Swimming is second nature ((Open))

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Walnutpaw scouted his surroundings, keeping silent in the shadows of the bush he crouched hidden. Unfortunately, his light brown fur didn't exactly blend in. Maybe mice are colorblind... he thought with slight hope. But he had made sure he was downwind, so any creature couldn't smell him.

Being as still as a rock was hard. Walnutpaw was continuously visited by the urge to flick his tail or knead his paws on the ground. But willpower forced only his flank to move faintly as he breathed. Suddenly, a thrush appeared a few feet away. Ears cocked up, Walnutpaw was a bit surprised and uneasy. He wasn't sure how to catch birds yet, but he decided to use the same technique. Keeping his weight low and light, the apprentice darted forward. But the thrush had already detected him the moment he made the bushes rustle and took off. Walnutpaw made a desperate leap, but his claws didn't even reach the thrush's wing-tip.
The young apprentice had lept a bit too far and the next thing he knew he had accidentally crashed intoHollypaw and both were now rolling down a slope.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw dropped low going after a vole, she jumped out and caught it easily with her small paws, she bit down and felt it die, she picked it up and headed back, she was a wonderful hunter, not so much a fighter, she was scared easily and yelped when ever a bush should move, she was not warrior material, she didn't think she ever would be. She set down her vole the amazing taste danced in her mouth but she was not tempted, she would not eat it. Hollypaw glanced around with her stunning green orbs and stalked off again, she spotted a mouse not to far away she dropped low ready to catch it when suddeny a thrush ran right in front of her racing away from something, Hollypaw only had time to give a confused stare before being tackled. Hollypaw yelped as she and Walnutpaw tumbled down a hill.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Finally, the two stopped rolling and gradually stopped. Walnutpaw was dizzy and sore all over.
"Ugh..."he grumbled, getting unsteadily to his paws. Shaking his head to clear that stars that spun in his vision, his eyes widened in surprise to realize that he had barreled into Hollypaw.
"Oh...erm I'm sorry,"he apologized, ducking his head in embarrassment.
"You're not hurt are you?"the tom meowed in concern.

[~Ravenpaw~]

~And i'll watched the Moonrise with my memories of you, And I'll watch the Moonrise till the day I'm gone too~

Hollypaw winced when she landed, she was trying to recall what had happened, she remembered going for a vole and then the thrush and then something hit her, she didn't know what it had been she had closed her she had closed her eyes after being tackled. She felt sore and rather light-headed, she opened her eyes and tired to get, big mistake as a wave of sickness filled her, her whole body shook, she needed to relax but instead she found only panic. "Your not hurt are you?" Walnutpaw asked, she glanced at him her eyes wide with fear, her breathing became ragged, it had been Walnutpaw that hit her, he was probably going for the thrush, she didn't know what to say, at first she shook her head, her head pounding with a headache, she got up feeling sick she sat down quickly. "I-I'm f-f-f-fine" She stammered a bit, her eyes looking around for thyme.

~And I'll try not to cry when your not here by my side, But I know that I will always love you~

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Uh..."Walnutpaw could tell she felt a bit woozy, and he didn't really know what to do. He glanced around, hoping to find something nearby that could help her. He suddenly spotted a brush of dark green leaves sticking out near the base of a oak tree. Padding over to it cautiously, he distinctly remembered seeing this plant before. He had been given it before when he first fell into the river during his first swimming lesson. He remembered feeling shocked and dazed by the ordeal and the medicine cat had given him this to chew on. It kind of relieved his nerves. The light brown tom couldn't remember the name of it, but he was pretty sure it was the right herb. Quickly grasping a leaf and pulling it out of the dirt, he bounded back to Hollypaw and set it at her paws.
"Here, this should make you feel better,"the tom mewed, trying to sound more hopeful than doubtful.

[~Ravenpaw~]

~And I'll watched the Moonrise with my memories of you, And I'll watch the Moonrise till the day I'm gone too~

Hollypaw blinked a bit, her head all mixed up and dizzy, her breathing was short and she felt utterly sick, she could hardly believe that she would be sick at a time like this, not here not with Walnutpaw, she had been like this since birth. Her mother always told her she was a little different, but she noticed it more and more, she couldn't help it, she acted different then her hyper and really active siblings, she was always sitting and staring out sheepishly, they ate alot, and she ate only a little, she was quiet and shy they were loud and excited, they hardly ever got sick, she got sick almost every other day. It had been Wildsong who had saved her from it, by teaching her about Thyme she learned that her sickness was from being over-scared it was rather quite funny but it was try, she panicked till she got sick. Hollypaw glanced at the leaves in front of her, "T-T-Thyme?" She asked, she could hardly believe Walnutpaw got it for her, it was like he was reading her mind, "T-T-Thank you" She said hazely, she picked up the leaves and ate them quietly.


