Orchidfrost's Trials

Chapter 12

    The guilt that followed Orchidpaw from the abandoned twoleg nest to her den was palpable. How could she just leave him like that? The white she-cat hardly even remembered to take the dirt-place tunnel in her distress. She stumbled into camp, barely making an effort to keep her presence unknown.

    She pushed into the apprentices' den then stopped dead in her tracks. Twilightpaw's great big amber eyes blinked at her from the warm darkness. Orchidpaw tried to replace her look of guilt and regret with one of innocence, but she could tell Twilightpaw caught on. The way he tilted his head at her showed he knew something was up.

    Before Orchidpaw could get a word in Twilightpaw stood up and walked up to her, speaking softly, "Couldn't sleep?"

    She nodded and allowed him to guide her to a nest in the center of the den; it was always the warmest part. He settled in the same nest and rested his chin on her shoulder.

    "It's okay, me neither," He mewed, "but I was a little worried when I woke up and you weren't there."

    There was something in his tone of voice that alluded to relief. Orchidpaw assumed he was relieved she actually returned and was unharmed. She began to purr softly at his thoughtfulness, this was exactly the kind of support she needed after the night she'd had. She gave the tom a lick between the ears to express her gratitude and laid her head on her paws.

    Welcome sleep began to lap at the edges of her consciousness when Twilightpaw whispered something to her, and what he said made it clear he believed she was already asleep.

    "I'll get control of it for you, I promise."

***

    Orchidpaw hissed as a cold paw made sharp contact with her muzzle. She looked up, bleary-eyed, at Pansyswirl glowering down at her. The sandy she-cat hit her again on top of her muzzle and left the den.

    This was routine for them. At first, it had shocked Orchidpaw, but she soon grew accustomed to it. She assumed it had to do with waking Orchidpaw up while letting Twilightpaw sleep.

    Twilightpaw! She looked behind her, at the spot where he'd fallen asleep last night. He wasn't there; he was in the exact same nest he'd been in when she'd returned from her meeting with Bearpaw. Something in Orchidpaw's stomach sank. Had she dreamed him telling her everything was okay?

    Orchidpaw sat up in her nest and twisted her head around to groom the scraps of moss from her long pelt and saw something. A few dark hairs stood out on her light fur. She bent down again and sniffed at the moss. Twilightpaw.

    He had comforted her last night! It wasn't a dream! His actions warmed Orchidpaw's heart and she exited the den with a smile on her face. Pansyswirl was waiting for her, but something wasn't right; it was much too bright out.

    The sky told her the sun hadn't broken the horizon yet, so why was it already so light outside. The second her paw crunched on the ground she knew the answer.

    It had snowed.

    Kit-like glee surged up in Orchidpaw as she shot into the clearing, sending up a spray of cold, white powder as she went. There was only a thin layer covering the clearing—it barely covered her paws—so it must not have been snowing for too long. This didn't matter to the giddy apprentice; it was her first snow, and she was euphoric.

    Suddenly, paws slammed into her flank, and she was pinned to the ground by Pansyswirl. Orchidpaw tried to squirm out of her grasp, but her larger mentor easily overpowered her.

    "You pathetic piece of fox dung," she hissed into her ear. Her breath was hot, and fowl smelling, and Orchidpaw tried to pull her muzzle away, "what warrior loses all control of themselves like that at the sight of a few snowflakes??"

    Orchidpawfelt claws begin to prick at her skin, and she whimpered, "Cinderstar must hate me if he gave me the most worthless apprentice imaginable-"

    "Pansyswirl, what are you doing?" Raccoonmask asked, coming up behind Orchidpaw's mentor.

    Pansyswirl instantly let go and spun around to face the black-and-gray warrior. Orchidpaw scrambled to her paws and expected Pansyswirl to stumble over herself, maybe stutter—like she, herself often did—but when she responded her tone was light and pleasant. Maybe even with a hint of humor.

    "Oh, Orchidpaw and I were playing in the snow a little. It's her first snow, right Orchidpaw?" her last sentence almost sounded like a threat.

    "Y-yeah! W-we were p-playing a-a ch-ch-chase game a-and she caught me!"Orchidpaw replied hastily, hoping she sounded believable.

    "Well, I suppose that means it's Twilightpaw's first snow, too! I'll go wake him," Raccoonmask padded over to the apprentices' den, and disappeared inside.

    "Breathe one word about what happened," Pansyswirl's voice sounded in Orchidpaw's ear, "and you'll regret being born."

    "Snow?!"Twilightpaw's muffled cry came from their den, and he shot out in a flash of dark brown.

    Pansyswirl stepped on Orchidpaw's paw and jerked her head in Twilightpaw's direction. The message was clear: Act normal.

    Orchidpaw nodded and bolted after her friend, chasing him around in the snow. She wasn't sure why Pansyswirl told her to go play immediately after scolding her for it, but she decided not to worry about it and just enjoy herself.

    She followed Twilightpaw as he sprinted out of camp and tackled him to the ground.

    "Cold!" He squealed as he plummeted into the freezing snow.

    Orchidpaw tumbled off him and sat up, shaking snow out of her pelt. "L-looks like I-I'll be th-the better s-snow hunter!" She mewed proudly, looking at how her paws almost disappeared into the ground below them.

    "Speaking of, we might want to wait for our mentors to catch up," Twilightpaw stated reasonably.

    Orchidpaw's good mood evaporated at his words. She knew Pansyswirl wasn't very fond of her, but she'd actually hurt her this time. The thought of spending the rest of the day in Pansyswirl's company chilled Orchidpaw far worse than the cold weather.

     Just how far would Pansyswirl go to have what she deemed the "ideal" apprentice?