we must provide [patrol | semi-open]

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Gusts whisked at her pelt with a ferocious intensity, scathing her skin. Oh, how whe wanted to just allow the wind carry her away, away past the river, away past the clans. Just like how she had moons and moons ago, to an area of seclusion, to a path free from conflict and labour. But, doing so would further fracture the reputation she had worked so hard to clean... she had made a promise to Torrentstar, to RiverClan, to herself, that there would be no more running. No more running from her own paws, and from all these challenges that the world loved to burden her with. Her reputation had already been tarnished by the actions she, as a naive and young cat, had performed... but for so many sunrises, she had been exerting substantial amounts of effort, to redeem herself in all cats' views.

All these bone-wrenching patrols.. all those restless, sleepless nights.. couldn't have been all for nothing.

And so, she fidgeted by the stream bordering camp, eyes flickering over the many RiverClan pelts, awaiting sheepishly to see if any cat would bother to join. It had been like this for the past few days - merely standing, soundlessly, wondering if any other members would approach. Most of the time, she set off on her own. However, today it would seem the camp was bustling with more cats than usual... perhaps a patrol with a warrior or apprentice would have been inevitable, anyway.


Another day brought another patrol.
Another way she would lose self-control.

Applepaw padded out of the camp. My first patrol! He saw the she-cat standing by the border. ”Hi Featherpaw!” He grinned, bouncing with energy. He didn’t understand why she looked so...tired, exhausted, sad, just dull. He stood next to her, waiting to see if anyone else would come. Maybe Addershade, his mentor and father. Or Poppypaw or Nightpaw, his littermates.