I woke the next morning to Lionstar prodding my side, I yawned and sat up.
"Come we must train," Lionstar said padding out, I groomed my fur and padded out. I followed him to a sandy hollow, he sat at the edge.
"Show me a hunters crouch," Lionstar said, I crouched down and pretended to stalk. Lionstar watched, as I pounced on the leaf he stood.
"Did I do it right?" I asked.
"You did very well for a beginner Hollypaw now let's test it on real prey," Lionstar said, I followed him when I spotted a mouse and started to stalk. Lionstar watched my every move, I pounced on the mouse and killed it with a swift bite to the next. I buried it and we moved on, soon I caught 4 mice and a pigeon. I carried my catch back to camp, I dropped it on the fresh kill pile. I saw my brother padding into camp with a bundle of herbs, Lionstar padded up to me.
"Go get some mouse bile and check the elders for ticks," Lionstar said, I padded into the medicine den to be greeted by my brother.
"Hello Hollypaw what bring you here?" Jaypaw asked.
"I need mouse bile for tick because I need to check the elders," I said, Jaypaw went into the small storage area and retrieved a stick that had a foul smelling stuff on the moss it carried. I wrinkled my nose and padded into the elders den, Dawntiger and Foxleap looked happy to see me.
"Looks like we finally get rid of our ticks," Dawntiger said her voice crackled with age, Foxleap was hitting at his tail. I checked Foxleap first, I found 3 ticks on him then I moved onto Dawntiger, she had 1 tick on her. I padded back into the medicine den to give the mouse bile back, I then washed my paws when Lionstar yet again came to me.
"Hollypaw I want you to fetch fresh moss if you can, the elders need it," Lionstar said, I was starting to think he wanted to keep me busy. I padded out of camp to find some moss, I ran into Finchpaw who was also finding some.
"Hey Finchpaw I guess your mentor is making you collect moss as well," I said, he looked up at me.
"Yeah I have to find it for the Warriors then us, is it ok if you help me with the apprentices den?" Finchpaw asked.
"Sure as if Lionstar doesn't keep me busy enough," I joked, we collected some moss and padded into camp. I took the old moss from the elders den and put down the fresh moss, I took the old moss away and fetched some for the apprentices den. As soon as I had the fresh moss and got started on the apprentices den Finchpaw came in to help me, we soon finished when yet again Lionstar came over.
"Hollypaw if it isn't too much to ask can you go get some wet moss for the elders?" Lionstar asked.
"Of course it isn't," I said, when he left I sat down.
"You weren't lying when you said he is overworking you today," Finchpaw said.
"No kidding," Mousepaw said padding up to us.
"I can help you if you want," Finchpaw said.
"Me too it's not fair for you to be overworked," Mousepaw said, I smiled at both of them.
"Thank you both so much," I said, we padded towards the lake and grabbed some moss. We dipped it in the lake and padded back to camp, when we dropped the moss off for the elders. Lionstar came over, I was exhausted but didn't show it.
"Hollypaw lets go train," Lionstar said, I watched him leave camp when I collapsed. I got up and followed him, I was panting when we arrived.
"What am I going to learn?" I asked.
"Your going to learn to do the tree climbing tactic," Lionstar said, I climbed the tree slowly.
"How high should I climb?" I called over my shoulder.
"As high as you can now do it faster if you chased a squirrel at that pace it would have been gone," Lionstar called to me, I tried to go faster but my exhaustion overwhelmed me. Finchpaw was talking to Lionstar when I made a mistake, my eyes widened and I fell. I hit a branch than slipped and hit the ground, I was panting when Finchpaw ran over. Lionstar padded over, I looked at them both.
"Lionstar let her rest she is exhausted," Finchpaw snapped.
"She is my apprentice I say when she rests," Lionstar said picking me up.
"Your going to kill her!" Finchpaw yowled.
"Try again climb faster this time," Lionstar said, I moved one step and collapsed. Jaypaw and Snowpetal bolted over, I could barely stay awake.
"You fool Lionstar she is still an apprentice let her rest," Snowpetal hissed at Lionstar while Jaypaw helped me back to camp, I saw Lynxfeather and Whiskerfang sharing touches until we went past them. They were worried about me, I lay down in my nest. I almost fell asleep when Lionstar prodded me, I looked at him.
"Get up now, your training isn't over," Lionstar hissed, I would have taken his last life if only I wasn't so exhausted. Lynxfeather padded in a ushered him out, I caught only a few words before I fell into a deep sleep.