Caɾղaցe Ɱօօղ ~𝙰 𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌

44 🌙

"Eager to train since you've been gone, I see." Her acting mentor said awhile later.

Crescentpaw awkwardly meowed, "Um, yeah."

Get to it already. I know the real reason you sent Cheetah out on a hunting patrol. To lecture me.

Wet fronds shivered beside them in the early breeze, shaking droplets onto Lagoonstripe's fur.

"Look, Crescentpaw." The Riverclan warrior avoided her gaze at first.

Here it is.

Lagoonstripe's long limbs stepped over some dislodged stones carefully, her shoulders rising and dipping as she expertly maneuvered Riverclan's wet terrain.

"I'm proud of you for what you've accomplished already." Lagoonstripe surprised her by saying.

"And the fact that you're still willing to train without the promise of your warrior name, well... that's admirable for a young cat, no one can deny."

Crescentpaw felt the warmth of her praise falter. The end had slumped her pride.

"Yeah..." But just because I don't ask for my warrior name doesn't mean I don't want it. She couldn't hide the frown that showed on her face now.

"The problem is you've got to tell cats what you're planning. You know that if you had died, most of us would've never gotten to say goodbye?"

You wouldn't let me go if I told you. Crescentpaw wanted to argue with her replacement mentor. The words were simmering on the edge of her tongue.

Yet something told her that if she tried, Sootface and Jadestar would also stand in her way. It was hard for the tabby apprentice to bite the words back.

You wouldn't let me join the Starclan journey last night when I openly asked! Riverclan's late greenleaf forestry blurred out of focus around her. She nearly slipped on some wet stones.

Well, she hadn't really asked to join. She had moreso demanded to go on her own. Still.

Older cats just don't get it. The Riverclan apprentice almost rolled her eyes, despite understanding what her mentor was telling her.

"Yes, I'm sorry." She swished her dark tabby-and-white tail and left it at that.

"Good. Let's make our way to the training ravine."

Lagoonstripe didn't ask for a promise; and thank Starclan she didn't. As soon as I get the chance, I'm slipping away.

~The training ravine~

Crescentpaw was taken for battle training with her acting mentor. She was quick and efficient at first; only messing up in more advanced areas. But whenever she had to be corrected, she felt that time slowed down. Which further frustrated her and caused her to falter.

"You're tired? Or distracted." Lagoonstripe meowed knowingly with an interrogative gaze. She sat back, ending the fast-flowing battle training.

"Uh, both. Sorry..."

"You want to talk to Tinypaw and Cheetah?" the Riverclan warrior pricked her ears.

"I saw them come out of the den before you, saying they shouldn't wake you up after such a long journey. But then Quietdew woke you up anyways."

Lagoonstripe tipped her head, sharp green eyes intelligent and watchful. "And you fell asleep last night, so you haven't had the chance to talk to them alone."

"Yes!" Crescentpaw blurted, taking the opportunity and nodding eagerly. "I worried about them while I was gone, and I haven't gotten the chance to properly speak to them yet."

Please please please believe it please believe it please.

Look how sincere my face is looking see how sincere and truthful I'm looking? Crescentpaw rounded her eyes and sat with her paws neat and straight.

Her mentor nodded and then sat back.

"Don't pretend I don't notice things, like the fact that your fur was a hot mess this morning." Lagoonstripe chuckled. The she-cat's own fur was unruffled and neat, in a feminine way.

"I was an apprentice once," she smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Believe it or not. So that's how I could tell how you were feeling." Lagoonstripe blinked, as Crescentpaw stood still in waiting.

Close enough. "Yeah. Thank you, Lagoonstripe!"

"Okay. Then go, take your time and get it all out. I'll retrieve you later."

No you won't. But Crescentpaw still appreciated her mentor for this. It was better than having to sneak away.

As she turned to leap the ravine's margin, she stopped, hearing Lagoonstripe call after her again.

"I've sent them fishing with Racoonstripe near the Twoleg Bridge!"

Oh, right. Because Houndspots is injured.

She dug in her back paws and leaped out of the training ravine. The rain was brisk as she dodged past the trees.

If Tinypaw has to fish in front of Raccoonstripe then she'll be quite embarrassed. But at least the twoleg bridge isn't prone to wolf attacks.

More water splashed onto her legs as she ran. It's only a matter of time before one of us gets caught without claws. Surely it hasn't happened already, or some cat would've mentioned it by now. Crescentpaw rounded some overgrown bracken stalks and jumped off a short gully. She unfurled her paws from her chest before she hit the ground.

So how did my littermate get up a tree when the wolves were injuring Houndspots? Crescentpaw was going to ask her in order to find out. Could Tinypaw have run off and simply hid in a den?

She saw a fallen tree ahead of her next. It was a massive oak that had been torn up during the storm.

The she-cat raced beside it and pushed onward. She didn't have much time if she wanted to make it to the Moonpool before moonhigh.

Crescentpaw leaped over a ditch, paws slamming into the opposite rise and pushing off into a sprint again. Her tabby fur was soiled, completely obliterating the efforts of this morning's groom.

Oh well. She could always groom it again later.

She had a few questions to ask her sister. And this time she would make sure to tell Tinypaw her plan first, before any other cat.

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Lagoonstripe 🍃