- โฟ๊ฐ NORTHPAW .แ โฟโฟ
( apprentice ) ( they / them ) ( 11 moons ) ( bio ) ( previous reply )
[ location xx fallsclan border ] โน๐ ใป๐งญ ใป๐๐ เฃชห [ mentions xx n/a ]
[ tags xx aspencurrent, firefly ]
โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ.โฟ
- xx This can't be real.
xx Northpaw's morning had been a blur. They woke up, drowsily fixed up their nest, and then gratefully allowed the early sun's rays to warm their mottled fur as they licked down from tufts of stubborn fur across their slender form; Despite their long fur, they never felt truly warm, so even the weak sunlight was appreciated. After their quick- and mostly fruitless- grooming was finished, they gazed out across camp with squinted eyes. No sign of Ghostrunner, which was ever the blessing to the young cat, but it was suspicious all the same. The wariness only amplified as they contemplated what their no-good brother may be up to, completely unaware that he was peacefully- lazily, soundly- asleep in his den. The thought didn't even cross Northpaw's mind. There was no way that he wasn't causing trouble...
xx No way at all. Privy to the movement of the cats around them, Northpaw made their way as nonchalantly across camp as possible so as not to stir up any anxiety as they certainly carried enough for everycat. As they surveyed the area, something caught their eye: their mentor, Aspencurrent, slinking out of camp alone.
xx Odd. He hadn't mentioned anything to Northpaw about going out, and the apprentice wondered briefly if Ghostrunner was luring the tom cat out to hurt him, or.. Something. Aspencurrent could have easily just forgotten to tell them as he wasn't always the most proficient when it came to remembering his apprentice, but a twinge in Northpaw's gut made them hesitate. They sat back on their haunches near the fresh kill pile, tapping their tail tip and contemplating their next move. They could follow at a distance, just in case their horrible sibling was prowling, but Ghostrunner was immensely observant and would sense them in a heartbeat. Still, maybe it was worth a try.
xx At once, though, there was a grating noise.
xx The voice of their brother, speaking oh so informally, boasting his glory to whoever would hear, hit poor Northpaw's senses like a monster. Well, that solved one mystery, but another still lingered, nagging at Northpaw's incessantly. If Aspencurrent wasn't being manipulated into a trap, what was he doing? Standing and not sparing a single glance back at their brother despite how witheringly they wanted to glare at him, Northpaw trotted out of camp. Only one way to find out, they figured, and the worst that could come of it was being sent back to camp. It was better to ensure their mentor's safety than sit idly by. Though it was likely that the warrior simply had no assigned patrols but wanted to hunt, Northpaw's gut once again urged them forward. Something was different.
xx The walk through Fallsclan territory was uneventful. What Northpaw stumbled across, however, was not.
xx This.. can't be real.
xx They crouched, cloaked by tendrils of shadows from the undergrowth around them, and watched, expression blank, as Aspencurrent extended his greeting to a rogue. A rogue! Northpaw, normally quite calm and collected, could feel themselves growing more and more confused. They had trusted Aspencurrent deeply as their mentor and fellow clanmate. So what was this? A betrayal?
xx Northpaw shifted their weight, heart twisting as they weighed their options. They could confront the two now and risk an "unfortunate accident", or they could watch. The latter was much more appealing, though it hardly satisfied the shock in their system. Sinking deeper into the bush around them, Northpaw narrowed their eyes, and observed their mentor.