[Phoenix]

OWLPAW

you'll see him in your nightmares
you'll see him in your dreams

Everything that brought an act to life and made it believable rested in the details, and it was to these minutiae that he now turned his attention. When Lionstar had pulled him aside yesterday with the troubled expression that seemed to accompany him everywhere nowadays and told him that Thornstrike had started coughing the night before, he had played his part well. It was like following the recipe for a properly distraught apprentice: add acceptable levels of fear of losing a "loved" one, concern for his health, and dismay at not being able to see him, and mix well. Yellow eyes wide with worry, he had listened as the leader informed him that Appleshade would take over his training and that he could take the rest of the day off if he needed it.

So, naturally, Owlpaw had needed it.

But that enjoyable day of rest and relaxation had come and gone, so now he found himself sitting at the edge of the stream, watching the water glisten as it trickled by. The image of a morose apprentice, the solid gray tom sat with his shoulders hunched and ears flattened sadly against his head. Curled neatly around his paws, his tail flicked occasionally as his thoughts wandered while he waited for the shallow she-cat under whom he would be training for the foreseeable future. It was just as well that Thornstrike had fallen seriously ill. The boring old tom had embodied everything he detested about the clan: a sense of nobility and righteousness that would one day get them all killed, a soft-hearted need to help everyone at the cost of their own safety, and above all else, blind loyalty to Lionstar and that stupid, stupid Code. Living in TreeClan meant that he already dealt with such drivel day in and day out, and though he had pretended to buy into every lesson the senior warrior had tried to impart, he had had no desire to listen to propaganda when he was supposed to be learning how to fend for himself.

The switch to Appleshade, at least, had the potential to make things interesting. Granted, she was related to Lionstar, but she seemed to have a personality outside of the usual standard mold. Her demeanor admittedly had him questioning the amount of... substance that was inside her skull, but Owlpaw figured that if he wanted extra practice, he could always ask his parents for help. He knew that they understood the underwhelming ability of the available mentors. Yes, Thornstrike could spend the last of his days quarantined in the Hidden Thicket for all he cared. The sound of approaching pawsteps chased him from his musings, and he mentally checked that his expression betrayed none of the eager anticipation he felt at starting a new game. After all, it wouldn't do to ruin everything within the first few moments of officially meeting his new mentor.

you're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan

designed and directed by his red right hand

red right hand | background image | Fawn

[Fawn]

55 Moons. Senior Warrior. TreeClan.

After successfully training Lightpaw to Lightspirit (and she did a very good job, if she did say so herself), you'd think her confidence on the matter of apprenticeship would be a little more stable. And yet, for the capricious she-cat who placed high value on being able to do what she wanted and when, on letting responsibility be a thing for other cats to deal with, she was surprisingly nervous.

As soon as Lionstar had told her of the apprenticeship reassignment, and that it was on a temporary basis until Thornstrike recovered (though now it was looking like an if, not a when), she'd immediately sought out someone to consult on the matter. Her usual sounding board was Sprucefur, her logical, rational brother always giving her the facts (despite unconditional encouragement being what she really needed), or Feathercloud, whose boisterous support was always needed.

However, Sprucefur was still in the quarantine zone, and Feathercloud was in no mood to rally her emotions into any kind of cheerleading. Appleshade understood.

She was just going to have to be her own biggest supporter.

You can do this, Appleshade. It's your second apprentice. How hard can this be? Owlpaw's a nice little tom. Er, she hoped. Appleshade didn't care much about the rumors and dislike surrounding his parents; though she thought Mockingbird's dense gray coat was beautiful to behold, the she-cat's stare often unnerved her - even without the connection to Grayowl.

Magpiewing, on the other hand, was a perfectly kind warrior. Charming, even. Her conversations with him were always pleasant, though she was very careful not to come off as too flirtatious. Mockingbird could smile at her all she wanted to, Appleshade could still detect an... unkindness about the warrior-queen that she was very hesitant to get to know in greater detail.

But what about Owlpaw? Appleshade... didn't really... pay attention to apprentices.

In the silvery red-shaded she-cat's mind, as soon as Lightpaw had become Lightspirit, her interests in the cats known as 'paws was no longer needed. So she'd discarded those thoughts, happy to turn her attention back onto her fellow warriors and her social circles.

So Appleshade's knowledge of Owlpaw, Ravenpaw and Berrypaw, amounted to... their names, their parents, and their appearances. Very basic, really.

But it's not too late to change that, Appleshade determined, rounding a cluster of trees to spot the gray tom sitting dejectedly by the sparkling brook. Her heart broke for him, and she audibly clucked her tongue under her breaath, tail drooping. "Poor kit." Maybe she could cheer him up?

"Good morning, Owlpaw~" she called, her voice mellifluous. "I know you must be worried about Thornstrike, but don't fret. We're going to have a great time together, I promise."

Could she keep that promise? Appleshade had no idea, but she liked the way those words sounded, and they were said with as much sincerity as the she-cat could muster. "Are you ready? We're going to LightningClan's border for a patrol. With any luck, we'll see a few new faces to talk to." That would be a fun experience for him, surely!

