bubble, bubble, toil and trouble (c)

For Bubblepaw, leaving camp both alone and accompanied wasn't difficult. She actually looked forward to it. RiverClan's territory was the same every time, but it was also a little different whenever she stepped out. Nature was always moving and changing, and she enjoyed observing it. As she padded out of the apprentices' den with the camp's exit in her sights, she noticed one of her denmates standing nearby with a paw outstretched as if she was about to leave. However, the apprentice wasn't moving.

Bubblepaw found herself approaching out of curiosity, and as she drew near, she realized that it was Cinderpaw. She was familiar with the names of the majority of her denmates because they slept in the same den, and hearing their mentors call their names in the morning helped Bubblepaw piece together names and faces. That still didn't mean that she knew them all very well.

"Cinderpaw?" She began once she reached the she-cat's side, "Are you okay? You've been, um, standing there for quite some time."
Bubblepaw didn't want to seem like she was mocking anyone. She actually was genuine, but she was also a bit confused. Interacting with the other apprentices made her realize time and time again that not every cat was the same as her.

Bubblepaw attempted to hide a smile as Cinderpaw spoke.
"Oh, I was just about to head out myself. Maybe I could help you make up your mind? We could go together." She said, her tone kind and smooth.
Bubblepaw was aware that the other apprentice was lying, but she figured that calling her out would do more harm than good. Being nervous about things was normal.

"You've never left by yourself, have you?" She realized.
She gingerly let her silver tail rest on Cinderpaw's shoulders as she looked over at her denmate. Perhaps she could be of some assistance today.

Bubblepaw shook her head as Cinderpaw spoke.
"Outings are always better with company, and you wouldn't be slowing me down. It's not like I'm in a rush or anything." She tried her hardest to convince her denmate that it was alright.

"Here, let's make a deal. We go out for a little bit and if you don't like it then we turn around and go back. Does that sound okay?" The apprentice asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.
She enjoyed being with her Clanmates, but the last thing she wanted to do was be a bother to any of them. If Cinderpaw was unhappy with something then Bubblepaw would be willing to stop. But she was also oddly confident that her denmate would end up being alright. This wasn't the first nervous apprentice that she had dealt with, after all.

Bubblepaw nodded, patiently waiting for Cinderpaw to take the first step before realizing that it probably wasn't going to happen anytime soon. She put on an amused smile before gently pushing the gray she-cat forward and toward the awaiting forest.
"It'll be fine, I promise. Follow me." She said with one more soft push before leading the way out onto the territory.

Once her paws left camp, Bubblepaw inhaled a quick breath and exhaled with her eyes closed.
"See? It's not that bad. Try and focus on nice things to take your mind off of your worries. The sound of the river usually calms me down." The apprentice explained as she flicked her tail toward the surrounding river, lifting her ears to listen to the sound of the water rushing over the stones and shells that dotted the bottom.