This is What Home Feels Like (open)

Flamestrike sat alone near the edge of camp. It was his usual spot. No one ever really came to join him except for his former mentor and her kits. But now that they were becoming apprentices, none of them were ever in camp together. He watched the sunrise with a sigh, wishing he was out at fourtrees with his friends. The flame orange tom had been out all night hunting and had brought back a decent amount. Now, he settled in, paws tucked underneath him for a peaceful meal. It was nice to have a bit of time to rest, but it was also very lonely. His eyes scanned the camp for some cat to talk to. One or two of the other Shadowclan warriors had begun to recognize him after his warrior ceremony. Most still ignored him, forever wishing that Thrushstar had not accepted the rogue kit. Regardless, he was still honored to finally be accepted as a Shadowclan warrior, no matter how the others treated him. A disturbance at the camp entrance caused him to look up and his eyes fixed on the disturbed marsh plants.

Wolfpaw burst through the entrance to camp, a large frog clamped firmly between her jaws. Pride shined in her yellowish eyes as she raced over to meet the young warrior. She dropped it at his paws and immediately began to speak, "Flamestrike, look! I caught it all myself. It never had a chance. Mudfoot has said I'm getting pretty good at this. I bet I'm almost better than you!" She bared her teeth in a mock challenge to the tom. With her, it was always about besting others. The warrior shook his head slightly at her antics. The grey she-cat had always been a pawfull since she was a small kit. Between harassing him, leading her siblings on an adventure out of camp, and probably pestering both Mudfoot and Hazeflight, he had no idea how Shadowclan would survive her apprenticeship. Let alone her warriorhood. He could never imagine the energy-filled, fierce cat as an elder. Wolfpaw would be going till the day she died. Flamestrike almost chuckled at the thought, but suppressed it.

"Congratulations," He meowed deeply, dipping his head to her, "You should show Hazeflight." His suggestion was hesitant, knowing of Wolfpaw's growing disdain for her mother. There was no surprise when the she-cat snorted.

"And why would I do that?" She hissed, eyes growing dark. Before he could come up with an answer, another cat interjected.

Venompaw had seen the other apprentice run into camp, it was hard to miss her after all. She couldn't help smiling, approaching them if a little warily. She'd never met either of them, but her kit-like curiosity got the better of her and she wandered her way over, wondering what the need for so much excitement was.
"Hi, what's so amazing? I saw you run into camp and..." she trailed off, flicking her tail uncertainly "well, yeah, I was just wondering." She looked from warrior to apprentice, she recognised the younger cat from the apprentice den, she'd seen her now and again, but didn't think she'd even seen the warrior, let alone spoken to him "Oh, and uh, sorry. I should have introduced myself. I'm Venompaw" she smiled, a little awkwardly admittedly but the sentiment was there.

She'd never been one for meeting new cats, or making friends, but she'd not been doing much training and she was getting bored staying around camp all day by herself, the tedious day-to-day activities not providing any source of entertainment. She didn't know any of the other apprentices, so she couldn't talk to them, and she rarely ever saw her parents or mentor, they were always busy or not around. A pang of jealousy struck through her, clearly these two were close to some extent and she couldn't help wishing that she had a similar bond with someone. Pushing the thoughts away, she instead focused on what was happening right in front of her, doing her best to make her gaze friendly

Puddlepaw appeared then, stretching in the shadow of the opening to the medicine den. She blinked once, twice, relishing the sun, before catching the eye of her sister. At once, she scampered over to Wolfpaw, letting out a purr as she overheard part of the conversation.

"Wolfpaw, that's amazing!" the small she mewed, blue eyes, beginning to turn an aqua color, growing wide with admiration for her littermate. "It's so big…"

She brushed in circle around the large apprentice, fur tinged with the sleepy scent of herbs. "Honeydrop's impressed with my progress. She says I'll be a full medicine cat soon enough! She's so nice, I like her, and…"

The runt trailed off, her tail drooping as she gazed at her sister. "We never get to talk anymore." They'd both chosen such different lifestyles that it was difficult for them to speak. Puddlepaw missed the days when they were close as the yarns in a ball of moss.

