Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Chapter Fifteen

Because of Fallowpaw and Acornpaw's harrassment, Blizzardtail led Swiftpaw out of the camp. The sun was only two hours away from reaching its highest point, so the two had time to spare.

"We're going to be hunting today at the Grand River," he meowed to her as they just exited camp. Not too far behind them was Chivewhisker's hunting patrol, with Tortoisetail and Mistfur. "Are we hunting with them?" She asked, looking back at the three warriors. Blizzardtail shook his head, "No. But we will be close to them," he lowered his muzzle to her ear, "But don't pester them. They'd probably toss you for the fishes if you did." There was slight humor at his tone, and Swiftpaw chuckled.

The two branched off to the Grand River, taking the path of flattened, wet grass, before Swiftpaw's white and pale ginger paws touched sand. But instead, Blizzardtail took a left instead of a right, complete opposite from the patrol. "Huh? Where are we hunting?" Swiftpaw asked curiously, her amber eyes searching around them.

Before her was stepping stones of the Grand River, reaching to the other side of white sands. To the left of the stepping stones were more shores of the river, but more trees had begun to grow already there. Lots of willows, mostly uprooted, grew in the brown sand, and water actually flowed right under them! Some water flowed from the Grand River to below the willow trees, but the streams and mini ponds formed below them would eventually flow back into the Grand River itself.

"Wow...over there is beautiful..." Swiftpaw awed. Blizzardtail nodded in agreement, "And see the overhang of the willows unto the water, there? That's where we're hunting."

"Why not out in the open?" She asked. The sun was beginning to rise, causing a shadow of the bright apprentice and her mentor to appear. His tail lashed, and his blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Thanks to the overhang, we'll be concealed by the shadows to properly hunt. Every warrior should know that fish are scared of unknown shadows, but also that they like to stay in the shade. It's easier, as a beginner, to hunt in the shade to conceal your own." It all absorbed into Swiftpaw's mind, and she nodded eagerly.

The big warrior now approached one large, uprooted willow, and padded under it. Swiftpaw followed, not even having to duck like how her mentor did. The large willow was so large, there was a large pool underneath it. Blizzardtail sat, hunched over, at the thin line of sand that remained. Lots of water rushed at his paws, but more calmly than what the main river's currents.

Swiftpaw sat beside him. The cool water washed up to her paws, and barely, she could see something moving below the surface. But the water was too deep and dark to see! "How are we supposed to fish?" She asked Blizzardtail. Her mentor slowly blinked his eyes, and he instructed her to do as he was going to do.

"You need to study the movement of the water. Because the water is more calmer with the current, the fish is more closer to the shore. So raise your paw, and remain still," he raised his massive paw. Swiftpaw raised her paw, and her eyes focused on the water below her.

Her calico body remained as still as possible, and she blinked slowly just in case. "Now, when you see movement below, unsheathe your claws and swipe the fish beside you."

In a flash, Blizzardtail's paw dove under the water, and he scooped up a brown fish. It landed beside him, and he nipped its spine, killing it. Swiftpaw's amber eyes widened, "Wow!"

"Your turn," Blizzardtail meowed to her. The apprentice lashed her tail, and she narrowed her eyes. Swiftpaw felt determined to catch a fish.

When her eyes caught a black tail under the water, her claws unsheathed and she brought her paw down. She felt her claw catch unto something slimy, and Swiftpaw scooped her paw up. The apprentice purred. She had caught a fish!

Her claws had sunk into the spine and part of its fin, but it still wiggled. Swiftpaw dropped it beside her, and she lowered her muzzle to bite the spine. When her mouth closed unto the spine, she had a bit of trouble of snapping it, but she was able.

"Good job, Swiftpaw," Blizzardtail meowed, "You learn fast."

~

"Blizzardtail?"

"Yes, apprentice?" The two were making their way back to camp. The sun was very high, and the breeze blew gently. Leaf-fall was coming, and prey was soon going to grow scarce.

Swiftpaw had caught three fish, but one was about the size of a minnow. Blizzardtail only caught two fish. The apprentice put down her fresh kill and asked, "Did you teach me how to hunt just to abide by Fallowpaw and Acornpaw? You told me you're going to teach me at a pace for me..."

Her mentor put down his fresh kill as well, and he replied, "Yes, you may learn differently. But we are not sucking up to them, but learning from them,"

Swiftpaw had a confused look in her eyes, and her mentor blinked slowly. "One day, you'll understand."

The two made their way back to camp, only to pad into camp to see a bouncing Minnowstream. "Bloompelt is expecting my kits!" He cried happily, and Blizzardtail murmured to his apprentice, "You have the rest of the day off. Drop your prey off and get something to eat." The senior warrior deposited the fish into the fresh kill pile, before he padded to Minnowstream and Bloompelt.

Swiftpaw had just deposited her prey, when her eyes rested upon Fallowpaw and Acornpaw, who were sharing a fish under the oak shade. Her heart began to beat faster, and she angrily narrowed her eyes.

But her mind flashed back to her mother, who told her to be good to her clanmates. Swiftpaw's ears flattened and her eyes closed. Agh! Why do I feel such negativity? Her eyes lowered to her chest, Calm, my beating heart! Her heart soon settled, and she felt very unsettled herself.