"It's been awhile Darkpaw." Shadowripple purred, touching his nose briefly against Darkpaw's muzzle.

Darkpaw smiled as he gazed around the shadowy forest, taking it all in. He had missed it.

"You did well in the battle with the rogues. You fought brilliantly." Shadowripple praised. "You actually used a Dark Forest move, even though I haven't taught you any. I was impressed." 

"I used a Dark Forest move? When?" Darkpaw asked, blinking in confusion at his shadowy mentor.

"The move you used to get the leader down to the ground, when you wrapped your arms around his neck and kicked out his back legs. And also, when you flipped onto your front paws and flipped in the air, then attacked all those rogues."

Darkpaw stared down at the mist curling around his ankles. "I was just following my instincts.." He murmured.

"That's good. You'll catch on quick." Shadowripple replied. "Now, attack me. Claws unsheathed."

Darkpaw blinked, taken aback. Shadowripple shook his head slightly and ran at him, he rammed his paw hard into Darkpaw's chest, causing the apprentice to fall to the ground. Shadowripple aimed another blow at his exposed stomach. Darkpaw curled into a ball and rolled away as Shadowripple's claws grazed his shoulder instead of his stomach.

"Oh come on. You can do better than that." Shadowripple sneered. "Or are you too weak?"

Darkpaw drew his lips back in a snarl as a surge of anger boiled up in his veins. No cat called him weak! He threw himself at Shadowripple, claws outstretched. Shadowripple step-sided and batted Darkpaw out of the air. Darkpaw darted to the side and yanked Shadowripple's tail between his tail. Shadowripple tore his tail free and kicked Darkpaw's front paws out from under him using one back leg. He then turned and slashed his claws across the back of Darkpaw's ankles on his back legs. Darkpaw let out a small cry of pain and slumped to the ground.

"Get up, Darkpaw." Shadowripple said.

Darkpaw swallowed his pain and shakily stood up. He looked his mentor in the eyes, staring into their fierce gray depths.

Shadowripple's claws slid back their sheath and sat down. 

"That move I used when I slashed your ankles, that was part of the move called the Underbelly Slash." Shadowripple explained.

"How does that move work?" Darkpaw asked, wincing a tad as his ankles stung, but eager to learn more.

"Basically what you do is, you dart under enemy's underbelly and slash at the back of their ankles, like I did to you." Shadowripple said, nodding at Darkpaw's stinging back ankles. "When your enemy twists expecting you to come out the other side, quickly duck back out the way you came and sink your claws into their fur, dragging them to the ground." Shadowripple explained.

"Can I try it? I really want to learn how to be a great warrior my clan will respect." Darkpaw asked.

"Fear, also." Shadowripple added, coughing. "Anyway, yes you may. I'll be your enemy that you're attacking."

Darkpaw nodded and darted forward, ducking under Shadowripple's stomach. He unsheathed his claws and sliced at his mentor's ankles. He felt Shadowripple turn to the side above him and Darkpaw pulled his body out from under Shadowripple, he hooked his claws into the dark warrior's shoulders and dragged him down to the mist-covered ground. Darkpaw planted a paw on Shadowripple's shoulder and dug his claws in. 

Shadowripple turned his head and met his excited gaze. "Good." He nodded approvingly. "Let's try that once more."

Darkpaw blinked open his eyes and he stretched out his sore muscles. Training with Shadowripple made him feel like he hadn't gotten any sleep at all. 

He let out a large yawn and stood up. Darkpaw gave his chest a few licks and padded up into the camp above.

Darkpaw padded over to the Prey Pile and hooked a mouse with his claw.

"Morning, Darkpaw!" 

Darkpaw turned and saw Wolfblaze padding up to him, a smile on his face.

"Morning." Darkpaw smiled back, a yawn breaking his grin.

"Tired?" Wolfblaze asked, a chuckle escaping his lips.

"Yeah..." Darkpaw said, taking a bite of his mouse. He finished off his mouse in a few bites as Wolfblaze began to groom himself. "Well, I'm going to find Crimsonclaw." 

"See ya!" Wolfblaze waved with his tail between licking his chest.

Darkpaw nodded and started padding toward the Warrior's burrow.

"Wait. Are your ankles scratched? What happened?" Wolfblaze asked. 

