Post by Taxx on Nov 26, 2017 19:20:28 GMT -5
“Hello there, Adderpaw!” The voice rang out, calling the tortoiseshell apprentice by name, and she looked up from her mouse to blink at Finchcloud. He was striding toward her, tail lifted over his back. “How are you today? Getting used to being an apprentice?”
Exaggerating her chewing motions, Adderpaw gave herself a moment to look over the young tom, keeping her gaze on him. She didn’t know that much about him; a few bits gleaned from the elders about his past told her that he was sometimes impetuous, sometimes blind to the obvious, but supposedly overall a friendly, outgoing cat.
“Hello, Finchcloud. I’m well, thank you. And yes, I am getting used to it.” Giving the responses he would be looking for, waiting for and pleased when he reacted accordingly by bobbing his head. Of course she was well- she hadn’t been sick yet in her life, and she’d only been made an apprentice the day before- she hadn’t had much time to adjust at all. But past experience had told her that most cats, instead of jumping to the reason behind them calling to a Clanmate, insisted on asking after their health. Whether or not they cared.
“Good, that’s good,” Finchcloud replied, his eyes flicking past her. “Is your sister around?”
There it was. Why couldn’t he had just asked that from the start? “No,” she replied, blinking up at the ginger tom. “She went out with Magpiewing on patrol.”
A bold-faced lie, and he’d know it if he poked his head into the apprentices’ den. Taking another bite of the mouse, Adderpaw watched the young warrior frown, turning to glance toward the camp entrance. “But I was going to take her hunting.” He sounded annoyed.
Adderpaw seized on it. “Are you angry?” She sat up, giving the idea that she giving him all her attention, leaning forward to indicate a sympathetic set of ears.
“Well- a little. She’s my apprentice, she should have asked me first. So should Magpiewing.”
“But he’s her father. Maybe he thought you wouldn’t mind if they spent time together.” Adderpaw flicked her tail, watching the ginger tom frown, a momentary blank look crossing his face. Memories? She knew he was close to his own parents. Would he continue to object to the idea of his apprentice and Magpiewing keeping a close relationship of their own?
The warrior shifted, uncertain now- she could see it in his stance. And while she could only guess at the thoughts, she was nearly certain he wasn’t going to push the matter. Adderpaw gave another little nudge. “I mean, if you don’t care about a father spending time with his daughter, you can go after them. They didn’t leave that long ago, you could catch up.”
A sigh. “No, I’ll leave them be. Just tell her next time to ask me first.” Finchcloud began to turn, intending to leave her to her mouse again, but Adderpaw spoke first.
“I lied.”
He turned to stare at her and the young tortoiseshell met his gaze unblinkingly, a flick of her tail indicating the den at her back. “She’s asleep inside.”
She waited, just a moment, to see if he was going to say anything, but he only stared, his fur prickling along his spine. Adderpaw picked up what was left of her mouse, dipped her head to the warrior, and padded off to where Magpiewing had just emerged from the entrance tunnel, fully intending to pass on her latest little experiment. Finchcloud might never trust her again, but honestly, who cared?
Exaggerating her chewing motions, Adderpaw gave herself a moment to look over the young tom, keeping her gaze on him. She didn’t know that much about him; a few bits gleaned from the elders about his past told her that he was sometimes impetuous, sometimes blind to the obvious, but supposedly overall a friendly, outgoing cat.
“Hello, Finchcloud. I’m well, thank you. And yes, I am getting used to it.” Giving the responses he would be looking for, waiting for and pleased when he reacted accordingly by bobbing his head. Of course she was well- she hadn’t been sick yet in her life, and she’d only been made an apprentice the day before- she hadn’t had much time to adjust at all. But past experience had told her that most cats, instead of jumping to the reason behind them calling to a Clanmate, insisted on asking after their health. Whether or not they cared.
“Good, that’s good,” Finchcloud replied, his eyes flicking past her. “Is your sister around?”
There it was. Why couldn’t he had just asked that from the start? “No,” she replied, blinking up at the ginger tom. “She went out with Magpiewing on patrol.”
A bold-faced lie, and he’d know it if he poked his head into the apprentices’ den. Taking another bite of the mouse, Adderpaw watched the young warrior frown, turning to glance toward the camp entrance. “But I was going to take her hunting.” He sounded annoyed.
Adderpaw seized on it. “Are you angry?” She sat up, giving the idea that she giving him all her attention, leaning forward to indicate a sympathetic set of ears.
“Well- a little. She’s my apprentice, she should have asked me first. So should Magpiewing.”
“But he’s her father. Maybe he thought you wouldn’t mind if they spent time together.” Adderpaw flicked her tail, watching the ginger tom frown, a momentary blank look crossing his face. Memories? She knew he was close to his own parents. Would he continue to object to the idea of his apprentice and Magpiewing keeping a close relationship of their own?
The warrior shifted, uncertain now- she could see it in his stance. And while she could only guess at the thoughts, she was nearly certain he wasn’t going to push the matter. Adderpaw gave another little nudge. “I mean, if you don’t care about a father spending time with his daughter, you can go after them. They didn’t leave that long ago, you could catch up.”
A sigh. “No, I’ll leave them be. Just tell her next time to ask me first.” Finchcloud began to turn, intending to leave her to her mouse again, but Adderpaw spoke first.
“I lied.”
He turned to stare at her and the young tortoiseshell met his gaze unblinkingly, a flick of her tail indicating the den at her back. “She’s asleep inside.”
She waited, just a moment, to see if he was going to say anything, but he only stared, his fur prickling along his spine. Adderpaw picked up what was left of her mouse, dipped her head to the warrior, and padded off to where Magpiewing had just emerged from the entrance tunnel, fully intending to pass on her latest little experiment. Finchcloud might never trust her again, but honestly, who cared?