let the kids be kids

Heatherpaw stopped mid-lick and lifted her head up, trying to remember the different routes of the territory Reedheart had shown her. Then she nodded. "We're really close to the Owl Tree, which... probably explains the constant owl appearances. The nearby river is pretty close. Do you think you can stand up?" Her legs quivered and she let out a huff of exhaustion as she struggled back to her paws.

"Yeah, I can stand," Emberpaw nodded, though she struggled just a little to do so and hoped her denmate didn't notice. "...Oh. I need to pay more attention the next time I decide to leave the camp." That was something she ought to have checked the first time, she supposed - where the owl tree was in relation to where she was.

Heatherpaw let out a soft mrrow of amusement and walked alongside Emberpaw to the river, keeping a close eye on her friend in case she needed her help. "Well, at least we were able to catch an owl together like I had initially wanted," she suddenly said, a small bubble of hilarity rising in her chest.

Emberpaw laughed aloud as well. "I suppose we did. Good luck carrying it all the way back to camp," she added with a sparkle in her eyes. She had to carry the squirrel she had caught, after all, but Heatherpaw had also dealt the final bite - so, rightfully, the owl was her catch. Besides, Emberpaw was in no condition to carry the thing regardless.

"Well, considering I'm tired, yet unharmed, I'm sure I'll be able to," Heatherpaw replied.

The two she-cats trekked to the river near the Owl Tree, and Heatherpaw agreed to stand watch for any potential predators or enemy cats as her friend washed off the scent of owl she carried.

Emberpaw looked at the river with apprehension, reaching a single paw out first. As soon as it touched the water, though, she leapt back. "It's so cold! ...Well, I did say anything," she sighed, resolving to never say she'd do 'just about anything' ever again as she forced herself into the water just long enough to wash off the scent of owls and not a second longer, once more practically leaping back out of it and attempting to dry herself off as quickly as possible. "There," she declared, rejoining Heatherpaw. "You should wash off too, right? I'll keep watch." Lessons were learned today, and hopefully that was the last of them.

Heatherpaw wasn't able to choke back a loud purr of laughter, her whiskers twitching. "You look like a furry fish!" she squealed. "Look out, RiverClan! With Emberpaw on our side, we'll take back Sunningrocks in no time!" She stepped up to the riverbank once her friend leaped out, slipping into the freezing water without overthinking it. She squeaked and whimpered as the frigid liquid seeped deep into her fur. Her teeth began to chatter. "G-G-Great StarClan, that's cold!..."

"A furry fish?!" Emberpaw laughed, though feeling the tiniest bit offended, after she looked into the water at her own reflection she burst into laughter once again. "StarClan, you're right!" Still, that didn't stop the fluffy she-cat laughing harder when Heatherpaw called out that the water was freezing cold.

Heatherpaw pulled herself out after spending about half as long as Emberpaw did, shaking out her fur and splashing her friend with droplets. She flicked her ears sheepishly. "Oops, sorry about that. Maybe a run through the forest could warm ourselves up. Are you up for a race?" She crouched down, waving her tail and hindquarters playfully in the air. She still showed signs of heavy quivering from the water.

"Once we get our prey, I'd be up for a race back to the camp," Emberpaw agreed. "And then a nap. A nice, long nap that I hope Specklefang won't wake me up from." It wasn't exactly likely for the apprentice's injured mentor to wake her, but the repeated owl attack had been unlikely as well and that had certainly happened.

"Boy, I wonder who'd win that race, the cat carrying the squirrel or the cat carrying the giant owl?" Heatherpaw teased, making her way back to where the large bird had been slain.

"The njured cat with very long, wet fur, carrying the squirrel," Emberpaw pointed out as she dug up the squirrel. "And the uninjured cat carrying the owl. I'd say it's a fairly even match at that point."

Heatherpaw shrugged. "Fair enough. I can't wait to see everyone's faces when they see the owl we caught together -- because let's face it: I made the killing bite, sure, but you and I fought it together, and you were the one to deal the last blow that weakened it enough for me to kill it."

"You still did it," Emberpaw shrugged, as happy as she was that Heatherpaw pointed out her own contribution it was still mostly Heatherpaw's work. "You killed it, so you caught it. I have a nice, fat squirrel."

Heatherpaw purred happily. "I suppose the both of us did very well today. The Clan's going to eat very well today." She grasped the owl's neck and hauled it up as high up as she could, though it still dragged along the ground in the snow. She hoped the still warm fresh-kill wouldn't turn cold and tough by the time they made it back to camp.