[Deleted]

    The dark-furred she-cat awoke with a yawn, stretching out her slender limbs as she rose from her mossy nest to start the day. She felt rather groggy this morning, having not gotten any proper sleep till it was a good deal past moonhigh and even then she couldn't recall ever having fallen asleep in the first place. Still, she didn't really care about that now, today was a new day filled with excitement and adventures of all kinds! She couldn't waste her time trying to make up for lost sleep when there was so much to do after all. So, the small apprentice bounded out of the apprentice den without a moment of hesitation.

    It was only when she arrived outside in the middle of the camp that she realized that she was awake before most of her other clanmates. "Hmph, I guess I'll just have to wait for someone else to wake up then. That's fine, I'll sit here for as long as it takes," The dark feline muttered to herself in annoyance, already becoming antsy from the mere thought of having to sit still for so long. It was only a matter of moments before the she-cat had begun to pace, waiting impatiently for somebody to join her.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Nightstep[/smear:6f6f6f]

~~~~~~~~~

As the Dawn Patrol broke apart upon returning home from the early morning expedition, a certain tuxedo tom pulled away from his Clanmates. In his jaws dangled a blackbird, its neck hanging at a strange angle as the tom carried it through camp. Because of the nature of the prey in question, one of its black wings dragged on the ground. Despite the annoyance, the strong LightningClan warrior continued his sure-pawed path, each step somehow appearing calculated and carefree all at once. He was a talented warrior, and certainly an adept hunter, but even he would admit he'd been lucky with this bird.

The black prey had all but leapt into his paws as the patrol wandered the length of LightningClan's territory. No warrior could pass up the chance to bring home prey for their Clan, and Nightstep was no different. Rapid reflexes left the bird dead at his paws without much of a thought. And thus, he'd buried it, to retrieve once the rest of their duties as Dawn Patrol were complete. The same sharp yellow eyes that had spotted his prey on patrol landed upon the black LightningClan apprentice seated outside the apprentice den just then.

Altering his course just so, his gliding pawsteps carried him to the apprentice in question. As the distance between them shrunk to but a tail-length or two, Nightstep stooped to deposit his addition to the fresh kill pile. With a curious tilt of his head, a smooth and confident voice bloomed to existence in a greeting to the black apprentice. "Good morning, Batpaw. You are certainly up early this morning. No time to sleep when the air is still cool? Or is there something else on your mind this particular Greenleaf morning?"

He could almost pretend he'd been an apprentice just yesterday. Training under Whiteshade, there had been little time for outward excitement. That didn't stop the younger version of himself from feeling the telltale bubbling in his chest, as though his heart might leap out of his chest with the unceasing wonder of what Whiteshade would teach him today, what he might see today. But it had been many moons since he'd bore the title of LightningClan apprentice. And he had seen much, done much since then. Life had a peculiar way of surprising you with the path it chose. The thought brought a flicker of a smile to his mouth as he considered the she-cat before him.

One black ear rotated as sounds began to unfold in the camp. "Whichever the case, I'm certain you'll find something to entertain you soon, hm? A young mind is a sharp one, after all."

@marshymutt

[Fawn]

Mudpelt
22 Moons. Tom. LightningClan.

It was a challenge to stay awake on mornings like this; the temperature was perfect. Not too cool, like summer nights could be, and not too hot, like summer days always were. Mudpelt stepped out of the dark recess of the warrior's den, blinking into the morning light; it was early, and the simple urge he had to lay around in his nest was exactly the reason he'd gotten up.

Mudpelt didn't tolerate laziness in himself. Not when there were mouths to feed, water to bring to the kits, queens and elders, and always something else to be done. A well-earned rest was always an excellent way to end the day.

Ever since Batpaw had become an apprentice, Mudpelt had to get used to the idea that there were cats even younger than him getting up so early; sometimes the sky hadn't even changed colors from nightly gray-blue to morning yellow, and there she would be, sometimes pacing, sometimes conversing with the others.

Mudpelt then noticed Nightstep (his cousin was hard to ignore, being very striking of coloring and known for his confident aura), and decided to approach.
"Good morning Nightstep, Batpaw. Smells like we might see a little rain around sunhigh." It could've been the dew leftover on the gorse and sedge making up LightningClan's moorlands, but Mudpelt felt a small crackle of energy through his pelt.

Stormy weather would be along soon. Good, he mused. We could do with all the water we can get.

---

Word Count: 248 Words
Tags: @marshymutt , BlooRey DVD

[Deleted]

Batpaw

The onyx feline suddenly stopped pacing as she noticed Nightstep approaching with a blackbird in his jaws. This sparked up a storm of excitement within the apprentice as her mind began to wander to thoughts of hunting prey of a similar caliber. She could see it so perfectly in her head, carrying her prey back to camp with her head held high, placing it down on the pile for her clan to feast upon. Then later she would tell the tale of how she brought down her catch while a small group of apprentices surrounded her, staring at her with a look of awe on their faces. The dusky apprentice was soon snapped out of her daydream by the sound of Nightstep's voice, starling her a bit in the process. "Huh? Oh yeah, no time to sleep while it's cool out!" She agreed, giving the warrior brief look of admiration before speaking once more. "It's better not to let oneself fall victim to the desire to sleep when the clan needs to be fed. I was actually considering going out for a hunt but of course, I'd rather not go alone so I decided upon waiting for someone else who might want to join me." She explained. She hadn't even registered the fact that Mudpelt had joined them during her little daydream, only realizing he was there when he too had spoken, once again startling her. When had she ever been this jumpy or unguarded before? Normally she would have noticed someone approaching her even if she had been busy. With a soft sigh, she shook her head in attempt to clear her mind before finally responding to Mudpelt. "Well, a little rain would definitely be welcomed but that gives me all the more reason to want to get hunting before then."

Words;; 312 Tags;; BlooRey DVD Fawn Template by Kuroya of THQ & GS. Notes;;

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Nightstep[/smear:6f6f6f]

