Appledusk's Chance || UNDERGOING EDITING

Chapter 9》Maplepaw

    Applepaw watched the medicine cat entrance for a little while from in his warm moss nest. Knowing that the morning would soon arrive.
  After discovering that Russetstorm hadn't been taking care of herself, and that his father was still in critical condition a quarter moon ago; he was struggling with sleep.

He had tried counting minnows in a stream, getting up to grab food, training extra hard so he would be even more tired and just collapse into his nest, but nothing worked.
Applepaw was growing desperate, he had told Spikepaw about what he saw but Spikepaw was still resting better than he was.

The sandy-brown tom sat up in his nest once he saw the dark blue sky turn even the slightest shade of scarlet morning. He leapt to his paws and peaked outside, he was the only one awake right now. The apprentice tip-toed towards the fresh-kill pile, sniffing through it to find some breakfast.

It had become routine to do this, eat as soon as he awoke, because Rainwhisker would get him started on training as soon as his mentor opened his eyes. And he was hoping- no praying that tonight, he would sleep soundly for the first time in a week.
The sound of rustling reeds made Applepaw look towards the Warriors' Den. He blinked, surprised, when he saw Sloefur emerge. Sniffling, eyes dull and tired looking. Had the deputy been struggling with falling asleep too?

"Good morning, Sloefur." He meowed politely to the deputy.
Sloefur looked over, eyes stretched wide before they relaxed. Resting on the young apprentice. "Oh, good morning, Applepaw. Sleep well, I assume?"
He nervously chuckled, "yeah."
"I'm sure Rainwhisker will be pleased to hear that. He trains hard, huh?"
Applepaw nodded before finally grabbing a small fish and sat down, eating quickly as Sloefur approached and grabbed two fishes by their tails and walked to the Leader's Den.

  After a few more moments of eating in pure solitude, Shimmerpelt and Rippleheart purred as they emerged out of the den, giving a quick greeting to Applepaw as they grabbed some food and began to eat together, sharing the pike that Shimmerpelt had grabbed.
  Foxclaw stretched as he came out, licking his lips and blinking tiredly as he walked towards the Dirtplace tunnel, going in, his tail tip disappearing.
  Harethroat padded out of the Warriors' Den next, he seemed frustrated as Frostfoot sped walked after him. Slowing to a trot as the strong dark-ginger-and-brown patchy tom huffed. Frostfoot whispered something to him, pressing into him gently. Harethroat shook his head after Frostfoot spoke and muttered something as he walked off. Frostfoot watched before looking down sadly and heading back into the den.
  Milkfur yawned, shaking her fur out as she pushed past Frostfoot. Flicking her tail on Frostfoot's brown tabby flank before bounding excitedly towards the fresh-kill pile. Blinking happily at both Rippleheart, Shimmerpelt and Applepaw.

Most of RiverClan was already awake, but where was Rainwhisker?

"Good dawn-morning all!" Milkfur chirped, nosing through the pile.
Rippleheart looked up, smirking. "How are you doing, Milkfur?" The gray-blue silver molly meowed.
"As amazing as ever!" Milkfur purred. "I'm actually planning on asking Darkshadow something special today."
Applepaw looked up from the scrap of fish bones, whiskers twitching. A bit confused as Shimmerpelt gasped, her amber eyes round with joy.
A teasing tone sounded to the blue siamese's voice as she spoke, "What, you mean you and her weren't already a couple of lovesick doves?" All three she-cats exploded into a fit of purring laughter.

Applepaw sighed, burying his bones and blinking tiredly at Milkfur as he walked to the Warriors' Den. Where in StarClan's name was Rainwhisker? Milkfur's voice was growing distant as he poked his head into the den.

"Rainwhisker?" He whispered, a bit impatiently.
Mudbelly lifted his head, yawning as Perchwing stirred from beside him. Mudbelly's tired green eyes flashed in the darkness.
"Applepaw? Rainwhisker left camp ages ago. He wanted to test you or something of that sort." The muscular patchy tabby rested his head back on his paws, mumbling. "Check the training hollow." With that Mudbelly was back to snoring.
Applepaw muttered a quick thanks to the warrior and sprinted out of waking camp. Knowing he had kept his mentor waiting for a long time.