The blue-dark grey apprentice turned, flicking her tail in greeting. "Hey, Venompaw!" She'd seen all the clan cats around now; it was her job to care for them, know each one by name.

"Hey, Venompaw," Wolfpaw meowed smoothly, burying the momentary anger. She had seen the other apprentice around, but they'd never really been together before due to keeping busy during training with their mentors. Her eyes lit up again as she pushed the gigantic frog towards her denmate, standing up proudly once more. However, her attention went else where as Puddlepaw padded up. The warrior apprentice purred as their pelts pressed together affectionately.

"I've missed you, Puddlepaw. Glad to hear your training is going well too. But I wish you were out learning to hunt in the forest with me," A look of sadness washed over her features as she looked down at the medicine cat apprentice. Her sibling was the only one that truly understood her. It felt weird now that they weren't always together. In fact, it made Wolfpaw uncomfortable to leave her smaller sister alone. Wolfpaw made a mental note to go out into the forest with her sometime. She needed the kind she-cat around to help balance out her aggressive side.

Flamestrike dipped his head to the two other apprentices as they joined them. If it weren't for Hazeflight's litter, he would probably never have company. It was nice getting to see the younger cats grow up, especially with them being out of the nursery now. He remembered the pride he felt when Wolfpaw became an apprentice, and even more so when Puddlepaw was named as a medicine cat apprentice. Seeing the dynamic between the two sisters always brought a smile to his features. A pang of jealously washed over him, though. It was difficult being the only one and having no true family. How different things would have been if he had a littermate...

"I knew you'd make a wonderful medicine cat," Flamestrike purred deeply to Puddlepaw as she finished catching her sister up on medicine cat life. He remembered her kithood fondly. Wolfpaw had always been the one to pester him. On the otherhand, Puddlepaw was sweet. She had followed Wolfpaw along as a kit, but she never had picked up the harsh personality that the bigger she-cat carried around.

Hazeflight swiftly made her way over, her eyes bright. With a smile she glanced down at Wolfpaw's catch, pride etched all over her silver features as she gazed at her daughters. The silver warrior dipped her head to Flamestrike and Venompaw in turn. "Great catch, Wolfpaw! Looks like your taking after me!" She purred curling her banded tail around the grey she-cat.

Hazeflight tried to be reasonable with her daughter, but Wolfpaw didn't get it. She didn't have much of a choice and the way Eagleheart acted made it seem like he hated their kits. The silver cat glanced down at her grey daughter again then quickly retracted her tail from around her." I'm sorry," Hazeflight muttered hastily.

"So your training is going good then I suppose. Mudfoot is a great mentor and friend. So, Puddlekit, how is it like being the medicine cat apprentice?" She purred. Was she being a little too cheerful, probably. In all honesty Hazeflight felt rather hollow. Her daughter hated her, her other daughter and son had no idea who she was and Eagleheart had lied to her face more times than she could ever imagine. And really most of that was just the surface, hardly any cat had been through her hardships in all honesty. Was it fair?

Wolfpaw shuttered away from Hazeflight's tail as her mother tried to touch her. Instead of giving the warrior a response, she simply fixed her with a cold stare briefly, and moved closer to Flamestrike while looking away. Once Hazeflight mentioned her mentor, Wolfpaw's eyes shot up.

"Yes. He is. Because of his training, I am becoming a great hunter," Her words were meant to discredit Hazeflight's hunting skill. Of course Wolfpaw knew the truth that her mother was a fantastic hunter and having a frame similar to the warrior she-cat probably did help her, but Wolfpaw would never admit that. The young she-cat would die before she validated her mother.

"Obviously." she returned just as bluntly. Hazeflight shook her head, she didn't need to be just as blunt and cold back. Wolfpaw was her daughter after all. "He taught me a lot besides, how do you think you caught that toad without his excellent mentoring." Hazeflight added changing her tone.