above: rushingpaw (i messed up a bit on the eyes, whoops.)

chapter 2

. . . 

"I hate hunting!" I groaned to myself.

Willowpaw overheard and came up to me, batting her blue eyes, "Want me to hunt for you?"

I looked down in disdain. "Just because I hate it doesn't mean I need someone to do it for me." Flicking my tail, I strode away and sat at the river's edge. I tried to ignore Willowpaw, who sat down a few rabbit-lengths away. It became harder as she began catching more and more fish as I struggled to catch a single one.

Suddenly my claw pierced slimy flesh. I scooped the fish up and killed it, getting up to do my victory dance.

I was over-aware of Willowpaw watching me with a skeptical look on her face.

I finished my dance and sat down, intent on catching another fish. I dipped my paw into the water but gritted my teeth as the fish swerved to avoid my paw. There was a splash and I looked up to see Willowpaw grabbing another fish. Angrily I lashed out into the water and my claws made contact with something solid.

"Yes!" I cheered, scooping the trout onto the bank.

Willowpaw eyed me before picking up her five fish and walking away. Snorting, I proudly grasped my own fish and padded after her, my white-tipped tail flicking eagerly.

"Good job, Rushingpaw," Applespring greeted me. "I'm glad to see you've been doing your daily tasks."

Instead of getting mad at her hidden - accidental too - insult, I smiled and nodded.

Applespring's face broke into a smile. "You seem in a good mood today. I'm not going to pry, just keep it up."

My spirits soared. I strutted to the fresh-kill pile, deposited my prey, and dug into the pile to find land prey. Little RiverClan cats hunted for land prey, as their main diet was fish. I found a slightly damp water vole underneath a few minnows and pulled it out gingerly. I sat down in a clump of ferns beside the apprentice den, a secure spot where I could see cats and they couldn't necessarily see me.

I dug into my vole, sorting the meat and bones carefully and putting the bones into a neat pile. The meat was soft and flavorful under my tongue, and I savored it with closed eyes.

"Hey, Rushingpaw."

My eyes flew open and I looked up. "Oh, hey, Beetlepaw." I nodded shortly to the apprentice. I finished my bite and studied the big black apprentice. He was Morningpaw and Bristlepaw's brother, and was the only one to not join in with his littermates with their bullying, so I considered him as a kinda-friend.

"What's up?" I asked as he sat down beside me.

"I'm fed up with my sisters' behavior," Beetlepaw sighed. "I wish they weren't such bullies."

I nodded, unsure of where he was going.

"I'm here to tell you that I support you. If they are bothering you, tell me and I'll keep them under control."

I nodded breathlessly. "Alright. And why are you helping me, again?"

"That's what friends do." Beetlepaw smiled at my expression, then got up and walked away.

I smiled, then realized I hadn't said anything and sat there like a mouse-brain. "Thanks!" I called after him with a hint of a purr in my voice. Finally, someone who stood up for me. That kind of cat was absent in my mind, as both my parents favored Stormypaw - the one who won all his battles, caught all the prey, and was the best kit. I, on the other hand, was the clumsy one, bad at hunting, and not the good kit. And my parents just generally ignored me, and that's how it went.

There he was now. The 'handsome' black tabby with 'mesmerizing' amber eyes, as if my same colored eyes were not the same.

Stormypaw strutted over to my parents. He dropped a shrew at my father's paws.

"Stormypaw, you spoil us," Hailclaw purred, eyeing the shrew. "You're such a good hunter."

I gritted my teeth. The shrew had been caught by a senior warrior, not a mouse-brained apprentice.

"Indeed," Mousefoot chimed in. Her brown pelt smoothed eagerly as she glanced at the thrush.

I looked away, unable to watch anymore. If I brought my family anything, they would say they already ate, or say that they were too busy. Flicking my tail, I forced myself to finish my vole, even though I had lost my appetite. I cleared away the tiny bones and licked my lips to get rid of the remaining flavor.

Time for tick duty, I groaned, spotting Bristlepaw disappear into the medicine den. I followed her reluctantly and stood awkwardly behind her as she received her mouse-bile soaked moss. Once she left with a disgusted look my way, I stepped forward sheepishly and took my bundle. Riverberry gave me a look but said nothing.

Stepping into the elders' den, I bumped into Bristlepaw.

"Watch it, mouse-brain!" the she-cat snapped, returning to Duskwater's side.

"Be quiet," Seedfur hissed quietly, opening a green eye.

Bristlepaw shot me an annoyed look. "Sorry, Seedfur."

I crouched down beside Brambleheart, eyeing Bristlepaw warily. The apprentice ignored me, instead making a face as she dabbed the mouse-bile into Duskwater's fur.

I parted Brambleheart's fur and cracked a tick in between my teeth. I found two more ticks, then dipping my head, backed away through the opening. I refused to help Bristlepaw with Seedfur. Snickering a bit, I went to find my mentor. Applespring found me first. "Rushingpaw, you're due on a patrol!"

"Fox-dung!'' I hissed under my breath, running to the camp entrance. Cloudedmoon's ear twitched when I showed up. "Finally, our apprentice is here," she grumbled. Thunderfish touched his tail lightly to her shoulder, and she turned and led the patrol out of camp. Thunderfish, Cottonfrost, and Magpiewing followed, and with one last sweep of camp, I followed.

I sniffed the air as we followed the trail to ThunderClan territory. We paused at the edge of the river, staring at Sunningrocks. I overheard Cottonfrost ask Cloudedmoon if we could take it.

Cloudedmoon's tail twitched, then she nodded. "But, Rushingpaw, go back to camp and fetch reinforcement if we need them."