~And I'll try not to cry when your not here by my side, But I know that I will always love you~

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Walnutpaw breathed a sigh of relief. When Hollypaw mentioned "thyme" the words rang a bell and he now remebered the name of the herb.
"Whew, good thing you're okay,"he breathed a sigh of relief, plopping down onto the ground and flicking his tail happily.
"I kinda remembered that herb. Waterlily gave it to me one time cause I was really shocked when I first learned to swim. Err, not really a fun time, but I guess it's a good thing or I wouldn't really know how to help you,"he meowed with a sheepish smile.

Suddenly, a huge rustling interrupted him and Walnutpaw whipped around, eyes wide in fear. He smelled a hostile scent he recognized as badger. No sooner, a stripped head followed by a sturdy body lumbered out of the bushes, it's dark eyes gleaming.
Panic made the light brown tom frozen in place. It was the first time he'd seen a badger before and it's long claws and baring teeth didn't exactly reassure him.

"Um...Hollypaw...there's a badger,"he whispered to his denmate, gulping.

[~Ravenpaw~]

~And i'll watched the Moonrise with my memories of you, And I'll watch the Moonrise till the day I'm gone too~

Hollypaw blinked, she ate up all the thyme and then let out a gentle breath, she sighed relaxing almost instantly, the feeling of sickness disappeared from her body, her shaking stopped, and her breathing returned to normal. The look in her once frightened deep green eyes transformed into a look of content, and utter calmness. Hollypaw glanced at him, "Really?" She asked, so calm she didn't even stutter, thyme was wonderful for cats with anxiety which Hollypaw did indeed have. "Thyme is the only thing that helps" She said. Hollypaw blinked and looked at the badger normally she would have been frightened out of her wits but with the thyme she had just taken she was far to calm to do anything, "Oh that's nice" She said gently.

~And I'll try not to cry when your not here by my side, But I know that I will always love you~

[*~Blazeheart~*]

((Lol XD))

"Um...Hollypaw. It's a badger"Walntupaw stressed, with a concerned and nervous glance at Hollypaw. He felt worried the least bit scared, or at least her voice was full of casualness which was strange. He, on the other hand, was terrified.
Is it because of the thyme?he wondered.

The badger swung it's head towards their direction and began to let out a low growl. Walnutpaw began to back away slowly, fur bristling in fear. His claws unsheathed and dug into the earth, prepared to fight for his life if he has to. But he had enought sense to register he'd never learned to fight a badger yet. Running away was the answer.

"Hollypaw, we gotta run," he hissed urgently, keeping his gray eyes on the advancing badger.

[~Ravenpaw~]

~And I'll watched the Moonrise with my memories of you, And I'll watch the Moonrise till the day I'm gone too~

Hollypaw tried to think about the word, the way Walnutpaw spoke it sounds important and scary, she tried to remember, tried to make sense of it all, fear was what she should be feeling, it was a... it was... it was a BADGER!! The words sent the earlier waves of calm packing. "B-B-B-B-B-Badger?" Hollypaw asked, she got up and staggered back frightfully, she became her normal frightful self after staring into the badgers eyes. Her fears brought back memories of the badger's den that had once been her home, and the fox that attacked them, her family, their screams, Hollypaw shook scaredly. "Y-Y-Yes" She stammered.

~And I'll try not to cry when your not here by my side, But I know that I will always love you~

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Walnutpaw was kind of relieved that Hollypaw regained her common sense and fear. But now she seemed as terrified as he was. Do badger's sense there fear, or smell their fear scent?
He wondered that for the badger seemed to have a glint in its eyes and bared its teeth as if it were smiling maliciously at the sight of two terrified young cats.

Walnutpaw began to back away slowly, hoping Hollypaw would do the same. He had to find the right moment to break into a run, but the badger was continuing to lumber forward. No telling if it'll charge forward the second Walnutpaw turns back.

