Coalpaw was deep inside the forest, as he nervously padded around, cautious to not crack or snap any leaves and twigs that lay on the forest floor. Coalpaw crouched down slowly, ears pricked and eager to pick up any movement. Soon, he heard the scuffling of a mouse. Using his ears to pinpoint the tiny creature, Coalpaw slowly stalked forward, carefully putting each paw in front of the other. When he was a few tail-lengths from the mouse, Coalpaw sprang. The mouse tried desperately to run, but before it could make two bounds, Coalpaw landed on it, killing it swiftly. 'Well, this is a good start.' He thought, quickly burying the mouse underneath a few layers of earth. Coalpaw looked upd in the trees, seeing a small flock of birds nestled in them. He grinned. Pantherclaw would certainly be proud if he brought home a bird or two. He slowly made his way to a rather short tree, and began climbing it. The blackbird, not noticing a thing, continued chirping. Coalpaw bunched up his muscles, then pounced onto the branch that the bird was sitting on. Before the bird had time to spread its wings, Coalpaw had it in his mouth, as he quickly descended from the young tree, burying the bird a couple tail-lengths from the mouse. "Well, this is a pleasant as.sessment." He said, flicking his tail. Knowing that he had made enough sound in this part of the forest, Coalpaw silently began darting towards the east part of the forest. There, he had pounced on a rabbit and another mouse, and had carelessly let go of a sparrow, the bird screeching as it flew away. Coalpaw shook his head when he returned to collect his prey. "Stupid bird. Now I can't hunt." He muttered. He picked up the two mice, the rabbit and the bird's wings, and made his way back to camp.

----

 Dreamtone was watching the entire thing, her blue eyes flashing at the mentor of the apprentice that strayed over the borders. She trudged over to her own apprentice, Blizzardpaw. "You fought well." She said, unsure of what else to say. After all, Blizzardpaw was her first apprentice. 

{~} Ok, BTW, now my kits are 7 and a half moons ♥ {~}

Sky pressed her flank against Scorch's, shivering slightly as a cold wind blew through the forest. Earth was busy sniffing around the small clearing they had found, looking for some prey. "It's ok Sky," Scorch mewed comfortingly, nuzzling her cheek softly. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be fine." Sky blinked her eyes at her brother in thanks, nodding. "I know..." she mewed quietly. 

--

Earth stalked a small mouse, keeping her body light on the crackling leaves. Just as she was about to pounce she heard another cat...or a few other cats, nearby. 

Coalpaw was returning back to camp at a painfully slow speed, his prey dragging him down. Then, a foreign scent hit his nose. It must have been strong, if he was able to smell it above all the preyscent. Dropping down his prey, Coalpaw bounded towards the scent. There, he found three cats, all around Icepaw's age. Coalpaw hesitated. He looked back at his small pile of prey, then back at the three cats. He reluctantly returned to his prey, his strength returning as he quickly dragged the four dead animals back into the camp. He heaved it onto the fresh-kill pile, then quickly darted off outside the camp, calling 'Tell Pantherclaw I caught a bird, two mice and a rabbit!' to Icepaw. He then arrived at the same spot, hoping the three cats were still there. Sure enough, they were. Coalpaw crouched down and started watching them, unsure of what to do.

---

Rainflower snickered at her apprentice's eagerness. "Slow down!" She called to Duskpaw. Rainflower easily caught up to her. "Now, let's go explore shall we?" Rainflower twitched her tail in excitement.

Pantherclaw watched Coalpaw from the shadows. His stalking techniques were fine. He could not find one error with the way his body moved fluently on the ground. He watched him stalk the mice, the bird, and the rabbit, all techniques perfect. He padded back into camp and Icepaw ran up to him. "Pantherclaw. Coalpaw's catch is over there," She said, pointing with a flick of her tail, but her ex
pression was clouded with worry. "What's wrong, Icepaw?" He asked her. "Well..." She said, scuffing the ground with her paws. "Coalpaw dropped his prey off here and then ran back out of the camp," She said and Pantherclaw twitched his whiskers. "Why don't you find out what he's up to," He suggested and she nodded quickly before setting off. Pantherclaw purred with amusement and padded toward Fallingstar's den. He stood outside, waiting for his leader to notice him.

--

Blizzardpaw nodded tersely. "Thank you," He said softly before turning around and padding back toward camp. He couldn't blame Dreamstone for her lack of enthusiasm. He was her first apprentice. She was probably more proud of him than she let on. Blizzardpaw closed his right eyes as the blood from the claw marks began to drip into his face. "Yuck," He murmered to himself.

--

Icepaw bounded from the camp and almost ran into Blizzardpaw. She skidded to a halt. "Blizzardpaw, what happened to your eye!" She exclaimed and decided it could wait. "Emberpaw and Lifewing went that way," She said, pointing with her nose in the direction they went. Blizzardpaw nodded and turned back around before streaking off to his sister's directions.

Icepaw continued her trek, her thoughts now focused back on Coalpaw. His face had been determined, but also doubtful. She shook her head. Nothing could be worrying him while he was this close to camp. She sighed and followed his scent trail. She found his smoky pelt under the shade of gorse. "Coalpaw, what are you doing?" She hissed.

