Love Story~5

Instructions

Badgerpaw poked his head out of the Apprentice’s Den, his blue eyes shining with excitement beneath the still-full moon. He was meeting the ShadowClan apprentices tonight! Grinning, he shifted only to feel a tail brush his shoulder. Turning, he was looking into his own blue eyes reflected back at him. “Whisperpaw, you’re..” He paused, searching for the right word as dread welled in the pit of his stomach. “Awake.” He laughed lightly, hiding his worry. Whisperpaw was such a rule follower-would she let him go? Would she snitch? “I can never get anything past you.” “No, you can’t.” She mewed, eyes still squinted from sleep. She yawned. “What’re you doing?” Glancing around nervously-and spotting Glistenpaw-he lowered his voice. “I’m, um,” For a moment he debated on whether or not to lie, eventually deciding against it. Whisperpaw would probably figure out what was going on whether he told her or not, and if he didn’t she’d be angry. Angrier? “Me and Mosspaw.. and I thought Glistenpaw, only she’s, uhm..” He glanced over his sister’s shoulder to where she was passed out in her nest. “She’s asleep. So, just me and Mosspaw are going to meet some other ShadowClan apprentices at the border. We met them at the Gathering.” There was a stern frown on his sister’s face, and for a moment Badgerpaw thought about how similar she and his mother looked before pushing those thoughts away. “What about your training tomorrow? And what if someone catches you? Something tells me that some warriors won’t be very friendly to the idea.” His ears perked. That wasn’t a no. “I promise I’ll do my best at practice tomorrow, and I won’t get caught. We’ll be back even before Ospreyrise wakes up.” Whisperpaw snorted in disbelief. “Yeah, that’ll be the day.” “Please, Whisperpaw.” He pleaded. “I really wanna do this, and we’ll be super careful. I promise.” She looked at her little brother for a moment before sighing, and Badgerpaw knew he had won. “You had better do your best at practice. And *don’t get caught*.” She paused, eyes softening as she leaned forward, licking his forehead. “I love you.” “I love you, too.” Badgerpaw smiled, heart warming as he stood, taking a step backwards to leave. He paused, looking at his sister for a moment more. He was always spending time with Mosspaw and Glistenpw.. maybe he should be hanging out with her more. She was his sister, after all. “Let’s hunt together tomorrow.” Whisperpaw chuckled, rolling over. “You’re gonna be late.” Nodding, Badgerpaw turned and slipped away, leaving his sister to close her eyes, a soft smile on her face. >>><<< “Sorry, Mosspaw.” He mewed as they trotted out of camp. “Whisperpaw caught me.” The tortoiseshell she-cat raised an eyebrow. “And she didn’t try to stop you?” “Well there was definitely lots of questioning, but no, she didn’t seem as alarmed as I thought she’d be.” He laughed, Mosspaw looking away with a small smile. “Of course, that very well could’ve been because she was half asleep.” Mosspaw snorted, flicking her tail. “Still surprising.” For a moment, there was silence. Then, “What were all the names of those cats again? There was Applepaw I remember, but who were the two other ones?” Badgerpaw frowned as he recalled the other tom and she-cat. “Fallowpaw and.. Cricketpaw, I think?” He nodded assuredly. “Yeah yeah, the small guy was Cricketpaw.” He grinned crookedly at her. “He was the one they were chasing.” Mosspaw quickly looked ahead, opening her mouth to scent the air. Her golden eyes widened with excitement, in sharp contrast with the deep blue that seemed to encompass the night. “Dang, it smells like they’re already there.” She noted, picking up her pace. Once she reached the top of the hill she saw the outline of three small figures and purred, both apprentices bounding down to meet their friends. “Badgerpaw, Mosspaw.” Applepaw purred in greeting, getting to her paws. “I’m so glad you could make it.” “We wouldn’t bail on you.” Badgerpaw purred while Mosspaw clammed up, suddenly finding her paws very interesting. “I’m glad.” Applepaw smiled, finally glancing past the black tom to Mosspaw. She frowned. “Wasn’t Glistenpaw going to come?” This made Badgerpaw frown too as he glanced at Mosspaw. “Yeah, I saw her still asleep when I was leaving.” “Oh, yeah, um,” Mosspaw shrugged. “She said she needed her ‘beauty sleep’.” She snorted in amusement. “I don’t get that cat, sister or not.” Badgerpaw grinned, shaking his head at his absent friend’s antics. “Hopefully she can make it next time.”