Frogclaw glared at the piece of coral...
It was mocking her, it was about to strike, but she had to make the first move! She waggled her hindquarters and then pounced with cat-like reflexes pulsing ready to go. Warrior’s blood pulsed through her body, she knew, no matter what her mother insisted.
She bit into the piece of coral, it grinding against her stone solid baby teeth. She forced her jaws as closed as they could go before the piece of coral slid from between them and flew away, propelled by the force of her will.
She held her head high; the enemy had fled!
“Frogclaw,” a dreary voice came, “what are you doing?”
She looked back to see Blizzardshade approaching along with Morningwing.
Morningwing giggled, “You look so silly playing by yourself like that.”
Excited, Frogclaw invited them, “Won’t you play with me? We can battle all over the seas just like Papa and Petalflutter and Roansplash!”
The hatchlings exchanged glances. Morningwing rolled her eyes and Blizzardshade chuckled.
“That won’t be our duties,” Blizzardshade reminded her.
Morningwing added, “As daughter to the deputy, I’ll be training to take lead when there’s doubt or lack of command.”
Blizzardshade nodded and added, “Which, let’s face it, will be all the time if you’re really going to succeed Mintflower.”
Frogclaw wrinkled her nose, “Shut up! I don’t want to be like her, I want to be like Blueleaf! I want to travel and fight and bring back all sorts of exciting things!”
“That’s no life,” Blizzardshade insisted, “always hurting and aching and worried you might get killed off....”
“You’re just a weak coward!” Frogclaw declared and turned and pranced away from her peers, looking for something else to do.
Blizzardshade and Morningwing exchanged worried glances.
