Darkenberry and Mistlight went yowling for the two kittens. The smoke cat turned her head and stared at them. Darkenberry let out a hiss while Mistlight went to retrieve her apprentice from the churning waters. The smoke cat narrowed her eyes and with a yowl flung herself at Mistlight dragging her away from Hollypaw. "What do you think you doing?" spat Mistlight. "I am trying to save my apprentice." Mistlight snapped. "She should be able to fend for herself. If she can't then she isn't any use to us." "Then she won't be a use, but she is not drowning if I can save her." snarled Mistlight. The smoke cat retreated and let Mistlight fish Hollypaw from the river. When she turned around for Darkpaw he flinched away. "What is wrong with you? I am trying to save you." Mistlight snapped at Darkpaw. "Well I don't need saving," snapped Darkpaw. "Of course you need saving. Let me help you up on the bank." "I don't need any help. I said that." he said again "Darkpaw you need help, you are only a kitten." interjected Darkenberry. "Now let Mistlight help you up so we can decide what to do." Darkpaw shook his head and swam further away. "Don't stop swimming." called the smoke cat. Darkenberry turned to the smoke cat. "Who are you?" he asked, "Who are YOU and what are you doing here," the smoke cat shot back. "I ask the questions," snapped Darkenberry. "Says who?" replied the smoke cat. "We have come on the orders of Cinderstar to watch and fetch Darkpaw. We are to bring him back to where he truly belongs." "Who says he doesn't belong here? He has learned more here than at home. The water runs off of his fur, like it would for any cat that belonged here. He and I are barely wet while, Mistlight is drenched in water. He fits in. He was the apprentice from the two that I got to choose. I chose him and I chose right. Now get out of the forest. Go back to your precious little clan. Stay out of the forest from now on. If you stay around or if you come back I might incorporate you into the training, and the cats around here aren't so merciful as your precious clan mates."
The spirit cat turned to look at the little cat charging towards her. She hooked her claws into Darkpaw's pelt and pulled him from the water. "Why should I do anything you say. He knows what will happen if he stops swimming, as I am constantly reminding him. He is fine, he has learned to hold his breath for a long time now, he has improved extremely well since he has started coming here. But you don't belong here." She looked at the siblings. One gray cat and one black. "If I don't belong then neither does Darkpaw." snapped Hollypaw. "You are blinded. You think that you and Darkpaw are inseparable, you think that everything that he does you do, everything he is allowed to do you can do. But it isn't. You weren't chosen to be here. We hand select each of our apprentices. We choose the very best. When I was at your camp, he chose to fight me to defend his clan like a true warrior would. While you just stood in the background letting the other cats do all the fighting.
"That's because my mentor ordered me to." "Why would mentor refuse to let you fight. Why would she hide you in the shadows. Why should she make you look like a coward?" "I didn't know any defensive moves," snapped Hollypaw, "Darkpaw doesn't know any either." "How do you know he doesn't know any moves?" "I know because Darkenberry hasn't taught him any." "Really, then if you both know the same amount of fighting techniques then it will only be pure luck on who wins. Fight Darkpaw. The best apprentice will be chosen to stay here as my apprentice." Hollypaw nodded. Darkpaw looked at the cat guiltily, knowing that he knew more because of the cat and that Hollypaw didn't know that he could fight. With a yowl Hollypaw flung herself at her brother. Darkpaw turned and slammed her down with a swipe, his training with Darkenberry making him stronger then his sister. With one last look he flung himself into the river. Hollupaw followed in suit and went sputtering below the surface.
