let the kids be kids

Heatherpaw trotted over to her side, eyes wide. "Wow, Emberpaw, that was amazing! Are you sure you're not secretly a SkyClan cat? Because that was some incredible paw work."

Emberpaw laughed as she buried the squirrel. "I promise you I'm not a SkyClan cat. I don't think so, anyway. ...Wait, did I ever tell you where I came from?" While the fact that she was an outsider, accepted into the Clan, was common knowledge - it was hard for it to be anything else when most of the Clan had witnessed her arrival and apprentice ceremony - she wasn't sure how much of the story was known to anyone aside from Blizzardstar, Specklefang and Ravenpaw. And even then, they only knew the relevant pieces.

Heatherpaw shook her head. "All I know is you share a common background with me in regards to being an outsider. Where did you come from, if you wouldn't mind answering?"

"Well, I was born a kittypet and I lived with my mother - Cello - when I was a kit. She called me Ruby," Emberpaw recalled, the name bringing to mind a picture of the Twolegplace house's garden that she had called home for most of her kithood. "She told me stories that she said my father had told her, about cats that lived by a code of honor in the forest. And I really wanted to be one of them. So, when Mother got sick and... Well." She trailed off for a moment, still not liking to remember that. She may well have been the only cat alive who still knew her mother's name before today, and that scared her. "After that, I waited for a while... But the Twolegs didn't leave out food or water. They didn't even come outside. So I ran into the forest, and a ThunderClan apprentice found me... And, well, I became Emberpaw. The rest is history, I guess. Sorry if that story was boring, or depressing," she added quietly.

Heatherpaw gingerly licked Emberpaw's cheek. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I... I lost my mother as well, so I know what you mean. Though... I didn't really lose her the same way you lost yours if that makes any sense..." She secretly hoped Emberpaw wouldn't ask her about her mother, but even if she did she owed her an explanation after having to go through remembering her own sad past.

"Yeah," Emberpaw nodded. She wouldn't press her friend - if she wanted to tell her, she would do so on her own in time. "But if none of those things had happened, I would never have found my way here. I wouldn't have met you, either," she says softly. "If that's the price I had to pay to be standing here right now... I'd say it was worth it."

Heatherpaw purred and blinked fondly at her. She began to feel warm and fuzzy after hearing her say that. She had never had another cat care so much about her before, and it made her feel very happy. Her gorgeous amber eyes seemed to put her in a trance, and her voice was soft as well when she spoke. "Well, I would definitely say everything I've been through was worth it because I met you in the end."

"I'm glad to hear it," Emberpaw purred. "And you know I wasn't kidding when I said I was sure you'd catch the next rabbit, right? I believe in you. With practice you'll get it! I mean, I'm only good with climbing because the Twolegplace was full of fences."

"Thank you for having faith in me, it really helps me strive to do the best I can," Heatherpaw replied. She was broken out of her trance in Emberpaw's eyes to the sound of rustling, and she spotted a mouse scurrying through the undergrowth, searching for any remaining food it could salvage in the snow.

She crouched into a hunter's crouch, just as Reedheart taught her, and crept closer and closer to it slowly, being sure to stay downwind of it. She wasn't able to spot a twig underneath the snow and she stepped on it, snapping it in half. The mouse looked up and dashed back into the safety of its warren. Heatherpaw sighed sadly and lowered her head.

The member 'Yoshachu' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

Emberpaw frowned, but licked Heatherpaw's cheek. "Like I said. Practice. But it's okay if you can't do some things, too, you know? I mean, didn't you fight a ShadowClan warrior?" she pointed out, having heard the story from another apprentice a while ago - it had slipped her mind until now. "I couldn't do that. But you did. We've all got strengths and weaknesses, right?" She wasn't sure why she was trying so desperately, besides the fact that seeing Heatherpaw sad made her sad.

Heatherpaw straightened up a little. "I suppose you're right. That's what Flowerpetal told me, too. I'll keep trying, but perhaps you should take over most of the hunting right now." She twitched her ears in embarrassment.

"That might help us catch more prey," she admitted. She walked forward silently for a few precious moments, just happy to be here, before she was distracted by the scent of a rabbit reaching her nose. Cheerfully, she pounced without thinking, and it escaped.

She frowned as she watched it run off, not noticing the owl approaching the pair from above.

The member 'Holly' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

"Emberpaw, look out!" Heatherpaw yowled in terror. Without thinking, her paws moved on their own towards the attacking bird of prey. She leaped up at it and slammed into it with full force, knocking it away from her fellow apprentice right before it could attack her.

Heatherpaw used Run-and-Tackle, dealing 6 HP and costing 10 SP.

Heatherpaw
20/20
70/80

Owl
44/50
120/120