HeronFlight's Mistake

Searching for nothing

Holding onto Anger
Is like Drinking Poison
And expecting the Other Person To Die
~ Buddha~

"Let all Cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath high rock!"
A grunt escaped the russet hued male as he turned over in his nest, savouring the last of it's fleeting warmth. The rustling of the other apprentices, CherryPaw, BlossomPaw and Frecklpaw, intruded Heron's failing attempts at turning and returning to sleep but Frecklepaw stuck a paw firmly in the male's flank.
"Let's go mouse-brain. If I have to be up at dawn so do you," he growled before moving out with BlossomPaw and CherryPaw. In the gathering sunlight, Heron could see the flash of his clanmate's fur as they gathered and his gaze hardened at the sight of the shimmering black pelt that belonged to his father. A series of cold knot tightened like gears in the pit of his stomach as he moved out of the den. Brilliant golden rays dappled the camp in warm honey coloured light. A gentle breeze was moving through the camp, bringing the brisk promise of leafbear. All the cats were gathered in the darkened glare of the steep stone ridge were HailStar stood, looking like a starclan cat against the solid grey stone. Mothkit, Mistedkit and MouseKit bounced to and fro excitedly whilst EagleKit and EmberKit watched jealously from the nursery. A smile tinged the otherwise serious male's features but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. Although he tried, he could never bring himself to long for his kit-hood.
"HeronPaw! HeronPaw! Me, Misted and Moth are being made apprentices like you, Frecklepaw and BlossomPaw!" The small white male kit chimed excited, bounding toward the male. His alabaster fur was fluffed accordingly, his eyes wide and excited. Aside the group say a forbidding looking EchoWhisker who continually cast worried glances toward the medical den were his apprentice, Rainpaw, was at work curing one of the unappreciative elders of an aching leg. HailStar raised his tail for quite and  much to his surprise, the excited alabaster fluff ball plopped down next to him along with the sleek hickory kit who sat on his other time, known as Mistedkit. The dawn wore on quickly as the regal carried on his discussion concerning the ebbing prey but it was clear every cat was edger for the bouncing kits to be made apprentices to see who could be mentoring through the harsh winter conditions ahead because that's when it was hardest. 

Despite the excitement, the russet male couldn't shake his thoughts but rather let them pull him under, like a stream pulling you further under until you can no longer see the sun and all is silent.  His thoughts drifted to his father and a cold feeling overcame him. His piercing green gazes, his sneer and his words. Oh the venomous words replayed in his head like a haunting echo. The shadow that was his father seemed to swell and ebb away around him and he blinking furiously trying to banish the vision. When he stopped his panic, a bright light evaded his thoughts like a light cutting through his muddled thoughts. The light seemed to shape and form until it resembled the slender frame of a snowy pigmented cat. A set of sapphires seemed to gleam from the center and after a few moments, rounded into sloped, intelligent eyes that fixated on him with a loving warmth. He froze, warmth washing over him to replace the cold that had robbed him of his warmth and peaceful facade. Words bubbled up inside him but died on his tongue each time he opened his maw. He wasn't meant to speak as it would appear so rather, he opened and closed his mouth like a beached wish with eyes as wide as moons.  A prodding started in his side and the light cat began to fade and even as he attempted to soundless call her back, he had already been dragged back to reality. Three very excited, fluffed apprentices greeted him with ear-to-ear grins.

"We did it Heronpaw! We did it!" Mousepaw beamed, bouncing on his paws and Heronpaw managed a smile through his dazed and muddled feeling. He felt as if he'd had three days of rest and sleep and his muscles seemed to scream for action. He rose to his paws and made for the camp entrance, leaving the bewildered apprentices and warriors behind. He ran for sometime, a path seeming to spring up under his paws they skimmed the ground. He found himself slipping through dense pinetrees that choked the sky threateningly until he came to an open clearing still heavily shadowed. The place felt cold, as if no warmth had ever touched the place but as he moved into it, he spotted his leader standing quietly watching the male with interest.

"Are you ready for training?" The leader chided with an air of superiority that made Heronpaw's inside blaze with blinded determination. He would have backed away, stammering an excuse to work on hunting once more though he was already well off on it. He could catch nearly any bird and he taken a liking to the catching of crows but only once had be really trained in fighting and that had been against Cherrypaw. The ordeal had been so embarrassing for the under-sized  apprentice he had avoided it at all costs. He had been running from another chance for his father to correct him on his fighting skills seeing as HailStar was fond of doubling their training sessions with Bloodpaw, his father's apprentice who seemed nearly as bitter toward Heronpaw as Darkpelt. 

"I can't run forever if I want to live much longer so...I guess I have no real choice," the red apprentice sighed and the leader offered a kind smile, a smile weathered with understanding and lined with respect for his apprentice. The sun filtering through the pine bows sent a shaft over the male, lighting him up like a flame. A shaft of light of the same nature had once sent his mother's bloodied body alight as well as she waited to be found. The two battered each other firmly, oblivious to the watchful set of sharp, murky emeralds staring at them from the higher branches of a pine tree above them. The cat was crouched, his powerful shoulders positioned forward to better watch the flame of a cat batter his mentor. A sickening grin was set on his shredded muzzle as he observed but as the sun angled toward him, as if on cue, he dissipated like a fog leaving behind only a faint hiss that melded with the breeze moving through the trees so neither cats below could detect it no matter how hard they strained.