Border Patrol[Skypaw/open]

[shiningheart]

Open to Skypaw and one or two other cats. It is, after all, only a border patrol.

Cloudwing sniffed the air diligently, his tail swishing through the air behind him. He had his claws out unconsciously, kneading the finely packed earth into soft ground. Why was he doing this, you may ask? Because currently, Cloudwing was supposed to be patrolling the ShadowClan border with three other cats, one of whom was Skypaw, his apprentice. However, Cloudwing had left the camp early, wanting to scout ahead to make sure there were no dangers.

Since Skypaw was his first apprentice, he wanted to make sure that she got the most of of their training together. However, she hasn't had a lick of battle training, not even the general defensive stuff that new apprentices usually learn. Cloudwing knew that that was no one's fault but his own, but he didn't want her to get hurt until at least a moon of hunting practice.

Now, though, he was regretting coming out alone. Being alone beside the ShadowClan border was creeping him out. ShadowClan cats were masters at hiding, at watching without being watched and seeing without being seen. Yes, I know all of that was redundant, but it sounded cooler when I first thought it! Anyway, Cloudwing was mentally urging his patrol mates to come quickly, because he was honestly just about ready to say, "You know what? Screw it, I'm going to find them."

[skypaw]

Slowly and cautiously, Skypaw picked her way along the underbrush of her home. She was careful where she put her paws, as if afraid if she broke a twig all of ShadowClan would advance upon her. It wasn't her first border patrol, of course, but she was always nervous around ShadowClan and the closer to leaf-bare it got, the more nervous she became. From what she had heard, the hunger of leaf-bare sharpened the claws and tongues of all the clans and border skirmishes and all-out battles were more frequent.

If it were to happen, she would be completely unprepared, and she knew it as well as her mentor. The most the little she-cat could do was run to get help. At this point in her life, she hated border patrols were that reason. Not that she minded. She was excellent at hunting and creeping quietly through the woods. She loved it. For once, she was graceful and invisible, a force to be reckoned with. So far, she had easily mastered the few hunting techniques she had been taught, but somehow she didn't think she would have as much luck in battle training.

Her eyes filled with relief as she caught the familiar scent of Cloudwing. Still, she kept at a steady, careful pace as she walked towards him. She wasn't quite sure what to think of her mentor yet. She knew he was a strong warrior and seemed kind enough, but she wasn't sure that she trusted him, nor did she feel perfectly comfortable around him yet. She was respectful and obedient, but shy and reclusive. Gingerly, she stopped a few mouse-lengths behind him, one paw raised in the air. "G-good morning, Cloudwing," She meowed quietly.

[shiningheart]

Cloudwing jumped at the sound of Skypaw's voice and bit down on his cheek to stop from yelping out loud. He spun around to see his usually timid apprentice standing just mouse-lengths away from him. "Jeeze, Skypaw, you nearly made me jump right out of my fur!" he admonished gently. Sensing that, perhaps, that was a bit too harsh, he hurried to casually add. "I need to stop teaching you so well if you're already a natural silent creeper!" He flashed a grin at her.

[skypaw]

Skypaw flinched nervously, eyes widening to reflect her mentor's own shock. She didn't mean to sneak up on him! Was she going to get in trouble? She let out a relieved breathe she hadn't realized she was holding when she saw he wasn't really angry at her, but all the same shuffled her paws shyly at his praise. She really didn't deserve it. After all, she was doing if because she was scared. Her pelt burned hot with embarrassment. "I was only moving so quietly because I was scared of the ShadowClan cats seeing me..." she mumbled, looking down quickly ashamed.

[Solarstorm]

Blistering white paws lightly glided over the earth toward the ShadowClan border. One warrior she put on the patrol said he had a belly ache. Quietly, though not very hidden with her pelt, the ThunderClan deputy made her way through the undergrowth. She didn't fear ShadowClan, she only held bitter feelings toward one warrior in particular. The merciless and malicious cat known as Taintedheart. The one cat that slaughtered her father. That feeling she felt as she saw him slash Hawkstorm's throat open, had never faded.