Hailstorm smiled as her apprentice and then trotted after ehr as she put down prey. She looked at the prey, they were all formidable size and would feed the clan for a little while. She sighed happily and the light breeze of the morning ruffled ehr fur, making it look unkempt and dirty. She pressed her paws into the ground and waited for Icepaw to come back. she was ready to be a warrior...

------------------------------

Duskapw smiled as Rainflower caught up to her. "Ok!" she said excitedly, bouncing back and back and forth on her nimble paws...

Coalpaw whipped around in surprise when he heard Icepaw's hiss. "Oh! You!" He cried out in disbelief. "Um...um..." He twitched his ears and flicked his tail. 'Uh-oh.' He thought to himself. He was showing all signs of a guilty cat. Sighing and muttering in defeat, he pointed at the three cats [Earth, Sky and Scorch] in the clearing with his tail. "I found them when I came back to drop off the prey." He explained. "Then I found them, and I was wondering what they were doing in EmberClan territory." Coalpaw paused for a moment. "They seem harmless." He said weakly.

---

Dreamstone watched as her apprentice hurried towards medicine cat and her apprentice. "Oh, what will I do with that one." She muttered to herself. Dreamstone turned her attention to Pantherclaw, who was watching Icepaw dart towards the forest. 'Hm...' Dreamstone thought. 'Perhaps advice won't hurt.' She slowly trudged towards the more experienced warrior, before sitting beside him. "How is your apprentice, Pantherclaw?" She asked, thinking of the grey little apprentice named Coalpaw.

---

Rainflower laughed as she followed Duskpaw. "Come on, Duskpaw. Slowly. You don't want to waste your energy." Rainflower called. "Now, let's go on a mission! To explore the Clan's territory!" Rainflower puffed out her chest as if it was an extremely important task.

Icepaw flicked her tail in annoyance. "Yes, it's me, ya mouse brain." She said and peered out from under the bushes. Three kits were stumbling through the clearing. Icepaw flicked her ears, intrigued. "We should take them back to camp and see what Fallingstar says," She decided. "Come on," She stepped out from the bushes and approached the kits. "Hello. I'm Icepaw and I'm a Clan cat. Where are you from, little ones?" She asked. "If you come with us, we can give you some shelter and a full belly," She coaxed.

--

Pantherclaw slid his gaze over to the cat that was talking to her. Dreamstone was approaching him. Pantherclaw dipped his head at Dreamstone respectfully and licked his paw, dragging it over his ear. "Coalpaw is turning into a fine apprentice. I believe it is time for him to become a warrior. I think Hailstorm will also believe Icepaw is ready also. Their a.ssessments proved that much. Is Blizzardpaw ready?" He asked, curious.

((Icepaw and Blizzardpaw are 12 moons old. Same as Coalpaw.))

--

Blizzardpaw lifted his head, following the medicine cat's scent trail. He wrinkled his nose at their leafy smells and trudged on. He reached the training hollow and realized Emberpaw would be practicing her battle training today. He padded toward her and she turned around. At the sight of his blood, she sighed and gazed around the clearing.

--

Coalpaw slowly came out from the bushes, following his friend. "Icepaw, are you sure Fallingstar will allow us to bring back kits?" His mind was filled with ideas. "Maybe we should get a warrior to bring them in. Pantherclaw, Rainflower, Flamstrike or Dreamstone." He was muttering the names of all the warriors he knew. "But Rainflower is much more naive and forgiving."

---

Dreamstone sighed and looked up at Pantherclaw. "I think I'm a bad mentor." She blurted out. Dreamstone looked back down at her paws, a slight feeling of shame creeping up on her. "He's a good cat, and apprentice, but I'm always stuck. He always seems to ask me what to do first." Dreamstone slowly blinked her eyes. "Sometimes, I think that I'm the apprentice, and not the mentor." No sooner had she said this, she seaw her apprentice approaching her. Straightening her back a little, Dreamstone looked at Blizzardpaw. "Yes, of course." Dreamstone hesitated for a moment. "Tomorrow, we can go and train for upcoming battles."

Pantherclaw blinked his eyes sympathetically and lightly rubbed his tail down her flank. "That was how I felt with my first apprentice, too." He said and closed his eyes as memories rushed back. "He was killed in the war with the clans. His two littermates, Honeypaw and Goldenpaw died also. His name was Littlepaw because he had one paw smaller than the others. Coalpaw is so much like him. Always obedient, curious." He sighed, grief in his eyes. "I couldn't ask for a better apprentice though. Coalpaw will turn out being a great and loyal warrior," He said. "Don't worry. Blizzardpaw's almost done with his training and he'll be a great warrior thanks to you," He said.

Sky looked at the other cats uncertainly, wondering who they were. "Who are you?" challeneged Scorch, stepping in front of his sister protectively. Earth stepped away from the strange cats and back to Sky and Scorch, though she had a calmer and more thoughtful look on her face. 

--

[[Um, Coalpaw set down his prey xD And Icepaw approached Earth, Sky and Scorch, and then Coalpaw followed. They aren't stalking the three cats]]

[[Okee, okee :P And does Earth still have a crush on Coalpaw?]]