Suddenly, the badger let out a roar that sent waves of shock down the apprentice's spine as it lunged forward. Instinctively, and with a yelp of surprise, Walnutpaw swerved to one side just as claws swiped the air where he had been a second ago.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw had began to back away scaredly, she froze when it swung a paw at Walnutpaw, she pictured him flying away and then laying hurt and she wouldn't be able to help him, she calmed a bit when she saw he had moved, he had moved to the side to avoid being hit, something Hollypaw was unable to do if it swung at her, she would be froze in place, she swallowed scariedly and looked up at the badger, what if it had attacked her, her stunning green eyes already full of fear widened even more, she hoped that it wouldn't attack her and she hoped that Walnutpaw would be alright. Hollypaw's small white and grey form shook with fear.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

The badger roared with frustration and turned its beady eyes towards Hollypaw and suddenly lumbered forward. Walnutpaw's eyes widened as he saw the badger go for Hollypaw. Instinctively and without thinking, he launched himself at the badger, landing on its back and digging his claws into its pelt. The badger let out a roar of surprise and tried to buck the light brown apprentice off his back, but the young cat held on stubbornly, clamping his teeth tightly in a half-growl half whimper.
He hoped the badger was distracted so Hollypaw could get away. Walnutpaw managed to scoare his claws down the badger's back, causing a deep wound in its flesh. It howled and twisted its head around, snapping its long teeth at Walnutpaw's leg. Teeth clamped air as the Mistclan apprentice managed to leap away in time, stumbling a bit.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw held a scream in her throat, she wanted to scream so badly when the Badger lunged for her, she almost did, but she ended up swallowing it with fear in her beautiful green eyes. Her whitepaw staggered back a bit as she tried to move away but ended up frozen, Walnutpaw burst forward suddenly it had been a shock to her almost as much as the badger, she shook violently, terrified. Hollypaw managed to move away even if just a bit, but far enough to be out of it's claws reach, "W-W-Walnutpaw" She stammered scaredly.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Run!"Walnutpaw yowled in reply, his eyes pale blue eyes full of fear and alarm.
"Eek!"
He quickly ducked as blunt claws swiped the air above him. Letting out a growl that was mixed with a whimper, he summed up his courage and lept forward, baralling into the bader's flank. It let out a yelp of surprise before turning its gaping mouth at him.
Leaping back in terror, Walnutpaw managed to get out of the way, but claws suddenly whipped by and grazed his shoulder. The apprentice let out a screech of pain as his light brown fur slowly seeped into a crimson color as blood flowed from the cut. Luckily it wasn't too deep but it stung like fury.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw nodded completely panicked she wanted to run but refused to leave without Walnutpaw, she gasped with horror when the badger attacked Walnutpaw she was worried but couldn't move away she wanted to run badly but to leave Walnutpaw behind, she couldn't do it again, she couldn't leave behing everything again, her family she would never see them again because they told her to run, she still didn't know if they were alive or not. Walnutpaw was alive but he was hurt, she wanted to help him, "W-Walnutpaw!" She said attacking the badger hoping to distract it.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

The badger swung its head around, growling as Hollypaw attacked him. Walnutpaw was amazed by her ferocity but he had to concentrate on the badger. Hissing, he lept in and clawed a pawful of fur. Blood spurted from the wound he made, making the badger trample around and snap at his assailents in vain. Luckily, fear made Walnutpaw dance around the snapping teeth and avoid the blunt claws. But he in turn wasn't causing enought damage to drive the badger away.
We can't winhe thought desperately. Their only chance to survive was to run away. Creating a distraciton, the light brown tom became a blur as he quickly barreled into the badger's side, hard enough to make the creature stumble.
"Hurry! Let's get out of here!"he yowled, tugging Hollypaw by the scruff.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw was simply shocked that she had attacked the badger she closed her eyes as the badger turned it's head and growled at her, she expect to be attacked but the attack never came, she opened her eyes to see Walnutpaw tearing off fur from the badger, blood stained the fur as it opened up a wound, she breathed slowly, she became fearful that her breathing would stop entirely as she felt her pounding heart start to skip beats, she felt light headed and dizzy, her eyes threatening to close as she felt close to a faint, she was torn from this by Walnutpaw tugging at her scruff, she nodded and started to get away with him.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

Walnutpaw dashed towards the direction of camp in full speed. He could hear the badger let out a roar and trample after them. Though it was slower than them, its massive body and endurance was enough to keep the young apprentices in sight. If Walnutpaw even stumbled once or stopped one heartbeat to catch his breath, those snapping teeth would surely pierce him. His breathing became ragged as he continued to sprint, his muscles screamed in protest to stop, but fear and adrenaline drove him on. He hoped Hollypaw was okay, for he could feel her presense nearby but she seemed tired too.

