[Ginger]

And even though it's hard, and I may struggle through it all
you may see me stumble, but you will never see me fall.

Thistlepaw blinked open her eyes slowly from a light nap, watching with wonder as light streamed in through the entrance of the Apprentice Den. Realizing that no one was around her, the tabby apprentice quickly jolted up and shook her messy nap-time fur into place. She needed to make herself useful rather than just sleeping the day away! Maybe an attempt at hunting would be productive. But not alone. I'd be more useful sleeping all day than hunting alone. Making sure she was generally clean, the young cat prodded quickly out of the den, her claws catching on the nesting materials. Just another day in the life of Thistlepaw. With a huff, Thistlepaw brought her paws up to her mouth to get the nesting material un-stuck from her oversized claws. So inconvenient.

As she was frustratingly cleaning her claws, Thistlepaw caught sight of a familiar silver tabby in the distance. "Windpaw," she started, with her mouth full of nesting materials. That wasn't nearly loud enough. Thistlepaw spat out the clumps of grass and fur, clearing her mouth of all debris. "Windpaw!" she said with more vigor. That ought to get her attention. Thistlepaw walked over to other apprentice, a smile budding on her face. "I just woke up from a nap..." And then it dawned on her. "You can hunt, right? That rabbit you brought in that one time was huge!" Thistlepaw dug her claws in and out of the ground. Was it from the nerves of what she was about to ask, or from excitement of potentially getting to hunt with a new friend? "I was wondering if you wanted to go hunt with me," she said sheepishly. "I'll race you to the star fields." Thistlepaw knew for a fact she was a terrible runner, but Windpaw was an incredible one. Maybe she could learn a few tricks from the older apprentice with this race.

Thistlepaw

9 Moons || LightningClan || She-Cat

309 Words || Made By Fawn || Ghost the Undead Goddess

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Windpaw

15 Moons, LightningClan

I hear the wind across the plain,

A sound so strong, that calls my name

The pale tabby she-cat had just finished visiting the little of kits within the nursery. She enjoyed checking in on her mother, who was aiding in care for the deputy's three moon old kits. The quite feline had always figured she'd have a litter one day, she'd love to care for little ones of her own.

Padding off towards the entrance to camp, planning to head out and find some food she only paused when her name rang through the still air. The older apprentice turned, pale green pools scanning around to land on Thistlepaw, the other she-cat quickly padding up to her.

A purr rose automatically within Windpaw's chest at the sight of her friend. Of course, the friendly she-cat was never one to meet a stranger. 

Flickering her ear, letting Thistlepaw's words sink into her head before her purr grew louder. Giving a small bounce with all four paws, the silvery feline gave a pleased look, hoping that her expression portrayed her excitement to go out with the younger apprentice.

I'd love to hunt!

Though she wasn't mute, Windpaw didn't often speak. Her expressions told how she felt and her body language often aided with communication as well. Those closest to her were well adapt in ways to converse with her, others learned fairly quickly.

She wasn't very complicated.

In fact, thinking of her silent communication make her mind wander to Leopardpaw over in Treeclan. He had been so quick to pick up her oddity, but it didn't seem to bother him. She hadn't seen him in so long, and something within her small body begged to try and find him along the border. 

He was her friend, it was hard going for a time without such a good friend. He had saved her life before, what did it matter that he was from Treeclan. 

Pulling herself out of such thoughts, her darting green gaze showing that embarrassment was warming up underneath her stripped pelt. Shaking out her fur, Windpaw pressed softly against Thistlepaw in a friendly manner before beckoning her forwards with her tail.

A small burst of wind caught Windpaw's attention, her gaze growing a wild look in them and her pace antsy to race against the element. Looking over at her friend, the young she-cat tilted her head, the question obvious within her gaze. 

Race?

Ginger Abyss (Leopardpaw) || 411  Words || Notes

[Ginger]

And even though it's hard, and I may struggle through it all
you may see me stumble, but you will never see me fall.

It made Thistlepaw happy to witness Windpaw in such a good mood to see her. I guess that means we really are friends. Thistlepaw perked up at her own little thought, her mood increasing sevenfold.