Darkpaw raised an eyebrow and stretched his back legs. He winced slightly as a small bout of pain erupted from his scratches. "I guess there was a thorn in my nest, I suppose." He lied and shrugged his shoulders. It'd be better if no one knew about my visits to the Dark Forest. Darkpaw did trust Shadowripple but what would his clanmates think?

"Make sure to check it later, then." Wolfblaze suggested.

"Will do." Darkpaw replied, turning back and bounded over to the Warrior's den.

The apprentice ducked inside and found his mentor talking with a couple other warriors. Crimsonclaw caught his eye and smiled.

"You're ready for training for today, I see?" He said.

Darkpaw nodded. "Yeah. What are we doing today?"

"A hunting assessment." Crimsonclaw replied with an excited and proud glint in his eyes.

"An assessment!" Darkpaw meowed, blinking in surprise. Excitement fizzled through his fur. He was so ready! One paw-step closer to becoming a warrior of his clan.

"We leave at sunhigh." Crimsonclaw said.

Darkpaw nodded. "Alright, see you then, Crimsonclaw."

The sun's light washed FoxClan's camp in a warm, golden sheen. A chilly breeze blew through Darkpaw's fur as he sat by the camp's entrance. Leaf-fall was on its way.

Crimsonclaw padded over and stopped by Darkpaw's side. "Time to head out. We'll be hunting by the Abandoned Badger Set."

Darkpaw nodded and followed after his mentor as they headed out of FoxClan's camp.

The faint reek of badger stench filled Darkpaw's nose, making it burn slightly.

"Darkpaw, you have until sunset to hunt. I'll be watching you, so make me proud." Crimsonclaw said. "Remember what I taught you." 

Darkpaw nodded to his mentor and opened his mouth, tasting the air. He caught the scent of mouse, and he located it nibbling on a grass stalk near him. Darkpaw dropped into a crouch and stalked toward it, creeping through the grass. He wriggled his hunches and leapt at the small creature that would soon be a meal for the clan. Darkpaw pinned the mouse to the ground and it let out a surprised squeak. Darkpaw sunk his teeth into its throat and the mouse went limp under his claws.

After burying his catch under a small mound of dirt, Darkpaw went back to searching. He caught the scent of vole and... something else...

Darkpaw turned his head and saw the shadowy figure of Shadowripple peering out of the grass that he was crouching in. Shadowripple smirked and motioned for his apprentice to come over. Darkpaw cast a glance in the vole's direction and slipped into the grass patch by his mentor, their pelts brushed against each other's.

"What are you doing here, Shadowripple? I'm not even asleep." Darkpaw asked, meeting the gray eyes of his Dark Forest mentor.

"I couldn't miss your first assessment, could I?" Shadowripple replied, smiling.

Darkpaw felt touched. "I guess not."

"I also came to give you some advice for hunting on FoxClan territory." Shadowripple gestured to the grass fields all around them.

"What is it?" Darkpaw asked.

"Well, since there's so much grass, I get stalking is a great technique but I have another." Shadowripple explained. "You can stalk for part of it, but you use the grass to your advantage. You can dart fast out of the grass and take a running pounce on your prey. It works well with voles and rabbits because their quick when they run."

Darkpaw nodded. "I smelled a vole over there." He pointed with his tail ahead of them. 

"Follow me." Shadowripple said, stalking forward through the grass. Darkpaw followed after him.

The scent of vole flowed into Darkpaw's nose and pushed his head out between the grass stalks. The vole was nibbling on some tiny flowers, not far from where the two cats were hiding.

"Now, dart out when you think the time is right, and give it a swift blow to the neck." Shadowripple instructed, brushing his tail along Darkpaw's spine.

Darkpaw gave his mentor a small nod and focused on the black vole. He dug his claws into the ground and darted out of grass, haring toward the creature. He gave it a swift bite to the neck as he passed it at running speed. The vole gave a small squeeze and collapsed to the ground. 

Shadowripple padded out and planted a paw on the vole's tiny shoulder. "Go ahead and put it out of its misery." He gestured to the vole he had pinned. 

Darkpaw smiled and slashed his claws across the vole's throat, the vole let out a strangled yell and choked as blood dribbled from its lips. The vole jerked once and went limp. 

Darkpaw glanced up at Shadowripple, who gave him a nod. "One step closer to becoming a warrior, Darkpaw." Shadowripple purred and he began to grow fainter, Darkpaw could see the grass through his mentor's black pelt. He ducked his head one last time before Shadowripple flickered out of sight.

"Thanks Shadowripple..." Darkpaw whispered.