Suddenly, there was a burst from a nearby bush and a blur of silver shot past Walnutpaw and hurl itself at the badger behind them. The badger reared up and snarled in surprise which was echoed by another snarl and hiss of a cat. Walnutpaw whipped around to see a long-furred silver and white she-cat battle the badger ferociously.

The she-cat weaved gracefully to one side as teeth chomped the air where she had been. Her silver claws slashed at the badger's shoulder, causing crimson blood to splay out of the wound. The badger howled and reared up to crush the Mistclan cat to death. But instead of dodging, the cat took her chance and lept forward, driving both her claws down its unprotected belly and sending the badger hurling back. The badger roared in pain, trying to get to its paws. The she-cat let out a terrible snarl and a hostile gleam in her frosty blue eyes caused the badger to hesitate. The she-cat lunged forward and cuffed the badger across its muzzle. Too weak and fed up, the badger backed away with a snarl and lumbered away. The warrior watched the badger retreat until it was out of sight before turning back to the two apprentices.
"Are you alright?"Tundraheart asked.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw was so frightened she kept on running while the badger chased after them, her muscles cried out with pain she wanted to ignore them, but she was tired and panicking once again and the Badger was not helping. She slowed and screamed when a silver blur ran at the badger, the blur transformed into a cat before her very eyes. Hollypaw watched with fear as the she-cat faught bravely against the badger, the she cat was none other then Tundraheart. Hollypaw felt sick and dizzy once again, she watched her vision blurring at some parts and her throat ached for water, her muscles tired from running, "Are you alright?" The warrior asked, Hollypaw opened her mouth to answer, but ended up crumbling on her side passed out.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Hollypaw!"Walnutpaw called out urgently as the young she-cat fainted. He began to panick and his fur bristled in alarm as he crouched down and nosed Hollypaw with agitated motions.
"Are you hurt? Wake up!"he pleaded, almost starting to cry as he teared up.

Tundraheart rested her tail on the young light brown tom's shoulder comfortingly. She slowly bent down and examined Hollypaw with calm blue eyes.
"It's alright. She just passed out from exhaustion. We'll carry her back to camp and let her rest."the gray and white warrior meowed. She hoisted the listless apprentice onto her back and turned to Walnutpaw.
"Come on, let's go. You should rest too, you had a rough day. I'll let Twilightstar know about the badger,"she mewed, with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Okay," the tom sighed, realizing he felt almost as tired as Hollypaw.
"Oh wait, the fresh-kill!"he suddenly remembered, quickly bounding towards where he and Hollypaw buried the mice. He quickly dug them out and carried them by the tails with somewhat of a proud strut.

Tundraheart had a glint of amusement at the young apprentice before following after him.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw felt a nudge a panicked voice, she missed it, no she couldn't, could she, she tried to wake but the darkness call was stronger, she faded again feeling herself be picked up, not like that was hard, she was really light. She felt herself fall asleep.

Hollypaw opened her stunning green eyes, she blinked a bit and looked around the field quietly, "I am here again" She said softly, blinking off vancantly, she padded a little was away and came into a mysterious hollow filled with shimmering and glowing orbs that seemed to dance around like stars in the night sky, in the center was a small extrodinary pool filled with stranger green water. "Welcome Hollypaw" A gentle voice spoke, Hollypaw would know that voice anywhere, she turned her white and grey head towards a starry tiger-stripped cat with soft green eyes, "W-Wildsong!" Hollypaw cried happily, then her face fell, "Am I d-d-dead?" She asked, could someone die from fainting. "Of course not, I just wanted to talk and make sure you were okay, your only dreaming" Wildsong assured her, Hollypaw nodded a bit, "I m-missed you" She said, Wildsong purred, "I know you do Hollypaw and I am sorry I can't be with you" Wildsong said softly, Hollypaw smiled gently. "I am glad to see you enjoying yourself, minus the badger" Wildsong chuckled, Hollypaw nodded, "I like Walnutpaw, h-he is nice" She said. Wildsong nodded, "I will talk with you again" She said. "Wait! Please don't leave me!" Hollypaw cried.

