Aspenleaf's Duty

Chapter 20

Aspenpaw raised her head from her paws and glanced around. Shadowpaw was in her nest again. During a cold spell over leaf-bare, she had awoken to see him shivering, his thin pelt no match for the icy winds that blew into the dens. She had simply shifted to one side and fluffed out her fur and waited for him to climb in beside her. Ever since, he had spent every night curled close to her. New-leaf had arrived but still he curled into her nest each night. She didn't mind that much. In truth, she had gotten used to it, to the point that she couldn't imagine him not being beside her. His tail had entwined with hers during the night. Part of her wondered if she should say something to him about it, but she found that part of her didn't want to untangle herself from him. There was something charming about him, in his own awkward way, and she couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm for all that he did, and his eagerness to make those around him happy. In spite of the way she had felt slightly nervous in his company in the beginning, she had found herself wanting to be in the presence of the young tom more and more recently.

It had been four moons since Tigerfang had begun telling Silverstar that she was ready for her assessment. Each quarter moon, he requested it again. Each time he had asked, the leader had refused.

She glanced around the den. Icepaw was curled tightly in his nest, his plush coat fluffed up and collecting moss from his nest. He had re-joined them in the apprentice den only a moon ago. While his movement was much better, his speed and strength were not what they had been. His back legs were weak still but every day seemed to make him a little stronger, even if it did leave him exhausted. Badgerpaw was sleeping in the nest in the centre of the den, stretched out on his back and snoring loudly. He was almost fully grown now, and his fully-grown size was massive. He was broad and tall and mostly muscle. Even when he curled up at night, he was almost too big for his nest. Across the den, Drypaw was grooming her plumed tail. The she-cat had not grown much since the day she had arrived. She was still lean under her fluffy pelt, and quite dainty in her movements, but the apprentices knew that she could outrun any of them, and even some of the warriors.

She caught Aspenpaw's eye and glanced at Badgerpaw as he snored before rolling her eyes. Aspenpaw gave a snort of amusement before getting to her paws. Beside her, Shadowpaw made a little snuffling noise as he opened his eyes.

"Oh. Awake, are you?" Aspenpaw mewed good naturedly.

"Evidently." He mumbled with yawn. "Your services as a nest warmer are no longer required."

She gave a purr of laughter before bopping him on the nose with her paw. "I'm going to get something to eat. Drypaw, do you want to come with me?"

"Sure." The tri-coloured she-cat hopped out of her nest and padded after Aspenpaw. As soon as they were out of the den, she nudged Aspenpaw's shoulder. "In your nest, again?" she mewed, her tone light and teasing. "Isn't he warm enough now leaf-bare's over?"

"Well someone's got to keep away his bad dreams." She replied, drawing a chuckle from Drypaw. "I don't know." She mused as they walked towards the fresh-kill pile. The dawn light was just creeping into the camp. The patrols hadn't left yet. "I can't explain it." She whispered. "I sort of... like when he's close to me. Is that weird?"

"Not at all." Drypaw's tail tip flicked. "You've got yourself a little crush."

"I do not!" scoffed Aspenpaw. "That's totally ridiculous."

Drypaw shrugged. "There's no mouse droppings without a mouse." She said picking up a blackbird from the pile. "Do you want to share this?"

Aspenpaw nodded settling down beside her friend. "Maybe I should tell him to go back in his own nest." She mumbled taking a bite of the bird.