"It's snowing!" Blossompaw heard the excited shout of Oatkit. She looked up and sure enough flakes were falling lazily from the sky. It sure is. Blossompaw waved her tail and watched the snow fall for a few short moment. "That means prey is going to be even harder to catch." Blossompaw said quietly to herself. Her paws were itching to get out and get hunting, especially now that the snow had begun.
She looked to her mentor who was playing with his kits while they hopped around with their cousins in awe of the falling snow. "Mudfall?" Blossompaw questioned trotting up to him. "Are we able to get some hunting done today?"
"We can do that in a bit." Mudfall replied as Doekit tackled his paws. "If you're bored why don't you take some prey to the elders?"
"Okay." Blossompaw dipped her head . At least it's something to do. She thought before rushing to the fresh-kill pile and looking it over. It wasn't as big as it usually was but there was enough for now. There'd be more if I could go out and get some more. "They usually like to share prey..." Blossompaw thought, looking over her options. "Crowfur and Rainears both love squirrel, Icepetal and Snowfur love mole and Sandfoot loves birds..." She picked up a decent sized squirrel, vole and the last sparrow for Sandfoot. She carefully carried all the piece of prey to the elder's den.
She stepped inside to find all the elders laying closer together than usual due to the cold weather outside. "There's our favorite apprentice." Sandfoot purred. Blossompaw felt her pelt burn slightly and set the prey down in front of each elder.
"Why do you say that?"
"You always bring us the best prey." Snowtail purred before taking a bite of her mole. "And always on time."
"I just do what Mudfall tells me to do." Blossompaw replied.
"Still," Rainears added. "It means a lot that you take the time to actually consider what we like. You took the time to get to know us." Blossompaw did enjoy spending time with the elders and getting to know them. Does that really make me a good apprentice, though? Or just a considerate Clanmate.
"Thought it has been a while since you've stayed for a story. None of the apprentices want to listen to us anymore." Crowfur teased.
Blossompaw felt a bit of guilt at that comment. She had been focused on her training so much that she hadn't been here as much as she used to. I suppose if Mudfall is going to be playing with his kits..."Well I have time now." Blossompaw replied. "Mudfall is with his kits."
"Well if you want a story," Sandfoot purred. "I'd be happy to provide."
"Sure." Blossompaw purred and laid down, tucking her legs under her chest.
"Have you ever heard the story of when every apprentice in SunClan was attacked by Echoheart?" Sandfoot questioned. Blossompaw's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "This was many moons ago, my kits had just recently become warriors and your father and Cinderflame hadn't been apprenticed that long. We later learned that this was a plan by Thornstar. There was a location in our old territory known as Jagged Rocks, it was considered dangerous for apprentices due to a risk of falling, adders in greenleaf and how close it was to the AshClan border. However, Thornstar sent Lionclaw, Adderstrike, Fawnheart, Goldenleaf, Dawnstar, Turtleblaze, Cinderflame and Yarrowtail all to Jagged Rocks to collect herbs for Poppyfur, our medicine cat at the time.
"They were attacked by a group of AshClan cats led by Echoheart and they had to fight alone. They all did a good job at fighting full grown warriors but not without injuries. Right on time, Thornstar showed up and drove them away. I believe it was all a ploy by Thornstar to make him look like a hero. All of the apprentices were okay, obviously, but they were all quite wounded.
"If I remember correctly Yarrowtail was the worst off, and Dawnstar was pretty injured but they all recovered."
"That's insane." Blossompaw replied. "I'm glad that they all got away alright. That could've gone a lot worse."
"I agree." Sandfoot nodded. "It was very scary at the time."
"I remember when that happened." Snowtail mewed. "I was Yarrowtail's mentor and I was so scared for him, but he's always been tougher than he looks. Just like you and your siblings. Always coming back from the brink."
Blossompaw always felt slightly awkward about those comments regarding their birth and how close they had all come to dying. "I suppose." Blossompaw mewed kindly.
"Well thank you for listening to our stories." Sandfoot purred. "We won't keep you from your duties anymore."
"Thank you for the story." Blossompaw dipped her head and she rose to her paws. "I'd be happy to here more."
"We've got plenty." Sandfoot replied. "Maybe next time I'll tell you the story of when my mate was a kit and snuck out in the middle of a blizzard to go find some herbs for his mother."
"That sounds like another scary moment." Blossompaw replied. "But I would love to hear it." She bid farewell to all the elders and stepped back into the camp. The snow was still falling, but at a rather slow pace.
She traveled across camp to Mudfall who was still playing with his kits. "That took a while." Mudfall replied, looking up at his apprentice.
"I stayed for a story."
"Oh nice." Mudfall said approvingly. "I'm sure they enjoyed that."
"Are we able to go hunting?" Blossomapw asked once again after giving him a nod.
Mudfall let out a slight sigh. "Blossompaw I'm worried you're overworking yourself again."
"I'm not." Blossompaw argued. "I've done barely anything today, and I'm resting plenty."
"There are plenty of hunting patrols out there already, we'll go here soon." Blossompaw dropped her shoulders and did her best to hide how disappointed she was, but it was clear that she wasn't doing a good job.