~~~~~~~~~

The tuxedo tom looked up at the approach of another cat. Offering the tom a smile, Nightstep inclined his head in greeting to his cousin. His bright yellow eyes blinked with intrigue at the brown warrior's words, gaze instinctively flashing up to the sky for a brief moment. When his focus returned to the younger tom, Nightstep shifted his weight slowly before speaking up again. "I believe you're right on that call, Mudpelt. The air seems a bit thicker than usual, doesn't it?" Before long, the apprentice he'd addressed earlier was responding, drawing Nightstep's attention again.

The young she-cat's eagerness to serve the Clan briefly reminded Nightstep of himself as an apprentice. With the slightest chuckle, he found his tail flicking in amusement. LightningClan could certainly use more apprentices with this mindset. Too often, the younger cats were interested only in becoming the best fighter; but being able to fight was not the only characteristic that made up a good warrior. It was about finding the best way in which you could serve your Clan. Not all cats were born equal, thus not all contributions would be equal. That, and it didn't matter how good a fighter you were if your belly was empty as a drought-dry stream.

"You speak with the mindset of a true warrior, Batpaw. The Clan's wellbeing is important, and with the Leafbare we endured, food is not something to be taken for granted." He paused just then, evaluating her next words. Slowly, he found himself turning to Mudpelt once more. "I could always go out for a hunt. What about yourself, Mudpelt? Did you have anything on your agenda this morning? I'm sure we could ask Bightpool if she had objections to the two of us stealing her apprentice for a morning hunt."

Slowly, his sharp yellow gaze drifted back to the apprentice. "Only if Batpaw agrees to our company, of course." Offering the younger cat another smile, he awaited an answer from either of the two cats addressed. He could catch up on sleep at sunhigh, when the sun was too hot for a warrior to be out and about. As Batpaw had pointed out, the desire to sleep came secondary when competing against the opportunity to ensure the Clan remained well-fed with Greenleaf offerings. If Batpaw wished to go out hunting with them, he would go locate his sister to ensure the white she-cat agreed with the plan.

Roll, open your soul, maybe lose control
Inside of this phenomenon.
Just let your self go and let everyone know
You move to this phenomenon.

@marshymutt Fawn

[Fawn]

Mudpelt
22 Moons. Tom. LightningClan.

Mudpelt dipped his head apologetically to Batpaw—he hadn't meant to startle her—but the she-cat was already conversing with Nightstep again, and the conversation eventually went in the direction of hunting (as most of the conversations around LightningClan tended to go). Mudpelt nodded in that surly way of his, ever the serious, practical cat. "I'd like to check on the nursery first, but I will join you both as soon as I finish."

Perhaps because of his mother's status as a permanent queen when she'd been alive, Mudpelt had felt a certain protectiveness and care towards the nursery. The queens and the kits thriving inside were always the first cats he checked on in the event that someone might need more water or more food. He had no mate or kits to feed, but it made him feel good to do his part for the Clan. His mother would've been proud of him.

