~
Cobwebpaw looked around the den. She saw all of her kin, as well as the adoptive three from Poppy’s litter. Six of them, all in total, including herself. Birdpaw, Leopardpaw, Weaseltuft, Starlingpaw and Timberpaw. She had come to a realization that once the announcement of Runningpaw being Maplemist’s kin, the clan seemed odd towards the group of kin, Runningpaw and the new apprentice, Halfpaw. Cobweb took a breath and started, knowing her kin would see it too. “I don't know how we ended up here..”
Weasel scuffled his paws on the ground, staring into her eyes for a few moments before shyly murmuring. “Any good we’ve done will all disappear..” The medicine cat had anxiety flashing in his eyes, tail tip twitching around.
Bird shoved herself to her paws, only to be tapped by Leopard, which caused her to lower. “I cannot take this, I am wearing so thin…!”
Leopard blinked sympathetically at Bird, his tail stroking along her bristled spine in affection, giving her a sorrowful smile before focusing back on Cobweb. “Cause when they look at me, all they see is him…”
Cobweb could understand what Leopard meant. He acted oddly like his father, Icegaze, in multiple ways, and the former medicine cat was most likely seen in a bad light for having kits, a mate and killing a few clan members for threatening the family when they were nothing but a moon old.
Starling started up, her bright yellow eyes revealing uneasiness. “Why should I have to work twice as hard, just to only reach half as far..?” She sent a glance to her brother, Timber. The tom most resembled his father, although he had a mix of his mother in him, the bright, fiery orange pelt he had.
Timber sighed, his short stub tail flickering to Starling’s tip, which wrapped around him. “When they look at me, he's all they see..” He bit his lower jaw, looking as if he had an overbite, ear twitching as Weasel spoke again.
Weasel stared out of the den, a gentle look of sorrow on his face. The other few apprentices had crowded a tail length or so away from the den. “'Cause when they look, they never see me..”
Murmurs of the apprentices grew louder as it grew to chatter, the words simply nothing but judging on the six.
“I can see her spirit every day, soon he will suffer her same fate!” They were hissing to each other, glaring off into the clearing, which Cobweb couldn’t see, as they were blocking the entrance.
“You cannot trust a murderer’s kin! He's gunna end up exactly like her!” A golden apprentice hissed at their friends, bright blue eyes sparkling around the clearing. Cobweb blinked, a gentle hiss of frustration escaping her jaw. She knew exactly who they were talking about. Runningpaw. She was close to him despite what he did to her kin, shoving past her kin to snarl at the group. “Watch your back!” Cobweb leaped forward with sheathed claws to startle the group, which they scuttered backwards, eyes narrowing at her. “Watch your sides! He’s got evil hidden inside!” A white and brown apprentice growled as they loomed on her, which she responded to smacking them in the head with a rough paw blow. The cat hissed and stumbled back, glaring at Cobweb. She felt two pelts brush against her and pull at her, which she looked to be Bird and Leopard.
The apprentices started hissing at them, eyes narrowed with a growl at Cobweb. “Hide the kits! Hold them near! No one's safe so long as she's here!” Cobweb snarled, tensing to leap at them when Leopard blocked her path, nudging her backwards. She glanced to her kin, the two blinking at her as Weasel, Starling and Timber growled at the other group, causing them to flee.
Leopard stared into Cobweb’s eyes, slowly speaking to his kin. “Listen to me, you're not alone.. You don't have to go through this on your own.” He saw emotions flare in her blue and green eye, simply staring back at him. He knew how much Running must mean to her, although he didn’t understand why, with how aggressive he is. But, he couldn’t blame him. He himself was aggressive too. He gazed deeper into her eyes, looking for something more.. Longing? Did she have feelings for him? He internally smiled, coming to a realization. Now he and Cobweb both had certain.. ‘love interests’. He often saw Bird with Half, but he was still uncertain if she liked the other tom.
