Warrior Cats Fanfiction: Whispers of the Shadows Book 1 Rivers Descending

Chapter Ten

Dawnpaw sat underneath the entrance of the apprentice den, washing her ears. She narrowed her eyes at the empty camp. A growl rose out of her throat as she remembered how Softwing told she and Silverpaw that they were too young to fight against ShadowClan.

I'm left at camp like an elder or kit! She thought furiously. Lashing her fluffy orange and white tail, she padded to the middle of the camp, where Silverpaw and Minnowtail sat patiently.

"Minnowtail," said Silverpaw as Dawnpaw approached," can you please take us to the battle? We're terrific fighters!"

Minnowtail purred slightly. "You heard what Emberstar said. You have only been apprentices for three moons."

"I went into ShadowClan territory a moon ago!" Protested Silverpaw, fur bristling. "If I was good enough to go there, then why can't I fight now?"

"It's not up for discussion," hissed Minnowtail. Dawnpaw and Silverpaw ducked their heads, ashamed.

Minnowtail began pacing around the two sisters. "Emberstar and your mentors want me to show you some new battle moves," she explained. "Hopefully, next time we have a battle you can be added to our ranks. Sit up!" she ordered. Silverpaw and Dawnpaw sat up to attention, their eyes wide and alert.

"I'm going to teach you one of the most prized moves that RiverClan warriors have on land," she meowed. "Dawnpaw, come in front of me." Dawnpaw nervously stepped in front of the RiverClan deputy, the tips of her tail twitching.

"Attack me," Minnowtail offered. Dawnpaw squatted down and leapt at the she-cat, serving to intercept her as Minnowtail dove out of the way. Bouncing out of the way of a skillful swipe, Dawnpaw rose onto her hind legs and was ready to bring them down with crushing force onto the deputy's side. Like she was catching a fish, Minnowtail jabbed Dawnpaw's legs, sending her sprawling onto the ground.

In a heart beat, she jumped onto the oversized apprentice and hissed ferociously.

"What happened?" Dawnpaw asked, rolling out of the deputy's grip. Minnowtail beckoned for Silverpaw to come closer with her tail.

"On your hind legs," she explained," there is a tendon that runs across. Can you feel it?" Both apprentices nodded after running a paw across it. "If you hit that, the cat attacked will collapse onto the ground. You must be fast, though," she warned," because the shock wears off almost immediately."

"Use it to your advantage, and pounce onto your enemy." Minnowtail nodded. "All right. Let's see you two try it."

Dawnpaw lashed her tail. "Come get me, you ShadowClan scum!"

"Say the scum herself, huh?" Silverpaw retorted, and leapt at her sister. Together they wrestled, until Dawnpaw was sent crashing again onto the ground. Before Silverpaw could pounce, Dawnpaw jumped out of the way and slashed her with a paw.

"Good thing your claws are sheathed," panted Silverpaw.

Dawnpaw lunged at her, swiping at her hind legs. As her sister started to fall, she braced both paws on her shoulders and pushed downward. Using her weight, Dawnpaw pinned Silverpaw down until she stopped squirming. They looked at Minnowtail.

"Now can we go to fight?" Dawnpaw pleaded. Minnowtail stared at her, the answer broadcasted in her amber eyes.

"Good," the deputy said, curling her tail around her paws. "It's a relatively easy move, the tricky thing is to actually land the blow. Keep practicing," she said, turning around. "I have to go the dirt place."

Dawnpaw whirled around in a battle crouch, ready to try again. Instead, thought, Silverpaw looked at her with mischief brimming in the icy blue depths.

"What?" Dawnpaw asked, sitting up. She drew a paw over each spray of whiskers.

"You don't think that we're really going to stay here?" challenged Silverpaw.

"I thought we were," meowed Dawnpaw.

"We need to go to the battle!" Silverpaw said. "Our clanmates need us."

Dawnpaw looked back at the nursery. Minnowtail had not yet emerged. She is sort of right, Dawnpaw thought, and turned back to her sister, who was bouncing up and down on her toes in excitement.

"I'll come," said Dawnpaw. "But if we get killed, I'm killing you."