That mood only elevated when her green-eyed friend silently communicated her desire to hunt and pressed against Thistlepaw. A real hunt with a real friend! This was as good as it got.

Windpaw's inquiring look caused Thistlepaw to pause as the two apprentices were walking out of the camp. "Yes, a race! I know how much you like to run." She flashed a grin. "I'd like to see if I can keep up." Of course, Thistlepaw knew she couldn't -- but wasn't it worth a try? Ever since she had been able to get out of camp as an apprentice, the young tabby had gone out with every moment of her spare time to work on running with her elongated claws. It was difficult, but the apprentice had been seeing progress. 

Thistlepaw flashed a grin at the older apprentice. "Get ready to start in three, two, one!" After she counted down, the young tabby scampered off in an oddly effective gate, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

Thistlepaw

9 Moons || LightningClan || She-Cat

200 words || Made By Fawn || Ghost the Undead Goddess

Notes: Sorry, definitely not my best work. More tired than expected xD

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Windpaw

15 Moons, LightningClan

I hear the wind across the plain,

A sound so strong, that calls my name

The pale coated tabby didn't move as her friend had after the countdown, but instead leaned into the Greenleaf breeze as it ran through her slick, short fur. So ever like her namesake, the older apprentice let her paws swiftly take off like the wind.

The silver striped she-cat had always been fast when it came to racing over the terrain. The wide open spaces called her name and the element in which she was named always flew by her side like an invisible bird. Excitement and freedom flickered warmly within the feline's gaze as she near silently slipped up behind Thistlepaw. 

Windpaw was gaining upon her friend quickly before something else caught the dilute tabby's pale gaze. Something white went streaking out onto the moors, spooked up by the sudden appearance of two running cats.

Rabbit!

In a fluid motion Windpaw changed the course of her running and put on a burst of speed to chase purposefully after the fleeing hare. Belly skimming the passing grass under-paw, the silver tabby was closing in on the prey, though she saw the looming hole of a tunnel up ahead. 

She'd have to catch it quick, otherwise she'd miss her chance. Windpaw was not about to go underground into the tunnels, she had never been under there and couldn't imagine being without the wind against her cheek. 

Slipping the sharp claws from her pale, nimble paws Windpaw sank them into the soft ground to propel her forwards with each dash. IN a bold move the older apprentice bunched her haunches and leaped forwards in an effort the land on the fluffy white body in front of her.

The rabbit let out a squeal as Windpaw slammed into it, the two went rolling as the tabby she-cat lost her balance but managed to sink both her claws and fangs into her prey to silence it. Despite the messy catch, Windpaw finally found her paws and sat up quickly within the waving grass, a grin on her face and green pool alight with laughter. 

A purr broke out within her chest at the fact that she managed to catch that rabbit, as the rodent lay by her paws. 

Ginger || 383 Words || Notes

[Ginger]

And even though it's hard, and I may struggle through it all
you may see me stumble, but you will never see me fall.

Despite Thistlepaw's head start, Windpaw was already almost upon her. Stupid claws. She wanted nothing more than to be rid of them so that she could be as fast as the others. The young apprentice was so stuck in her head that she didn't even notice the rabbit she had practically stepped on, causing it to shoot up and out. Before Thistlepaw could react, Windpaw was immediately chasing it, the two forms a blur of white and silver.

Thistlepaw watched in awe as Windpaw shot off at, seemingly, the speed of the wind itself. I want to do that. Watching the older apprentice closely, she noticed that Windpaw was choosing to dig her claws into the earth, letting them propel her even faster. In her whole nine moons of being alive, Thistlepaw had never once considered her claws to be an asset. She always viewed them as something she would have to struggle to deal with. 

As she saw her silver friend in the distance with her fresh kill, a new mindset overcame Thistlepaw, and rather than run awkwardly with only the backs of her feet touching the ground towards Windpaw, Thistlepaw instead forced her toes into the ground with incredible force, her speed increasing with every stride. By no means was she as fast as Windpaw, but finally! She could at least keep up with the more average-paced apprentices.

