulder.
"We are supposed to use our claws shethed!" She exsplained.
Brittlethorn stood tall over Bloodpaw as she shivered in the snow.
"In a real battle you use your claws! Learn to dodge them or you will die!" He yowled as he leaped at her again.
"Ah!" Bloodpaw exclaimed as she unsheathed her claws and batted them around. She backed up in surprise as she felt them hit something.
Brittlethorn hissed in annoyance as he pressed a paw against his nose.
Bloodpaw shrunk away as she saw scarlet drops of blood patter onto the snow.
"Go train with the other apprentices... Get out of my face." Brittlethorn growled.
Bloodpaw nodded and limped to the other side of the clearing where Cloudpaw had Featherpaw pinned in the snow.
"About time you joined us!" Shadowstep purred as she watched the two wrestling Apprentices.
"Cloudpaw, let's see if you can defend yourself from two attackers." Hollygrass said as he backed away slightly motioning with his tail for Bloodpaw to join.
Bloodpaw smiled as she got into a fighting stance. She glanced at Featherpaw who nodded as she leaped at Cloudpaw.
Bloodpaw followed her claws unsheathed. She noticed a look of surprise in Cloudpaw as she dodged her claws.
"Bloodpaw!" Shadowstep called.
Bloodpaw ignored her and pushed forward. She frowned confused as Featherpaw fell back with a look of disgust and fear on her face.
What's wrong with them? She thought.
"Ow!" She yelped as she felt teeth in her scruff pull her backwards.
"What is wrong with you!?" Shadowstep screeched.
"W-what?" She began. She looked down to her paws in shame only to be shocked as she realized her claws where covered in blood.
"Cloudpaw-?" She whimpered as she looked past Shadowstep.
Cloudpaw lay motionless her white fur stained with blood.
"W-what Cloudpaw!?" Bloodpaw called as she ran to her side.
"I- I didn't mean to.."
"Back up! You've done enough! You know better than to use your claws during training!" Hollygrass hissed.
"But Brittlethorn-" Bloodpaw muttered.
"What about your mentor! You go back to camp and get Hawkthistle." Hollygrass growled as he placed a paw onto a deep gash along Cloudpaw's neck.
Bloodpaw slunk back at Featherpaw's terrified face.
She turned around and bolted towards camp. She sighed with relief as she ran through the rock archway of the camps entrance.
"Hawkthistle! Cloudpaw is hurt really bad! It was a training accident..." Bloodpaw's yowl turned into a small whisper.
"I'll go right away." Hawkthistle responded as He bounded into his den and quickly back out and past Bloodpaw through the rock arch.
"Bloodpaw!" Brittlethorn hissed as he walked up to her his nose wrapped with leaves.
"What did you do?" He hissed as he looked down at her blood stained paws.
"I-it was an accident I swear... I was only doing what you said i- I used my claws and I lost control.."
"You did what!" Brittlethorn bellowed as he pushed Bloodpaw to the ground.
"You are as useless as a cat without claws. Get up. Follow." He hissed as he walked out of the camp.
Bloodpaw got to her paws and walked out after her father her paws dragging in the snow.
"Where are we going..?" She asked.
"Somewhere. A place where we can train alone and I can teach you a lesson." Brittlethorn responded.
Bloodpaw looked away her eyes full of fear. What does he mean? It was just an accident he told me to use my claws! She thought as she followed him through the snowy forest.
The walk seemed like it was forever, Bloodpaw dragged her paws into a small clearing where she watched Brittlethorn turn around and look at her.
"You have some serious explaining to do." He barked.
"I- i used my claws like you said-"
"Only use your claws when training with me! Do you understand? The others are to weak to train like us."
Bloodpaw looked up at her father with a longing expression.
"I'm sorry... I won't do it again." Bloodpaw whined.
"You won't, and I will make sure you don't. Don't ever make a mistake like that again or we will have to keep coming here." Brittlethorn hissed pushing his face into Bloodpaw's.
"What do you mean?" Bloodpaw asked.
Brittlethorn didn't reply. He hissed, unsheathed his claws and slashed them across Bloodpaw's flank.
Bloodpaw fell over pain shooting through her.
"What-" Bloodpaw tried to ask but more pain shot through her as claws raked through her fur again and again.

868 words.