Fight or Flight :: warrior cats fanfic ::

» 7. flight «

      "Wake up." Otterpaw's eyes flashed open, startled. Above her, outlined by dim sunlight, was the huge black-and-white shape of Magpiepaw. Her fur was sleek and groomed, and she smelled of fresh-kill. "I told Fernpaw to wake you up a while ago, but I guess he didn't...," Otterpaw scrambled to her paws, looking out of the bush den.

      "How late is it?!" She began running her tongue over her pelt.

      "The sun just rose." Magpiepaw said after a moment of thought. "And," her eyes bright, "Pinerock is here today." Otterpaw nearly choked mid-stroke.

     "Pinerock is never here! Oh StarClan, I'm late on the one day that it really matters...!" Otterpaw abandoned the grooming task, making her way out of the den.

      "It's odd though, since he is the head mentor of Mistletoe League." Magpiepaw remarked, padded much slower after the dark tabby.

      "That's just his way of doing it, I guess.." Otterpaw sat down at someone else's half-finished mouse, which she figured was Kitepaw's. The ginger and white she-cat could never sit still long enough to finish a meal.

      "Yewpatch was there nearly every day in the Wasp League." Magpiepaw remarked, flicking an ear as a greeting to Minkpaw, who had padded up.

       "Otterpaw, your fur is a mess..." The yellow-eyed she-cat settled down next to her sister, beginning to groom the mussed up pelt.

"Do you know what we're doing today?" Otterpaw meowed between quick bites.

"We're supposed to go down to the river."

"The one over here by our camp or the creek that everyone calls a river?" Minkpaw asked, stopping her rhythmic strokes.

"The DrizzleClan/MarshClan border. It isn't far; I'm not sure why we're doing such a short walk today." Magpiepaw wrapped her tail around her paws. Otterpaw drew her paw over his whiskers, getting the last taste of her meal.

"Maybe we're hunting down there." She remarked.

"Ooh, I'll go tell Kitepaw. She loves when we go to the creek and river." Minkpaw got up, dashing away to the ferns that lined the small Mistletoe League camp where Kitepaw, Fernpaw, and Nettlepaw were playing mossball.

"Anyway, as I was saying, Yewpatch was there nearly ever day to help with our training. Isn't it Pinerock's duty to lead you guys?" The two looked over their shoulder as they heard quiet conversation of the mentors as the entered the small league camp. Pinerock was huge-- much bigger than Russetleap and Copperwing-- with a short, thick dusky brown tabby pelt. He had his head low so that he could mutter in Copperwing's ear, and she gave him a sour look.

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Otterpaw replied after a moment.

"Don't you ever just want to know?" Magpiepaw's sharp voice snapped the sleek apprentice back into focus.

"I mean... I guess..."

"Then why do you honestly think he isn't around? Seriously?"

"I suppose.. I mean-- I'm just.. Guessing.... That perhaps..," Magpiepaw nodded encouragingly, and Otterpaw continued on, "maybe he just doesn't want to be around us..?" The black-and-white she-cat gave some sort of a half smile.

"I thought so too." She murmured approvingly.

"Hey! Apprentices, listen up!" Pinerock called out, waving his tail. Otterpaw moved toward the tom, sitting so that she and the other apprentices formed a half-circle around him. The tortoiseshell Copperwing and dark reddish Russetleap sat to one side, and Otterpaw noticed how Copperwing glared Pinerock down. "I'm taking you all on a day trip down to the river border!" He announced.