Silenced Nights - wc

[FERNKIT/7]

     Letting out a small groan, I tumbled over my paws, jumping back up. My mentor stared at me with a distant grimace. "Get back up." She demanded, urging me to do it again.

     I panted heavily, my head dipping down before it shot back up as I got up to my paws. When I was talking with all the apprentices earlier, they had mentioned something about a competition and that every mentor was working hard with their apprentices to win it... except mine.

     When I had asked Icefeather about it, she dismissed me, saying that they were foolish games that only mousebrains played, and that we would not spend any time training for it. A ton of other mentors were well invested in it, including Robinflight, Doveleap, and Fawnpounce, surprisingly enough.

     Other mentors were well enough interested, and Icefeather seemed to be the only one not really... Didn't they say something about Breeze Clan as well? "Fernpaw!" My mentor snapped, pushing me back up. "Pay attention."

     "Fine-- fine... I mean, why do I have to train harder than everyone else? You don't even care about the competition." I huffed.

     "Whoever came up with the idea of those mousebrained competitions is an ugly, foxheart, snaketongue, minnowbrain, fish--" She ran out of insults. "Just get back up. Training will be over soon." I nodded, keeping my head low and ears perked as she shot moves at me.

     I dipped to the right. The left-- watch out, claws coming my way! Rolling over did little for me except allow Icefeather to grab me harshly by the scruff and shake me. If this was what being an apprentice would be like, I didn't want to be an apprentice.

     I collapsed with exhaustion, seeing Icefeather's cold gaze, before she sighed, gaze softening. "Listen, Fernpaw... I don't want to do this, but with Blazekit gone and a traitor in our clan, we can't trust anyone."

     "I know." I wheezed, gasping for air. In a small act of sympathy, she ran over to me, lifting me up.

     "We can do some more training later. You better get back to camp before you faint." I nodded at her words, starting to pad back, stumbling into camp. I spotted Berrypaw tumbling around with Dawnpaw, while Doepaw watched shyly, grooming her paws.

     I approached them, tail swinging around. "Doepaw!" I purred enthusiastically. When she glanced up at me, her eyes lit up, and she tilted her head in welcome. "How has Adderstalk been?"

     "Very nice... he's a bit crazy, but in a good way." She smiled at me, and I could barely even hear her voice.

     "Ah-- yes..." I turned towards Berrypaw, flicking my ears. "Berrypaw! I can't even hear Doepaw." I purred in amusement. Berrypaw flopped off his tumbling match with Dawnpaw, who shook herself.

     "Sorry, not sorry Fernpaw. I need to show Dawnpaw I'm better at fighting!" And with that, he leaped back at Dawnpaw, a string of playful hisses and meows erupted from them.

     "He never is sorry, is he?" I purred, batting at a butterfly that was flitting by. Doepaw let out a purr of agreement.

     "Never. Hey, did you hear?" She lowered her voice down to a small whisper. I directed my attention away from the two fighting and towards Doepaw.

     I cocked my head towards her in a wondering gaze, beckoning for her to continue. "Well-- the warriors and queens are starting to get more ticks. Even kits and Ghostsight had quite a few."

     "Well, what's the problem with that? It is newleaf after all." I couldn't see how this would be bad. Sure, it may be annoying, but it's just a tiny bit of ticks.