Groaning, I forced myself to nod and pelted back to camp.

"Lightstar!" I called once I reached camp. Warriors approached me, asking what I needed. Lightstar herself came out of her den and glared down at me. "What is it?"

"Cloudedmoon is going to take Sunningrocks! She sent me back here to get reinforcements if we needed it!" I explained.

Lightstar rolled her eyes. "My deputy never asks me for permission," she grumbled. "But alright. I'll come on the patrol, as well as-" she paused, looking around, "Ripplefrost, Applespring, Voletail, and Mousefoot."

I nodded and followed a respectful distance away from Lightstar as she trotted out of camp. We followed the previous group's scent trail and broke into a run as we saw the RiverClan patrol swimming strongly across the river. Flicking her tail, Lightstar plunged into the rapids, her ears flat against her head and her tail streaming out behind her. I copied her movements as best as I could, clumsily swimming after my Clanmates.

I hauled myself out of the river, my fur streaming water as I gazed around in wonder. I had never been on ThunderClan territory before.

Lightstar gave a yowl and charged onto the rocks. The rest of the warriors swarmed after her, climbing up the rocks and resting their haunches on the smooth stone.

"Put scent markers," Lightstar ordered Mousefoot and Ripplefrost. My mother and the senior warrior obeyed, darting forward to put scent markers. I smirked as my mother's ears hung low in submission to the leader, finally she was being told what to do.

We stayed on the rock, sunbathing, until Cottontail, who had been put on guard, let out a warning yowl. I opened my eyes sleepily as I heard a rustle.

"Look, ThunderClan has finally decided to come fight for our territory," Cloudedmoon yawned, flexing her claws. "Rushingpaw, this might even be your first fight."

I flicked my tail angrily. I was not inexperienced, nor young! I was ten moons old and I had received enough battle training to fight the whole of the Dark Forest!

A stick cracked in the near distance. Warriors around me rose, unsheathing their claws and smoothing out their fur.

Lightstar turned to me. "In case we are outnumbered, go back to camp and fetch warriors. If you see we need help, join the battle," she whispered, one ear pricked.

I groaned. "Again?!" I muttered under my breath, taking off with my tail streaming behind me.

I watched the fight at the head of a bunch of cats. Bristlepaw and Beetlepaw, Hailclaw, Twigflame, Goldenfern, and Troutprickle all milled around me while they watched.

Lightstar let out a shriek as she was thrown to the ground by the ThunderClan deputy, Sunglare. It was our cue. We surged forward, climbing up the rocks with newfound energy. Twigflame tackled Sunflare, driving her teeth into his pelt, Goldenfern helped her leader up before pouncing on a ThunderClan she-cat, and Troutprickle ordered us apprentices to stay together as he fought off another. Hailclaw stayed behind us, and we fought back to back. Facing me was an apprentice my size, a semi-large yellow tom with blue eyes. I hissed, my claws sliding out of their sheaths. He hissed as well, but his pupils were dilated with fear as he glared at me.

I threw the first hit, lashing out with an unsheathed paw. I felt a sense of satisfaction as my paw ripped through fur and a scratch appeared on the yellow tom's side. Yowling, the tom sprang at me and moments later I felt his claws pierce my forehead. I winced and blinked away the blood that trickled down my face.

He was going for my eyes! What do ThunderClan teach their apprentices?! Thoughts swirled in my brain as I headbutted his stomach, sending him flying away. I pounded after him, smirking. Amateur mistake, I thought, never show your belly.

I pinned the tom, driving my teeth into his shoulder. "Tell your leader to retreat, and don't aim for the face unless you're a coward." I mumbled through fur. I stepped back, spitting out a chunk of yellow fur.

The tom scrambled to his paws and took off. Smirking with satisfaction, I leaped onto the back of a brown tabby. She rolled, scraping me onto the ground and crushing my windpipe. I threw her off with some difficulty and we proceded to strike blows left and right.

Some time later, I heard a desperate yowl.

"Retreat!"

I turned to see Lightstar standing over Vixenstar triumphantly, her head raised in victory. Vixenstar had let out the yowl, his ears flattened.

ThunderClan cats flew to his side, hissing at Lightstar. The pale cream leader leered before backing away slowly to her own warriors.

Now RiverClan was holding Sunningrocks, and ThunderClan had up to the forest line. Keeping her gaze locked with the ThunderClan cats, Lightstar flicked her tail. Cloudedmoon and Hailclaw, their tails bushed out, hurried to the front. Slowly, as if daring the other Clan to move, they set scent markers along the stone. Two warriors from the other side reluctantly set their own. I pelted down Sunningrocks and covered the stale ThunderClan scents with my own. The other apprentices followed suit as a cry of victory ran out. I joined and raised my muzzle to the sky. RiverClan was victorious!

"Are you okay?" Beetlepaw was beside me, sniffing at my bloody face. "Let's get you to Riverberry."

I nodded, and suddenly I felt a wave of nausea sweep over me and I staggered to the side, Beetlepaw supporting me. My weight was taken from the other side too, and I felt Beetlepaw and Hailclaw support me to camp. I curled my lip. Hailclaw was only helping me because he would seem like a bad parent if he didnt, but when it was us two, he did not care about me at all.

I felt moss beneath my paws and collapsed on the nest. The familiar lean shape of Riverberry loomed over me, then disappeared. I felt something cool on my face, and something small was shoved into my mouth. As soon as I swallowed, sleep threatened. I tried to stay awake, but sleep claimed me at last.

a/n

guys im on time! well..kinda. i hope you enjoyed this chapter.  what do you think of beetlepaw? hailclaw? leave your opinions in the comments, and vote!