Moonlight ; random thoughts

Ocean Melodies

"Wavepaw, where are you?"

The apprentice groaned quietly, trying to not let her frustration show. That was most likely her father or her mentor; she decided to go with the latter. Pikeslash was probably the most bossy and stuck up cat in ShoreClan. Begrudgingly rising from her nest, she sulked out the apprentice den, sunlight lighting her gray face.

The large brown warrior was waiting outside, not looking very pleased. Dunepaw, another clan apprentice, was waiting beside him, looking nervous from the way he shuffled his paws. Wavepaw sighed, he really had to drag him into this, even if she didn't know him very well.

Pikeslash cleared his throat loudly before speaking, "since you two are they youngest clan apprentices, you'll clean out the elders nest today," he mewed. Dunepaw gave a tiny huff and looked at her with, surprisingly sympathetic look. The molly barely had time to decode it before Pineslash gave a nudge towards the elders den. "It's best you get started."

"Yeah, okay. My wonderful, amazing mentor." She added more quietly. The pair padded over to the elders den, which the entrance was woven with green tendrils.

A sturdy canopy of palm leaves were built in for the roof, letting in sunlight and warming the den. Their mentors must have left moss for them in the corner, she observed. Three nests were there, occupied by the three clan elders. Ottermask was picking out sand from between his claws, muttering to him. Baycrash was trying to smooth out his mate, Violetdapple. Ottermask looked up when they entered the den.

"Wavepaw, Dunepaw," he greeted friendly. "Come to clean out our nests? Was it bossy Pikeslash again?" The brown tom gave them a small grin.

Wavepaw couldn't help but give a toothy grin as well, she enjoyed talking to the elders, it was certainly a relief from the training with her mentor. She rolled her eyes, amused. "Yep, he said it's best we get started now."

Dunepaw nodded in agreement, not muttering a word as stepped towards Violetdapple's nest. Her ears twitched, was he upset with her? In all honesty, it wasn't her fault, if anything the large tom should blame their age, being only nine moons.

Wavepaw didn't linger over the thought too long as she crouched near Ottermask nest, unsheathed her white claws and pulling out the stale, green moss. She scrunched up her pale nose at the scent, working in silence, the only sound breaking the silence was the claws scraping against the bedding.

Finally, Baycrash broke the silence. "What's the silence for, apprentices? I know you have a voice, especially you, Wavepaw." His mate nudged the tabby, "don't be a crab pincer. Ottermask can tell a story, I'm sure you have a good one you haven't told."

"Ha!" He barked a laughed, startling the both apprentices. "Good idea, I think I have a good one to tell. Wavepaw and Dunepaw and can work while I tell it." The tom turned to the apprentices, "have I told you about Ocean Melodies?"

The gray molly gave him a curious look. "No, what's that?" She asked, genuinely curious. The young tom looked just as curious, piling up the dirty moss into a nest pile behind him. The other elders shifted into more comfortable position, their ears perked as they listened to his tale.

"Well, to understand I have to go back, when I was around twelve moons, still a naive warrior ready to serve his clan. I was sitting vigil for the night, the wind blowing the sand and the moon as bright and high in the sky. Suddenly, I heard a noise and  judging from where it was coming from, it came from the ocean." Ottermask began, his yellow eyes gleaming.