Glancing at Nightstep, he paused to consider the tuxedo-tom's words. Brightpool wouldn't mind, he'd said. Mudpelt felt a little guilty for stealing away his cousin's apprentice, even if it was to take Batpaw out hunting on the moorlands, but, he reasoned, Nightstep knew Brightpool better than he did. Brightpool was Nightstep's sister, after all. If he believed there would be no harm done, then he was happy to accompany them.

Mudpelt excused himself courteously. "I'll be right back."
---
Word Count: 230 Words
Tags: @marshymutt , BlooRey DVD

[Deleted]

Batpaw

The shadowy apprentice's golden eyes lit up like the rays of the sun when Nightstep brought up going hunting with her. She practically took off running right then and there but forced herself to stay still for a while longer to hear what Mudpelt had to say about it. She shouldn't be rude and exclude him, that wouldn't be very nice at all. Instead, she looked up at the other warrior with wide, hopeful eyes as she awaited his response. It wasn't long however, before she looked away from him again in favor of listening to what Nightstep had to say about her agreeing to them coming along for the hunt. "Of course I wouldn't mind the two of you coming along! The more cats we have the better the chance that we'll catch something big, or at least we'll be likely to catch more prey." She responded with a toothy grin. Upon hearing Mudpelt say that he wanted to go check on the nursery first she gave a swift nod. "Alright, we'll wait here for you.Once you're done, you can come and join us if you want tol. If not, that's fine too!" She stated with a lot of pep in her voice, though internally she was starting to dread having to sit there in that spot for much longer, already feeling the urge to pace burning in her bones even as she spoke.

Words;; 235 Tags;; BlooRey DVD Fawn Template by Kuroya of THQ & GS. Notes;;

[Deleted]

    Redscar had abstained from returning to camp with Nightstep, the darker warrior seemed pleased with his catch and was surely heading to deposit it on the fresh kill pile. Taking a moment to breath the fiery tom planted himself by the entrance and became lost in the recollection of Lightningclans' good fortune. A sense of tranquility washed over Redscar as he sat in silence and it was a welcome surprise. It wasn't often that anything but chaos seemed to be detectable in the young deputies life and after only a short time he felt revitalized.

    Finally entering camp Redscar quickly observed a small gathering by the freshkill pile, the area seemed lively considering the time. Intrigued Redscar made his was over catching snippets of conversation, it seemed they were forming a small hunting patrol. Although both he and Nightstep had just returned there seemed little harm in filling the fresh kill pile on a cool morning, in fact feeding the clan had occupied his thoughts more than anything else since he had been made deputy.

    "Care if I join?" Redscar asked the group which had shrunken to only two after Mudpelt departed, if the purpose was to be more of an informative session for Batpaw than an actual hunting patrol he felt his presence would bring legitimacy to the operation. It could seem strange to take out another warriors' apprentice for training, however in Redscars' mind a deputy could impart knowledge wherever he saw fit.

[BlooRey DVD]

Another chuckle escaped the tuxedo tom as the apprentice nearly bounced out of her own fur in excitement. It would see that he'd been right in assuming she was eager to go out hunting on this particular morning. Straightening just so to subtly stretch the muscles in his shoulder, he let his yellow gaze glide to the other tom in the mix. Mudpelt had one errand to run, but seemed interested in joining the two of them on patrol. Seeing as Batpaw had already laid out a plan to meet back up, Nightstep simply offered his cousin a parting nod. As his gaze drifted back to the small black apprentice, the approach of another cat drew his attention. The big red tom was one all of LightningClan recognized; Redscar, Firestar's current deputy. Nightstep had been on patrol with the tom earlier this morning, and now it seemed Nightstep wasn't the only cat to see little worth in sitting around while the sun was still low enough to prevent overheating. With a slight wave of his tail, Nightstep gave a respectful tip of his head. "We would be honoured to have you join us, Redscar." He meowed simply. "If you will both excuse me, I'll locate my sister to ensure she is aware of and agrees to our arrangement." Casting a glance at Batpaw and giving her a final smirk, the powerful LightningClan warrior set off in the same direction he'd seen Brightpool pass not long ago. It didn't take the trained tom long to locate her by scent. One quick explanation later, Nightstep had presented his request to his white-pelted sister. For a moment, the she-cat seemed as though she might want to join them; it was understandable, as Batpaw was her apprentice. But Brightpool was often a busy she-cat, and today was no exception. With a soft flick of his tail against her flank, he thanked the she-cat before retracing his pawsteps to join the forming patrol he'd left earlier. His movements were light as he moved, each paw seeming to know exactly where it should land next. As he slowed to a stop, he nodded his head to indicate the patrol was a go. "Brightpool has agreed to loan us Batpaw for the rest of the morning. All that is left is to await Mudpelt's arrival." Bright yellow eyes shifted to Redscar's form. "Then we wait to see where Redscar decides to take us today." It was logical that the red tom be head of the patrol. Redscar was the oldest of the three warriors, and most likely to be named patrol head. Add on the fact he was the Clan deputy? There was little contest, unless Redscar himself chose to assign one of the others as head of patrol. Nightstep had been prepared to take up the lead before the Clan deputy had joined; now he was more than content to take a step back and simply follow along.

