Into The Forest

Chapter 4

~Complete~

"Amberpaw, wake up," Coldbreeze's gruff voice jerked Amberpaw awake. The dawn sun was creeping over the trees and leaf-bare was heading into the forest. Amberpaw's breath was visible in the foggy morning. She fluffed out her pelt and followed her mentor into the clearing.

"Amberpaw! You're awake!" Sandpaw dashed over from where she was standing beside the fern hollow entrance. Her sister launched herself at her and they playfought for a few moments.

"Sandpaw, Amberpaw, that is how kits behave, get back over here." Solidstone meowed, his pelt also fluffed up.

"Now Solidstone, they were kits last sunhigh, they still have kit in them." Goldenecho meowed.

"Amberpaw!" Mossypaw mewed. "We are going to the Gathering tonight!"

Amberpaw's heart fluttered with happiness, but then fear trickled in, What happens if I make a fool out of myself? I will be introduced to all the Clans! She thought.

"Are we going?"Solidstone asked, already in the fern hollow.

"Yes!" Amberpaw mewed, and raced after him.

Solidstone's dark gray pelt was barely visible in the shadows of the trees. He lead the group of cats to a sandy hollow, with bracken surrounding it. Sandpaw gasped in awe. The littermates mewed their agreements.

"Okay, today we are going to be learning the hunters crouch." Brindlesmoke meowed, her mottled gray and ginger fur clearly visible.

"Show us what you have and we will correct you if we have to." Mistystream meowed.

The littermates got into a hunters crouch, or what they think it is. Amberpaw remembered Icebreakers crouch and the lesson last night. She lowered herself to the ground and pinned her ears, she kept her tail still and stayed in the position until the mentors checked them.

Mistystream cirlced the littermates, one by one. Mistystream eyes were flashed with surprise as she didn't neeed to correct any of their crouch.

She quickly darted away and went to Brindlesmoke's side, they exchanged a few quick words and then meowed. "Who ever is he first to come back with prey gets first pick off the fresh-kill pile!"

With that the four littermates dared through the forest. Amberpaw narrowed her eyes, slinking through the forest. She found herself a rabbit and remembered about what Hawkstar meowed, do the battle crouch and it will be easier to hunt rabbits. So she did and laughed herself at it. She took it in surprise and did a swift killing bite.

Amberpaw ran through the forest with her rabbit tight in her jaws, she skidded to a halt in the sandy clearing. She was the first one back, Mistystream was waiting with Brindlesmoke at her side. Amberpaw frowned. Where was Goldenecho, Solidstone and Coldbreeze?

"Great catch!"" Brindlesmoke praised.

Amberpaw's chest swelled with pride. "Where are Goldecho, Coldbreeze and Solidstone?"

"They followed the other three to check up on them." Mistystream meowed, her ear pricked.

The ferns rustled behind Amberpaw and Redpaw's dark ginger pelt was shining in the morning sun, she held a blackbird proudly in her mouth.

"Redpaw did great," Goldenecho meowed, coming out behind her.

"So did Finchpaw," Coldbreeze purred.

Finchpaw had two mice and a vole in his mouth.

Gorsepaw padded into the clearing with Sandpaw at his side, Solidstone behind. Finchpaw had a plump vole and Sandpaw had a sparrow.