"Robinpaw?" the mew of her mentor punched through her sleepy brain. She blinked open her eyes to see Foxtail above her. "Come on, it's time to start hunting."

Robinpaw opened her mouth in a yawn, feeling excitement course through her tired body. My first day as a real trainee! she thought. But what if I'm not good enough? What if I fail?

"Up, please." Foxtail accompanied the request with a prod with her tail.

Robinpaw sprang to her feet, tiredness forgotten, determined not to disappoint her mentor. "What are we doing today?"

"Well, first we're just going to review what you learned in Testing. I'm sure you did great, seeing that you got this role."

Robinpaw nodded empathetically. The Hunting Testing is the part of Testing that got me through kithood. After Tankit--well, if hunting hadn't been there, I think I would've gone crazy.

She looked down at her claws, remembering the blood trickling down them slowly and shook her head ruefully. As if I'm not crazy already.

"Robinpaw?"

Robinpaw snapped out of her daze, turning to face her mentor's concerned gaze. "S-sorry," she mewed, hanging her head in submission and preparing for her rebuke.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not like your Tester?" asked Foxtail patiently, nudging her head back up with her tail.

But you are, thought Robinpaw unexpectedly, realizing what it was the made her fear her kind mentor so much. You are like Lilyflower--your job, your movements, even your voices are similar.

"Robinpaw!" Foxtail snapped, her tail lashing in annoyance. "Listen, please!"

Robinpaw flinched and took a step back, flattening her ears. That voice...it's so much like Lilyflower's.

Foxtail looked guilty at her trainee's reaction, her voice softening. "I am not your Tester. Do you understand? I'm not here to test you, but to help you grow. Just relax, Robinpaw, and you will grow to be one of the best Hunters FloraClan has ever seen."

FloraClan...Robinpaw's mind was flooded with the memories of the Testing again. She felt Brownkit's claws slice open her head again, then the cut along her back. This time, she couldn't stop the shriek of terror that escaped her as she forced herself out of her memories, head in her paws. If this is FloraClan, then I don't want to live here!

Foxtail winced and looked at Robinpaw apologetically, stroking her with her tail. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

Still anxious, Robinpaw nodded, opening her muzzle to force out the words that seemed to be frozen in her throat. "I'm not scared." Voiced, the thought seemed to cage her memories briefly, and Robinpaw took a deep breath.

Foxtail studied her worriedly, then flicked her tail in dismissal and nodded. "Okay, then, let's go," mewed the ginger Hunter, leading her trainee out of the den. "We're going to the training ground."

Robinpaw followed her mentor, her previous fear melting into curiosity and excitement. We're leaving the camp? I've never left the camp before!

"Excited, are you?" Foxtail paused and purred. "Of course you are. It's your first time out of the camp, isn't it?"

"Yes!" replied Robinpaw, bouncing behind her mentor eagerly. I'm going to leave the camp!

Foxtail purred again and led the silver trainee over the log that crossed the river. Robinpaw winced as they passed the Battle Arena--the birthplace of her nightmares--but didn't say anything, simply shutting her eyes briefly.

Robinpaw opened her eyes again, relieved to see that they had passed through the dreaded area, then noticed, with a flash of fear, that she was about to walk right into a tree. She stopped hurriedly to Foxtail's purrs, her fur feeling hot.

"Come on, Robinpaw. The Training area is this way."

Robinpaw turned and walked back towards her mentor, her pelt burning in embarrassment.

"It's fine," mewed Foxtail. "Most new Trainees hate that place. I don't blame you for closing your eyes." She lowered her voice. "On my first couple days, I did too."

Robinpaw blinked at her. Really? This isn't strange at all? She blinked again, noticing that Foxtail had seemed to have disappeared.

Robinpaw looked around frantically before cocking her head and swiveling her ear to listen for Foxtail. If this was some sort of a test, she was determined not to fail. Silence. She listened harder, sure that her mentor's mew would come any minute.

Sure enough, Foxtail's mew came from a couple foxlengths in front of her. "Come on. The Training Ground is over here." She paused. "And if you're wondering if this is a test, you're right!"

Robinpaw walked slowly towards Foxtail's voice, taking care to avoid the trees and brambles. She came out into the clearing, looking around in surprise at the strangely plant-free area.

