Perfection [ warriorcats fanfiction ]

iv.ii

Nightpaw saw something familiar in the distance, and her heart leapt. Puddlepaw noticed it too, and he began to move more quickly, not limping any more.

"I know where we are now," Puddlepaw said, grinning sheepishly. Nightpaw rolled her eyes, laughing. Everything was more funny now that she knew she wasn't going to die.

The two apprentices padded into camp. No cat ran up to them, wondering where they had been and why it had taken them so long to get back. It's like no cat noticed we were gone, Nightpaw thought, smiling, great. Nightpaw wanted to jump in sheer relief. I'm home, she wanted to yowl. I'm not dead! We made it back!

Her mentor met her eyes.

Silverleaf waited like a seasoned warrior who knew their prey wouldn't be able to escape.

Nightpaw found herself drawn to the silver and white she-cat, even though all her senses were screaming to her to run away. She held her head high, her strange jubilation disturbing her ability to think properly. You don't scare me.

"It took you long enough to find your way back," Silverleaf noted.

Nightpaw nodded. "Puddlepaw didn't know where he was going."

Silverleaf shook her head sharply. "No. Don't blame this on him. You should have asked for more information from me, or asked some cat to lead you to the training area."

Nightpaw flattened her ears. "Well, I'm sorry I got lost. But we found our way back here! We didn't get eaten by a badger!"

Silverleaf flicked her ears in annoyance. "I wouldn't have let that happen. I paired you up with directionally-challenged Puddlepaw to see how you'd solve your problem- and it took longer than I'd hoped- but I was there almost the entire time. You don't think I'd let two inexperienced apprentices wander the territory alone?"

Nightpaw shook her head. "No, Silverleaf." She looked down. "I'm-I'm sorry we didn't get to battle train."

Silverleaf almost smiled. "Battle training was never my intention for your first day as an apprentice. You should always see the territory first." Silverleaf looked up at the setting sun. "Go get something to eat."

Nightpaw found her way back to Puddlepaw. "She planned the entire thing," she exclaimed, "She wanted us to get lost!" Nightpaw couldn't help but smile. Now that the panic was gone, the relief came back, and she had to admit she had enjoyed most of her first day as an apprentice.

Puddlepaw blinked. "What?" He looked over at Silverleaf. "Wow."

Nightpaw shook her head. "I know. C'mere, she told me we should get something to eat."

Nightpaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile and chose a plump mouse for herself. As Puddlepaw was choosing his prey, she scanned the camp for her sister. After a moment she hadn't seen her sister's pale gray pelt, so she found a place on the side of camp to eat. Biting into the mouse, she was startled by frantic paw steps.

"Snowykit!" Dawnpaw wailed, running to Nightpaw.

Nightpaw twitched her ears. "What?"

"Snowykit can't see," Dawnpaw sobbed. "Snowykit's an imperfection!"