"P-Please don't go" Hollypaw jerked awake, her eyes opened franticly as she looked around.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Great! You're awake!"Walnutpaw meowed happily with ears perked up to see her green eyes snap open.

"P-Please don't go"

"Go? I'm not going anywhere,"Walnutpaw replied with head tilted curiously at her sudden outburst. The den was still streaming full of sunlight from the afternoon sun, creating warmth in the apprentice's den. The light seemed to make Walnutpaw's light brown fur look golden.

"Here, you're probably hungry,"the tom mewed, using a paw to nudge a mouse towards Hollypaw.
"It's the one we caught remember,"he explained, his pale blue eyes shining.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw blinked and looked around the den, she was so tired even though she had passed out, she did that alot, she looked at Walnutpaw he wasn't going anywhere had he heard her, had she spoke outloud. She looked at the sunlight and sighed a bit, she missed Wildsong so much, she had been her best friend, almost like a sister to her and it was her fault that she was dead. Hollypaw let a single tear fall before hiding the rest away when Walnutpaw placed a mouse in front of her, "T-T-Thank you" She stuttered a bit, she stared at the mouse her eyes only a bit sad, she looked at Walnutpaw, "D-Did you e-eat anything?" She asked.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Yup, it's good,"he meowed, smiling kindly. "We make pretty good hunters,"the light brown tom mewed, his chest puffing out proudly.
"You were out since sunhigh,"the tom mewed, a worried look replacing the pride in his eyes.
"Tundraheart said you just needed rest and carried you here. Thank Starclan your okay,"he meowed in relief, flicking his tail.

"That badger was scary, but at least we're alive."

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw smiled a bit and took a bite of her mouse it was lovely after feeling so awful. She nodded they were good hunters, she was glad she at least had one skill. She blinked a shocked look flashed in her stunning green eyes, "S-Sunhigh?" She stammered, she wondered what time it was now, how could she have been out for so long, it really only seemed like a a few minutes, her talk with Wildsong had really been that long, her heart broke as she recalled she had wanted to talk longer, her ears folded back and it took away her hunger. "Y-Yes I am O-okay" She meowed hesitently, "V-V-Very scary" She smiled sheepishly.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Yea, I don't want to meet another badger anytime soon,"he continued with an eager nod, eyes wide. The badger's teeth and claws were still fresh in his mind, which made him shiver a little.
"I thought you wouldn't be scared of badgers though,"the light brown tom mewed, nudging Hollypaw gently with his tail.
"Didn't you used to live with them?"

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw nodded a bit, she hoped beyond anything that she would never, ever see another badger again, she shuddered a bit, how terrifying it had been, to think she used to live in a badgers den, but it had been abadoned for a long time, not a badger in it for a long while. "No, I lived with Razzle, Frix, Mona, Twizzie, and Hunter my brothers and sister, and Snow my mother" She said, "We never saw a badger that was my first one" She said, then thought of them again, she was sad, and she missed them alot, even if they picked on her all the time.

[*~Blazeheart~*]

"Oh, I can't imagine myself living in a hole forever,"he mewed, shaking his head.
"I'd go mad,"Walnutpaw conceded.
"So are you feeling well enough to come out of the den? It's still daylight and I don't think our mentors would let us lie around, even if we fought off a badger that would've threatened the Clan,"the light brown tom suggested, with a light tone of teasing. He got to his paws and gave his fur a vigorous shake, making it puff out a bit.

[~Ravenpaw~]

Hollypaw chuckled a bit, slightly nerved, she loved her home, and it wasn't much of a hole, they were only there at night otherwise they were outside having a grand old time. She missed her home, alot more then anyone can imagine, sometimes she was even homesick, but she belonged here with the clans, she was far too different from her family, she was more like Greyback, her father. Hollypaw sighed gently, if that fox hadn't come she wouldn't have even been here, but it wasn't that bad here, now that she had a friend who survived a terrible fright with her. Hollypaw glanced at Walnutpaw and wondered if he knew what it was like to be so far away from the place she once called home. "Yea I think I a-am okay" she meowed getting up, she sat up sluggish at first, she glanced towards the entrance with her stunning green eyes and nodded again ready to go.