Fading Echoes

Blossomfall rolled her eyes. “Let me guess,” she grumbled. “A new idea about training.”

Ivypaw could hear Thornclaw’s irritated sigh echoing in her mew. Blossomfall was obviously quoting her denmate.

Firestar halted beside them. “There’s nothing wrong with trying something new,” he meowed.

Blossomfall looked at her paws. “I guess.”

Firestar straightened his tail in the air. “We don’t want the Clan getting stale. And there’s no harm in warriors practicing their skills. Would you rather we started battles to keep our paws nimble?”

“I suppose not,” Blossomfall conceded.

Ivypaw glanced at the apprentices’ den. “What about Dovepaw? Will she be training with us?”

Cinderheart shook her head. “She’ll be training with Lionblaze.”

“Of course.” Ivypaw’s fur pricked along her spine. “Why should she train with ordinary warriors?”

“Pardon?” Cinderheart pricked her ears.

“Nothing,” Ivypaw mewed quickly. She felt hot as she noticed Firestar staring at her. “I just don’t get to train with her much these days.”

Dustpelt, Birchfall, and Leafpool were stirring in their nests beneath the fallen tree.

“I hear Firestar put you in charge today, Cinderheart.” Dustpelt yawned, padding under the snaking branch. “Are we ready to go?”

Birchfall and Leafpool followed him, neither looking excited at the prospect of a training session.

“Yes, we’re ready,” Cinderheart meowed. “Come on; follow me.”

They stopped in a clearing where bracken edged a leafy patch of forest floor. Leafpool flicked her tail restlessly as Cinderheart weaved between the warriors. Ivypaw circled Bumblestripe and sat down.

“It’s weird training with senior warriors,” she whispered in his ear.

“It’s certainly different.” The young warrior’s eyes were bright. “I wonder if we’ll be able to beat them?”

“Maybe.” Ivypaw stretched her claws. The run through the forest had warmed her up and loosened the stiff muscles in her shoulders. She was ready to try out some of Hawkfrost’s moves.

“Now,” Cinderheart began, “we’re going to set up a mock battle.” She flicked her tail toward the hazel bush at one end of the clearing, then at the clump of ferns at the other. “I’m going to split us into two patrols.” She nodded to Dustpelt. “You lead Leafpool, Blossomfall, and Ivypaw. I’ll lead Bumblestripe, Hazeltail, and Birchfall. If that’s okay with you, Birchfall?” The tawny tom dipped his head to the younger warrior. “We’ll try to take the hazel. You”—she nodded again at Dustpelt—“try to take the ferns.”

Ivypaw padded after Bumblestripe into the center of the clearing. She crouched beside him, preparing for the attack, while Leafpool and Dustpelt flanked them. Cinderheart’s patrol lined up opposite, so close that their whiskers almost touched.

Bumblestripe narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the hazel bush a tree-length behind his opponents. Hazeltail and Birchfall pressed their bellies to the earth.

“Remember,” Cinderheart ordered, “claws sheathed. We’re not ShadowClan.”

The warriors nodded and Ivypaw quickly curled her claws away beneath the soft fur of her white paws.

“Go!”

At Cinderheart’s command, Ivypaw rolled over. She heard Cinderheart’s paws thump the ground where she’d been.

“Nice!” Cinderheart’s praise was cut short as Leafpool bowled the gray she-cat over and bundled her with flailing paws to the end of the clearing.

Ivypaw jerked around, ready for an attack. Bumblestripe was wrestling with Blossomfall.

Blossomfall wriggled from his grasp. “Don’t forget I learned all your moves before you were out of the nursery.”

“Bet you don’t remember this one.” Bumblestripe jumped in the air and landed, belly first, flat on her spine.

Blossomfall collapsed, her legs crumpling beneath her. “Hey! That’s unfair. That’s a kit move!”

“But it still works,” Bumblestripe teased, refusing to budge as Blossomfall struggled underneath him.

Ivypaw stiffened. Birchfall was streaking toward the fern clump. If he reached it, his patrol would win. She raced after him, spraying dirt with her hind legs. He was nearly at the ferns. She pounced. Reaching out, she jabbed his hind legs, aiming for the tendons. He stumbled and fell and she leaped onto his shoulders, fighting to cling on with unsheathed claws while he writhed beneath her.

With a fierce shove he flung her away and she landed heavily, the wind huffing from her. Narrowing her eyes, she sprang to her paws. She wasn’t going to let Hawkfrost down! Birchfall was on his paws but looking bewildered, his hind legs trembling. She dived underneath him, curving her body and hooking herself under his belly. With one paw on either side of her, she knocked a foreleg and hind leg out from under him. Then she darted out of the way before he collapsed.

Where was the rest of her patrol? She couldn’t defend the ferns without help. She scanned the clearing.

Leafpool was staring at her, her eyes wide. I bet she’s impressed with my moves, Ivypaw thought.