Bluefur's Choice

Watching and Waiting

The night watches were getting tiresome at this point, Bluefur reflected as she trotted toward the camp. As much as she joked about it with Lionheart and Rosetail, with the amount of vigils she was being assigned she wondered if it truly was Thistlestar's plan to get her too exhausted to object to his decisions.

But for the first time in several days, she was not keeping watch, and would get a good night of sleep. Bluefur was looking forward to it. While cats who kept watch were reasonably expected to nap the next day, she couldn't help but think that Thistlestar was using it to make her look like she was lazing about the camp much of the time. Thankfully though, if that was his aim it hadn't worked. No cat ever objected to her napping- it was widely known that she had taken many night watch shifts recently.

Dusk was falling as Bluefur carried her cache- two rabbits, a squirrel, and a vole- into camp. She had hunted most of the day, and knew her Clanmates would be pleased by the amount of prey she had managed to bring home. On the way through the gorse tunnel, she nearly collided with a smaller cat, and skidded to a halt.

"Sandpaw," Bluefur meowed.

"Yes, Bluefur?" Bluefur narrowed her eyes at the young she-cat's innocent expression. "Fine." Tail drooping, Sandpaw began to trudge back to the apprentices' den, not even bothering to make an excuse.

Bluefur sighed. She really needed to have a word with Stoneclaw. Sandpaw hadn't tried to sneak out since Bluefur had confronted her, but that apparently was not going to stop her from going out without telling other cats during the evening.

She couldn't help but wonder whether Sandpaw would have been like this if she'd had denmates. Bluefur recalled Robinwing's and Willowpelt's deaths with a pang in her chest. If the two she-cats had lived, Sandpaw would have had denmates. It must be boring being the only apprentice in the Clan, and part of Bluefur felt sorry for her. It was too late for another hunt, but perhaps... "Wait, Sandpaw." Dropping her cache on the fresh-kill pile, Bluefur padded over to the apprentice. "Has Stoneclaw decided on your lesson tomorrow?"

Sandpaw's ears perked up. "He's going to teach me the bird hunting crouch."

"Then let's get a head start. I'll show you."

Sandpaw looked up, shock apparent in her gleaming green eyes. "Really?"

"Don't make me change my mind and send you back to your den," Bluefur purred, amused by Sandpaw's surprise. The apprentice was looking at Bluefur as though she had grown wings; Bluefur knew she had a reputation of being the stern senior warrior amongst the younger cats. "Crouch down like this." Bluefur flattened herself to the ground and lowered her tail.

Twisting her ears, Sandpaw copied her.

"Keep your tail low," Bluefur instructed, waiting for Sandpaw to make the adjustment before continuing. "Now stalk forward like this." Keeping light on her paws, Bluefur trotted a few paces.

Sandpaw crept forward, her tail-tip twitching.

"A bit faster. Be sure to keep your tail low, but also use it for balance." Sandpaw quickened her stride. "Excellent. Start again over there."

Keeping her ears pricked for anything out of the ordinary, Bluefur watched as Sandpaw made a few laps around the small part of the clearing, giving the young she-cat tips here and there. It was Longtail's night to keep watch, and as the stars blinked to life he padded past the impromptu training session with a bewildered glance.

After a while Bluefur had seen enough. "Well done. Stoneclaw will be pleased."

Sandpaw let out a mrrow of laughter. "He's going to be so confused when I get it on my first try."