Blackpaw listened to the sounds of the night. Twigpaw and Gorsepaw shared tongues in the far corner of the apprentices den, while Sorrelpaw, Foxpaw, Mousepaw and Thornpaw slept silently. Twigpaw gave a yawn and stifled to sleep. Gorsepaw did the same. After listening to the quiet snores of his clanmates he stood up. Carefully dodging his sleeping denmates, he scooted across the clearing and into the dirt place tunnel. He promised Yellowclaw that he'd meet in the place where they met those rogues. He squeezed through a hole in the thorn barrier and ran through the forest.
Yellowclaw clawed the growing impatiently, "Where are they?"
Blackpaw sniffed the air, "They're approaching."
Rain, Ice and three other cats came out of the shadows. Rain gleamed at Blackpaw. Ice settled down and introduced the newcomers, "This is Nettle, Cloud and Boulder."
After that they split up and chatted.
Rain dashed towards Blackpaw, "Can you teach me some clan battle moves?"
Blackpaw mewed, "It's pretty tricky, but I think you can handle it."
The young tom demonstrated a crouch and Rain copied. "Now if I was going to attack you from above, what would you do?"
Rain shrugged.
"You'd roll onto your back and claw your opponents flank." Blackpaw did a neat roll and clawed Rain's flank, gently.
Rain tried and did it perfectly, "You are a quick learner!"
Rain ducked her head, "Maybe my mentor is a good teacher."
Blackpaw purred.
"So what else do you rogues do? Do you have a code as well?" the tom flicked his tail.
"Not really, but we do have a fresh kill pile like you!" she mewed.
Blackpaw nodded. Rain, quick as a flash, touched Blackpaw on his shoulder, "It!"
He looked confused.
"It's a game! Chase me!" the silver she-cat ran through the trees. Blackpaw chased her through the woods. His paws skimmed on the ground but he couldn't quite catch Rain, she was fast.
After chasing her for a long time he stopped. Rain stopped a little ahead. She padded to him hesitatingly. Just then he leapt up and jumped onto Rain. They both rolled in a heap from the force of the jump, sending leaves flying.
They finally reached a stop. Blackpaw on top of Rain, both of them laughing. Rain gave him a look he couldn't quite read. Then she leaned up and licked his cheek. Blackpaw froze. Rain untangled herself from him,"We should head back."
Blackpaw felt a burning inside of him, what was that feeling?
The time he reached the clearing the rogues were gone.
Yellowclaw flicked his tail,"Let's go."
His mentor padded away. Blackpaw let the last scent of Rain fill his nose, then the burning feeling came back, What is this feeling?