¢нαρтєя тняєє
Mosspaw followed Rippletail through a patch of tall grass to the sandy hollow to train.
Rippletail turned to her. "This is your first battle training lesson," he meowed. "All apprentices wait for this moment," Rippletail joked.
"What am I learning today?" Mosspaw asked her mentor. She would've honestly rather learn hunting skills, she wasn't a cat keen on battling other cats like Badgerpaw was. But it did make sense why Badgerpaw wanted to be the best battler, he was killed as just a small kit in a battle with a full-grown warrior.
"Belly rake. It's a pretty good move to learn the first day," Rippletail replied.
"But why do I need to learn battle moves? We aren't close to any other Clans," Mosspaw pointed out.
Rippletail shrugged. "What if we were close to a Clan and we didn't know it? Besides, there are other threats, like foxes and badgers, out there, not just other cats. And Firestar wants all the apprentices to train like a normal Clan apprentice would."
Suddenly, Swiftpaw and Skywatcher pushed through the gorse tunnel, the opposite entrance to the training hollow. Skywatcher jogged up to Rippletail and Swiftpaw stood next to Mosspaw.
"Sorry we're late," Skywatcher meowed, looking at Mosspaw's mentor and then back at Swiftpaw. "Belly rake you chose, right?"
Rippletail nodded. "Can you do an example with me? Claws sheathed."
"Sure. Who will be the 'victim'?" the tall, dark gray tom asked. "I can if you want to," Skywatcher suggested.
"Thanks. I won't hurt you," Rippletail promised. He looked over at Mosspaw and Swiftpaw. "Watch us, and you two can take turns with each other."
"Ready?" Skywatched asked Rippletail, and Rippletail nodded.
Rippletail surged forward, sliding under Skywatcher. He dragged his paw along Skywatcher's belly, claws sheathed. Skywatcher jumped away, and looked at the two apprentices. Rippletail stood up and shook the sand and dirt out of his dark gray fur and looked at Swiftpaw and Mosspaw.
"Ready?" Rippletail asked the two.
"Yes!" Mosspaw and Swiftpaw meowed in unison. "Let's do this," Swiftpaw challenged.
"Who will be the 'attacker' first?" Skywatcher asked the apprentices.
"Me!" Swiftpaw exclaimed.
"Alright. I'm ready," Mosspaw mewed. Swiftpaw leapt at the gray and white apprentice. His claws were unsheathed. Swiftpaw slid under Mosspaw, his claws raking along her soft belly.
Mosspaw gasped as Swiftpaw's claws made contact with her belly. His claws sank deep, like a real battle wound. Mosspaw stumbled forward as Swiftpaw stood back up.
"Help!" Mosspaw yelped. Her blood began pooling up under her. She was loosing blood fast.
Skywatcher ran up to Mosspaw in two long strides. He glared at Swiftpaw, and picked Mosspaw up by her scruff.
"Take her to camp! The medicine den!" Rippletail demanded, hoping his apprentice wouldn't die young once more. He glared at Swiftpaw. "Claws sheathed! What were you thinking!" he shrieked.
Swiftpaw backed a few steps away. "I-It was instinct-t," he stuttered.
"
Instinct!" Rippletail growled. "I'm telling Firestar all about this! Now come on. I'll ask for you to just clean the nests and not be able to leave the camp."
Swiftpaw looked at the ground, looking at Mosspaw's blood on his paws. He had died fighting, but it wasn't like he could actually fight anyone close to him without punishment. "I-I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Sorry doesn't cut it! Get back to camp!" Rippletail hissed. Swiftpaw followed Mosspaw's mentor back to the SilverClan camp.
Skywatcher gently laid Mosspaw down at the entrance to the medicine den. "Mosspaw needs help! Fast!" he called.
Featherwhisker burst through the entrance to the medicine den, shortly followed by Cinderpelt. Cinderpelt's eyes widened as she saw the apprentice, bleeding heavily.
"Get cobwebs, poppy seeds, comfrey, goldenrod, dried oak leaf, marigold, any of that!" Featherwhisker demanded. Cinderpelt disappeared into the medicine den, emerging moments later carrying a bundle of herbs. She ran back in, picked up the cobwebs, and dashed back out, laying the cobwebs on the ground.
Cinderpelt chewed the marigold into a pulp and rubbed it into Mosspaw's wound.
Featherwhisker quickly made the goldenrod into a poultice and applied it to Mosspaw's wound.
Mosspaw's breath slowly returned to normal, but she was still bleeding profusely.
Featherwhisker put a little bit of catchweed on Mosspaw's wound, and then, with the help of Cinderpelt, quickly covered the apprentice's wound with cobweb.
Rippletail padded up to the medicine cats. "Will she be okay?" he asked.
"I think, she just won't be able to train for a while," Cinderpelt replied.
Mosspaw's eyes opened. "Will I still become a warrior?" she mewed quietly.
"Yes, young apprentice," Skywatcher soothed.
"Eat these," Featherwhisker demanded, rolling two poppy seeds to Mosspaw. Mosspaw ate the poppy seeds without protest.
Minutes later, Mosspaw fell asleep in the medicine den.