Blizzardshard doesn't lie![Thistle; Annie; Open]

[shiningheart]

[/i] leave you behind if you trail too far back."

Emberpool refrained from saying anything, glancing back at the younger cats. He knew Treestar had made a bad decision when the leader chose him to mentor Echopaw.[/blockquote]
[/ul]

[τhιsτlə]

____________________________The Night can be harsh on the Paw .!

Apprentice of Thunderclan .!____________________________

Nightpaw trailed the small border patrol, emerald green eyes fixed on the ground beneath his paws. Consumed in thought as he was, Nightpaw would glance up every so often with growing curiosity. The Shadowclan border always made him edge, along with the Thunderpath that flanked it. However it was always interesting to be mere paw prints from another clan.

Ears flicking up with partial attention, Nightpaw glanced ahead to the pair of warriors. Emberpool trotted after Shiningheart, who pranced ahead without a care in the world. That left he, and Echopaw. Nightpaw couldn't help but grin slightly at the light heart of his mentor, shaking his head. He often wondered why he was paired with such a she cat, perhaps Treestar thought the responsibility would tone the warrior down a bit. Guess not. If you asked Nightpaw, he thought Whitepaw and Shiningheart would be a much more suited together.

The thought of Whitepaw only brought all the more amusement. He knew she must have been pretty sour in mood, as she and Blizzardshard were stuck collecting moss. Nightpaw knew very well the little white she cat thrived off adventure. Collecting moss, wasn't adventure. Swallowing back a snicker, Nightpaw straightened up at the voice of Emberpool, followed by Shiningheart.

The onyx black tom jumped as his name, along with Echopaw's were called out. Glancing toward his den mate, Nightpaw picked up the pace, setting a fast trot to catch up with their mentors. "Heh, sorry Shiningheart." He mused, flicking his tail lightly.

[A N N I E]

Thick muscles glided under the pelt of shifting blacks and grays, the coiling of each muscle perfectly measured and exact. Long black tail was curled over his spine as he followed in a rather lazy way. Emberpool and Shiningheart padded ahead, the latter excited beyond reason. Navy optics rolled slightly in his sockets at the young warrior's snappish comment. With a flick of his tail tip, forgetting about the female in his thoughts, the tom let his tense muscles loosen slightly. His long, thick legs stretched out, pelt of shift shadows gleaming in the faint sunlight as he picked up a perfectly controled jog, bringing him into step with his mentor, who he nearly matched in height even at his young age. Unlike what Emberpool thought, Echopaw did enjoy his mentor. Echopaw was Echopaw, but that did little to push aside the fact he was still related to Sootpaw and, from time to time, especially when he was a fresh, new apprentice, he'd been rash and quick to decide. Emberpool's rather timid nature had rounded Echopaw out enough for the normal quiet, stoic tom to know how to handle nearly any type of cat. Echopaw really did enjoy his mentor because he was glad that his mentor didn't act like one sometimes, but a friend who was helping him. He offered no apology to Shiningheart other than a flicker of his ears. He'd been distracted lately and not up to par as he usually was.

[shiningheart]

[/i] an excuse, but really! Who pays attention to these things anyway! "Really Nightpaw, you should be more focused on your surroundings than this!" As she spoke, still walking backwards, Emberpool noted a fallen branch, directly in the path Shiningheart was in. "With the distance between you two and us, we could easily have been attacked and separated!"

Emberpool opened his mouth to warn her, but she went on before he could even utter a squeak. "And what about poor Emberpool, huh? He isn't getting any younger, or stronger! What if an enemy patrol had ambushed us and grievously injured him!" Grinning rather maniacally at the oldest tom, she leaned her head down and whispered loudly, " I mean, he's obviously getting on in moons, don't you think?"

That statement caused the opened mouth of Emberpool to simply drop in shock. Did Shiningheart... Did Shiningheart just call him old? By StarClan, he was not old! He closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes vindictively as Shiningheart stepped closer to the branch. Closer.... Closer.... One more step, and...

And Shiningheart simply stepped right over the branch. She stopped as he did, blinking up owlishly at Emberpool. "Hm? Is something wrong, Emberpool?" She asked innocently.

All Emberpool did was stare dryly at her. Finally, he just sighed. "You knew it was there all along, didn't you?" He asked in a dull monotone. Shiningheart's grin brightened as she chicked an enthusiastic, 'yup!' "I thought so." He sighed again, shaking his head and passing the only she-cat of the patrol. "Come on, before Shiningheart literally dies of laughter!" He called impatiently.[/blockquote]
[/ul]

[τhιsτlə]

____________________________The Night can be harsh on the Paw .!

Apprentice of Thunderclan .!____________________________

Echopaw had fallen into step with his mentor as Nightpaw's own mentor rambled on about excuses, and being more that the onyx tom should have been far more attentive. Near instantly Nightpaw could feel the heat rush to his ears, a rather sheepish look painting his features with a quick glance to the ground. The apprentice open his mouth to utter another quick apology, but rather bit his tongue instead. More excuses. Nightpaw managed to correct himself, shaking his head as though banishing the thought.

"I'll keep that in mind." The raven black tom replied quietly, half to himself. He pricked his ears at the latter of Shiningheart's lecture. The attack, separation, poor Emberpool. Nightpaw wanted to grin playfully, however he flashed a sort of sympathetic, but in fact playful smile toward Emberpool, straightening up to let emerald green eyes wonder back to Shiningheart. "Ah, but Emberpool's certainly got experience, has he not? I bet he could out wit just about any cat that decided to show their whiskers in our territory." Nightpaw purred, flicking his tail out behind him. "Besides, he's got the respect of an experienced warrior behind him."

Shiningheart certainly seemed on top of the ball today, making Emberpool rather impatient. Nightpaw swallowed, obediently quickening the pace. "What about you, Shiningheart? I mean, how attentive to your surroundings can you be, if you're walking backwards?" The onyx tom purred lightly. He wasn't trying to question his mentor, more so a playful jibe than anything.