"Alright, alright." Mudfall looked up. "I trust you to go out and hunt a bit on your own if that's what you want. Just be safe and come back before sundown but then you're resting for the rest of the night, do you understand me?"
Blossompaw's head instantly perked up and she raised her tail. "Yes!"
"Off you go then." Mudfall dismissed her and Blossompaw quickly turned and ventured into the forest. She was honestly glad to be hunting on her own as well, she wouldn't feel so pressured and wouldn't be that upset if she made an embarrassing mistake. Just me on my own time. She glanced up towards the sky, it was a little bit after sunhigh but she would have plenty of time to hunt.
She starting her personal hunting expedition by trekking towards the AshClan border. She kept her nose sharp, picking between prey scents and the scent of frost and her Clanmates. She managed to pick up the faint scent of squirrel. She lowered her body and took extra caution in her surroundings as she followed the scent trail.
She cause the scent of the AshClan border as she grew closer, but she made sure of where the border was in relation to her. Where is this squirrel? She scanned the forest as the ground below her gradually began to turn white from the falling snow. After creeping froward she finally spotted the red squirrel.
She dropped into a hunting crouch and started prowling towards the squirrel. It was completely unaware of her presence. The squirrel turned its head in her direction and instantly ran up the tree, Blossompaw made a desperate attempt to catch the squirrel but it was already up the tree.
"That was pathetic." Blossompaw jumped slightly and turned towards where the new voice came from. It was Slatepaw, watching from his side of the border with a scowl on his face.
"I don't recall asking for your opinion." Blossompaw's fur stood on end. "What are you doing so close to the border? Looking for SunClan cats to insult?"
"I'm hunting, mousebrain." Slatepaw flicked his tail. "I know it may be hard to understand since you clearly don't know how to."
"I know how to hunt!" Blossompaw spat. Who is he to treat me like a kit? She flexed her claws into the soil, but she couldn't help but feel ashamed that he had seen her make such a mistake.
"Clearly." Slatepaw snorted. "You need to learn how to hunt in the snow."
"I don't need some AshClan toad telling me how to hunt." Blossompaw growled. "One who can't even earn their warrior name, no less."
"Shut up!" Slatepaw snapped. Touchy subject. Blossompaw thought with amusement. "My status as a warrior has nothing to do with my skills. I am the greatest hunter and fighter than AshClan has ever had."
"Clearly." She mocked his earlier tone. "Sounds like it, Slatepaw."
"Watch your tone." Slatepaw hissed.
"What are you my mentor?" Blossompaw rolled her eyes. "You sure do talk a lot, but I doubt you're better than any other cat in your Clan let alone me."
"I know I'm better than you. I'd catch double the amount of prey you could scrape together by hunting like a blind badger."
"I'd love to see you try." Blossompaw puffed out her chest.
"And I'd be happy to laugh in your face when I'm proven right." He lashed his tail. "If you really want me to make a fool out of you I'll do it without hesitation." His arrogance was angering Blossompaw to her very core. I'll prove him wrong.
"Fine then." She hissed, but thought for just a moment. "Five days from now, we'll meet at the gathering hollow and have a hunting contest. Loser has to admit that they're the worst hunter and the winner gets bragging rights for an entire season."
A fiery passion burned in Slatepaw's eyes. "You're on." He mewed boldly and turned away. "I'll see then, and I'll be looking forward to putting you to shame."
"Never gonna happen." Blossompaw declared. Slatepaw gave her one final determined glare he vanished into the pine trees. Blossompaw's anger sudden dropped off and she was suddenly left with a feeling of "What just happened?"
"Did I just challenge Slatepaw?" She questioned. "Can I really beat him? I'm a poor hunter at best and he's had more training than me." She let out a frustrated groan. "Is that even allowed? Us meeting outside the territory? I don't see why not..." She shook her head. "If I'm going to beat him, then I need to practice harder than I've ever practiced." She glanced to the sky, she had wasted a lot of time talking to Slatepaw and she had to at least catch something.
You need to learn how to hunt in the snow. His words rang in her mind like an annoying bug. She looked down at her paws and suddenly realized what he meant. Normally her black dappled pelt would blend in with the forest, but now the forest would be turning white and she would stand out.
She remembered Mudfall had mentioned something about snow hunting but they hadn't gotten to that yet. I can do it. Blossompaw told herself. I have to at least try. She slipped back into the trees and starting searching for more prey. She caught the scent of a mouse and began tracking once again.
This time she was extra careful about her pelt, keeping even lower to the ground than usual. It was awkward, but she managed to adjust herself to make it comfortable. She spotted the plump mouse digging through the light layer of snow. Blossompaw focused intently on the prey and readied herself to pounce. After inching just a few mousetails foreward, she leapt forward.
Her paws landed cleanly on the mouse and she killed it swiftly. Blossompaw felt of rush of pride and she held her head proudly. I guess he's not so useless after all. She glanced in the direction of the AshClan border. Still. I have a lot to learn if I want to beat him. And I am going to beat him. No matter what.