Getting to know their neighbors outside of Gatherings was a favorite past time of hers.

Think you're all about me but I'm all about you

Words: 530 Words | Phoenix | Notes:

[Phoenix]

OWLPAW

you'll see him in your nightmares
you'll see him in your dreams

Gray ears flicked at the sound of a distinct, singsong voice, and the apprentice turned slightly to see a pale she-cat practically bouncing toward him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead double checking to make sure that none of his scorn broke through his careful façade. ”Hi Appleshade.” He returned her greeting with a small, trembling smile. If he wanted this to work smoothly, then he had to pace himself. She was still more of a stranger to him than not, and even an average apprentice would have some reservations about spilling his heart to a replacement mentor. Apparently entirely oblivious to the careful calculations running through her apprentice’s mind, Appleshade took one look at his wide eyes and hastened to reassure him of the fun that they would undoubtedly have together.

At the mention of his former mentor’s name, Owlpaw let his lips turn down ever so slightly into a brief, flickering frown, before glancing away and taking a moment to regain his composure. The charming young tom who everyone loved had absolutely adored Thornstrike, and undoubtedly the bad news of his poor health still remained a raw and bleeding wound. Surely, then, they couldn’t blame his apprentice if he stayed quieter than usual as he battled with the flood of emotions that he must feel as a result of training with a new mentor with whom he was not very familiar. And if he happened to take that lenience and use it as an opportunity to get a feel for the she-cat, then… Mentally, he shrugged. It wasn’t his fault the rest of his clan was too mousebrained to pick up on his masquerade.

Ducking his head, he meowed agreeably, ”Alright,” and fell into step beside the pretty she-cat. Golden eyes remained directed toward the ground as he walked along, and multiple times, he opened his mouth as if to speak before seeming to think better of himself and closing it again. He swallowed, tail tip flicking anxiously, and distractedly tracked an ant walking along the path. Biting his lip and glancing sideways at the she-cat striding along beside him, he played the role of a troubled young tom who was decidedly undecided about sharing whatever thoughts were on his mind. Idly, he wondered if Appleshade would ask him to share his thoughts or if she would simply let him figure it out on his own. Something told him it was the former, and if he was truly interested in seeing how far he could push things before she would ask, he might have continued his charade.

But he had better things to do. As if he could not keep the words in any longer, he let his ears flatten and licked his lips, before asking in a small voice, ”D-Do you think Thornstrike’s going to be--?” Swallowing against a non-existent knot in his throat, he quickly glanced away, making sure to clench his jaw as if he was fighting back tears. With his head raised, he stared determinedly ahead of them, pointedly not looking back to read her face. He was poor little Owlpaw, trying to do his best to stay strong in the face of unthinkable adversity. For good measure and to toss in some genuine feeling, he briefly thought of his mother and sister among the dead and dying in the Hidden Thicket. He was trying his best, but it would not be the successfully strong apprentice who would tug at her heartstrings. It was the vulnerability of his next words, the sight of an apprentice who wanted to desperately keep his composure but simply could not, that would win him this battle. ”I don’t want anyone to die.”

Let the games begin.

you're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan

designed and directed by his red right hand

red right hand | background image | Fawn

[Fawn]

Appleshade

Owlpaw's behavior broke her heart. She wanted to wrap him up in moss and feathers, then set him in a bird's nest where nothing bad would ever reach him again. "Oh Owlpaw, Thornstrike's a very strong tom. He may pull through yet, and we have wonderful healers. Falconstorm and Bluejay are the best." Trying to instill some reassurance into the grief-stricken apprentice, Appleshade attempted to exercise her maternal instincts to give the top of his head a lick.

"Would you like to sit and talk for a while, Owlpaw? It's no good to hold all those negative feelings in." Appleshade considered herself an expert on talking; whether it was sharing a compliment or even airing a few grievances, she had mastered the best methods for expressing herself. I should tell him what I went through when Beetlefang died. Her mentor had been old, and retired immediately after her warrior ceremony, but Appleshade had still been sad when he passed.

Still felt the first strange sensations of grief for losing someone who had been more like a curmudgeonly grandsire than a mentor. However... maybe talking about her dead mentor to an apprentice that was worried his old one was going to die of greencough was not the wisest choice she could have made.

So Appleshade chose a different direction, taking it upon herself to keep him from brooding or falling into a worried malaise. It was so much stress for a young tom like him to deal with. "How does it feel having Berrypaw back? Your parents must be overjoyed!" There, she thought, pleased with herself. That's a much happier subject for them to discuss.

Having been ignoring the scenery up until this point, Appleshade's pace slowed a bit as she refocused on their surroundings. Where in StarClan's name-- Ah! They'd been on their way to the LightningClan border. Yes, that was right. Appleshade had been so focused on Owlpaw that she'd already slipped out of a 'helpful mentor' role and right into 'deeply concerned aunt'.

