fading silence ♡ a warriors fanfic (book one ♡ completed ✔️)

//chapter thirteen\\

The pale sun shone easily through the bare branches. A soft layer of blinding white snow blanketed the foliage of the forest floor, and covered the tops of bare branches. Imprints of large and tiny paws were molded into the earth, and led into a medium sized clearing where the rough trunks of trees were thinned, and the sky was completely open.

Robinpaw, Hollypaw, Rubblepaw, Softpaw, Adderpaw and Nightpaw all worked tediously. Rubblepaw and Softpaw were rolling heavy rocks to the sides of the clearing, their gray and white pelts blending perfectly with the surroundings. Robinpaw and Hollypaw argued in the center, perhaps about who should do what. Nightpaw and Adderpaw seemed to be the only ones quiet.

Nightpaw was shuffling snow out of the way. It had fallen more heavily here since there wasn't many branches to catch it. Nightpaw was still fascinated at the white flakes, and now they were even more common now that it was Leaf-bare. While shuffling snow, Nightpaw thought about Finchpaw, who had been put on den duty. He felt bad for the brown tabby, for he knew how boring changing out moss could be.

ThunderClan still had no medicine cat, and Nightpaw had been collecting any herbs that he could find. He would treat the regular injuries of his Clanmates, and sometimes a common cough. He thanked Dustshine for his knowledge of basic herbs. However, he made sure Witheredstar knew that it wasn't his path to become a medicine cat. Graytalon disapproved greatly, and looked down on Nightpaw even more, so he also made sure to keep his warrior training in check.

"Roll these rocks over there!" Sparrowsight called, causing Nightpaw's ear to twitch. He never knew the deputy could be so loud and demanding. He had noticed how harsh Sparrowsight had been on Adderpaw, but it seemed to do the small apprentice good.

He had learned that Adderpaw was the runt of the litter. He couldn't remember quite how he found out, but he guessed he had heard someone gossiping about the tom. Softpaw was just as boisterous as ever, and he sometimes found her annoying. Though he knew she was just a happy cat, he couldn't bring himself to talk to her.

When Nightpaw and Adderpaw finished shuffling snow around, and the clearing was only a layer of brittle grass, the apprentice broke up into groups. They were finally beginning to battle train, as they had mostly only hunted since they had arrived at the lake territory.

Since then, prey had grown scarcer every minute. Nightpaw and his siblings had grown exceptionally, too. The black and gray tom with white freckles had long legs now, and a more narrow face. He had lost the kit fluff around his ears, and he felt more adult in general. He was nine moons now.

"Nightpaw!" Graytalon's agitated voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "What did I just say?" The gray tabby narrowed his blazing eyes.

"U-uh..." Nightpaw looked around at his denmates hopelessly. To his dismay, Softpaw nor Rubblepaw helped him out.

"Enough daydreaming, Nightpaw," Graytalon mewed, disappointed. "Battle practice is not the time."

Nightpaw nodded slowly, and focussed his attention on the mentors. "As I said," began Graytalon again, "we are practicing partner training." He nodded to Dawnblossom.

The she-cat dipped her head. "Softpaw, you already know this, so help the others." The white apprentice gave an enthusiastic nod. "For you two, I want you to stand on your hind legs and press your backs together."

Nightpaw pressed his flank against his brother's. Rubblepaw lifted up first, being the more sturdy of the two, followed by a wobbly Nightpaw. His eyes widened as he looked down at the ground beneath him. He immediately forced himself to look up and focus himself on Dawnblossom's honey colored pelt.

The she-cat gave him a nod of encouragement, and he felt more reassured. Suddenly, he came topling down into the earth, and a large weight had him pinned down, face buried in the ground. The weight lifted, though, and Nightpaw scrambled to his paws. He gasped in deep breaths as he turned to his attacker, only to find Cinderwing looking at him calmly. "You should've been ready for that."