Emberpaw woke up in her den, taking the advantage of having it all to herself. It would be like that til the end of her apprenticeship. Since Valleyjay's kits were too young, she pretty much owned the den.
"I'm going to make my bed humongous." She told herself, "It'll be a little boring though since I can't put thorns in Sunmist's bedding.."
Emberpaw had rolled out of her soon-to-be-huge nest and onto her paws. She groomed a few hairs that stuck out before trotting out of the den. Greeted by the rays of sunlight.
She wondered where Monarchwing was, she was Emberpaw's second mentor. She was well, struggling with Emberpaw. The she-cat was afraid she would lose another mentor. She didn't want Fernstar to be disappointed...
A few cats were awake, so it could've just been that Monarchwing was sleeping. But it was unusual for her to sleep in. Perhaps Sunmist had annoyed her. That seemed possible.
Speaking of Sunmist, he was awake and outside. Emberpaw had tried to walk past him quickly. Not wanting another insult or boast. However, she wasn't fast enough.
"How does it feel being the only one who has to get told what to do?" Sunmist laughed as he sneered at her. His tail wrapped around his paws as he lowered his face from the rock he was standing on.
"Meh, it's alright." Emberpaw shrugged, "But hey, I don't have anymore rats bothering me." She added, implying Sunmist. She grinned to herself as she saw Sunmist scowl. With that she walked away. Emberpaw didn't have time for him, it's not like he was going to be a great warrior some day.
Emberpaw was though. It's just that nobody believed her. Everyone had treated her like a kit. Even Currenttail, who was one of the cats she actually enjoyed talking to before yesterday. They believed her dream was a lie, which she guessed could be reasonable. She lied a lot, but why would she lie about this? Attention? They were stupid.
Freestar had told her that her name would be remembered for seasons, that she would be just as important as him in history. He also added something strange, "You will have the strength of Jay, though I hope you'll get a bit more recognition." She hadn't known who Jay was. But if they were super great and cool like her, then she approved of being similar to them.
Emberpaw had paused for a moment in her stroll around camp, hearing the yawn of Monarchwing. Did that mean she could go out of camp now? Learn something useful this time? She had ran up to the front of the warriors den, making Monarchwing flinch.
"Please don't do that again." She hissed before walking past her, "We're going hunting today. We'll work on your crouch."
My crouch is perfect! She thought abruptly, angered by the warrior's comment.
Emberpaw had a struggle with hunting. Well, she wasn't good at anything. But that was just when someone was watching. When Emberpaw was alone, she had perfected the crouch and leapt gracefully. When she had fought off a rogue every move was precise and seemed as if she practiced a lifetime on it. But nobody believed she fought a rogue, or caught all that good prey when hunting patrol's split up.
Her crouch was admittedly a tad bit off, but Monarchwing didn't realize that was her problem. She was too loud and didn't do things right when around her. But again, when alone she was as silent.
It was strange for such an extroverted cat. But she didn't know how to fix it, her biggest weakness. She silently sighed as she followed Monarchwing outside of the camp, her tail was slightly lashing side to side. How was she going to become a warrior if she couldn't show anyone?
Once far enough from camp, but still on FreeClan territory; Emberpaw started sniffing the air. It was filled with prey, but was far away. She took a few moments to figure out what was the closest. But there was a rabbit nearby.
"Rabbit over here." She told Monarchwing as she carefully followed the scent, Monarchwing trotting behind. Could you be any quieter? We're hunting!
Once she figured she was close enough for the rabbit to hear her walking, she went into a crouch and moved a bit more before spotting it. She lowered herself further to the ground, though for some reason shaking; something she always did around cats that were watching.
"Don't go too far that you touch the ground." Monarchwing lectured her voice was a normal level despite should've lowering it, "Get ready to spring, now leap."
Emberpaw knew she wasn't supposed to leap yet. But Monarchwing and lightly pushed her as a warning. Emberpaw lost her balance for a bit, her stomach touched the ground because of it, and the rabbit heard her and started to bolt. Emberpaw leaped up as a last resort to get it, but it was too fast that only a WindClan cat could catch it now. She had missed. She couldn't run after it, since that would scare all the rest of the prey.
Monarchwing gritted her teeth, yesterday and the day before Emberpaw didn't catch prey when she was with her either. She had starved the first day, while on the second when alone she caught something. Letting her eat one piece of prey. "Next time." She said, trying to keep her patience. Though seeming about to snap.
Emberpaw pinned her ears back, "Sorry, I fell..."
"Sorry doesn't feed anyone." Monarchwing muttered.
Well maybe don't push me next time! You're so loud too, how am I supposed to focus?!
"Find something else, now. You don't want to come back empty. Starving again won't help either."
Emberpaw held back a growl, which turned into a grunt. She had sniffed the air until finding a mouse, not far from the rabbit. She had once again laid low until greeting it a few fox lengths away.
