Username: EchoIre
Name: Pidge
Gender: Male
Clan: SunClanAge: 10 Moons
Rank: Apprentice
Prompt:(500/500)
Pidge crept from the den, decidedly not sleeping today. His mind was heavy with thoughts of his sister. Where was she? Why'd she leave him to hang out with
Whisper?Pidge stopped at the camp's entrance, looking out at the moonlit field, his breath caught in his throat.
It's so beautiful out here... ...Would anybody notice if he ran away? He knew Sheep sure wouldn't. Nobody would miss him.
Pidge cringed with guilt. That was a lie, a lie Lark had worked hard to disprove. He didn't know why she cared about him so much - they weren't even family! And yet, Lark had spent the better part of the last week spending time with him, playing with him, listening to him, everything a
sister should do.
Pidge turned and ran into the night, too caught up in it all. He would come back, for Lark, but he needed to clear his mind. Pidge was barely aware of the fact he was running; he only felt adrenaline and the thrill of speed. Only when each pawstep brought a splash of murky water to his face did Pidge slow to a trot.
The Marshlands. Frogs sung in every direction. Sheep had mentioned this place when she visited camp.
Pidge crept through the Marshlands, looking for his sister, though he knew in his heart that she wasn't there.
Movement at his left caught his attention, and Pidge slowed to a stop. "...Sheep? Are you there?" The movement was coming from a tuft of tall grasses, and he could hear growling within. Dread creeping into his heart, Pidge began to back away. He didn't know what was there, but it wasn't a cat.
Just as Pidge was about to run, pained cries cut through the night, followed by even louder growling.
Something else is there. He realized, stopping in his tracks. Pidge glanced over his shoulder, towards camp. He should leave. Another pained cry pierced the night, much more desperate this time.
This is stupid. Gritting his teeth, Pidge turned and leapt into the grass, screeching a battle cry.
Much to his surprise, Pidge landed on the back of a young fox. Without much thought, he began clawing the fox's back and ears. Finally, it shook Pidge off and ran. His fur dripping with water, Pidge looked around, wondering who he risked his life for.
Surprisingly, a duck was sitting a tail length away, its wing bleeding. And beside it, a nest made of fluff. Five eggs sat in the nest, but only two weren't shattered.
Her babies. He looked back at the bird as it stood, only to walk over to Pidge and rub its head against his before settling sadly back onto its nest.
Suddenly, Pidge understood why Lark cared. He solemnly plodded over to the duck and sat beside it, his fur pressed against its feathers. He stayed like that the whole night, and every night after that too. That is, until Sunclan noticed.
Extra:(249/250)
"Pidge, I'm worried about you." Lark say in front of him, her face creased with worry. Pidge was studying his paws. "You stumble into camp every morning, wetter than a fish! Where do you go, Pidge?"
He kicked at a nearby pebble. Of all cats, he should tell Lark. But even still, he was embarrassed. But...Lark deserved to know.
"Promise you won't laugh?"
~
Pidge lead Lark through the Marshlands, following the path he took every night since he saved the duck. "You've gotta be quiet, she gets scared around other cats." Pidge whispered to his mentor.
Lark's eyes shone with surprise, but she nodded silently.
Oh, that's not even the best part, Lark. Pidge thought wryly, pushing his way through the grass.
He stopped in front of the nest, grateful to see the duck sitting there. It quacked a greeting upon seeing him, eliciting a confused mew from Lark.
"Lark, this is Brightfeather." Pidge mewed, stepping out of the way so Lark could see. "A duck?" Lark mewed after a moment.
"I saved her from a fox almost a moon ago." Pidge explained, pressing his nose to Brightfeather's wing. "...That's very kind of you, Pidge." Lark mewed carefully.
He explained everything to Lark, slowly beginning to feel less embarrassed and more proud. At the end of his tale, Brightfeather quacked loudly, as if to confirm what he had said. Lark chuckled softly and pressed her nose to Brightfeather's head. "I'm glad you've found a friend, Pidge." She smiled.