Hanging Around [Ospreypaw]

The sun had nearly reached the tops of the trees as the border patrol returned to camp, and dismissed, Honeypaw trotted toward the apprentice den, settling down outside of it near the entrance. The day had been much warmer than she'd thought possible. The shade that a few trees circling camp provided as the sun's heat finally stopped searing the forest was welcome.

With a soft sigh, the apprentice stretched out, blue eyes scanning the camp almost lazily. The day was nice enough that she didn't want to just disappear into the apprentice den early, though it seemed like none of her siblings were in camp for her to pester... Shame, that.

Ospreypaw emerged from the apprentice den with her fur a bit mussed. Not that that was new. This time she'd been remaking her nest, and there were tiny strands of moss clinging to her pelt. Likely she'd be off on the next patrol. Better find a way to kill time until then.

She settled down outside the den near Honeypaw and shot her fellow apprentice a warm smile. "Long patrol?" She asked, knowingly. The apprentice was well aware of how endless a lap around Skyclan territory could feel in this heat. Ospreypaw started grooming herself, thoroughly picking the fibers from her brown and white pelt. If she was going to roll right out of bed for dawn hunting trips she could at least look decent during later outings. "Ospreypaw." She added after a beat, indicating herself with her tail. Just in case the younger cat hadn't picked up her name yet. It was actually nice having this many new faces to keep track of; she liked to see Skyclan regrowing.

Movement from the den had the young apprentice's head turning to see a somewhat-familiar pelt emerge from the den with strands of moss clinging to her fur. "Yeah," Honeypaw returned the other apprentice's smile, "I didn't know it could be so hot outside either."

"You've got a later patrol, then? I don't envy that. Wish I could sleep in. Though I guess I can't complain too much with how much free time Stoatclaw's been giving me lately. His and Lighttail's kits are adorable!" Not to mention the earlier patrols had avoided the worst of the sun's heat.

"Ugh, yeah. Almost makes me miss leafbare." Ospreypaw chuckled, pulling another strand of moss out of her fur. The dense pelt definitely didn't help with the heat, a problem most of the clan seemed to share. "Still nice to get out of camp though," the apprentice hummed, shooting a glance to the spot where her patrol would hopefully gather soon. She'd had enough being cooped up for a lifetime while the clan was terrorized by dogs. Good riddance to the mangy creatures.

"I know, they're sooo cute! I get why Stoatclaw's been spending so much time in the nursery." She smiled. It really was nice, she thought. Having kits running around camp again and seeing younger apprentices like Honeypaw start training made her oddly nostalgic.