"The spirit cat fled back to it's home in the dark forest." finished Darkenberry. Cinderstar considered then said, "I would like you Darkenberry to follow Darkpaw in his dreams. You can get the help from the medicine cat. Darkpaw must have met this cat in his dreams as he is with you every other time." Darkenberrry nodded. Mistlight and Hollypaw spoke up, "Hollypaw would like to join in. She thinks he brother will trust her more then his mentor at the current time. I agree with her and would like to accompany into the home of this cat." Cinderstar nodded. Then the 3 cats turned and found Darkpaw curled up in his nest in the apprentice den. The 3 cats curled up near the apprentice and they were thrown into the dark forest. They saw Darkpaw with a smoke cat. The cat blended in extremely well with the habitat. The cats signaled with their tails and crouched in the bushes to watch Darkpaw. They were just close enough to hear the conversation between the smoke cat and Darkpaw. Darkpaw nodded, when the smoke cat raced at Darkpaw. Darkpaw ducked then jumped up where the spirit cat had been standing leaving the spirit cat behind. The spirit cat nodded. "Begin your normal exercises." "Normal?" Darkenberry mouthed to Mistlight. Mistlight shook her head. Darkpaw flung himself into the river. The young cat began to swim up and down. Then the cat signaled with her tail. He stopped and turned to the cat. Darkpaw nodded again. The cat was apparently trying to get to the rock behind Darkpaw. The cat gave Darkpaw a shove and he disappeared underneath the water. The smoke cat gave a yowl and flung herself onto the struggled Darkpaw. Hollypaw gasped and sprinted towards the spirit cat yowling, "Get off of my brother!"
Mistlight lunged at Darkpaw again. Swatting at his ears. Darkpaw let out a hiss, and crouched. The orange and tan cat batted at the darker gray kitten's fur. Leaping into the air before being knocked from the sky. Darkenberry let out a hiss and lunged at the offending cat. The cat ducked and reared before snapping her teeth into Darkenberry's tail. The spirit cat lunged at Darkenberry, forcing him backwards with steady blows. Darkenberry fought back, before turning and snarling at his apprentice, "Help Us, are you a tree. What are you doing sitting there help us battle this invading cat." Hollypaw wasted no time. Hurrying forward to help the mentors. "You stay out of this," Mistlight snapped at her apprentice. "I didn't teach you any defensive moves, but give Darkpaw a shove in the right direction will you?" Hollypaw nodded and shoved Darkpaw towards the fighting cats. Darkpaw had to make a decision, help his clan mates, or help the cat from his dreams that had given him what he had wanted most. Fighting moves. Darkpaw raced over to the battling cats and made a split second decision. He would fight the shadow cat. Letting out a screech Darkpaw flung himself at the spirit cat. The cat turned to him, and flung him towards the river near by. He toppled over into the water, Darkenberry and Mistlight ran to help the young kitten. They were shocked to see the young cat swimming confidently through the water. With a yowl the spirit cat shoved Darkpaw in the side sending him toppling he fell sideways and heard the yowl of the spirit cat. "I told you before you have to keep swimming!" Darkenberry and Mistlight shared a look. "Before, what do you mean before?" they asked the cat.
Darkpaw turned and fled, he reached a tall brick wall and scrambled up it. "You think that a tiny brick wall will help you win the battle? Think again." Darkenberry let out a yowl and dashed up the stone wall. Darkenberry battered at Darkpaw with sheathed paws, making him edge backwards along the wall. When they got to the edge of the wall Darkenberry said, "Think you can fly do you, think you are a bird with wings? Think you can soar through the sky, let's see." Then with a sudden shove Darkenberry flung himself at Darkpaw, sending the tiny black cat over the edge towards the ground. The ground of course was covered with moss, so it was a safe landing but by the time that Darkpaw had recovered Darkenberry was on him again. Darkenberry let out a growl and clawed at the fur on Darkpaw's back. "If this was a real battle, then you would be running for home by now." hissed Darkenberry. Darkpaw let out a yowl and threw Darkenberry into the brambles. Darkenberry scrambled to his feet. "Well the tree training has helped. You are very strong except you have no planing. No strategy, no thought. You have a brain so use it. Predict what I am a about to do and try too stop me or get out of the way. Stop fleeing you need to make your own attack, you need to take the offense." Darkpaw nodded. "Hey Mistlight come here, I want to try a double attack." Darkpaw had barely registered what his mentor said when the two warriors leapt at him. "Keeping his night training in mind, Darkpaw curled in his tail, and used both his front and back claws. He caught Mistlight's ear and Darkenberry's tail, but both whirled around with fresh attacks. Darkenberry dived underneath him, while Mistlight jumped on top. Darkenberry pushed out with his feet and Darkpaw fell. Mistlight jumped down and stepped back, her eyes full of fear. Darkpaw wondered why, when he heard the familiar hiss. It was the gray and white spirit cat.
