In the Light of Dusk {Closed}

The sun was setting, but there was time for one last hunting patrol. Scorchclaw sat by the camp exit, waiting for a clanmate or two to join him. In the warm golden light, his long tabby fur was rendered a darker shade of brown than it usually was. He couldn't dally for too long; it would get too dark for his liking, otherwise. The RiverClan camp was astir with the last activities of the day. Apprentices that were worn out from a hard day of training discussed their day over fresh-kill. A chiding queen herded her particularly troublesome kits back into the nursery. Not too far away, a warrior shared tongues with an aged parent. Every now and then, the fluffy deputy would catch snatches of a conversation. It was a peaceful evening, one of those that seemed like they could last forever.

The tightly-woven reeds that encased the Nursery pricked and pulled awkwardly at Adderfeather's fur as she attempted to back free of the dimly-lit den. After seeking shelter from the practically unbearable heat of the midday in the bustling hub of activity, she had ended up wasting away the lull in her free time by chatting with Splashwillow and Tinytip. Although the freedoms and responsibilities that her Warrior Name had granted her were quite nice, it was even nicer still to be treated like the actual fully-grown cat she was, not the grotesquely injured Apprentice she formerly was. Shaking away unsightly scraps of derbies that had somehow befallen her in the ill-fated attempt of escaping the Nursery, the grey-furred molly was puffing by the time she managed to reach Scorchclaw. "Sitting off by yourself again? Don't you have anything better to be doing?" Adderfeather inquired, a lightly teasing note warming her voice, pausing to lightly knock her shoulder against the stout Deputy's.

ooc: sorry for lateness I thought I'd posted and shortness, I havent got much time

ic: Flamepaw stood not far. "I think he's waiting for a patrol." Her eyes flicked to Scorchclaw. "If so, I'd like to join."

Scorchclaw had taken notice of Adderfeather from the moment that she emerged from the nursery. He watched with mild amusement as his best friend struggled with the stubborn exit. After a brief moment, she pulled herself free. "Sitting off by yourself again? Don't you have anything better to be doing?" Accepting her friendly nudge with a soft purr of greeting, his pale green eyes met her blue-green ones. "Not really." He replied honestly. He was waiting for a patrol precisely because he had nothing else to do at the moment. "What was that, anyway?" The brown tabby tom asked lightly. He was referring to the trouble leaving the nursery had given her. "Does the nursery exit have some grudge against you?" Even though he was merely jesting, his tone was oddly solemn. It was his best attempt at a joke. Reaching out a paw, he flicked off a leaf that was still clinging to Adderfeather's shoulder. The sight of the incredibly fluffy she-cat always made him feel slightly better.

Flamepaw was just standing a little distance away. She must have overheard their conversation, for she spoke up. Scorchclaw nodded. While he was still far from completely trusting Flamepaw, she was steadily blending into the clan as time passed. "That's right." He affirmed with a nod. "I don't mind you coming along." Now that the patrol had two cats, it only a needed one or two more. The glance he gave Adderfeather was a questioning one.

OOC: Now we just have to wait for Littlestream.