The Gift [closed]

"Minkpaw." Icy blue eyes fixed themselves onto the apprentice, only a little less callous than customary. Jayfrost said nothing more than the apprentice's name as he stood idly by the camp's entrance, for he'd warned Minkpaw that they would be going out at sunhigh earlier that morning - she should be ready by now. The only other signifier he gave was a flick of his tail, although it was unclear whether it was from impatience or meant to be a signal to follow. Either way,  he stood in silence, softening his gaze only momentarily when Minkpaw finally joined him. "Let's go." The toms jaded expression quickly returned, it could not be fended off for long.

Jayfrost led the apprentice across the moors, but not very far. The winds were calmer today, so he wouldn't need to shout in order to be heard, and then be worried that his shouting alerted a twoleg. "We're going to the tunnels, because for whatever reason the twolegs have decided to claim our hunting grounds." The words were dripping with bitterness, fueled by the raging hunger that consumed his insides. Jayfrost felt he was justified in his anger, but that was nothing new. "We should find some rabbits down there somewhere."

When silence fell upon them, the pale tom found himself looking over to Minkpaw, brows furrowed, the only visual signifier of his internal conflict. That he was appointed to be Minkpaw's mentor, Jayfrost was honored. But every time he looked at the apprentice, a deep hurt rose in his chest and climbed up his throat. It choked him, suffocated him, smothered out his very being. It made him angry. With each step he took, he sunk his claws into the firm ground underpaw, for he didn't know any other way to deal. He looked away as the ground began to slope downwards, but that didn't keep his mind from lingering on the queen that was Minkpaw's mother.

The ground sloped downward into a Hollow, a tunnel mouth dug into the side of one of the slopes. It was protected from the eyes of twolegs, enemies, as well as the winds. In Greenleaf, the tunnel mouth would be hidden behind Heather and tall grasses.
.
Jayfrost couldn't help the heavy sigh that left him upon turning back to Minkpaw. Guilt washed over him. Then, anger at feeling said guilt. He didn't want to hate the apprentice, but he felt that was the path his mind was leading him down. It caused a bad, dirty feeling arise within him.

Suddenly, he realized that didn't really want to teach Minkpaw anything anymore. He stood wordlessly, facing the tunnel entrance, the few winds that reached them ruffling his fur. "Minkpaw, does Tigerdance ever talk to you about the tunnels?" Jayfrost knew rhat the striped tom found an interest in them. He wished that he shared that interest, any excuse to work alongside him. "Do you know why he likes the tunnels?" He spoke, but did not turn to face the apprentice. He did not want to feel that heavy, dirty feeling again.

Minkpaw always tried to be right on time. Punctuality was important, after all, and first impressions were equally so. Minkpaw really, really wanted to impress her mentor, so she showed up at the entrance of camp when he told her to, and followed him to the moor without second thought. The young she-cat's eyes were wide with excitement as she took in the area outside WindClan's camp, the wide open moor stretching as far as she could see. There was so much space here, so much room to run and hunt and-

Jayfrost spoke, then. He seemed to be one of few words, so Minkpaw paid close attention despite the way his icy tone made her hackles spike when he mentioned the Twolegs.

They were going to the tunnels?

She didn't bother to try and hide the trepidation she felt at the idea. She knew, of course, that there were tunnels beneath the moors, and that WindClan utilized them when they needed to, but the thought of her going down there had not quite crossed her mind. Minkpaw was long-limbed and lithe, built for running and chasing, not for slinking around in some deep dark hole looking for prey. But it wasn't her decision either, she reasoned. Jayfrost was her mentor, and he knew best... so she followed without complaint, even though her paws were heavy with dread.

There was silence between them as they moved now, but not a companionable, friendly silence like she would have wished. This was tense and almost frigid... just like Jayfrost had been from the moment they left camp this morning.
The entire way here, she'd been trying to reason why he was so aloof, so disinterested, even, in her. She'd seen other apprentices with their mentors, envied the bond that they had. That was what she'd been expecting, not this. Minkpaw wondered, briefly, if she'd done something to warrant his disinterest. Did she not show potential as a warrior? Was training her a chore, rather than a reward? The idea of that stung, moreso than she expected, but quickly she reasoned that she was being ridiculous. Maybe Jayfrost just was just in a bad mood. This famine, the situation with the Twolegs, it was enough to make the most stoic of warriors into a sourpuss.

The ground beneath their paws slanted downwards, where a yawning portal to Below the Moor sat, awaiting them almost expectantly. Minkpaw's ears slicked back, and she glanced at Jayfrost for reassurance. But he made no move to look at her, only stood there, staring at the tunnel for a stretch before asking her a question.

Minkpaw took a moment to think about it, brow furrowed slightly. "No, he hasnt," she said. "I'm not sure, I'm sorry."

She felt almost ashamed at not knowing the answer to his question, and quickly, she added, "I'll ask him, though!"