Nightpaw POV

"Nightpaw! Wake up!" a voice called from outside of the apprentices den.

Unfortunately, that was the deep, rough voice of the one and only Bumblestar. The ThunderClan leader had chosen to be my mentor. Apparently he was quite fond of me, and wanted to personally teach me his sinister ways.

I groaned and forced myself to rise, knowing Bumblestar was an impatient cat and would be unhappy if I made him wait. I padded out of den and stretched lazily in the sunlight. I wondered what we were going to do. Yesterday, we had done nothing, due to his sickening show of slaughtering Sandstorm, who was an innocent elder. Foxleap had tried to have Redpaw and I do apprentice duties, but Bumblestar wouldn't allow it. The ThunderClan leader insisted his "favorites" were exempt from such things. The younger warriors were forced to deal with the unpleasant task instead.

The day before yesterday, my first day as an apprentice, we had toured the territory with Redpaw and her mentor, Foxleap. The lake was stunning, with its vast expanse of rippling blue-gray water leaving me in awe of StarClan's power. The forest itself, though, actually left me disappointed. I expected more than just trails, undergrowth, and trees.

We had also been taken to the borders. When we arrived at the edge of ShadowClan territory, Bumblestar had mumbled something about it not being the ShadowClan border "for much longer." I was uncertain what that meant, but I had a feeling ShadowClan would not enjoy finding out.

ShadowClan. Had my brother and Fawnkit made it safely there? I hoped so. If they had settled into ShadowClan, I knew their lives were in jeopardy if Bumblestar were to launch an attack on their camp. I prayed to StarClan that Bumblestar was not planning on besieging their camp.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

"Battle training," Bumblestar replied. "Real battle training."

"Great!" I exclaimed, trying to seem enthusiastic. "Can you teach me the death blow? Please?"

Bumblestar chuckled. "In time. You must learn how to defeat an opponent if you wish to have the opportunity to kill them. However, I'm proud that you've already learned the most important lesson. The only way to truly win a battle is to kill your enemy. If they don't die, their wounds heal, and they eventually return, but often they return stronger than they were when you fought them the first time."

I wanted to give him a skeptical look and then scream, "YOU'RE DELUSIONAL!" However, I just nodded as if I agreed with him. Bumblestar seemed satisfied with that response. He turned and bounded out of the thorn tunnel into the forest, beckoning for me to follow with a wave of his tail. I sighed but hurried after him, knowing I had to keep up the act.

The ThunderClan leader followed the main path out of camp. Although he was only jogging, I had to sprint to keep up with him, due to my short legs. Another reason why I shouldn't have been apprenticed until I reached six moons of age, but Bumblestar had chosen to ignore the warrior code. Clearly StarClan were much wiser than Bumblestar, and most certainly in more than just this area.

There was a fork in the path and we veered off to the left. The land began to slope downwards and we skidded to a halt at the foot of the hill. I was breathless, but Bumblestar's breathing seemed perfectly normal. Wasn't he tired after running that far? I then reminded myself that he had only been jogging. Of course he wasn't tired.

Bumblestar's eyes scanned the perimeter, and for a heartbeat, I thought I saw a spark of regret flash in his usually emotionless amber eyes. I blinked and it was gone. I must've imagined it. "This is the training hollow," Bumblestar told me. "We will come here to learn battle moves."

Perhaps one day I could use these moves against Bumblestar! "Alright, Bumblestar! I'm looking forward to this! What are we learning first?"

Bumblestar laughed evilly. "Basics. I'm gonna teach you a great strategy that's easy to master."

I was worried to find out what this strategy was. "First move an apprentice learns is how to dart by and rake your claws down an opponent's side, right?"

"Well, normally. But I'm gonna teach you something much better. A strategy that those ShadowClan and RiverClan weaklings will never expect," the ThunderClan leader purred. "It's quite simple, Nightpaw. Aim for the eyes. If you rake your claws across either one of their eyes just once...they will scream like a kit and collapse, I assure you."

I wanted to gag. Aiming for the eyes?! That was the cheap move of a rogue, not one of a warrior!

I was saved from having to pretend to appreciate Bumblestar's tactics when Foxleap appeared, with Redpaw trailing behind him. "Foxleap!" the ThunderClan leader exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement. "You're just on time! You trained Redpaw after the tour of the territory, right? Nightpaw, Redpaw, I'm going to allow you to test your skills! You're going to fight each other."

I nodded. "Alright Bumblestar."

"The winner gets to go to Gathering tomorrow night!" Bumblestar announced. "However, the loser will be punished! The loser may not eat at all for the rest of today, all of tomorrow, and until sunhigh the day after tomorrow."

Not eat for two whole days?! My stomach was already rumbling, and I had just eaten a mouse last night! I had to win this. I faced Redpaw, narrowed my eyes in determination, and tensed my muscles to leap at her.

"NO! Not like that!" Bumblestar hissed. "I will not allow cats with so much potential to waste their talent and fight like weaklings! Claws unsheathed!"

Claws unsheathed?! Was he completely mad?! We could both get seriously injured!

Bumblestar figured out what I was thinking. "Don't hurt each other too much. Just enough so that you can feel the pain. Warriors of my Clan must learn how to endure pain. NOW FIGHT!"

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed! Sorry for starting a war between Sandstorm fans and Sandstorm haters, I didn't mean to XD I just wanted her dead! Sorry to those of you who like her XD