Warriors: Silent

24

      Frostcloud and Buckheart sat outside the warriors den while Mosspaw played with Doekit and Duskkit. The apprentice tossed a small ball of moss for the nursery's youngest litter to fumble over.

   "Play with us!" Doekit called towards Dustkit, who narrowed his eyes upon the invitation. Slatekit, who sat next to him, didn't seem to even hear.

  "I'm too old for kit games." Dustkit stated with a dismissive wave in his tail.

  "Cricketlegs says you're never too old for kit games." Doekit returned. Frostcloud twitched her whiskers in amusement.

  Slatekit turned to face the warriors. "Teach me battle moves, Buckheart."

  Buckheart flicked his ears awkwardly. "You'll be apprenticed in a half-moon, Slatekit. Just be patient."

  "We should know now." Dustkit started, "What if there's an attack?"

  "Then you'll hide in the nursery with your mother." Dawnheart said with a warning in her tone as she approached the group.

  "Hello, Dawnheart." Featherkit mewed, poking his head from the nursery. Behind him, Shalekit's amber eyes glowed in the comforting darkness of the brambles.

  "Featherkit." Dawnheart returned with a dip in her head.

  "Then teach me a hunters crouch." Slatekit tried again.

  "No." Dawnheart answered for Buckheart.

  Littlepaw joined the group, sitting behind Duskkit and and Doekit, neither of who seemed to notice his presence. The damp fur on his lower legs told Frostcloud that he had been at the brook, probably hunting with Whitestar.

  "You'll miss being a kit." Mosspaw said, "Once you're an apprentice you'll be worked so hard all you'll want is your nest."

  "As if." Slatekit scoffed.

  "Just wait and see," Buckheart began to purr, "Riverpelt took me all over PineClan my first day as an apprentice. My legs had never been so sore."

  "And Crowfur took me out to climb trees." Mosspaw mewed, "My claws ached."

  "You had already climbed the nursery before then." Frostcloud teased. Mosspaw kneaded the ground fondly in response.

  "Whitestar took me to gather moss." Littlepaw came. Duskkit jumped so hard at his voice he came a mouse-length off the ground. Frostcloud could just barely stiffle a purr.

  "How do you expect to fight when you're so skittish?" Dustkit asked with a sharpness in his voice.

  "Leave him alone!" Doekit cried.

  "Being a warrior isn't all about fighting." Dawnheart said, "It's important to know your limits."

  Though, Dustkit and Slatekit hardly seemed to have heard her.

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  It was almost sundown when Frostcloud trekked back to camp with her hunting patrol, consisting of Riverpelt, Whitestar, and Leafear. In her jaws, Frostcloud carried two mice, their tails held firmly in her teeth. A light wind ruffled her fur, and overhead specks of clouds traveled steadily.

  She picked up her pace to match Riverpelt's in the front of the patrol, using her tail to touch her mother's back in greeting. Riverpelt carried a chipmunk in her jaws and couldn't voice her 'hello', but she caught her kits eye and the message was clear.

  Leafear pushed past the two and traveled a fox-length ahead of the duo, a squirrel hanging limply in her jaws. Frostcloud watched the rodents tail drag in the nettles. How scarce will prey become in leaf-bare? She couldnt help but wonder. Her only leaf-bare experience hadn't been too bad. There were so few cats in the Clan then that the prey shortage was hardly detrimental.

  The camps entrance came into view and the cats hiked inside. Frostcloud took her kills to the nursery, where Sunfur and Warmheart sat outside sharing tongues. She set the prey down in front of the queens and dipped her head.

  "Thank you, Frostcloud." Warmheart mewed before taking a bite of her mouse.

  "Yes, thank you." Sunfur nodded.

  Frostcloud began to pad towards Mosspaw and Littlepaw, where they laid in front of the medicine cats den, but was stopped short by Whitestar who broke her path. Frostcloud dipped her head in greeting.

  "May we go for a walk?" Whitestar asked, motioning his nose back outside camp. Frostcloud's heart lurched. What did her leader want to discuss? She cast a glance back at Mosspaw, wanting an answer, but she continued to talk with her brother. This time too, Frostcloud caught Dawnheart's yellow eyes watching herself and Whitestar from the shadows of her den.

  "Of course." Frostcloud got out eventually.

  "Whitestar!" Came Doekit, bounding towards the two.

  "Hello," Whitestar purred, dropping his head to press his muzzle into his daughter's shoulder. "I'm just leaving camp. I'll be back shortly."

  Doekit's ears dropped, "But you just got back from hunting."

  "I'll be back soon." Whitestar promised, and after a reluctant nod from Doekit, Frostcloud and Whitestar left camp. Right away, Frostcloud recognized the path to Dead Tree. Though Whitestar had yet to say what was on his mind, causing Frostcloud's mind to stray.

  She hadn't done anything wrong had she? She always followed the code! She never got in fights!

  It wasn't until the cats had reached their destination, and had perched on the dead trunk of the tree, did Whitestar begin. "How are you, Frostcloud?"

  "I'm- I'm good." She replied awkwardly, "How are you?"

  "I'm good."

  Frostcloud nodded and stared stiffly ahead. Littlepaw hadn't mentioned anything to her about Whitestar wanting a talk. Maybe Leafear had expressed her concerns that Frostcloud was given her warrior name too soon. Frostcloud's heart lurched at the thought.

  "I wanted to ask you about how you're feeling as a warrior." Whitestar said after a pause.

  Frostcloud held her breath. He was regretting his decision to name her as a warrior. Had she not been serving her Clan well enough?

  "I enjoy it." She said honestly. She loved taking care of her Clanmates. She cast a cautious glance at Whitestar, but his expression was difficult to read.

  He gave a light nod. Then turning directly to face Frostcloud he continued, "Why are you so nervous?"

  Frostcloud, flustered from the direct question, shook her head. "It's nothing."

  But the black and white-footed tom didn't turn away, and Frostcloud was quick to guess he wouldn't until he got a response. Frostcloud lowered her head, "I was afraid you regretted your decision to name me a warrior."

  "You don't think I can make an accurate decision?"

  Frostcloud's heart all but stopped, "No! It's not that! I just-"

  Just barely detecting the light, amused twitch in Whitestar's whiskers, the she-cat paused. "Frostcloud, how long had you trained as an apprentice?"

  She thought back, and not completely sure, "Seven moons?"

  Whitestar nodded, "Most cats are apprenticed for six to twelve moons, Frostcloud. You saved an old cats life. I've made the right decision to make you a warrior."

  Frostcloud breathed a light sigh of relief. She noticed something spark in Whitestar's eye upon his last sentence, but she wasn't completely sure as to what about it stood out. Of course he had made the right decision, he was her leader after all.