Just Hanging Around

Sorrelpaw got used to hanging around camp, and other cats besides her mother. It was clear that the orange, and brown cat took after her father in the quiet personality, but she had her mother's anger that was for sure. Sorrelpaw was laying down in the middle of the camp enjoying the fleeting sunlight that came with leaf-bare. A gargled purr came from the she-cat but was quickly silenced when she realized the noise she was making. A sad look appeared on the apprentice's face but quickly vanished as she went back to enjoying the sunlight.

Duskpaw had been on an early morning patrol, his stomach was growling for a nice juicy mouse. He'd been given permission, only after he'd fetched freshkill for the elders. Once he had done his duties, he had wolfed down the juicy morsel and was on his way to sun himself. That was when he noticed Sorrelpaw in the clearing. He'd never spoken to the apprentice, even though they'd shared a den for a while now. Figuring he'd never get a chance as good as this, he approached her with a friendly mew.

"Hi Sorrelpaw!"

Sorrelpaw jumped slightly at Duskpaw's voice. The orange and brown tabby quickly sat up, and looked at the apprentice. After realizing who it was, Sorrelpaw returned to a calm state. They opened their mouth to speak but nothing came out. She quickly closed her mouth, and nodded a greeting to the apprentice.

Duskpaw failed to find anything out of the ordinary, he didn't think her silence was indicative of anything unusual. Instead, he took her greeting as permission to approach and bask in the weak sunlight with her.

He kept his paws tucked under himself for maximum warmth as he chatted on. "Does Spottedstar work you hard? I've been on a patrol all morning. It was freezing."

Sorrelpaw watched the brown cat settled down next to her. She listened to what Duskpaw had to say, and frowned when he said how cold it was. Again the orange and brown tabby opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out once again. Sorrelpaw shook her head, and gave Duskpaw a sad look in response to his sentence.

"Oh." Duskpaw looked at the ginger she-cat, a bit perplexed at her silence, but not offended. He didn't understand fully why she didn't speak, but it didn't seem to be deliberate so he decided to speak on. Not that he wasn't intensely curious or wanted to know why she wasn't speaking, but figured it was one of those things that it'd be rude to ask.

"Well.. Did you know that our territory is huge? Our patrol went around the whole territory, and it took forever. I thought I was going to starve to death." He exaggerated, and dramatically fell onto his side. "And I tripped on a rock at Sunningrocks, and nearly twisted my paw off. Stupid Coalpaw wouldn't stop laughing at me."

Sorrelpaw once again listened to what Duskpaw had to say. The ginger cat nodded when he asked if she knew the territory was huge, then she frowned when she heard Duskpaw had tripped. Finding the courage to say something, the apprentice spoke "Sorry Duskpaw... She meowed, but her voice wasn't smooth. It sounded very raspy, and rough like it hurt to speak.

When he heard Sorrelpaw speak for the first time, he purred in satisfaction, butting his head against her shoulder lightly. He was glad to know that Sorrelpaw firstly, could speak, and secondly, was willing to speak to him. His curiosity satisfied, and feeling happy that the apprentice had chosen to speak to him, he continued. "Sorry for what, you didn't tripped me. It was a silly rock. Anyway, I'm fine. And I even managed to catch a glimpse of a Riverclan cat. They really do swim like fishes."

Sorrelpaw was shocked by Duskpaw's reaction. No one really reacted to her voice that way. Flameclaw was glad that she could speak, but even so she still refused to speak. First of all it sounded bad, and second of all she had trouble with words, and speaking clearly. Sorrelpaw's voice failed her many times. "oh we-.... well.. well t-they are fish faces.." Sorrelpaw finally said a bit frustrated the her voice failed her many times, along with the stutters. The fish faces word she got from her mother.

Duskpaw mreowed in mirth at Sorrelpaw's description of the Riverclan cats. He cared little for Sorrelpaw's stuttering, or occasional silence, Coalpaw was his sister after all. And she voluntarily spent most of their times together silent, just grooming him or purring. She always said he was talkative enough for the both of them. He was used to talking, and having little to no response.

"I didn't think of that. That's a good one." He really liked that nickname for the Riverclan, Fish faces. "But yeah, they really do kind of look like fishes with their glossy fur. Maybe if you eat enough fishes, you'll end up one. Imagine that, cats with gills."

A smile peeked on Sorrelpaw's face at Duskpaw's response. "I.. I g-got fish f-faces from my mother Flameclaw.." Sorrelpaw had said to Duskpaw. Anytime Riverclan was mentioned she remembered Flameclaw would say something about Fish faces. Sorrelpaw knew that her mother cared very little for Riverclan. Sorrelpaw shifted her weight, and tucked her paws under her to keep them warm. "S-she doesn't l-like Riverclan t-.... too much." Sorrelpaw said in her raspy voice.

"Does anyone?" Duskpaw asked, stretching himself out to loosen up his muscles which were tensing in the cold breeze. "They look like kittypets, and their scent markers smell like fish. Also they're slow from being so fat. I'm glad I was born in the Thunderclan. Imagine being a fish-face. Eugh."

The was undeniable prejudice in Duskpaw's every word despite never having met an actually Riverclan cat beyond seeing one on border patrol, and scenting them.

"Do you mind if we huddle up? It's cold."