Contentment streamed out of every pore as Thistlepaw neared her friend. Both she-cats were excited for their own reasons. The younger apprentice pressed against Windpaw, purring happily. "That was incredible! You must be the fastest cat in the valley." Before she could say anything else, Thistlepaw's ear twitched at a slight rustling. Ears pricked, she followed the source of the noise until she came upon a ground finch pecking away, looking for something no one else could see. 

Instinct took over. Thistlepaw burst forward, startling the bird into flight. However, it did not get far before the apprentice jumped up and bat it to the ground. One incredibly convenient thing about Thistlepaw's never-sheathed claws was that even a gentle swipe could do damage. The bird was dead before it even hit the ground, scratch marks deep in its chest, mangling its form. Thistlepaw would need a little practice in control - the poor bird was barely eatable since it was so scratched up. Proud of her kill using her asset, Thistlepaw picked up the finch and trotted back over to Windpaw, dropping the finch next to her friend's kill. "It's no rabbit, but it's a start."
 

Thistlepaw

9 Moons || LightningClan || She-Cat

431 words || Made By Fawn || Ghost the Undead Goddess

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Windpaw

15 Moons, LightningClan

I hear the wind across the plain,

A sound so strong, that calls my name

The older she-cat watched as her companion and fellow apprentice came running after her. Her gate had changed from the awkwardness before to a more steady looking pace. Tilting her head, the pale feline realized that she was now using her claws in aid rather than fighting against them.

Good!

The purr was still evident within Windpaw's chest as the pale tabby watched Thistlepaw with a bright expression within those mossy green pools. She had learned to use her claws in running at a young age. It gave her a needed grip on the ground and aided with a boost a speed to shoot her flying forwards.

Waving her tail over her back, the striped feline pressed against Thistlepaw, both impressed and pleased that she had also managed to snag a piece of fresh-kill for the clan. Not to mention she had caught it from mid-air, even Windpaw didn't think she could jump that high. 

Parting her jaw, it wasn't Windpaw's soft and gentle tone that sounded. Instead a new, raspy voice sounded upon the welcomed breeze of Lightningclan's open moors. Turning her dark striped head, the free spirited she-cat caught the sight of three different warriors.

Bluefrost, Batear and Owlmind. 

"I'm pleased both of you were able to catch something after such a race through the moors." Her tone was sharp as always, the deputy always a staunch general when it came to those around her.

"Thistlepaw," Owlmind turned her wide amber gaze onto the younger she-cat as the three warriors grew closer. "I'm pleased to see that not only did you pay attention to how Windpaw ran about the moors, you also used that to your advantage by attempting something new." The gray deputy flicked her long tail for a second before continuing her assessment of the two apprentices.

"Though you managed to snag this bird from the air..." Owlmind paused to move the shredded avian with a paw, "Next time try for just the wings, it wont be able to get away if you damage those. Otherwise, good job." Now done with Batear's young ward, she turned to face Bluefrost's older apprentice.

"As always Windpaw, your speed and grace when running is stunning to watch. The fact that you managed to snag that rabbit before it got away was very impressive. You should be proud with your hunting skills." Owlmind spoke again, giving both young she-cats a small, flicker of gentle approval within her fierce gaze before it disappeared into their liquid depths.

"You can take your prey back to camp, and Windpaw keep working with Thistlepaw on her running. I do believe the two of you could seem to get along well together." It was a relaxed command from their deputy as she gave a dismissal flicker of her tail and left the two warriors with their youngsters before making her way back across the moorlands.

Windpaw turned excitedly to her friend, giving a massive purr and pressing happily against her flank. I'll make sure you can run as fast as the wind! Though she didn't speak it, the expression was clear within her green pools. 

Ginger Abyss (Batear) || 541 Words || Owlmind assessing them xD

[Ginger]

And even though it's hard, and I may struggle through it all
you may see me stumble, but you will never see me fall.

Thistlepaw's small sense of pride in her kill expanded slightly at her silver friend's approval. Windpaw was both a friend and an inspiration for the tabby apprentice, and she was ever grateful that the older apprentice was always willing to help her out.

Upon noticing that Windpaw had turned to look at something, Thistlepaw realized that three warriors were approaching; they had probably seen just about everything that had happened. One extremely familiar scent popped out to the tabby feline: her mentor, Batear. Thistlepaw soon recognized the two other forms, Owlmind and Bluefrost. The tabby gulped - her own deputy had seen her messy hunting strategy. 

