Blank Slate

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The sun shone faintly down on the camp, casting its feeble rays over Slatepaw as he sat at the entrance to the apprentices' den, stiffly re-arranging himself before resuming his stone-still position.

Warriors jostled and pushed around Spruceblaze, itching to get on patrol and moving. He sat, arranging the warriors with an unreadable expression.

"Tigerthroat, you'll go to the PrickleClan border with Olivestem and Shortberry. Take your apprentice with you," he said curtly, flicking his tail to dismiss the calico she-cat. She dipped her head, waving her tail to summon the others and made her way out of camp.

"Want to go hunting?"

Slatepaw's head jerked up, but as he recognized Finchpaw's voice he relaxed. It sounded casual, relaxed, but that was forced; it thinly veiled a deliberate, carefully planned question.

Slatepaw stood up. "Sure," he replied lightly, matching her airy tone. He shook the dust from his pelt, sending a scrap of bracken to the ground, and padded towards the group of warriors. "We should ask our mentors," he meowed, beckoning her after him with a twitch of his tail.

She trotted over, motioning to Peonystrike. Slatepaw nodded, hurrying over to his mentor while Finchpaw mumbled something to Bumblepool.

"Can I please go hunting?" Slatepaw asked politely. She didn't say anything, though, just watched Spruceblaze through narrowed eyes. Slatepaw took a breath and shot out a paw, hitting her foot. She gave a start of surprise and he spun around to look as though he hadn't done anything.

She turned, scanning the cats suspiciously. She leaned forward. "Did you do that?" she growled to Slatepaw.

He turned, heart thumping. "Oh! Peonystrike!" he exclaimed, "I was looking for you. Can I please go hunting with Finchpaw?"

"Alone?" she hesitated.

"With Finchpaw," he corrected, though not rudely.

Peonystrike sighed. "Return by sunhigh," she said tiredly, turning back to the others.

Relieved, Slatepaw squeezed back through the crowd and broke out to see Finchpaw standing there, looking impatient. Bumblepool was with her. 

"Bumblepool wanted to come with us," Finchpaw explained. She almost rolled her eyes but seemed to restrain herself as she just blinked and gazed at Slatepaw.

He ducked his head. "Uh, sure," he agreed awkwardly. 

Bumblepool dipped her head. "Let's go," she meowed, and silently padded away.

Slatepaw trailed after her, Finchpaw at his paws. As he meekly followed Finchpaw's mentor, he felt hot breath billow onto his ear as a hiss sounded behind him, "We'll split away from her later." He nodded slightly, flicking an ear to make sure she knew he'd heard her.

As soon as they entered the forest, Bumblepool tasted the air, eyes filled with concentration. When she turned and opened her mouth, about to tell him what to do, he blurted out, "Uh, Bumblepool, I really need to make some dirt. Um, I'll see you later." He turned, whirling around and shooting Finchpaw a look that said follow me.

She mumbled something about wanting to go too and hurried after him. He heard Bumblepool mutter something before the crunching of bracken told him she'd padded off.

He spun around. "Let's go hunt now," he suggested, his words innocent and yet laced with meaning. Understanding filled his friend's eyes as she nodded, casually padding forward and brushing past a birch while tasting the air.

Slatepaw slunk after him, glancing around. He had to act, just in case somebody was watching; when they came to the border, he had to pretend it was accidental. He lifted his head. "I think I smell a squirrel!" he murmured - quite loudly - to Finchpaw, before pushing past her and trotting in the direction of the PrickleClan border.