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A faint mist had been left behind after a late greenleaf thunderstorm. Clouds stretched across the sky, the sun just peaking over the horizon scattering pink rays over the treetops. The forest, though, was blanketed in deep fog, leaving lancing shadows stretching out from the tall pines. Mud squelched underneath each pawstep, leaving Russetpaw wrinkling his nose and shaking out his paws every few steps.
If it weren't for his mentor's insistence he join the dawn patrol, he'd be dry and non-mucky in his nest. For some experience Stormfall claimed. Russetpaw would rather get training when he didn't feel like he'd sink and disappear into a muddy puddle. Ahead, Stormfall trotted along calmly with Daisymask and Tawnybear plodding along just behind him, their heads together in low conversation as they walked.
"Keep up, Russetpaw!" Stormfall called over his shoulder.
Russetpaw suppressed the urge to snarl, his lip curled. "What does it look that I'm doing." He hissed under his breath.
"I heard that." Stormfall returned blithely.
Liar. Russetpaw thought grumpily.
A thought wormed its way into his head when he realized he could use the muck to his advantage. I'll show you keeping up. Russetpaw dashed forward, sending mud sky high. Tawnybear and Daisymask's twin yelps as he raced past them and Stormfall in quick succession. He grinned, hearing Stormfall low growl and whirled around. The three warriors had halted a few tail-lengths back, glowering at him.
Russetpaw blinked innocently, "You told me to keep up, Stormfall." He simpered.
Stormfall's flat expression didn't even twitch, "You know what I meant, smart ears." He chided, moving forward once more. Russetpaw beamed, plopping his haunches down as he waited for them to move past him. Stormfall had mud splattered against his flank and chest although the prideful tomcat ignored it entirely. The two other warriors didn't fare much better, their backs and sides covered in muck. Tawnybear even going as far as to flick a wad of mud at him as she passed.
Snickering as he scampered away from the projectile. Humming happily, he then followed at the back of the patrol again, forgetting all about the mud clumped against his paws.
* * *
"Get up mud on me again and I'll throw you in the carrion place." Tawnybear spoke breezily on her way past him toward the warrior's den. The four of them had cleaned off in a stream before returning to camp but Russetpaw could feel the warriors ire, Tawnybear specifically considering how short-tempered the brown she-cat was. Russetpaw smirked at her retreating figure slipping into the warriors den. Maybe it was a little fun to mess with her.
"You did what now?" Batchaser's exasperated tone invaded Russetpaw's ears.
Russetpaw whipped around to find the ShadowClan deputy standing a few paces behind him, seeming to have come from Fawnstar's den. The black-furred deputy seemed as easily irritable as usual.
