Warriors: Retribution (Book 2)

Chapter 12

     "Fang! Eclipse!" Shredflash yelled as he saw both his mate and daughter leaving him behind. They didn't respond or even turn around as they continued padding down a black path away from Shredflash and the small cave. Shredflash ran after them, but an unfamiliar tom stopped him. He couldn't completely make out the looks of the tom, but he knew the tom wasn't from Vertexclan, so that left Shredflash in utter confusion. "Who are you?" he asked. The tom gave no response and almost instantly dug his claws into Shredflash's neck. Shredflash's eyes widened as he realized what happened to him. He felt the tom dig his claws in deeper and deeper as blood spilled from his neck and maw slowly. The tom took his claws out and blood sprayed from Shredflash's neck. He saw as both Eclipse and Fang turned around and watched him fall onto his side. "He-Help me..." he could barely get his words out. The tom that caused Shredflash to fall on his side padded on over to Fang and Eclipse as they padded away from him. "Everything I've done... It was for the both of you...!" his mew was hoarse now. He watched as the three cats continued, but the tom stopped for a second and slowly turned around. Shredflash looked into his eyes as he saw them glow an orangish-red color.

Shredflash jolted awake. He hasn't had a dream like that in a while.

Therefore, I hate sleeping... He thought and yawned. He quickly noticed that Eclipse and Fang were not around him. "No..." he whispered. Shredflash got up and ran out of the small cave and looked to the left, then looked to the right. There were no signs of his mate and kit anywhere.

"Shredflash!" he heard a meow come from his right and he shot his head there to see Fang running up to him with a smile and Eclipse not far behind. The grey tom breathed a sigh of relief as his daughter came up to him and nuzzled into him. "Where were you two at?" he asked.

"We were just at the Ocean Side for a little while." it was the meow of Eclipse as she padded up to both of them.

"Oh, alright, but please tell me first next time!" Shredflash sighed.

Eclipse giggled. "We didn't want to disturb your sleep. You looked so peaceful..." she meowed.

Shredflash only sighed once more, then looked at Fang, who was just smiling up at him, and then he smiled back. "You ready to start our training today?" he said.

Fang's eyes widened. "Yes!" she exclaimed.

"Good, go into the cave and eat something real quick and we'll start."

Fang did as she was told and ran into the small cave. Eclipse then licked Shredflash's cheek. "Don't do nothing too dangerous now." she meowed.

"I'll only be teaching her how to hunt today, that's all."

"Alright." Eclipse turned around to go back into the small cave, but then she looked back at Shredflash. "Did you harm another cat, Shredflash?"

"I'm guessing you saw the bloodstains on the sand?"

She nodded.

"It was only for protecting you two." he got closer to Eclipse and rubbed his muzzle against hers.

"Just please be careful, and don't get Fang involved with any of it..." she meowed.

"I won't." he meowed back.

*

"So what are we starting with?" Fang started. "I hope we can start fighting soon!" she said excitedly.

Not yet... Thankfully... Shredflash thought.

"Well, my lovely daughter, we'll begin by hunting."

"It's not fighting, but I'm still ready anyway!" she meowed back.

Shredflash and Fang were away from the cave. They stood in the middle of some trees and bushes. The scent of prey flooded Shredflash's nose. "Alright," he started, "First you must get a pleasant scent on where your prey will come from." he meowed and sniffed the air. He could scent a mouse nearby, and Fang watched as her father crouched down slowly and lifted his tail. Fang sat there silently, watching as a mouse slowly came across Shredflash's line of sight. It seemed like only a heartbeat went by as he stepped on the mouse's tail and clawed its back.

"Woah!" was all Fang meowed.

"It's not too hard, just need to wait for the right time to strike. Stepping on the tail makes it easier for them to catch. Well, only for mice anyway. They are usually around here." he meowed.

Seems easy! She thought and smiled.

"Here, you try now. There should be a couple of mice around." Shredflash said.

Shredflash picked up the mouse in his jaws and stepped back a little as Fang padded up to the spot he was in.

"Sniff out the scent first." he meowed.

Fang nodded and sniffed the air. She could smell a little of mouse coming from her right behind one tree. Got its scent! Now I just wait... She thought and crouched down, then lifted her tail. Fang waited patiently as she then could see the little whiskers of the mouse come from behind the tree.

Come on...

The mouse's head appeared.

You dumb mouse come on!

The mouse revealed itself and came right in front of Fang. She waited till the tail was in front of her, and then she stepped over and pressed hard on it with her paw. The mouse tried to escape, but Fang unsheathed her claws and clawed deeply into its back. "Got it!" she meowed as the mouse went limp.

"Significant job!" Shredflash purred. "We'll keep going for a little while and then head back to the cave."

"Yay!" Fang exclaimed.

*

It was now moonhigh, and Fang was at the Ocean Side with Mistpaw once more.

"I didn't think I'd be able to catch it, but I did!" Fang exclaimed.

"That's so cool! I can't wait for Dampbreeze to teach me how to hunt!" Mistpaw replied.

"Dampbreeze?"

"Oh, he's my mentor. He'll be teaching me until I become a warrior!" Mistpaw smiled widely.

"Okay, well, I guess that makes Shredflash my mentor, as you call it!" Fang smiled back.

"Shredflash? I feel like I've heard that name before, but I can't put my paw on it..." Mistpaw thought for a second.

Fang had a curious look on her face.

"Oh...! That's right." Mistpaw's ears flattened a little. "A cat got killed in my clan... They couldn't find the cat that did it..." he had a slight frown on his face.

Fang felt hurt seeing Mistpaw sad, "It's alright Mistpaw." she got closer to him and put her tail on his shoulders, "Whoever that cat is, I'm sure they are in a better place now," she meowed and nuzzled against him.

Mistpaw looked at her and smiled, "I hope you're right, Fang." he licked her cheek.

I hope I'm right too, Mistpaw... she thought.