@marshymutt Fawn @poptart

[Fawn]

Mudpelt diligently checked on the queens and the kits, after learning that Galebird had already seen to their prey and water needs, he chatted briefly before he excused himself to rejoin the burgeoning patrol. The scent of the nursery always reminded him of Dovesong; Mudpelt felt the familiar pang in his heart for missing family, picturing the now idyllic memories of his kithood when they had been whole. Not tattered like they were now. Forcing himself out of the past and back into the present, Mudpelt quickly rejoined the others. "I have finished, I am sorry for making you all wait." Mudpelt looked to the newcomer. "Good morning, Redscar." He greeted the deputy with a respectful nod, looking to the others. They all seemed ready to go, and he deferred command to the deputy, awaiting the word that the patrol was on the move. Was Batpaw excited? Mudpelt, at her age, would have lamented the missed opportunity to hunt with his own mentor, but he would have been honored to accompany such accomplished warriors (Nightstep and Redscar) out into the moorlands to hunt. He also would've felt incredibly nervous, Mudpelt ever aware that his behavior was a reflection of his mentor's teaching abilities, as well as his own ability to follow instructions.

Word Count: 210 Words
Tags: @marshymutt , BlooRey DVD , @poptart
Notes:

[Deleted]

Batpaw

Batpaw had indeed begun to pace back and forth during the time it took for Mudpelt to head to the nursery. She just couldn't help it though, her muscles were itching for some exercise, not being used to sitting around for very long, save for when the apprentice tried to sleep and even then they still weren't very used to it as emphasized by her lack of sleep. Her muscles quickly tensed however, at the sight of a familiar red tom approaching them. Could it really be? The dusky apprentice's golden eyes seemed to widen greatly as the deputy approached them. Their little hunting patrol already had so many cats in it, now even the deputy himself was going to join in? She couldn't help it, there was no hiding the tiny squeak of excitement that escaped her mouth. In her mind, there was no possible way they could return to clan without prey now! The patrol, they had was simply filled with too many great warriors for failure to even be considered an option. She gave a quck nod to the red tom, letting out a gentle purr to show she was pleased with the situation at hand. "We wouldn't mind at all if you joined us Redscar!" She responded to his question before turning her attention to the recently returned Mudpelt and then Nightstep. "Oh, and welcome back Mudpelt and Nightstep. Now that everyone is here and we've gotten permission from my mentor, shall we begin?" She asked, holding her head up high as she looked towards Redscar for an answer.

Words;; 263 Tags;; BlooRey DVD Fawn @poptart Template by Kuroya of THQ & GS. Notes;;

[Deleted]

    Redscar wasn't at all surprised no cat objected to his presence, as far as the warrior knew he had made no enemies inside his clan, this was a surprise given his combative nature. Least still was he shocked to see Batpaw become excited at his mere presence, the apprentice appeared to be bursting at the seams and Redscar found the excitement to be infectious. After all the cat's staffing the patrol had returned they looked to the deputy for direction which wasn't a surprise to Redscar either. Most cats would defer authority to the deputy even if they would rather not do so, most likely to avoid bruising a brash cats ego. Redscar wasn't part of that crowd however and didn't wish to impose even if his position granted him the ability to do so. "I'm just here to accompany your patrol." The deputy stated to the cats who seemed to be watching him intently.

