Tour of the Territory [OPEN]

Cricketpaw did not at all like the look of Beechfang. The molly was hideous, with her tattered pink skin all on display. It spoke of the many things she had survived, and the old warrior was likely fierce and blood-thristy. The tabby and white she-cat padded along with the rest of the apprentices, tucked securely in between Yewpaw and Myrtlepaw, pointedly leaving no room for Mallowpaw at her brother’s shoulder. Their friendship was close enough, she didn’t see any reason for them to be attached at the hip.

She let her mismatched gaze sweep around the towering trees, leaning a little closer into the press of Yewpaw’s fur, like she was small and scared in the face of these unfamiliar woods. In reality Cricketpaw didn’t mind the new territory, or maybe the old one, to most of SkyClan. It was just another place. She was used to moving after all, and now this land needed to be cataloged in her head like all the other places they had passed on their journey. She would remember every landmark, scentpost, and ambush spot. Even if Beechfang was terrifying, she did have information, and that was important to Cricketpaw, so she listened intently behind the mask of unease that settled into the slight prickling of her fur and anxious set of her shoulders. Demure, unsure, helpless, cowardly, she would let those attributes sink into her skin, and weave a shield from them. The fluffy apprentice flicked her ears back at Honeypaw’s description of the two-legs, but didn’t offer her own comments. She was as quiet and observant as ever. The two-legs did sound awful, hopefully she would never have to find out if Honeypaw was right.

Cricketpaw shoved down the roaring urge to flash her fangs at Mallowpaw. It was bad enough he followed her brother around like some dopey kit with attachment issues, but now he had eyes for her sister too. And he had made Myrtlepaw upset. It was an unforgivable offense. He wasn’t really a part of their family, even if Honeypaw did take him under her wing during the journey. Honeypaw wasn’t really family either. But at least she knew that, and didn’t try and upturn the fragile peace they had built since Mother’s death. Now Mallowpaw was shoving his ugly nose in it, and trying to undermine the affection of her siblings. It was dangerous.

She could not lose what family she had left. She could not be abandoned again. If they left her, she would be truly alone, ousted as an undesirable to the rest of SkyClan, left to the whims and wants of strangers who only cared about their next stepping stone. That couldn’t happen. She wouldn’t let that happen. But the eyes of her siblings were on her, as well as the eyes of Honeypaw and her clanmates. She had to be careful. She had to be smart. She would be patient, like an adder curled on the rocks. She would wait, as much as the rage burned on the inside, her eyes were as cool as wary as ever, the mask of a timid apprentice shielding her from the hungry eyes of the world. Let them think she was weak, let them rush to protect her, to reassure her, let them bleed and die and cherish her. She had to push Mallowpaw out of the circle eventually, but not now.

Cricketpaw flicked her tail soothingly over Myrtlepaw’s back before leaning a little closer into her sister’s shadow. A sharp rod of satisfaction shimmered in her belly when her sister snapped at Mallowpaw. It was well deserved. Of course Myrtlepaw was worried about the rest of the clan. Her sister was too brave and noble for the likes of thistle-brained Mallowpaw to understand. “I’m sure you didn’t mean any harm, Mallowpaw. But Myrtlepaw can protect herself.” Her mismatched gaze slid over to the bi-colored tom, no trace of her scorn in her gaze. Her eyes were as soft and supple as the first fragile petals of flowers in new-leaf.

She bumped her sister’s shoulder gently. “I know you’d do everything to protect the camp, Myrtlepaw, I always feel safe when you’re around.” She purred quietly, before refocusing on the massive molly at the front of the patrol. “Let’s pay attention to Beechfang. I don’t want to miss anything. It might be important later.”