TCL, Book Two

Chapter Twelve

-February 6th-
-Nightpaw and Daisypaw are 12 moons old-
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Nightpaw waited patiently, fur fluffed up against the chill as he sat beside the Great Oak.

   Leafbare hadn't been as bad as expected. The snow had come in short bursts, always coming an inch off the ground, before melting by sunhigh. No cat had gotten sick past a short cold or fever and the prey stock had been decent. Only a couple times did he remember going hungry for the night.

   Thank StarClan, he thought, though the cold weather was definitely not at an end. Snow is cool and all but I really miss warm sun and greenery. Nightpaw had grown a lot too. He reached up in height to the warriors and was even a little taller than Lizardstorm. His voice was finally starting to mature and when he stretched, he felt muscles flexing under his pelt. I can't wait to be a warrior.

   A flash of brown, ginger, and white, materialized out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see who he had been waiting for bounding in his direction, her leafy green eyes wide and excited.

   "Turtlepaw!" he exclaimed, getting to his paws and taking a step forward to greet her.

   "Nightpaw! I—" the ShadowClan she-cat began, but as she approached, her voice drained away and she slowed, surprise plain on her face.

   "What?" Nightpaw asked.

   Turtlepaw blinked and shook her head. "It's just, you've gotten so. . . It's just been awhile since I've seen you," she answered, her voice awe-struck.

   It had been awhile. When the temperatures began to drop, it had gotten too cold to come to the island, so one gathering the two had agreed in very brief interaction to postpone their next meeting for when it got a little warmer. Nightpaw hadn't attended the last gathering, but Daisypaw had returned with news for him that Turtlepaw was ready to meet up again.

   So now here they were. It had been almost two moons and both cats ad grown up since they'd last seen each other. Nightpaw shrugged. "Yeah, I guess we both have. I'll surely be a warrior next time you see me," he joked.

   Turtlepaw smiled softly before taking the last steps towards him until their noses almost touched. "Well, all the more reason to start on my next lesson, O Mighty Warrior," she purred, her tone teasing.

   Nightpaw took a step back and chuckled at her. "I see. Okay then, time to see how you've improved, and let's make sure you get to be a warrior already!" He recalled that Turtlrpaw had also told Daisypaw that Goosegaze and Ivyfang had become warriors the gathering before. She doesn't look as bothered as I thought she would, he thought. Turtlepaw hadn't gotten to be made a warrior with her best friends. The fact that she was still an apprentice made Nightpaw feel mad at her mentor for her, though he knew Turtlepaw didn't harbor resentment towards Fawnstep.

   He crouched down and Turtlepaw copied him. They both leaped at each other when they were ready, and immediately Turtlepaw dodged his attack, twisting around to grab his scruff while Nightpaw ducked and rolled to peel her off. Huh? he thought when Turtlepaw let go and skillfully leaped backward to pin him as soon as he rolled. Woah.

   Turtlepaw stepped back. "Gotcha," she mewed.

   Nightpaw rolled onto his paws. "Alright, alright," he mewed slyly. "Lets try out those advanced moves and see how you've improved on those," he suggested. Turtlepaw nodded and backed up, lowering herself into a crouch. Nightpaw crouched too and burst forward. Turtlepaw scaled him, and when he tried to turn to face her, her claws met in his fur. He spun, only to recieve pin-pricks along his leg, claw-tips pulling it out from under him and tripping him to the ground.