Little Bit of Practice [closed]

Beecloud was happy to take Rosepaw along on a patrol. It was difficult for many warriors to keep their paws moving in this dreadful weather for very long, and though his pelt was thick and dark, he was also very young. He had plenty of energy to spare on training apprentices, which was usually a grueling activity. Batbite deserved a day off, anyway. The sun was low; it was late afternoon. A few clouds covered the sun from time to time, but otherwise, long shadows cascaded across the treeline and behind the two cats.

"You have to be able to hunt in every part of our territory, not just the safe parts," Beecloud said softly as they meandered along to the northernmost part of ThunderClan's land. He often stopped them in their tracks to gaze upon a strange plant or examine an off-color scent. "And with this heat, mice and voles and things will definitely be hiding out in the Snakerocks. I'll be right next to you if anything happens. You just have to focus on hunting. Your dexterity and reflexes are going to be important... you're diving into crevices after mouse tails."

Snakerocks was eerily quiet, only the rustling of a few dead leaves in the hot breath of summer wind breaking up Beecloud's heavy pawsteps. He looked to Rosepaw, hoping he hadn't fraught her nerves too terribly by suggesting they hunt here, and took up a post at the left side of the mountain of stones, twisting his ears forward to listen for the faint scuffling of things below the surface. Their prey would surface very unwillingly, but when they would, one of the cats would hopefully be after it in a flash. All the while, Beecloud surveyed the ground for the flash of a tan, diamond-patterned snake.