She held an emotionless expression as she silently walked. The memories running through her mind like a rapid river. Taintedheart was the only cat she didn't want to see on patrol. Any other ShadowClan cat, she didn't mind. Though, there was one in particular, she did hope to see... She realized what she was thinking, and shook the thought from her head.

After a little longer, she spotted Skypaw and her brother, Cloudwing. She smiled a little and padded up to them, still being silent herself. "I see at least two of you are here." She greeted with a small purr and a gentle flick of the tail.

[shiningheart]

He didn't jump this time, thank StarClan, but he did yelp outloud. If any cats were indeed watching from the ShadowClan side, no doubt they were dying of laughter or else suffocating from trying not to laugh. Then again, if the ThunderClan patrol were being watched, it would be by cats from ShadowClan. Those cats rarely showed any emotion on patrols.

Cloudwing glared at Solarstorm after shaking his head to clear his mind. "Okay, what is this, Sneak Up On Cloudwing Day?" he meowed, scowling. "Or maybe it's just a diabolical scheme among the she-cats of the Clan to scare me out of my fur!" he swung his head to stare at Skypaw, narrowing his eyes. If there was a conspiracy going on to make him die of fright, she would be the one who'd tell him. She was exactly like Solarstorm was when they were younger. If he stared silently at her enough, she'd crack and spill everything, even irrelevant stuff that he honestly didn't really care about.

[skypaw]

Skypaw stared at her mentor, a bit surprised and puzzled. She hadn't realized he was so jumpy before. Even she didn't jump or yelp when Solarstorm made herself known. He was rather lucky that his apprentice was sweet, modest Skypaw and not some other cat that would laugh at him and have this little story spread around before he could say "mouse".

She smiled lightly, holding back laughter at Cloudwing's accusations. Well, at least until he turned his gaze on her. Her smile quickly disappeared and with a small "Eep!" she swiftly moved behind Solarstorm, shyly and skittishly peeking out at the older tom. She only did this for a moment, however, before quickly looking down, shifting around her front paws. She felt like ants were in her fur and in only a few moments she would surely start nervously babbling random things.

[Solarstorm]

Solarstorm gave a small laugh and looked at her brother. He could be a silly tom at times. "Now now Cloudwing. Don't get your fur in a bunch because you're jumpy by the ShadowClan border." She said with an amused purr. Then she looked back at Skypaw with a friendly gaze. "Don't worry, Skypaw. My brother might have a stern look, but he's a softie on the inside. He did the same thing to me when we where little." She said kindly. Her blue eyes where warm and gentle.

[shiningheart]

Cloudwing kept his eyes on Skypaw until she was safely hidden behind Solarstorm. Then he switched his attention to his sister and scowled at her. even as the deputy spoke, Cloudwing felt his expression becoming less severe. By the time Solarstorm was done speaking, Cloudwing had a goofy, crooked grin on his muzzle. "Ah, I suppose I should feel happy that all of the she-cats of the Clan are giving me special attention, eh?" he purred in amusement.

He narrowed his eyes playfully at Solarstorm and meowed, "And let me guess, sis. You're in charge of this conspiracy. I totally wouldn't put it passed you, too!" Cloudwing chuckled at his own joke before continuing. "Do me a favor, though. Next meeting of the Let's All Mess With Cloudwing Club, throw it in there that I'm on the market for a mate, eh?"

He threw his sister a wink for laughs before turning to a slightly more serious matter. "So where's Speckledheart? Did you see him before you left camp?"

Speckledheart is an NPC I made up just for this thread.

[skypaw]

Skypaw instantly relaxed at Solarstorm's gentle gaze and calming words. The she-cat had a calming effect on her, for whatever reason, and she was glad she was the deputy. She was even more glad, however, that she was on this patrol. She supposed she had to get used to her mentor sometime, but so far she was still nervous around him. Uncertainly, she stepped out so that she was beside the older she-cat, a ghost of a smile on her face at Cloudwing's words. Maybe he wasn't so bad. He was kind of funny, even. She watched their exchange with curious eyes, staying quiet and letting the warriors talk.