Odd Eye

Chapter Thirteen - Crystalpaw

"Clearheart! Deerpaw! Mudpaw!" the Clan called.

Crystalpaw yowled along with them. RiverClan had had so many changes lately - sleek, small Clearpaw became broad-shouldered Clearheart. Flutterpaw was tripping over him more and more each day. Deerkit and Mudkit were given their apprentice names and their mentors; and hardworking, quiet Chervilpaw was finally given her full medicine cat name, Chervilstream. It made Crystalpaw wonder when she could finally become a warrior - but that was still in two moons' time. Meanwhile, however, both Flutterpaw and Otterpaw's assessments drew ever closer. It made her feel incredibly lonely.

"Crystalpaw!" Flutterpaw called. "Can you help me practise for my assessment? Whistletail says that he's going to test my battle moves as well."

Crystalpaw cocked her head at her friend.

"Battle moves aren't really a normal assessment component, are they? Normally, they just test hunting."

"Haven't you heard? Heronflight told me that in a meeting of the leaders, they decided that from now on battle training will also be part of every apprentices' assessment. It's mouse-brained to only test hunting."

Crystalpaw nodded thoughtfully. "That definitely makes sense. And of course I'll come with you."

"The river is calm today," Flutterpaw said. "Want to practise underwater battle moves?"

Crystalpaw shuddered. She had only had two sessions on fighting underwater, and despite loving swimming, she wasn't a fan of the way the river slowed her movements. But this was a brilliant opportunity to practise her skills.

"As long as we do land fighting after!" she teased, bounding after the cream she-cat.

They stopped at a medium-deep part of the river just outside camp, so that if anything bad happened, Streamheart would be on standby.

She pushed herself into the water, and faced Flutterpaw.

Checking if her claws were sheathed for the final time, Crystalpaw dove underneath the surface. As her vision cleared, she glimpsed Flutterpaw quickly padding towards her, fangs bared. She dove to the side, crashing against the bank as her friend missed by a mere whisker. Remembering what Lightstep had taught her, Crystalpaw scrambled for a shallower part of the river, breaking her head above the surface. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air, and leapt towards where she could faintly see Flutterpaw's silhouette in the water. Her paws gripped fur as Flutterpaw struggled and thrashed, her stronger build giving her an evident advantage. Eventually, Crystalpaw lost her grip and had to resurface for air.

She spotted Flutterpaw's head rise above the water as well, several tail lengths away. Their eyes met for a brief moment - then the sleek she-cat dove back in quickly. Crystalpaw barely had time to react before strong claws gripped her hind legs, pulling her back under the surface. Remembering what Frostclaw had taught her about limb strength, Crystalpaw wrapped her tail around Flutterpaw's foreleg, and pulled. The grip on her hind leg loosened as Flutterpaw struggled to swim with one paw trapped. Crystalpaw flung her head up for a quick breath, before twisting and pushing Flutterpaw back with her hind legs. She swam for the surface as quickly as possible, before collapsing on a bed of reeds, panting and shivering.

Flutterpaw surfaced beside her.

"Wow!" Crystalpaw said in admiration. "I didn't know you could hold your breath for that long!"

Flutterpaw blushed.

"I've been practising," she muttered.

The two friends lay side by side for a while, flanks heaving as the water evaporated in the sun-high warmth. Then, they made their way back to camp.