Night Prowlers

A cool night breeze blew into the apprentice den, sweeping against Myrtlepaw's multi color pelt. She stretched her legs out and yawned. The moonlight was glistening off the snow and seemed to call out to the young she-cat. Myrtlepaw looked around at the other sleeping apprentices, her bi-color eyes landed on her sister, Ospreypaw. Her sister had just become an apprentice and Myrtlepaw wanted to spend some time with her since it had been so long since they got spend time together. Myrtlepaw quietly crawled over to Ospreypaw and rasped her tongue across her sister's forehead. "Ospreypaw, would you like to come with me? She whispered to her sister.

Myrtlepaw didn't wait for a response, she walked towards the entrance of the den and flicked her tail before sliding out into the night.

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Discord: ChaoticCrow  | Timezone: Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) | Code (c) Kieer

- Ospreypaw -

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Ospreypaw woke slowly and blinked up at her sister a few times before she registered what was said. She looked around at the other sleeping apprentices and felt a tiny hint of gratification that out of any of her siblings, it was her Myrtlepaw had chosen to wake. She’d missed spending time with her sister that wasn’t clouded with weariness from the journey or grief for their mother. Apprenticehood was a fresh start for both of them, and Ospreypaw was thankful to finally be training alongside her siblings.

Her sister was gone without a chance to whisper back, but she could guess at Myrtlepaw’s intentions. Wouldn’t they get in trouble if they got caught sneaking out? A little thrill at the risk had the apprentice on her paws and creeping from her nest. Surely it was fine as long as they went together. Ospreypaw would never let anything bad happen to her sister.

The coast seemed clear when she joined her sister outside. Other than the two apprentices it seemed everyone was asleep. Camp was still and silent as if the frost had truly frozen it in place. “Where are we going?” She asked softly, brushing against Mytlepaw’s pelt as she caught up with her sister.

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Myrtlepaw was sitting outside the den, watching the stars dance above, when Ospreypaw brushed against her side. She looked at her sister with a smile, "I'm not sure actually. I was just going to follow the moon." With a twitch of her ear, Myrtlepaw stood up and followed the moonlit path into the woods. She didn't say much as they passed through the camp, so she could focus on the path and not waking any of the other clan cats.

Once they were out of camp, the trees seemed to reach eerily towards the sky, but Myrtlepaw remained calm. As they made their way through the forest, she turned her attention to Ospreypaw, "How has your mentor been treating you Ospreypaw? I hope you're having a good time with your training." A sign escaped her, as she thought about how much she despised her mentor and training. She could at least hope her siblings had a better experience than she did.

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Discord: ChaoticCrow  | Timezone: Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) | Code (c) Kieer

- Ospreypaw -

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Ospreypaw nodded her sister's words. She liked that idea, just wandering where their paws and the moonlight took them. Following Myrtlepaw, she slipped out of camp and into the forest. It was oddly peaceful at night. The usual chattering birds and squirrels were replaced with chirping crickets and soft pawsteps. It was far different from that first night she'd left camp, terrified and hunted. The woods were free from howling, but still she kept close to Myrtlepaw's side with ears pricked.

"Training's been great." Osprey grinned. "I caught a squirrel already! Stormwatcher’s been teaching me so much stuff-" She caught her sister's quiet sigh and trailed off.

"Is your training with Shatteredsky going ok? He seems... intense." A frown crossed her muzzle as she studied her sister's reaction closely. Ospreypaw hadn't interacted with the warrior much herself other than a few patrols. But Myrtlepaw's dejected look every time she came back from training hadn't gone unnoticed. "If you want me to stuff leaves in his freshkill, just say the word." She winked in an attempt to cheer up her sister, only half kidding.

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"Intense is one way to put it. Myrtlepaw hissed while looking down at the glistening snow. She raised her head and gazed up at the moon. I don't know why Shatteredsky hates me, but he does. He's rather harsh and mean. I'm not really good at fighting or hunting and maybe that is why he hates me. Maybe he thinks I'm a failure and it will reflect badly on him." Myrtlepaw mew, as her eyes landed on her sister. "I'm glad you got a better mentor though. I'm sure Stormwatcher still has so much to show you. And don't let my bad experience ruin your time with your mentor. I will be a warrior soon, I'm sure." Those last words seemed to latch onto the cloud Myrtlepaw's breath made in the winter air. 'What if I'm not good enough to be a warrior? What if I really am a failure?' She looked back at the path in front of her.

The wind started to pick up and the trees started to sway. Their leaf-bare limbs seemed to stretch towards the young she-cats like claws ready to swipe them away into the night. Myrtlepaw was starting to feel uneasy when she spotted the creek ahead. "Come on Ospreypaw, the creek is just ahead." She mewed and then took off sprinting towards the creek. The creek had chunks of ice drifting down in its current and Myrtlepaw was sure not to get too close. She sat down beside the bank and started to groom herself. The rippling of the current soothed Myrtlepaw and the uneasiness she had felt seemed to float away with the ice.

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Discord: ChaoticCrow  | Timezone: Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) | Code (c) Kieer