|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"So how was the gathering last night?" Hickorypaw asked curiously, as Echopaw was about to talk, Smokepaw cut him off quickly. "It was great! We met other apprentices from other Clans, and the leaders too!" Echopaw glared at the tom.
"You guys saw the other leaders?" Oddpaw gasped, "Mhm." Smokepaw stated proudly. "They are?..." Northpaw tilted her head.
Echopaw cleared his throat before saying, "There was Creekstar from MandevillaClan, their deputy is Myrtledust. From SeqiouaClan is Warblerstar and Flouritedream, the deputy. And lastly, Lorikeetstar and the deputy Cleverwish from VireoClan." Smirking at Smokepaw as the light blue tom rolled his eyes.
"What do they look like? What are their personalities?" Oddpaw began to ask curiously at her brother. "Well, you see.." He thought for a few moments. "Maybe you could see them for yourselves when you get chosen to the next gathering. I couldn't explain it." Echopaw stated as Oddpaw frowned.
Northpaw and Hickorypaw stifled out a laugh of 'mrrow.' At the same time, Smokepaw and Whistlepaw looked amused by the two siblings.
"Alright apprentices, your training starts soon," Tumblewing said behind them as Wildpaw and Blizzardpaw had already left the camp with their mentors. "Well, I guess I'll meet you guys later?" Echopaw told them, going after his mentor, Slowstride. The five remaining apprentices walked over to their mentors and separated ways after they bid their farewells.
"We'll start training how to fight, do you have any battle techniques you think you could try on me?" Kestrelpelt went into a combat stance while Northpaw seemed to try and remember something.
"I could try one of the strategies I created from scratch, but I haven't tested it out on some cat else around back then." Northpaw began to reduce her body into a crouch, her muscles coiled like a tightly wound spring. Her hind legs are slightly spread apart and her forepaws are positioned just ahead, ready to propel her forward. Her tail hovers low and steady.
She was pretty unsure, Kestrelpelt watched her get into position. "Claws sheathed?" Northpaw asked, her mentor nodded, "Claws sheathed." He confirmed. Northpaw unsheathed her claw, raking the earth as it created a cloudy atmosphere of dust and dirt.
Kestrelpelt was confused, his senses picked up as he looked around, and the dust cloud made it nearly impossible to track Northpaw's precise location. He shifted his weight and fortunately spotted his apprentice's shadow from the rear.
As Northpaw emerged from the brumes, her body lunged at Kestrelpelt with accuracy. Sheathed claws though. She attempted to contact his flank, her movements hazed by the swirling particles.
The mottled tom quickly saw the apprentice and jinked her, making Northpaw land face flat on the dirt. "Are you okay?" Kestrelpelt asked worried, "Yep, I'm alright," She stood up, shaking her pelt to get the dust off her fur. "You might have to work on your trick, what is it called though?" He questioned, Northpaw thought for a moment before answering, "I call it 'Mist Veil'." She informed him. Kestrelpelt nodded.
"Your opponents could see you through the dusty cloud if you don't make your move quickly, I could suggest you work on that." He stated clearly. "Being furtive sometimes is the key." He reminded her, "I did that once on my apprenticeship days" Kestrelpelt chuckled.
Northpaw tipped her head at him, slightly confused. The mottled tabby looked at her, "What? It's true?" He shrugged. Northpaw stifled a quiet laugh, and Kestrelpelt sighed. "Well, I guess that's all today, we'll start your hunting skills with real fresh prey tomorrow dawn."