forgive these bones i'm hiding || warrior cats

─ ii. too tired to move, too tired to leave

A/N: Title taken from "Hard Times" by Ethel Cain.

The apprentices were whispering about plans to sneak out that night to chase around rabbits when Swanstar's special patrol returned.

The seven of them had crowded even closer to each other, resting on their stomachs with their front paws touching and heads leaned close. Foxpaw thought he should have felt claustrophobic, surrounded by so many unfamiliar bodies, but instead, it was oddly comforting from where he was squished in between Palepaw and Spottedpaw.

On Spottedpaw's other side, Birdpaw was clucking her tongue. "I really think having Irispaw be the distraction is a much better idea."

Valleypaw narrowed his eyes at her. "What? You don't think I can handle distracting a couple of guards?"

Birdpaw didn't meet his gaze.

Before he could squawk in indignation, Irispaw spoke up, their indigo eyes glittering with mischief. "Birdpaw's right. I can just talk their ears off for a minute or two about medicine cat stuff while you all sneak out and they'll never know." He said. Foxpaw blinked at him.

Over the course of the morning, Foxpaw has come to learn some things. The biggest, it seemed, was that Irispaw had a penchant for being underestimated.

Beside Foxpaw, Spottedpaw gave a deep sigh, shaking his head slightly in exasperation.

"What?" Foxpaw asked him. "You don't want to chase some rabbits? Afraid you'll lose?"

"Oh, I know I'll lose. Speed is not my biggest strength." Spottedpaw huffed. Foxpaw applauded the fact that he was aware of the sheer bulk of himself. "I'm just curious as to how, exactly, any of us will explain ourselves when we inevitably get caught coming home in the morning."

Firepaw chimed in, licking nonchalantly at a white paw. "We can always just blame it on Palepaw again. It's worked every time so far." Palepaw hissed at her.

"Or me. Not like they don't expect trouble from me already." Foxpaw said mildly. Irispaw turned her gaze on him, something soft and sad creeping into her eyes. He wondered if they knew what happened between him and their mentor. He hoped not.

Before anyone could interject on that statement, however, the guard at the entrance of the camp let out a yowl, signaling the return of a patrol. All seven heads lifted out of the circle, their eyes fixed on the camp entrance. Palepaw's body was vibrating with excitement from beside Foxpaw, and idly he remembered him mentioning that his mentor was also on this patrol. Palepaw seemed to have some sort of odd hero worship towards Amberfrost, which Foxpaw just inwardly thought was embarrassing. No cat's perfect, and Palepaw might just be dumb. Yet to be determined.

Four cats came streaking into the center of camp, their gaits still light and bouncy despite the traveling. Foxpaw immediately sought out Burnstride, the she-cats head lifted high from her place in the front. She trotted to where Swanstar and Spicewhisker were finishing up their late breakfast.

Eagerly, if somewhat creaky from the weight of her bones, Swanstar lifted herself to her paws, green eyes brightening as the patrol approached. As the five cats vanished into the leader's den, Foxpaw heard the apprentices start speaking in rapid, quiet tones around him.

"Do you think they succeeded?" Palepaw's eyes were glinting.

Valleypaw was skeptical, his ears twitching. "We don't even know what they were sent to do!"

"Well, whatever it was, they seemed happy about whatever the outcome was." Firepaw said.

Spottedpaw leaned around Foxpaw. "Palepaw, did Amberfrost say anything to you before he left?"