the good shadows [c]

It had been a few more days after her ceremony, and Mistlepaw was still yet to properly train. So far, she had only discovered what seemed to be the least popular jobs that were handed out to apprentices, mostly involving bedding and elders and ticks. She had found that she didn't mind catching the strange little bloodsuckers, or at least that it was worth it to get to spend time with the elders; she loved their stories, even if sometimes Oakshade's jokes weren't quite as funny as he thought they were. But soon she should be training properly as a warrior. She was excited, even if she hadn't quite decided how terrified she was yet.

All her jobs for today were finished, and so she could do whatever she wanted. Most of her denmates filled the gap in their schedule by socialising with their friends and practising new things they had learnt. Mistlepaw didn't think anyone would appreciate her practising her new skill for catching ticks on them. The only cat her age she'd consider her friend as Marshpaw, but she didn't seem to be in camp. The grey and white apprentice may've been quiet, but ever since that day in the forest, she didn't really like being alone.

However, she wasn't the only apprentice sitting alone. And so Mistlepaw joined her without an invitation, hoping that she wouldn't mind. She was about to ask for her name when something else caught her attention - the other apprentice's scent. There was certainly a bit of Shadowclan scent, as anyone in the camp would automatically have, but it was mixed with something else that she didn't recognise. "Why do you smell different?"

It surprised her that her pelt still smelled like SkyClan. It was faded, and covered with ShadowClan scent, but it still held onto its oaky scent, as if refusing to accept the life she longed for in the pine trees. Jasminepaw sat down, sighing softly. ShadowClan was nice, ShadowClan was... Home. Yes, she was finally home. Dawnfeather's words drifted through her mind, and she hummed in thought. Maybe I'm not quite home. Maybe I'll only ever be home when I reach StarClan. Jasmine, the shooting star of Silverpelt, like Dawnfeather said.

Maybe she'd never know, and maybe she would. Either way, for now, ShadowClan was her home, and she was content with that. Her talk with Dawnfeather had made her realize that maybe she should've been brave enough to stay, but she hadn't been. And that was okay. In order to truly blossom into the best form of herself, she'd needed to leave, and to experience a different world, a Clan oh so different from SkyClan.

That was ShadowClan. There was no doubt in her heart anymore, this was where she belonged. She was sure of it. The brown tabby had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard the approach of Mistlepaw, and was startled when the she-cat spoke. "O-oh! Hi! Uhm, oh, it's still n-noticeable..? It's uhm, from my old C-Clan. SkyClan. What's your n-name?"

"Barely. The pine trees have swarmed most of it." Mistlepaw knew she had surprised the other apprentice, but hoped she hadn't startled her too much. She sounded nervous, but shadows were scary when you weren't as used to them. Skyclan was a day-clan, like the rest of the forest. The actual territories weren't that different (not that she would know), or at least they both had trees. She didn't question how the other apprentice had gotten here, but no doubt some of the apprentices would know; gossip spread fast around camp, it wouldn't take long for her to find a conversation to listen to. However, she noticed she said 'old' clan, meaning she was probably officially part of the clan. She felt a bit bad now not for knowing her, but she was still yet to meet many of the apprentices and warriors.

"I'm Mistlepaw. I've never known if it's the the thrush or the berry, but I like both." She shared. Maybe her mother would've told her if she'd known her longer.

"If it's the plant we'll have something in common. M-my name is Jasminepaw." She mewed, offering the apprentice a smile. Yeah, ShadowClan definitely was home. She liked every cat here so far, and they'd all treated her kindly. "Uhm, a-are you from ShadowClan..?" Realizing how rude that might've sounded, her eyes widened, "S-sorry! I didn't mean it i-in a bad way! I was just.. w-wondering."

Stars above, she still wasn't quite used to talking to other cats.

Mistlepaw took the other apprentice's question as perfectly normal, not really seeing the unusualness about asking a cat in their own camp what clan they were in. "Yes. As far as I know, my whole family is Shadowclan, even those who have been in the stars a while." At least that's what she assumed from what she'd heard about her great-grandparents, cats who didn't appreciate how welcoming many leaders were to outsiders. "Plenty of cats here were born in further lands, though. Flintstar tends to be very accepting of kits." With the rouges that currently terrorised them, some warriors had second thoughts. Mistlepaw didn't understand why though. Many cats who were Shadowclan born and raised, yet didn't put nearly as much effort in. "I guess as long as you help the clan strengthen its roots and branches, there should be no reason for anyone not to stay."