The late morning sun shone high in the clear blue sky as Crimsonpaw returned to camp after a lone hunt. Her jaws were empty- she had failed to catch anything. It wasn't her fault though, after four days Frozenstar had managed to teach Crimsonpaw only the bare minimum. She still had no idea how to fight and everytime she saw her siblings play-fighting by the apprentices den, she felt her good friend Jealousy make an appearance.

The camp was empty, save for a few napping cats around camp.

"Hey Crimsonpaw, think fast!"

The red furred she cat looked up just in time to see a ball of moss coming straight for her. She let out a squeak of surprise as the mossball slammed into her face. It didn't hurt, but she was shaken by the surprise.

Looking up to see who threw the mossball, Crimsonpaw saw Pebblepaw laughing at her with his brothers. "Scared of a mossball?" The grey tom sneered, eyes alight with amusement.

Crimsonpaw growled, a flash of courage overpowering the fear. "Next time you do that you'll have a face full of my claws!"

"Oo, I'm so scared." Pebblepaw laughed and strolled closer to her.

Pigeonpaw broke away from Pebblepaw's side and began circling behind Crimsonpaw. "I bet you can't even fight!"

"I dare you to try and hit me!" Thunderpaw jeered, pacing around Crimsonpaw.

The three toms had surrounded her, towering over her. She gritted her teeth angrily and unsheathed her claws, refusing to back down. "I'm not scared of you!"

"Then show us what you can do." Pebblepaw smirked and brought his head down to that they were nose-to-nose. "I dare you." He whispered.

And so she dared.

Crimsonpaw bared her teeth and lashed out with her claws, aiming to claw the wide smirk off Pebblepaw's face. The grey tom easily side-stepped, chuckling down at her.

She lunged for Pebblepaw but she barely got close to him before Thunderpaw's claws latched onto her haunches, dragging her backwards. She twisted and swiped at his muzzle but he let go of her and ducked away, his green eyes glimmering joyfully. Crimsonpaw turned just in time to see Pebblepaw swipe at her and she narrowly dodged, gasping at the precision in his blow.

The next attack came from Pigeonpaw, the grey tom digging his claws into her back and using his weight to yank her off her paws and onto the ground. She hissed, winded from the impact.

Pebblepaw pinned her down beneath him and smirked triumphantly. "Looks like you really are just a soft piece of fluff."

Crimsonpaw growled and kicked at him, her hind claws scrabbling against his belly, but Thunderpaw grabbed her hind legs and held them down. She writhed and hissed furiously. "You've made your point, now leave me alone!"

"No, you need a reminder so that this never happens again." Pebblepaw grinned and unsheathed his claws, trailing them lightly along her chest.

Crimsonpaw freed one forepaw from the grey tom's grip and lashed out at his face, catching his cheek. He hissed, blood dripping from his fresh wound. "Don't do that again!"

"Make me!" She snarled and swiped again, latching onto his head with her claws. Pebblepaw growled and shook his head, trying to pin her forepaws back down. Unfortunately for Crimsonpaw, Pigeonpaw came to his brother's rescue and forced her forelegs back down and pinned them on either side of her head. She struggled against them, but there was no escaping.

She forced down a cry of pain as Pebblepaw sliced her side with his claws. He didn't seem satisfied by her reaction and dug his claw in deeper, finally earning a small shriek from her.

Pebblepaw leaned down and glared right into her amber eyes. "Next time you threaten me like that, remember this encounter." He then released her, his brothers following as he stalked across the empty clearing and into the apprentice den.

Crimsonpaw stayed where she was, staring up at the sky as she felt her warm blood seep through her fur.

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:D