"Time to wake up," Applebreeze's cheerful mew and gentle nudge woke Nettlepaw. He rolled back over, growling. "Moss gathering again?" He asked blearily.

"No, hare-brain." She teased. "Actually we're going to go hunting today. It'll be of good use for you." Nettlepaw rose to his paws. I'm going hunting! He thought, following his mentor out of the den.

To his dismay, Finchpaw, Thornpaw, and their mentors were standing out there as well. "They're coming too?" He hissed to his mentor.

Applebreeze cuffed his ear gently. "Of course they are, and don't look so disappointed about it. They're your Clanmates too."

Still not convinced, Nettlepaw approached them behind his mentor. Stonesong greeted them with a purr, but Thornpaw didn't look as happy to see Nettlepaw.

"He's going?" Thornpaw snapped. "Can I go back to sleep? The kittypet will scare away all the prey!"

"You're the one who'll scare it off with your chattering." Nettlepaw retorted.

Applebreeze bristled. "When are you two going to actually start acting like Clanmates? Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into you two." Nettlepaw lashed his tail, but stayed quiet holding his glare with the brown apprentice. He's the problem! He started it! He thought stubbornly.

"Let's go instead of arguing. That won't fill any cat's belly." Stonesong reasoned. As he turned out of camp, Finchpaw cast an apologetic glance back at Nettlepaw. At least she's not an arrogant fleabag.

Cloverwing took the lead as Nettlepaw stepped over the edge of camp. It wasn't his first time seeing it, but the wind in his pelt and the sun in his eyes sparked the same feeling of joy as it had before.

"Let's hunt the high hilltop," the gray-and-white she-cat suggested. "No cat has hunted there in a few sunrises." Applebreeze and Stonesong nodded their approval. "Let's get on with it, then." Stonesong growled.

Grumpy old furball. Nettlepaw thought irritably. He's Featherstar's littermate, he must be moving to the elder's den soon.

As they neared the high moor, Applebreeze veered off in a slightly different path. "Nettlepaw and I will train for a short while by ourselves, then he can test his skills with the other apprentices. You all can hunt while you're waiting." When no cat argued, Applebreeze led Nettlepaw to a open stretch of land, with scraggly, tufty grass growing sparsely and heather tufts hiding the dusty earth below.

"To catch rabbits, which are our main source of prey, you'll need to master speed first. Show me how fast you can run to that heather patch over there." Nettlepaw thought it was a bit silly, but he began to sprint there as fast as he could.

He pushed his paws against the ground as fast as he could, and turned at the heather patch, running back as fast as he could to his mentor.

"Nicely done," she purred. "But you'll have to work on your technique. Your paws pound too hard, and if you're trying to sneak up on anything that won't work. Besides, it slows you down a bit. Try running on lighter paws."

Slightly frustrated, Nettlepaw turned and tried again. This time, instead of trying to push his paws down harder in an attempt to move faster, he tried to keep his pawsteps light and soft. When he was running back, he almost felt like he was gliding along with the wind. Breathless, he turned back to Applebreeze again. "That was better." She mewed.

Nettlepaw fought to catch his breath. Seeing his struggled his mentor's eyes gleamed with humor. "Don't worry, it'll get easier." She assured. "The more you run, the easier it'll be."

Applebreeze rose to her paws. "Now, catching a rabbit isn't just about speed. You don't have to be faster than it, just smarter."

"What do you mean?" Nettlepaw asked. Surely a cat would have to outrun a rabbit to catch it, or at least be able to keep up with it?

His mentor twitched her tail. "When you're chasing your prey, don't just try to run after it. Cut it off. Hunt with a partner, and drive it into the other's paws. Lead it away from its den. It's not about speed, it's about smarts." Applebreeze's whiskers twitched. "But of course, before you can do any of that you'll have to scent it."

Nettlepaw looked up at Applebreeze as she scented the air, jaws parted wide. "Smell that?" She inquired.

Nettlepaw tasted the air. He could smell the musty scent of heather, Thornpaw and Finchpaw and their mentors' scent drifting over the hill, and far away, the distant odor of the forest. But beneath that there was a meatier and heavier scent. "Yes, I think I do."

