Recalling

Part 2:Apprenticehood

Silence.

After a moment, I realized I had just used the move we had been drilling all day. And I had done it perfectly. A wave of deep satisfaction overtook me as he lay for a moment in the sand, but fear tainted my victory. I did not know what my strict mentor would think of my tripping him.

Without a word, Thistleclaw sat up and began to clean his chest and paws. When he had finished, he set his amber gaze on me.

"Well done." He meowed, and I knew that he meant it.

I dipped my head in gratitude and joy.

Then pain flared in my muzzle has his large claw cut into my upper lip. I gave a startled yelp and backed away, shocked.

"Never attack me unless I ask you to!" Thistleclaw hissed.

I nodded again, this time slowly.

Together, we made our way back to camp.

Two moons passed, and I was now the strongest among the apprentices. I beat everyone in sparing matches, and the clan praised me for my hard work and skill. At Gatherings, even apprentices from other clans would stare at me in awe as I told them stories. I was their leader, in a way. The thought gave me confidence.

However, from time to time I noticed one of the warriors casting me strange looks. She seemed...troubled by me. Or perhaps she was troubled with my mentor? I could not be sure, but annoyance flashed within me when I noticed her glancing my way suspiciously.

"That is Bluefur," Thistleclaw muttered to me. He had noticed the glances as well. "Although her sister, Snowfur, was my mate, I can't say I like her. She has always stared at me as though I were a threat, even though we are clan mates. And it was her who came between me and Snowfur on many occasions. Avoid her, and do not trust her."

I took his words to heart, and avoided the blue-ish grey she-cat as best I could.

There was another cat throwing me glances as well, but for different reasons, I suspected. She was older than me, a newly made warrior in fact, but she continued to glance my way, and I could feel her gaze upon my back at times. On such an occasion, I was eating a thrush, when finally I confronted her.

"Why are you always staring at me?" I asked her straightforwardly.

Her eyes widened and she lowered her gaze.

"It's nothing much...I'm sorry." She murmured, and before I could question her strange response, she scurried away. I watched her disappear into the warriors den, wondering what in Starclan could be her problem.

"Goldenflower likes you." Whitepaw blurted.

I tripped over a trailing root. We were on our way to the sandy hollow for a battle exam. I had been looking forward to it for a long time, and had focused on nothing else. Now my mind was scrambled, and I stared at my white clanmate in surprise and confusion.

"What? Where did you get that idea?" I asked sharply.

Whitepaw shrugged with an amused smile.

"It's pretty obvious. She stares at you all the time, and I hear some of the other warriors tease her about it. Hey don't look so upset! She's a very pretty she-cat, and is certainly a good warrior."
I didn't reply, but hunched my shoulders and looked away. Not once had I thought about a mate, or romance of any kind. Now the idea seemed...rather appealing. Stop! Focus on the task at hand. I have an exam to pass. But Goldenflower's face still seemed to glow in my mind's eye.
Predictably, the exam proved easy when compared to my normal training. Thistleclaw gave me a nod of approval as I pinned Whitepaw to the ground. Whitepaw was strong, and certainly a good apprentice, but I was much much stronger. I let the white apprentice stand and he smiled, his yellow eyes flickering happily.