If she didn't get this, she might not eat that day. Every other day she had missed something, and she was always hungry and longed for even the tiniest mouse. Almost resorting to bugs.
Emberpaw got into her crouch, before springing up. "No! You did it wrong!" Monarchwing told her as she was midair. She had tried to point out something about her back leg, but Emberpaw had leaped up already. The warrior's yelling messed her up as Emberpaw tumbled down a hill, branches and leaves getting in her fur. She had winced as the sticks ripped her pelt, but she was more furious that the warrior caused her to miss her kill.
Emberpaw camp to a fast stop as Monarchwing grabbed her scruff before dropping her, "If you're not going to listen then just head back to camp." She told her, upset tinting her voice, "This is the third day in a row, and even before you have barely earned yourself food." She reeked of disappointment. Emberpaw was a little bit gullible, but she was more angry than that.
Maybe you shouldn't have yelled! I would do good if you kept your mouth shut!"
Monarchwing had started to escort her back to camp, not making eye contact or even tilting her head her way. Was this going to mean another mentor change? Was Monarchwing going to talk to Fernstar, maybe tell her that Emberpaw wasn't fit to be a warrior?
Fernstar would probably be disappointed in her, and it would ruin her chance of becoming a hero. She put her head down as she worried. Though hid it, seeming careless.
Cats were now more awake as she entered camp. Cats stared at her ruined pelt. Though weren't too surprised, making her ashamed even more. She separated from Monarchwing, heading to the medicine den. She glanced at the she-cat who seemed to be trotting towards the leader's den. Emberpaw sighed.
"What happened to you?" Emberpaw heard a familiar, concerned voice. She looked up, seeing Currenttail. He was someone she liked, since she thought he was different. But it seemed she was wrong when she decided to tell him her dream, and he told her StarClan was humoring her.
"None of your business!" She spat as she entered the medicine den, relieved that Pureheart was greeting her with her usual purr and kindness.
"Hello Ember!" Pureheart had called to her, "Oh, yikes. It looks like you took quite the tumble. Are you alright?"
Emberpaw nodded, "yeah, although I do have a few cuts and scrapes. These sticks are tangled in my fur!" She exclaimed.
Pureheart was probably her new favorite cat, although she didn't get time to talk to her. Pureheart was someone that didn't judge her. Or at least she didn't around Emberpaw. Which she could settle with.
"That's no fun." Pureheart told her as she started to pull out sticks and leaves. As well as making sure there wasn't ticks or anything that had gathered in her fur as well.
Emberpaw flinched when some fur was pulled out because of the sticks. When Pureheart had finished a certain section Emberpaw had started to groom it to look better. And help at least a bit.
"Do you like being a medicine cat?" Emberpaw muttered, bored after stick and leaf pulling continued.
Pureheart plucked out a stick rather harshly, "Yep! Never ever would choose something else!"
"Do you think it's better than being a warrior?" Emberpaw had asked. Maybe she could be a medicine cat. Get some recognition then...
"They're both the same, equal pros and cons." Pureheart had explained, "If your thinking of becoming a medicine cat. I would love you as my apprentice. But then again, I think you'd be better at being a warrior." She giggled, "It's not much of your thing either."
Emberpaw sighed. She was probably right. Herbs wasn't her thing at all. She wanted to run, hunt, and fight rather than be cozied up in a den to yourself helped grumpy elders and whiny kits.
She shuddered a bit. Not being able to see her with that skill. Emberpaw would only go that path if something really bad happened. Something that stopped her from being an awesome, memorizable warrior.
Pureheart had started to finish the she-cat up. Pulling out the last stick and dismissing her. "Try not to take a nasty fall again!" She reminded as she watched Emberpaw exit the den.
Emberpaw sighed as she started to stroll around camp in boredom. She hissed to herself every time she passed the fresh-kill pile, desiring a bite of a mouse. However she knew she hadn't proved herself since she hadn't fed anyone else with prey today.
Oh Emberpaw, how are you going to survive if you can't catch prey in front of others?
"Cats of an apprentice or older gather throughout the Freerock to hear a meeting!"
Oh, what is it now?
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Word count: 1937
A/N: I was originally going to fit the meeting into one chapter, but that would make this one too long from the normal length. I guess that's good though since I don't have much planned for the next chapter. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this. Opinions on Emberpaw? Do you think she is weird too?
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Chapter 3-Pureheart
Chapter 4- Currenttail
Chapter 5- Special chapter!
Chapter 6-Currenttail
Chapter 7-Emberpaw
Chapter 8- Currenttail
Chapter 9-Pureheart
Chapter 10- Special!
Chapter 11- Emberpaw
Chapter 12- Emberpaw
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Applications for first and second editors. People who can point out mistakes or find words that sound better. 0/3