to know what people i can [C]

Silverpaw

It was important to know one’s Clanmates, especially senior warriors. Their experience could be invaluable. He’d done a poor job of meeting any of them as a kit, but Silverpaw swore to do better now; it’d be easier as an apprentice, anyway. He knew exactly who to start with, too: Swiftheart had caught his attention. She was one of ShadowClan’s oldest warriors, and Nightstar’s sister. He could only imagine what he could learn from her. While he hadn’t gotten around to talking to her yet, Silverpaw was determined to change that today.

Once he’d found himself with extended free time, he grabbed a heavy toad off the fresh-kill pile and set off in search. It wasn’t hard to find Swiftheart, her stark white pelt made brighter under the moonlight. Silverpaw trotted over to the resting warrior, bowing his head respectfully once he got closer. Already bent, he crouched the rest of the way down to set the toad down carefully before straightening back up.

“Hello, Swiftheart!” He greeted brightly, holding himself tall. “Are you busy right now? Would you mind if we sat and talked for a while? We haven’t had the chance yet!”

Silverpaw

Swiftheart happily accepted his offer, so Silverpaw let himself sit down, purring gratefully as he settled. “The toad is for you,” he said, nodding towards  the dropped prey before she went on with asking him questions. She had as much energy as a kit did. Its nice, finding someone that chatters at him the way Honeylight does. That means Swiftheart won’t mind his chattering in turn. He stayed quiet until she was finished, though the question about the Moonstone broke his silence with a ringing laugh.

“No, not yet. I just became an apprentice!” He was still giggling while he answered her. “Oh, I’m excited for the day I get to, though. I’m looking forward to meeting StarClan! But that won’t be until I’m almost ready to be a warrior, right?” Silverpaw’s head tipped. Thinking of the day sent a shiver of excitement down his spine. Maybe he’d fly through his training and he’d be introducing himself as a warrior of ShadowClan in just a few moons. He could only hope.

“But- training’s going well so far! The nursery’s a miserable place. I’m happy to be doing anything, really! And–” A stronger purr rumbled in Silverpaw’s throat. He fit so well into his new family. He wouldn’t have cared if training was an utter bore; he was doing it with his new brother. “Leopardsun made a good choice, making Honeylight my mentor. He’s great!” Silverpaw’s tail swished across the earth, and he let himself slouch between sentences. “Who was your mentor? If that’s okay to ask, at least. What was ShadowClan like when you were an apprentice?”

Silverpaw

Silverpaw was content to watch Swiftheart pick over the frog while she chattered back at him. He nodded along while she spoke, purring wordlessly in acknowledgment while she spoke. His expression hardened a bit when the senior warrior shared her mutual feelings on the nursery. The medicine cats’ den, too. Silverpaw’s eyes slid away from the warrior, ear flicking absently when his attention turned towards the cleaved stone where Burdockroot and Harriertalon slept. He didn’t want to think of it as anything like the nursery, if only because he liked Harriertalon. It made sense, though. Cats went there to die sometimes.

“Lonely, yeah.” Silverpaw echoed pensively. His attention lingered on the medicine den before he turned back toward Swiftheart, smile returning when she mentioned being a friend of Honeylight’s. “I can see why!” He purred, nose wrinkling as he laughed. The two of them were probably the most jovial and energetic cats in ShadowClan. Well, besides him now, too. Silverpaw’s tail thumped the ground with excitement over the quiet thoughts of growing up to be like Honeylight and having a friend like Swiftheart.

He listened closely when Swiftheart got to answering his question, ears turning forward. He’d heard, passingly, that Nightstar’s mother had been a leader before him. Hearing it confirmed though, and learning her name, made Silverpaw’s eyes blink open wide. “Murkystar must’ve been a good mother!” Imagining being the leader’s kit made his paws tingle. And when his wandering attention drifted towards the Jaggedrock, it made him curious. “Do you wish you’d been the deputy?” The question was only a whisper, low like it would be treasonous to ask. He had to, though: he would have been jealous, and he was curious if she would've felt the same. He doubted he'd get a chance to ask another leader's sibling anytime soon.