However, Owlmind only had words of encouragement tapered along with a light suggestion for improvement. Thistlepaw nodded her head at the grey-furred deputy, already thinking of a new strategy to go for birds' wings instead of blindly swiping at them. Maybe she would try it out next.

As Owlmind padded away, leaving the two apprentices with their mentors, Thistlepaw looked to her friend. A kind determination was in Windpaw's eyes, letting the younger apprentice know that she would make sure she would learn how to be a great runner. Usually, Thistlepaw was a cat who spoke a fair amount, but with her silent friend, she found that she could communicate without much speaking at all. The connection the two she-cats shared was truly a special one. The tabby she-cat purred and gently butted her head against Windpaw's. They would learn to be great warriors. "Together."

Thistlepaw next looked to her black-furred mentor, ready to accept any of the advice that Batear would have to offer. Over the past few moons, she and the slender warrior had become rather close. Both cats had respect for one another, and they had a healthy dynamic while training. Thistlepaw felt truly blessed by Starclan to have such a good support system between her friends and her mentor.
 

Thistlepaw

9 Moons || LightningClan || She-Cat

318 words || Made By Fawn || Ghost the Undead Goddess , Abyss (please hop in)

[Abyss]

BATEAR

I don't know where I'll be tomorrow

Lightningclan Warrioress

The morning had been rather uneventful. Not having been chosen to go on a dawn patrol, Batear had found herself relaxing next to the Warriors den. She was alone, at first, merely feeling the sun beat down on her long and narrow face. For the moment she would enjoy the heat, but, being a dark-furred feline, eventually she knew that the heat would become overwhelming and she would need to either get out and move or get in the shade. Luckily, another cat found their way next to her, Bluefrost. Both of the she-cats had their own Apprentice, and those two Apprentices were relatively good friends, so the two of them found themselves meeting up to talk about the two younger she-cats.

As the two Warriors laid in the sun, Batear’s namesake ears picked up a familiar voice across the camp, causing her head to turn and her bright green gaze to find itself locked onto a particular brown and white tabby. A very low and quiet purr rumbled through Batear’s chest at the sight of Thistlepaw, though she noticed that her Apprentice was focused on something else. Watching silently, she saw Thistlepaw and Windpaw meet up at the camp entrance, exchanging a few silent words before shooting out of camp. She then heard footsteps and turned to find Owlmind approaching. A few words passed between the three Warriors before the three of them left the camp as well, following the scents of the two Apprentices.

Watching from a distance, Batear couldn’t help but smile at their race. It was a known fact that Windpaw was an impressively fast runner, so she had already predicted that Thistlepaw would be slower. To her surprise, though, part way through the scene, Thistlepaw seemed to have been observing Windpaw’s movements, for she started to run somewhat differently than before. She was going faster and was using her paws more. She watched with intrigue as the two Apprentices hunted together, one chasing down a rabbit and the other leaping for a finch. Both of them managed to catch their targets, which was a relief. At Owlmind’s cue, the three Warriors emerged from their positions hidden amid the tall grass.

Allowing the Deputy to speak to the two she-cat’s first, Batear looked between the two pieces of prey. One was a decent sized rabbit with a couple of puncture wounds from Windpaw’s claws and fangs. The other was the finch, torso torn apart by Thistlepaw’s larger claws. She did agree with Owlmind that it was always better to aim for the wings when it came to birds. Even though the prey itself was a bit messy, it had still been quite a feat to catch the bird in the air.

Once Owlmind had finished, the slender black Warrior approached her Apprentice, giving Thistlepaw a quick nuzzle against the top of her head and a purr rumbling from her chest.

“I’m quite impressed. You started using your claws rather than try to keep them away. You ran much faster. You caught a finch midair. Well done.” She gave Thistlepaw a quick lick across the ear before looking to Windpaw, exchanging glances between the two of them. “You two do make a good pair. Perhaps we can have some more training sessions with both of you.”

The wheel in the sky keeps on turning

549 | Ghost the Undead Goddess Ginger | Notes