Within the Shadows

Minific by Qibli. Testing out some of my charries, trying to get the feel of them.1

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

The sky above was dark and starless, the earth below damp and miry. The water was was thick, foul, and warm. Screeches split the thick air, bloodstains marked the grass and were visible on the trunks of the trees. Eyes flashed in the shadows- never were you truly alone. Not here. Never alone, never safe, never comfortable.

Moonleaf inhaled, swishing her tail behind her, holly-green eyes bright. She loved it here.

The Dark Forest was where she belonged.

Behind her, a twig snapped beneath a heavy paw. She whirled around, leaping upon her clumsy victim, who gave a yowl of shock as he was slammed into the ground. His flame-colored pelt, though heavily smeared with mud, seemed to nearly glow in the darkness, almost as much as her own snowy fur.

"Squirrelpaw," she hissed in her apprentice's face. "You're late."

"S-sorry," he gasped, clearly struggling to draw air as she kept her paws pressed against the base of his throat. "Crouchstar put me on moonhigh patrol."

"Crouchstar," she repeated, remembering her former apprentice. "Oh, yes. I believe he could be very useful. If he proves difficult to work with...well, hopefully you can manage what I could not. Let's begin our training."

\* \* \*

"Faster!" she snarled at her apprentice as he dove under her, claws slashing at her underbelly. She dropped on top of him and rolled, flattening him beneath her, feeling a burst of anger at her own victorious move.

*He needs a lot of improvement!* Perhaps he'd learn faster if things got a tad more . . . real. As she twisted off of him, she plunged her claws down, raking them across his shoulder before he could get up. Squirrelpaw gave a shriek of pain and stumbled to his paws, flanks heaving. He fixed his gaze under her once more, and as she flattened herself to protect her belly, he leaped onto her back, digging his claws into her shoulders. She felt a surge of satisfaction at his success, but still dropped to the earth and rolled, crushing him under her once more.

"All right, get up," she spat after rising to her paws. He stood, stumbling slightly.

"You need to be more prepared for unexpected moves. If your enemy rolls, roll with them. If they slam into you, drop all the weight out of yourself. Let them push you, then take the opportunity to fling them away and pounce. As for them dropping on you, you're just going to have to be faster." He nodded, taking in her words with eager, battle-hungry golden eyes.

*Oh, yes. He belongs here. Just like I do.*

"I think we can take a turn practicing with another one of the apprentices," she meowed. "Follow me."

\* \* \*

Moonleaf clenched her teeth as Squirrelpaw slipped back to her side, blood streaming from multiple wounds. He had just lost a skirmish with one of the older Dark Forest apprentices, with all of the other mentors observing the fight. "What was that?" she snarled at him. He parted his jaws indignantly to respond, but she cut him off. "It was *embarrassing,* that's what it was. You fought like sickly kit."

Squirrelpaw hung his head, looking as though his mind felt just as defeated as his body. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I wasn't ready....all those cats watching me..."

"Yes, and when you're in battle, everyone's going to avoid watching you," hissed Moonleaf sarcastically.

**WIP while I make the pages for the OCs that are to be included in this**