55 Moons | Senior Warrior | TreeClan

[smear:d67db2]A little party never killed nobody[/smear:ffffff]

Phoenix | fergie | background image | table by phoenix

[Phoenix]

OWLPAW

you'll see him in your nightmares
you'll see him in your dreams

”Do you really think so?” Wide gold eyes turned to give the she-cat a cautiously hopeful look, even as their owner did not even bother to search within himself for any grain of genuine care about his former mentor’s fate. No, it was not the prospect of Thornstrike’s death that had his heart beating quicker in his chest – he could live the rest of his life without ever having to see the older tom again – but rather it was the fact that both his mother and sister were there, in and among the dead and dying. His mother might have been healthy when she left to accompany Ravenpaw, but her chance of catching the disease increased with every passing day that they spent in the Thicket, surrounded by all the other sickly cats. Neither of the two most important she-cats in his life knew about the return of his brother. He had seen the pain and heartbreak it had caused Mockingbird, and it did not take a genius to realize that she would be absolutely elated to know that against all odds, he was back with his family where he belonged. If his mother or sister died before seeing Berrypaw alive and well once again, Owlpaw had no idea what he would do.

But he had no desire to share any of this with Appleshade, so keeping in mind that he had already set a precedent of trying to appear strong, he shook his head in response to her offer. ”No, it’s fine,” The gray apprentice told his paws as they walked along. A strategic pause, in which he kicked a little stone along their path, and then: ”I guess it’s just like—“ He cut himself off before letting frustration seep into his voice. ”It’s just – what’s talking going to do, you know? That’s the hardest part. Nothing I can do is going to make Thornstrike or my mom or my sister come home any sooner.” With more force, he kicked the rock again and watched as it skittered away off the path. ”I just have to sit here and watch as they’re all dying, and I can’t do anything about it. It’s stupid.” A slight whine entered his voice toward the end of his little rant; it was something that a cat with any sort of dignity stopped utilizing by the time they left the nursery, but, predicting that the warrior would eat it up like she had the rest of his act, he tossed in the slight immaturity. The fur along his spine had started to prickle with the tension radiating through his body, so he took a few deep breaths and forced his fur to lie flat as they walked along in silence.

And then, suddenly, the mood lightened. Owlpaw flicked an ear as his mentor mentioned Berrypaw, and the small smile that crossed his lips was genuine. Out of everyone in his family, his brother was perhaps the most normal cat, but that did not mean his parents and siblings loved him any less. For the solid gray tom, there had been a significant emptiness to the moons in which Berrypaw had been presumed dead, and just as he had started to suspect that the strange life without him would never get any better and would have to become the new normal, the other tom had returned with the loner she-cat. Once again, his world had shifted – but everything had shifted back to where it belonged. ”I love having Berrypaw back,” He purred warmly, looking up at Appleshade. ”The day we thought that he died was one of the worst days of my life.” Owlpaw barely had to fake the emotion in his voice. ”I’ll never forget it. We’re so lucky that he’s come home.”

you're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan

designed and directed by his red right hand

red right hand | background image | Fawn

[Fawn]

Appleshade

”I just have to sit here and watch as they’re all dying, and I can’t do anything about it. It’s stupid.”

Appleshade stopped moving, her duties as a Clan cat on a border patrol utterly ignored in favor of being a light in Owlpaw's very dark world. She gave him a gentle smile, wrapping her tail around the young tom's flank to draw him against her side. "There, there. You don't have to sit here and watch. You can help keep your Clanmates strong and well-cared for. You can still hunt and provide for Magpiewing and Berrypaw and everyone else who needs you."

Her purr was as sweet as her voice, a mellifluous sound that had improved many a conversation at a Gathering (if she did say so herself) over the many moons of her prolific social life. "No more sadness, Owlpaw! For every terrible thing that happens, just remember something good - even a miracle - could be coming up next. Like getting your brother back."

Appleshade swept her tail away from him, the silvery-red appendage waving like a bird's tail feathers. "Why don't you tell me what you want your warrior name to be? I might be able to put in a good word with Lionstar - he's my half-brother, did you know that?" Trying to pull Owlpaw's thoughts away from the negative and onto something positive, Appleshade beamed at him, her soft features encouraging. What apprentice didn't dream about their warrior name? she'd fretted so much over hers, so fearful that Lionstar would give her a bland or terrible name. Like Applepelt. It made her whiskers curl just at the thought. Or Applefur, oh StarClan I'd have to do something if I ended up with a suffix like -fur.

... Not that Sprucefur's name is unpleasant. He wears it very well. I can't see him as anything other than a 'Sprucefur'.

Well... maybe a Sprucestep. She had no idea what that sort of name said about her brother, but the alliteration appealed to her. Appleshade's thoughts diverged, chasing a small run-off from the main topic-stream. If I ever have kits some day, Lionstar and I are going to have a very long talk about what sort of warrior names he can give them. No 'pelt, no 'fur, and no 'foot. StarClan, anything but 'foot!

What sort of respected cat wanted to be known by 'foot? It was the warrior version of 'paw in her eyes, and that simply wouldn't do. Not to mention a cat's foot could step in all manner of... unpleasant things. Appleshade sniffed. No, anything but 'foot.

58 Moons | Senior Warrior | TreeClan

[smear:d67db2]A little party never killed nobody[/smear:ffffff]

Phoenix | fergie | background image | table by phoenix