[Deleted]

FLAMEPAW

12 Moons TreeClan Apprentice Tom

The warriors had been hunting, and hunting well from the looks of the well-stocked pile. Flamepaw was amazed at the work ethic of his clanmates. It was like they were a well oiled machine with their collective hunting ability. 

One day, he reflected, Appleshade will have me being one of the best hunters in the Clan. She was a very good hunter, one of the best in the Clan. He was delighted he had her for his mentor. 

His meandering paws took him into the nursery. 

Popping his head in, purring warmly, he asked:

"Would anybody like some fresh-kill? There's so much of it compared to Leafbare! I'll happily go and get some if anyone wants any."

His eyes laid upon Adderkit, curled up near to her mother. His heart lightened. 

"Good afternoon, Adderkit. How are you today?"

When darkness comes, I'll light the night with stars

Taxx Fawn (Appleshade mention) 160

[Taxx]

It was a warm day, clouds drifting past far overhead, sunlight beaming through them and shining on the clearing. Adderkit had no eye for the weather, though, didn’t care how warm and pleasant it was, didn’t care that the snow was mostly gone by now and grass was beginning to grow once more. She was crouched in the nursery, watching the light play over the ground, the pile of fresh-kill, and the cats lying motionless as they dozed. Others moved past, or crouched in pairs or groups and chatted among themselves.

For the moment she was alone, forepaws stretched out and chin resting on them as she kept her gaze on the goings-on in the clearing. Nothing was happening- nothing interesting, anyway. Maybe she’d nap.

The ginger pelt that paused at the entrance interrupted that plan, and green eyes pinned on the apprentice as he called out the offer of fresh-kill before his wandering gaze fell on her, and the question that followed was directed at her. A slow, steady blink, a moment as though considering the query, before answering: “I’m well. Thank you. How are you?” It was polite to ask. Why? she’d asked once, and the warrior had looked at her oddly, a pause before he replied, It shows you care.

Some instinct had stopped her from admitting that she didn’t care, only giving an ‘oh’ of acknowledgement and watching as the warrior had padded off. For whatever reason, it was something cats did, and while she might not know why, Adderkit could at least pretend that it mattered.
@calico

[Deleted]

She was so polite. 

There was.. there was something odd about her.

Flamepaw paid it no heed. Maybe she wasn't expecting him to come and say hello. Maybe she was just tired? Hungry?

Flamepaw tucked his paws underneath him and fell gracefully into a sitting position. He stirred, briefly, as if in acknowledgement of her words. He purred. At least he was having a conversation with a cat who wasn't his mentor or his brother. This was where he wanted to be, right now. Right here. He'd spend as much time with Adderkit as his schedule (and her want for company) would allow. He'd never overstep that boundary. Rule #1 for making and keeping friends. Don't overstay your welcome. 

"It's such a relief that the warmer weather's coming back. Leaf-bare is an awful season for all the Clans."

His thoughts drifted gently to Fernpaw and Dewpaw. How did they cope with Leaf-bare? What if their river froze? What would they have done then?

He realised he'd drifted off, and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Of you and your siblings, who's the adventurous one? The quiet one?"

Taxx

[Taxx]

There was no verbal reply to her comment, which was more what she was used to- no need for unnecessary chatter. Say what you meant to say, no more, no less. It was interesting to see how little her mother and father needed to say to the other, how easily each picked up the trail of the other's thought with minimal conversation. Perhaps it was because they were so like-minded?

Dropping her head to swipe a pink tongue over a forepaw, Adderkit nodded as Flamepaw spoke up. Winter? Awful? Her brother had bemoaned the fact that the snow was melting, expressing aloud how he wished it would snow again- Adderkit hadn't really cared one way or the other. The short time she had been allowed to play in the snow had been amusing, but she didn't miss it now that it was gone. "Awful," she agreed. "Prey will be running well soon enough."

Green eyes regarded the ginger tom, a slight shuffle kicking one hind leg out behind her as she watched him. His eyes, momentarily, were far away, his thoughts elsewhere than on her, possibly elsewhere than the weather? The slight prick of curiosity for what, exactly, flashed through her mind, but Flamepaw's voice sounded again and the momentary wonder faded away.

It was replaced by a deeper consideration of her brother and sister. Adventurous? Quiet? Well, clearly, Hemlock-kit was the curious one. Brimming with questions about everything; Adderkit could appreciate his need to know, and more than once she had been right at his side, never asking the questions herself but drinking in the answers as they were given. "Hemlock-kit is adventurous. I suppose Yewkit and I are the quieter ones." Equally? Possibly. Both of them were much less likely than their brother to launch into excited babble.

"Why?" Why was it important to him- what use was the knowledge to the apprentice? Didn't he have a brother too- was he looking for comparisons? The single word, the simple question, was all Adderkit asked, but it would hopefully lead to her getting a reply that fed her own deep curiosity for answers.

[Deleted]

“I had sisters. Or I thought I did. In some ways, Adderkit, I envy you. You have older siblings and littermates. All I have is Pantherpaw. And even he feels further away than Starclan’s Claws right now. “

Yes, Flamepaw probably shouldn’t have been pouring his heart out to what, he suspected, was a completely uninterested kit, but... he trusted her. 

After all, they were Clanmates. The warrior code dictated that he should die for her if the need arose. 

Pantherpaw, still intent on sneaking out of camp to Rainclan to rejoin Dewpaw and Fernpaw, didn’t understand his attitude or his beliefs. 

Neither did Appleshade, though his mentor tried in her own way to make his apprenticeship as productive and illuminating as possible, for them both. Lionstar had paired him with a cat who suited him perfectly in that regard. 

Maybe Adderkit, young as she was, would understand?

He and his brother were orphans. They had no mother, no father, no family of any kind.

He just needed... just wanted... a friend. One who he could depend on. 

Taxx

[Taxx]

Adderkit

"I see things no one else sees."

Adderkit kept her gaze on Flamepaw, a slight tip of her head as she listened to him speak, mentioning sisters he’d thought he’d had, a brother who he felt was slipping away, and no parents to speak of. He envied her? Because she had siblings, parents? Was he not close to Magpiewing?

There was silence, and somehow Adderkit felt that she ought to say something- murmur condolences, offer sympathy. She couldn’t understand why he was so upset over the lack of attention from Pantherpaw, but she could see that he was bothered by it. “You’re not alone,” she stated, sweeping her tail around to indicate the camp. “Pantherpaw might not be very close to you now, but there are others who would give you company if you asked.”

Was there more she could do? More she could say? Adderkit wasn’t sure, and in the end that was all she said. But actions were just as important, and more than once she’d seen others comfort with touch just as much as words; shifting closer to Flamepaw, she pressed her flank to his, curling her tail around his back and let a faint, brief purr flutter in her throat. Would it be enough to help? Green eyes rested on Flamepaw, a bit too fixed as she searched for confirmation that what little she’d done was what the apprentice needed.

Tags @calico || Notes