"Good job," Foxtail praised.

Robinpaw received the approval with a distracted nod, still studying the clearing. behind and beside her were thick swaths of birch and oak, the ground coated by the thin undergrowth. But in front of her, the Training ground was bereft of any vegetation, bare soil forming an almost perfect circle. 

"Where are the plants?" she asked curiously.

Foxtail flicked her tail, an unidentifiable look flashing briefly through her yellow-green eyes. "The Servants," was her only answer.

I should have guessed, she thought, wincing at the thought of cats digging up every plant and filling the holes. Poor Greypaw...

"We should probably start training now," pointed out the ginger she-cat.

"Right." Robinpaw shook her head to dismiss the thought of her brother from her head. "Let's start."

"Okay," mewed Foxtail, walking to one side of the clearing. "Let's see your hunting crouch."

Obediently, the silver trainee crouched, her tail straight and unmoving. Foxtail walked up and studied her posture attentively. "Head lower," she ordered.

Robinpaw did so, her eyes meeting Foxtail's for approval.

"Hmm, better," she mewed, hooking an old oak stick on her claw and moving it to the opposite side of the clearing. "Okay, let's see you catch that stick."

Robinpaw nodded, beginning to silently creep towards the stick, making sure that the wind was behind her. When she felt she was close enough, the trainee leaped, her front paws landing squarely on the oak. She looked up at Foxtail inquisitively.

"Good job," Foxtail praised. "I see that your Tester has taught you well--who was your Tester, by the way?"

"Lilyflower," mewed Robinpaw, the fierce she-cat's light grey pelt flashing through her memory. She winced as she remembered the blood from her mistakes pouring down and clumping up her fur again, and resisted the temptation to turn around and check if it was there. It's not real, it's not real, she chanted silently. Stay strong, Robinpaw. Stay strong.

Foxtail nodded in understanding, a flash of a sudden emotion--saddness? longing?--flashing in her eyes. "She's a good one. Would've been a Hunter if she wasn't so good at Leadership."

Robinpaw studied her mentor's expression. Could Lilyflower be Foxtail's littermate? That would explain why she reminds me so strongly of her. She shook her head, pushing the thought to the back of her mind. Oh well, I suppose it would be rude to pry.

She turned back to her mentor, her expression alert. "What next?" she asked quietly, careful not to disturb any prey.

Foxtail peered around the clearing, and her gaze settled on a small mouse that chose that moment to scamper into the clearing. She pointed her tail at it, and Robinpaw nodded in acknowledgement.

Taking a deep breath, Robinpaw checked her posture, making sure that her head was lower, as Foxtail had instructed her. She eyed the mouse, silently measuring the distance. The silver she-cat took a silent step forward, then another. One more step, she thought. Then I can leap!

Crack! The mouse scampered off, and Robinpaw lifted up her paw in dismay. She hissed as she saw the broken twig underneath, and lashed her tail. She turned to her mentor apologetically. "Sorry."

"What did you forget?"

Robinpaw licked her chest fur. "I didn't check for any leaves or twigs," she admitted. She hissed in annoyance. "I should have caught it."

"It's fine," mewed Foxtail. "Almost no one catches their prey their first day as a Trainee." Her whiskers twitched. "They're trying too hard to impress their mentors."

Robinpaw ducked her head in embarrassment. I did try to impress her, she admitted silently. I just wanted to show her that I can hunt. I wanted her to be proud...

Foxtail purred. "It's alright, Robinpaw. We've got all day; I'm sure you'll catch some more."

Robinpaw nodded. She would catch more prey. I will prove that the Leaders chose correctly, she thought fiercely. I will be the greatest Hunter FloraClan has ever seen!

Dedicated to awesomesauceoreos for helping me edit most of this!

Well, um, any thoughts? Questions? Errors? I know this wasn't the most interesting chapter, but I hope it showed you more of Foxtail and Robinpaw's personalities. :) Hope you still liked it.

Oh, and you probably noticed I changed the title! Blossom is going to be the first book of an at least three book series, so I hope that excites you! :) Also, this has switched to my top priority book (after Illiara) because people seem to like this book! 

~Ember

(PS: Your comments really do motivate me! Thank you to all of you who have commented!)