The Four Apprentices

Chapter Ten

The cold evening breeze ruffled Redpaw's fur as she padded beside her mentor. The sun was starting to set, and they had to be at the meeting. She looked around at her clanmates. Moonpaw was padding close beside Darkpaw, who finally left the medicine den. Featherwish said that he was strong enough to start training again, he just had to be careful. Hollycloud was not far from her apprentice. Her green eyes seemed darkened. Redpaw assumed it was because of the shadows. Swiftstorm was beside Coalpaw. His gaze not leaving Moonpaw. I swear, Ever since Tigertail's death, he hasn't left her side once.
It was then that Redpaw realized, Coalpaw was almost the size of the brown warrior. He barely had any kitten fluff, unlike Redpaw and her friends. Beestar must make him a warrior soon, right? She looked toward the Skyclan leader. He was beside Bloodmoon and Dawnstream.

They padded past Tall Pines, heading to the Gathering tree. Redpaw remembered the first time she was apprenticed.

Adderstrike decided to show her Tall Pines and taught her how to climb trees.
"Keep your claws buried in the bark." He said, "Or you'll fall and break a leg." She attempted to climb a tree. Her claws scraped at the bark.
"Excellent." Her mentor purred, "Now, try to climb higher." She climbed even higher. Her legs now on the bark. Her red fur bristled as she fell. Pain flashed through her claws as she hissed. Adderstrike was beside her, "Try again."
They continued climbing trees until she got it down. By the time they were back at camp, her claws felt as if they'd been ripped off.

"Redpaw," Adderstrike's rough cold voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "You've been quiet ever since we left camp." She shifted uncomfortably as he continued, "Something's bothering you."
"So?" She muttered, "What's it for you?"
He didn't seem pleased with her response, "Maybe it's because I care for my kit " He sighed, "Tell me, What's wrong?"

"Do you think Raystar will start a war?" She murmured. Her voice seemed quiet. He looked at her.

"If he does, it's more practice for you.."

Redpaw looked at him, surprised, but she didn't say anything else. Practice? What does he mean?

They arrived at the Gathering tree. The scent of Blazeclan filled her nostrils. They're already here.
Raystar was perched on his branch. His ginger tail twitched impatiently, like he was there waiting for a long time. Beestar climbed up to his branch. His tail lashed side to side.
Redpaw watched as her clanmates joined the crowd of Blazeclan warriors. She stayed near Adderstrike's side as Moonpaw and Darkpaw went up to her.

"We should stick together." Moonpaw calmly meowed, "Blazeclan are acting a bit hostile." Darkpaw looked over his shoulder toward two BlazeClan warriors. The first warrior was a black she-cat. She glared at them, her blue eyes glistening. The other was a gray she-cat. She had a scar near her eye. Her claws scraped the dirt below her black paws. She had a black face as well, almost like a mask.

As soon as all the cats below were settled down, Raystar stood up, his ginger fur bristling, "Murderers!" He cried.

Angry hisses filled the clearing. Redpaw's fur bristled with rage. She flattened her ears, Those mangy fox-breaths! They think we would ever murder a cat! Her claw dug into the ground, Beestar will show them!

Beestar's fur bristled, "We would never kill any of your warriors, but you," He let out a growl, "You would kill one of our warriors out of anger."

Raystar growled, "And who do you think I am? I would never lay a claw on one of your mouse-brain warriors!" Beestar let out a hiss. His claws dug into the branch below him, "Fireblaze is dead because of one of your warriors, Raystar. You need to control your warriors, and you need to do it now."