Hostile

16

      Several more dawns had passed since Frostcloud and Foxpaw collected moss for Needlepelt. In that time, the two had spent their days practicing skills, like hunting and fighting. Though, the apprentice was more naturally skilled at the latter. Currently, the two she-cats stalked through the forest.

  "Mouse." Foxpaw murmured.

  "Very good." Frostcloud praised quietly.

  The two feral cats crept forward. Nearby, the river burbled and its wet smells clung to the trees, leaves, brush, and anything that made a forest a forest- enhancing its scent notably.

  Frostcloud spotted the mouse first, but Foxpaw caught it's movement not long later. Frostcloud had lost count of how many times Foxpaw had pounced after prey and missed the catch; and the frustration welling in the apprentice was obvious.

  With an agitated twitch in her tail, Foxpaw leapt. Frostcloud winced. You hadn't stalked near close enough to the mouse! She wanted to shout.

  Not to her surprise, the mouse spotted Foxpaw long before she would be able to grab it, and it darted off. The apprentice landed heavily and immediately gave chase. Frostcloud allowed herself a roll in her eye before she rose from her crouch and trotted after the younger she-cat.

  "Mouse-dung!" Foxpaw snapped before throwing herself under the partially up-turned tree the cats had collected moss from not long ago.

  Frostcloud stopped her walk next to where the apprentice searched. And eventually, she pulled out. "It got away." She murmured.

  Frostcloud nodded lightly, then ducked her head under the mass of tree roots. Heavy moss grew, and small mushrooms grew out of the crevices in the dull bark, though the large one that had sprouted some time ago had vanished.

  Mouse-scent was strong, but Frostcloud couldn't easily detect where the rodent hid. And as of now, there was no point in searching. After returning to the surface, Frostcloud said, "Tell me what went wrong."

  Foxpaw's irked hazel eyes looked away. "Does it matter?" She asked, "It got away- that's the point."

  "How can you fix a mistake if you don't acknowledge it?" Frostcloud urged. Her voice was relaxed, and she prayed to StarClan her own impatience wasn't noticeable. I wasn't a good hunter when Cricketlegs first mentored me. She had to remind herself. It takes practice.

  Foxpaw heaved a sigh. Then, "It saw me."

  "It saw you because you pounced too early." Frostcloud elaborated. "But that's okay. There's always another mouse."

  "Can we practice battle moves now?" Foxpaw asked as the two began trekking again through the forest towards Dead Tree.

  She shook her head, "You're doing well with battle training. We need to improve your skills in hunting."

  Foxpaw didn't say anything and an annoyed atmosphere radiated from her body. Frostcloud paused, then, "Hunting becomes easier when you learn patience. And patience is a key part of battle; you wouldn't just run into a discovered ambush, would you? You would wait until you and your Clanmates had made a plan before you attack." She explained, considering the time when Whitestar had divised a strategy before she and the others attacked the rogues.

  "If you wait too long the opportunity will slip by." Foxpaw protested.

  "That's true," Frostcloud considered, "but a good warrior can find the perfect balance."