Picked Off In the Dark

Chapter 2

Feeling herself beginning to wake up, Ivypaw opened her eyes and stretched out her legs. A huge yawn escaped her lips as she looked around. Applepaw, Lightningpaw and a tunneler apprentice named Mistpaw were still asleep in their nests. Gazing out of the den, Ivypaw noticed the two elders, Russetfoot and Snaketongue, dragging Mintleaf's body out of camp. Ivypaw's ears flattened. Snowpelt and Eaglfeather also watched the elders leave camp with Mintleaf's body before parting ways. Ivypaw sat up, letting out a sigh.

"Ivypaw!" A voice called.

Ivypaw's ears pricked and she turned to see Longstripe, approaching the apprentices' den.

"Oh! You're already awake!" Longstripe realized, "Wake up Lightningpaw and Shrewpaw," he ordered, "You're all training together today."

"Yes Longstripe," Ivypaw replied with a nod. Longstripe smiled and padded away.

"Lightningpaw, wake up," Ivypaw meowed, prodding at Lightningpaw's shoulder.

The black and white she-cat let out a drowsy groan. Ivypaw glanced down to see Lightningpaw's blue eyes blink open. For a moment, her friend's eyes seemed to put Ivypaw in a trance.

"We're going to train with Shrewpaw," Ivypaw informed.

"Alright," Lightningpaw let out a yawn.

As Lightningpaw got up to stretch, Ivypaw padded up to her sleeping sister, Shrewpaw, and prodded her side.

"Shrewpaw, get up," Ivypaw meowed.

The light brown she-cat stirred slightly but she still didn't open her eyes. Rolling her eyes, Ivypaw nipped Shrewpaw's ear. Her sister let out a shocked gasp and Ivypaw couldn't help but giggle a bit.

"Come on sleepy head," Ivypaw teased, "We're going to train with Lightningpaw."

"Ugh, fine," Shrewpaw groaned.

She sat up with a yawn and stretched her legs. Ivypaw leaped up to Lightningpaw's side with a grin. Shrewpaw padded after them, half-awake and dragging her long tail on the ground. Ivypaw looks at the camp entrance to see Longstripe, Starlingfeather, and Shrewpaw's mentor, Sunfur.

"What are we gonna do today?" Lightningpaw asked.

"You're all going to practice your speed," Longstripe meowed.

"And perhaps your hunting," Starlingfeather suggested.

"If there's time," Sunfur added.

The three mentors nodded in agreement and padded out the entrance to camp. Ivypaw, Shrewpaw, and Lightningpaw followed them out of camp and onto the sunny moor. Ivypaw smiled as the light breeze blew through her fur. Sunfur flicked her tail, ordering the rest of the cats to stop. Ivypaw stopped beside Lightningpaw. "Alright," Sunfur began, "To start, all three of you are going to race to the Outlook Rock."

Sunfur pointed at the far away rock with her tail. Ivypaw widened her eyes. They were supposed to race that far? Lightningpaw and Shrewpaw got into a stance, ready to dash toward the Outlook Rock. Ivypaw reluctantly follow their lead, trying to copy Lightningpaw's stance.

"Ready," Sunfur began, "and go!"

The three apprentices immediately took off toward the Outlook Rock. Lightningpaw took the lead early on so Shrewpaw and Ivypaw ran as hard as they could to try to catch up to her. As they ran, Shrewpaw suddenly fell into the grass, flat on her face. Ivypaw ran harder, but Lightningpaw was still way ahead of her, and Ivypaw began to feel exhausted. What was she doing wrong? Ivypaw glanced at Lightningpaw and noticed that she was taking long strides and that she wasn't nearly as tired as Ivypaw. Stopping for a moment to catch her breath, Ivypaw leaped forward and began extending her legs more as she ran. Ivypaw began to catch up faster but she was already too far behind. Lightningpaw leaped onto the Outlook Rock and stopped to turn around. Ivypaw continued forward and stopped in front of the Outlook Rock, panting from exhaustion. Ivypaw slowly climbed up the rock, sitting down and catching her breath. Ivypaw looked out from the rock to see Shrewpaw, running and panting relentlessly as she neared the rock. Once she made it, Shrewpaw fell to the ground in exhaustion. In what felt like a few moments, Sunfur, Starlingfeather, and Longstripe dashed towards the Outlook Rock.