@marshymutt
BlooRey DVD
Fawn

[BlooRey DVD]

The tuxedo tom offered a respectful dip of his head to the LightningClan deputy as the red tabby tom deferred leadership of the patrol to another member. Briefly glancing at Mudpelt, the black tom gave a twitch of his tail. "It's settled then." His eyes flicked to the apprentice in the mix, flashing her a rather cheeky grin and dropping his body into a playful bowing pose. His tail waved behind him as he balanced his weight between his widespread forepaws. "Let us set out on a quest to bring back prey for LightningClan, the greatest Clan in all the lands!" He announced playfully, not caring how many strange looks he might draw. She's young, and she won't be young for long. Best to let her enjoy it; and why not enjoy some of her youthful enthusiasm myself? He chuckled to himself as he straightened. "Our patrol this morning finished off near the Flooded Grasses; it's possible the prey nearby was alerted to our presence. I suggest heading toward the other side of the meadow, within the Star Field area. Prey is still plentiful there, and the terrain provides excellent training experience for Batpaw." With a wave of his tail, he drew the patrol together and set off through the entrance to the camp. His paws moved with an easy grace, alternating black and white with every step. As the jet black apprentice caught up to him, his yellow eyes spared her a quick glance. "Tell me, Batpaw; has Brightpool ever taken you to the Star Field half of the meadow for training yet? Do you know what makes it slightly more difficult to hunt in than the Flooded Grasses?" Sure, he'd advocated fun earlier, and was not opposed to Batpaw enjoying the experience. But learning was an important part of the journey to becoming a warrior, and Nightstep felt it beneficial for apprentices to learn from multiple warriors. More varied and adaptable skill development. He thought to himself. He did not doubt his sister's ability to mentor Batpaw in the slightest. She was a very capable warrior, and an indisputable member of LightningClan. But he and Brightpool had had very different apprenticeships, and might have varied teaching methods or tips. The same was true for Redscar and Mudpelt both; skill and natural talents from one cat were quite different from another's. Surely this experience would be nothing but beneficial in the grand scheme of Batpaw's training.

@marshymutt Fawn @poptart

[Fawn]

"Our patrol this morning finished off near the Flooded Grasses; it's possible the prey nearby was alerted to our presence." "They will be if you're going to shout the whole way there, Nightstep." Mudpelt flashed the tuxedo tom a stern expression, his typically serious features hard-set like stone in disapproval. But then he smiled, glad to see Nightstep behaving so playfully with Batpaw. Surely he wouldn't have done what I think he's done... Mudpelt didn't put a name to the suspicions that still lingered in the back of his mind about his cousin. I was being foolish. Surely the cat in front of him wasn't responsible. He let those thoughts fade from his mind in favor of focusing on the present. As the patrol of four moved out, Mudpelt fell in step beside Redscar, listening faintly to Nightstep's mentorly questions for the black she-cat at the heart of the group. "How is Firestar? It's been a tough leafbare." He asked Redscar, uncertain how to phrase such a question without sounding like he was prying. He had been Redstar's apprentice, and the change in leadership which had resulted in his former mentor stepping down and the deputy taking her place was an awkward transition for him. Tough as it was for Mudpelt to grasp that Redstar could be wrong about anything, especially her own leadership, he tried not to let those doubts plague him like fleas. The well-being of the Clan mattered more to him than his individual happiness, and he tried to dwell on the things his mentor had been right about when training him. That he WAS a good warrior, and that her decision had, in the end, been the right one for LightningClan. It was nice to get confirmation of this, however, and who better to know how their leader was doing than the deputy himself?

Word Count: 305 Words
Tags: @poptart , @marshymutt , BlooRey DVD
Notes:

[Deleted]

"Let us set out on a quest to bring back prey for LightningClan, the greatest Clan in all the lands!"

Batpaw couldn't help but giggle at the warrior's enthusiasm, recognizing that it was very akin to her own. It made her smile to see a cat who had most assuredly seen his fair share of hardships, act with the energy and excitement of an apprentice again. It felt even better because she was, in a sense, part of the reason he was acting like that too. The excitement was too infectious for her to resist, and she  soon hollered out as well to express her shared enthusiasm. "Yeah! The best clan in the whole world!"She was still beaming afterwards, even as Nightstep explained the route they would be taking.

They soon set off for the star fields, Batpaw happily padding alongside Nightstep. For some strange reason though, she could feel her heart beating faster than usual and what energy she had seemed to drain out of her quickly, causing her to struggle to keep up with warrior. Her muscles ached and screamed for some relief, and even as she walked, she could the desire to sleep pulling at her tired body. 'No, I have to keep going. I'm just a little tired, I'll be fine.' She thought to herself.

"Tell me, Batpaw; has Brightpool ever taken you to the Star Field half of the meadow for training yet? Do you know what makes it slightly more difficult to hunt in than the Flooded Grasses?"

She looked up at him and shook her head. "No, Brightpool hasn't taken me out to the Star Fields yet. What makes it harder to hunt in?" She asked, hoping for anything that could help keep her awake.

Fawn BlooRey DVD @poptart