Hushed [C]

❒ The night wasn't as cold as it used to be—only a subtle chill in the breeze was felt by the young tom. Perhaps his fluffy fur had something to contribute to that assessment. Or perhaps it was a sign that leaf-bare was finally on its way out. Whatever it was, the young apprentice was thankful to not feel much of it.

❒ Anyway, his whole day had been rather productive, thankfully. He'd done his assigned chores with an eager and observant disposition. As a new apprentice, he had to be taught the ropes on how to complete tasks and what was expected of him generally. It had taken most of the day to complete them all but he got it done. It'll take some practice to get him used to his assignments but he was willing to try his best. He wanted to be like the warriors he'd come to know. They gave their all each and every day. He wanted to make them proud.

❒ After arriving back to camp from a late hunting patrol, the apprentice watched the older cats take their leave and offered them a shy goodbye via a small wave of a paw. He hadn't caught anything himself but luckily, the warriors had. Plus, he had learned a few useful tips from them. If he wasn't able to catch anything, the least he could do was learn and get better.

❒ Forestpaw hadn't noticed the lone figure sitting in front of the camp's entrance prior since he was distracted by what the warriors were saying but now that they had dispersed, his attention was taken by the lone cat. He hadn't meant to be nosey but it was too late to cease his staring since said cat waved hello with his tail. The young apprentice felt a bit flustered but he shook it off. He offered the warrior a sheepish smile and lifted his tail to wave back. Now that Forestpaw was free from any more duties and wasn't in the least bit tired, he could hopefully get to know someone new.

❒ Walking over to the dark-furred warrior, the tom gave him a smile. "H-Hello. You're Webshadow, right? S-Sorry for staring. I was just a bit curious as to why you were sitting here alone..." He hoped he got the older tom's name right. He was still getting used to his clanmates' names. He'll get it figured out soon enough.

❒ The young tom smiled, relief filling his chest at having correctly remembered the warrior's name. "M-My name's Forestpaw a-and you're right! I am a-a rather new apprentice..." he replied, a bashful look crossing his eyes. The apprentice silently trailed behind the warrior as he watched him grab a nice mouse from the pile before settling down. He itched to sit down too but held himself back for now.

❒ Forestpaw had been a little reluctant in joining Webshadow. The young tom didn't like bothering anyone if they were trying to relax in peace, however, those worries were smothered when said warrior invited him to join. "I-I would like to join! Thank you." He offered the older tom a bigger smile before plopping himself down next to him. Forest was rather interested in learning more about the quiet tom—mostly due to them sharing that aspect.

❒ He tilted his head as he listened to the dark-furred tom speak, amber gaze fixated on nothing in particular. "I-I'm a bit like that too," he began, "I don't really like making myself the center of attention a-and I don't like jumping into any of the crazy stuff that goes on b-but I'm not against any company. I-I really do love spending some time with those t-that I now call my friends. I don't have very many, though... B-But that's okay! It means I can give them double the attention!" he purred with a gentle look in his eyes. The young tom derailed the oncoming train of thoughts as he noticed Webshadow sliding over his mouse. Forestpaw's expression softened even further. He took a small bite—not one to choke down food—then gently slid it back to the warrior. "Thank you. I-I was a bit hungry but I guess I forgot about that u-until now," he murmured sheepishly. He finally laid himself down just as he'd seen the other do. It was... nice. A very comfortable setup.

❒ Head craning to look up at the sky, the young apprentice admired Silverpelt's brilliance and serenity. He allowed a few moments of silence to pass before speaking up again, this time with a softer voice, "I heard from some of the older apprentices that I'll have to journey to the Moonstone and talk with Starclan eventually. Is- Is that true? Will I get to meet with Starclan one day?"