Hunter, Erin - Warriors: A Vision of Shadows 02 - Thunder and Shadow by Hunter Erin

Author:Hunter, Erin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Juvenile Fiction, Animals, Cats, Action & Adventure, General, Fantasy & Magic
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-09-06T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

“Keep your hindquarters low,” Ivypool ordered.

Twigpaw lowered herself farther, her gaze fixed on the leaf ahead.

Newleaf sunshine dappled the forest floor. Buds lit the trees in a green haze. Four moons had passed since Violetkit’s disappearance. In the half-moon since becoming an apprentice, Twigpaw had worked hard to impress her new mentor. She wanted to be as good as Larkpaw, Leafpaw, and Honeypaw. They were already learning battle moves, while she was practicing hunting moves on leaves. But they had been made apprentices three moons ago, when snow had covered the forest floor and ice had frozen the rivers and streams.

“Keep your tail still,” Ivypool reminded her.

Twigpaw pressed her tail flat against the soft earth. She could smell prey-scents drifting between the trees, and she longed to be hunting a real mouse.

“Judge the distance,” Ivypool told her. “And when you are sure, jump.”

Twigpaw narrowed her eyes, sensing the space between herself and the leaf. Her hindquarters twitched. Excitement pulsed beneath her pelt. Pushing off with her hind paws, she leaped.

She landed, skidding on the leaf. It shot along the slippery ground. Her forepaws shot along with it, and she thumped, chest first, onto the ground.

Ivypool padded to her side, purring. “Your leap was the perfect distance. Unfortunately, you hadn’t prepared for your prey to try to escape.” She gently nudged Twigpaw up and flicked a scrap of leaf litter from the apprentice’s shoulders with a paw. “Landing on balanced paws is the most important skill you will learn. It’s vital for hunting and fighting.”

Twigpaw shook out her pelt, embarrassed. “I didn’t realize the ground was so wet.” She glanced at the muddy streak her landing had smeared across the forest floor.

“Next time you’ll remember to think about where you’re landing. Landing on mud, stone, or leaf litter all require different techniques. But you did well. Your concentration is excellent and you learn fast. Lilyheart will be pleased when I tell her.”

Twigpaw purred proudly. “Am I learning as quickly as Larkpaw?” She knew that Larkpaw was a great hunter already. Lilyheart often boasted how he carried prey home to her every day.

“It’s not a competition,” Ivypool told her gently. “You must learn at your own speed.”

“But I want to prove I’m special.” Moons later, Rosepetal’s words still haunted her. Twigkit does seem pretty ordinary. And until she learns to hunt, she’s another belly for the Clan to fill. She stared desperately at Ivypool. “I have to be the best.”

“That’s not true,” Ivypool soothed.

“But if I’m not, why am I here?”

Ivypool’s gaze shone sympathetically. “You’ve never truly felt part of the Clan, have you?” She didn’t wait for Twigpaw to answer. “I hope that one day you will.”

Twigpaw dropped her gaze guiltily. “You make me sound disloyal.”

“No,” Ivypool purred fondly. “I can see that you are as loyal as any Clanborn cat. But you have grown up away from your true kin. That must have been hard.” Her eyes brightened encouragingly. “Still, Lilyheart is very proud of you, and if your real mother could see what’s become of you, I’m sure she’d be proud of you too.

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