Fading Echoes/Chapter 10

==Chapter description==
:Ivypaw dreams of a beautiful green pasture. She catches the scent of a mouse, and she begins to track it. When she pounces to catch it, her back brushes a poppy stem, scaring the mouse away. The she-cat hears a deep mew behind her; Ivypaw spins around to see a broad-shouldered tom with a scarred muzzle and hooked claws. The unnamed tom nods toward where the mouse had disappeared and offers to show the apprentice how to pounce without arching her back. She nods, noting that he physically looks like a warrior, but she doesn't recognize his scent.
:Ivypaw watches wide-eyed as the tom demonstrates an alternative pounce. The she-cat tries it herself, although finds herself struggling. Each time she fails, he encourages her to try again until the apprentice manages to replicate it perfectly. Pleased with herself, Ivypaw says she'll teach that move to her sister. The tom asks if her sister is with her, making the young cat realize how strange it feels to be without her. She comments that things are more fun with two.
:The scarred tom offers to show her a new stalking technique, in which he weaves through the grass like a snake and grabs a flower so quickly that Ivypaw gasps. Impressed, she tries it herself; the tom sits up and wraps his tail around his paws. In response to a question about Dovepaw, the apprentice says she is clever, funny, and the bravest cat she knows. As she speaks, she lunges and snaps at some bitter grass, coughing and spitting it out. A faint yowl is heard from across the meadow, and Ivypaw turns to leave. The blue-eyed tom reveals his name: Hawkfrost. She tells him her name in return before waking up.
:She awakes in the apprentice's den, Cinderheart calling her quietly from the entrance. Ivypaw notes that Dovepaw is still asleep, as she was tired after going to the Gathering. The apprentice steps into the clearing, seeing Briarpaw, Blossompaw, and Bumblepaw pacing around. Ivypaw remembers that it is the siblings' final assessment. She asks what Cinderheart wanted, spotting the other apprentices' mentors anxiously eyeing the young cats. Ivypaw realizes it's going to rain soon, missing the warmth of her dream with Hawkfrost. To Blossompaw's horror, Cinderheart reveals that the assessments will be done in pairs, with Ivypaw as the tortoiseshell she-cat's partner. She asks for Dovepaw instead; the younger apprentice glares and says that she can hunt as well, thinking about the new moves Hawkfrost taught her. Blossompaw continues to belittle her and compare her to Dovepaw. The tabby she-cat hears a voice saying she's just as good as her sister, causing her to regain some confidence. Hazeltail scolds Blossompaw as Dustpelt and Spiderleg ask if they're ready to leave. The gray-and-white she-cat is surprised to learn that the mentors will not be the ones watching over the assessment. Thornclaw mutters that Firestar has a new training technique every moon, stating that it's pointless. The group of cats then leave the camp.
:Cinderheart sends Briarpaw and Bumblepaw to hunt by the lake. She turns to Ivypaw and reminds her that she has nothing to prove; she should just be helping. Ivypaw is eager to show off the moves Hawkfrost taught her. Dustpelt and Thornclaw send the remaining two apprentices to hunt by the abandoned Twoleg nest; the younger apprentice wishes she had longer legs as she tries to keep up with Blossompaw. Ivypaw is momentarily distracted by the catmint Jayfeather had nurtured, but she remembers his warning to stay away from it. Blossompaw tells the she-cat to stay out of her way, which angers her further. Ivypaw notices a squirrel rummaging in the plants by the wall and mimics the instructions Hawkfrost gave her. She catches it successfully, thanking Hawkfrost as she does.
:Thornclaw and Dustpelt emerge, impressed by her catch and curious as to where she learned that move. Blossompaw stomps out from the weeds, complaining that they scared her prey away. The warriors remind her they're supposed to be working in pairs. Blossompaw huffs, but she leads Ivypaw away to hunt again. When the warriors can no longer hear them, the older she-cat hisses at Ivypaw for showing her up. The two decide to hunt in the pines next to the abandoned Twoleg nest.
:Blossompaw spots a blackbird and gives instructions to Ivypaw on how to catch it. The two apprentices get into position; Ivypaw watches the bird intently. She stops herself from catching the blackbird alone, although she knows she could with Hawkfrost's training. The tabby she-cat begins to wonder where Blossompaw is when the other apprentice bursts from the undergrowth, catching her prey in a very clumsy manner. Ivypaw thinks that Hawkfrost would've sneered at a catch like that; she begins to wonder about his origins. The she-cat assumes that he's a StarClan cat and feels triumphant, as she believes Dovepaw has never been visited by StarClan before.
:Dustpelt and Thornclaw catch up with the two apprentices; Thornclaw comments that he doesn't see the point in the training exercise. It begins to rain, and the golden-brown tabby tom suggests the group returns home. Blossompaw is upset because she only had the chance to catch one bird, but Thornclaw insists they leave regardless. On the way back to camp, Blossompaw glares at Ivypaw and insults her for catching more than her during the older apprentice's assessment, leaving the tabby she-cat startled.
:As they enter the camp, Millie and Whitewing rush forward to praise their catches. Dovepaw also emerges from the apprentices' den to congratulate her. Ivypaw wants to tell her sister about Hawkfrost; she beckons the gray she-cat over to a thorn bush. Ivypaw reveals that a StarClan cat has been teaching her how to hunt, which interests Dovepaw. As the apprentice begins to tell her sister more, they are interrupted by Brightheart, who ushers them into the apprentices' den to prevent them from getting sick. In the den, Ivypaw begins to tell her sister more, but she is once again interrupted, this time by Lionblaze. Extremely frustrated and wondering if Dovepaw even still cares about her the she-cat slinks into her nest. Blossompaw, Bumblepaw, and Briarpaw enter, excited about passing their assessment. Ivypaw hopes that if she falls asleep, she will see Hawkfrost in her dreams again, and he will teach her more hunting moves.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
fr:Un écho lointain/Chapitre 10
Category:Omen of the Stars arc
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Fading Echoes