Applebreeze turned back toward the hillside. "Yes, that way. Time to see if you can catch your first rabbit," she purred, amusement in her eyes.

Following his mentor, Nettlepaw saw that she was crouched down, prepared to spring. The dark outline of a rabbit was silhouetted against the horizon. It was chewing on the tall grasses, oblivious to the cats stalking it.

Applebreeze sprang forward, bursting into a run. She's so fast! Nettlepaw thought in wonder. He took off after her, approaching the prey from its other side.

The rabbit let out a tiny squeal of terror and it too broke into a run, making Nettlepaw growl in frustration. His mentor's steady rhythm of paws pounding against the ground echoed into Nettlepaw's own racing pulse. This is what being a warrior is!

Seeing his prey gaining, Nettlepaw felt himself instinctively run faster. Finding himself pounding his paws even harder, he stopped to remember his training. Nettlepaw tried to place his paws lighter, and immediately found he was running lighter and faster. I guess Applebreeze really does know what she's doing.

Nettlepaw saw Applebreeze try to cut it off from the side, but faster than lightning the prey darted the other direction and disappeared down its hole. "Hare-dung!" His mentor cursed, slowing to a halt.

Thornpaw appeared at the edge of the hilltop, sneering. He held no prey, to Nettlepaw's satisfaction, and Finchpaw was carrying a scrawny lapwing.

"Missed your catch, kittypet?" Thornpaw sneered. "Too fast for you? Need to find something slower?"

"You don't have anything either." Nettlepaw growled. Applebreeze silenced him by resting her tail on his shoulders, but Cloverwing quickly changed the subject. "You should've seen Finchpaw! She caught that lapwing in one leap."

Finchpaw looked at her paws. "It's pretty thin," she mewed, embarrased. Stonesong flicked her ear with his tail reassuringly.

As Thornpaw sent Nettlepaw another glare, Applebreeze turned toward him. "We'll get the next one," she assured. Tasting the air, her eyes glinted. "Do you smell another one?" Nettlepaw asked.

"Yes, just over that rise." Applebreeze glanced at Nettlepaw. "I think you and Thornpaw should try to catch it. You two need to stop bickering like kits."

"But he'll ruin the catch!" Thornpaw protested. I'll ruin it? Nettlepaw thought angrily.

"Just go." Cloverwing sighed, looking tired. "But for StarClan's sake, don't argue. You'll scare it away."

As Nettlepaw reluctantly followed Thornpaw over the hill, he caught Finchpaw's eye. She nodded reassuringly, which made him perk up a bit. Even if Thornpaw gets in the way, I'll still catch it!

The brown tabby apprentice broke into a run, Nettlepaw on his tail. The rabbit saw them and it too began to spring across the hillside. Oh no you don't!

On light paws, Nettlepaw caught up with his denmate. As he was running, Nettlepaw was too focused on the rabbit to see Thornpaw cut him off abruptly.

"Hey!" He panted. "What was that for?" Thornpaw only rolled his eyes and continued the chase, and Nettlepaw had no choice but to race back to his position. Stupid Thornpaw!

The rabbit was gaining, and Thornpaw appeared to be getting tired fast. With a surge of determination, Nettlepaw pushed forward. You're not getting away that easily! He thought with a growl. The ground became a blur beneath him. I'll get you!

The rabbit took a sharp turn, and as Nettlepaw followed he saw that it was about to hop into its hole. As the prey disappeared, Nettlepaw didn't stop to think. He slipped in after it, feeling the earth close around him tightly. He could smell the rabbit's fear-scent thickly in the air.

"Nettlepaw!" Thornpaw called from outside of the tunnel. But I'm just about to catch it! However, the urgency in his denmate's mew caused him to stop in his tracks. Can I even turn around in this tight a space? Nettlepaw wondered, beginning to worry.

Then a noise like thunder sounded above his head and earth fell on Nettlepaw, smothering all his senses. StarClan help me!