Dry Paws and Wet Fur [c]

Gender: Female
Rank: Apprentice

Silentpaw trotted alongside a patrol of several warriors and glanced over at one of the other cats her age, a gentle smile on her face. Her mood was bright and cheerful, much different from the more serious and bored warriors she followed. One of the warrior's, a massive tom, turned and gestured for Silentpaw and the other apprentice to hang back, though for what, Silentpaw wasn't sure.

As the grown cats continued, their fur prickling, Silentpaw shrugged it off and turned toward the river they had been padding alongside, her tail swishing back and forth with excitement. The older cats had been doing a fine job of keeping her away and out of the river, but now that they were gone, she could do whatever she wanted! Of course, it didn't occur to the white apprentice that there might be a reason the warriors didn't want her getting too close to the river. Nor did she worry about the fact that she'd never swam before.

Sure, she'd dipped her paws into the water now and then, but never before had the young apprentice actually swam. With a somewhat playful glance toward the other apprentice, Silentpaw bounded closer to the river and stopped at the edge, purring gleefully as the cool water rushed over her paws.

The odd smells coming from the other side of the river confused Silentpaw, and she wanted to check things out. Was that what the warriors were worried about? It smelled like cats, but not like her campmates. Head tipped to the side curiously, the she-cat squinted against the sun as it reflected off of the water. Should she investigate?