West Woods: Sliverstone's Destiny

5 -- Duskpaw

Breezepaw wheezed as Sliverpaw entered the den. "Pee-yew, Sliverpaw! Did Hollypelt take you to the carrionplace?"

The apprentice shook her head. "We were at the FireClan border, and it reeks!"

"Strong too," Breezepaw added. "So what?"

"I wanted to get to know the other apprentices," the silver she-cat proposed. "I got to talk to them while we explored, and they seemed cool."

"Okay, have fun," Breezepaw muttered and turned to nap, but Sliverpaw jerked on her tail.

"I want them to meet you!" She meowed, ecstatic.

Breezepaw flashed a look at her dark friend and agreed. "Fine, but first, I want all of you to rid of that stench."

"Done!" Sliverpaw replied, speeding out of the den to alert her new apprentice friends.

Nightpaw sighed happily, "She's one cat."

Breezepaw joined in with a light chuckle. "Yeah, I'll keep her."

· · ·

The six apprentices lingered in the shorter grass of the hunting grounds chatting amongst each other. Sliverpaw went to join Nightpaw and Duskpaw, but Breezepaw held her back. "Mind if I stick with you?"

Heart heavy with disappointment, the white-faced she-cat stayed back with Breezepaw, helping to introduce her to Dustpaw and Cottonpaw. "So what's it like? Watching us train all the time?" Cottonpaw asked, her flurry of fur dancing in the wind.

Breezepaw shrugged. "It's cool, I guess. Usually I see Duskpaw, him training by the dens all the time."

Cottonpaw's blue eyes sparked up in interest. "How's he?"

"He's pretty cool. Looks really strong, has a lot of power in his jumps," the cream apprentice rambled.

Dustpaw smirked, "Do you have a thing for him by any chance?" Sliverpaw froze. Knowing the cream apprentice's secret, she was afraid to see her friend's reaction, but Breezepaw hadn't flinched. She knew someone was going to bring it up one day.

She took a breath, shutting her amber eyes, "No.... And I don't like toms." Dustpaw and Cottonpaw exchanged worried looks, but returned with a gentle smile. The conversation went on awkward and random until sundown was beginning to emerge and the tired apprentices began to yawn.

Breezepaw looked especially glum, and Sliverpaw asked the matter, but she turned it down saying, "I'm just tired. I think we should head back." The other apprentices agreed and began to mope back to their den. Duskpaw stopped by the two cats before they left.

"Hey Breezepaw, can I talk to you for a bit before you go?" Duskpaw asked, passing a swift glance towards Sliverpaw as if telling her to leave.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Breezepaw answered as Sliverpaw said her goodbyes and headed unsteadily towards the undergrowth.

"Breezepaw..." Duskpaw started awkwardly.

"Yes?"

The dusty gray tom hesitated but pushed himself forward, "I've been watching you, and even though you have no mentor, you've seemed to have learned just as much as all of us."

"Nightpaw and I have been watching the mentors and sometimes Sliverpaw gives us training sessions in case we get into a battle or somethin'."

"Yeah... Um..." He stumbled across words. "I really like you, Breezepaw, and I—"

"Stop..." Breezepaw murmured, unable to be heard.

"I really hope we—"

"Stop!" She barked more firmly.

"I hope to be more than friends?"

Breezepaw's amber eyes burned with sudden rage. She lashed out at the tom, "Leave me alone Duskpaw, and mark my words: never speak to me again!" She fled from the area, leaving the dejected Duskpaw shaking in shock.