Maybe This Time I'll Win (Open)

"Okay Dapplepaw. Your dad just went out with Ravenstreak, your mom is still asleep and your mentor is no where to be found," murmured the she-cat, wiggling in a hunter's crouch her muscles moving ever so slightly. She glanced at the shadow near the apprentices den. It was maybe a cat's length away "Queens and Elders get the best food then you go fix the wall. And....go!"

Dapplepaw tore out of the apprentice den running straight for the fresh kill pile. She quickly shuffled though it and found the freshest pieces and picked them up and took one to the elders den dropping it off and saying a quick hello before darting out promising to come back alter with bile to get their ticks out. She then trotted to the nursery and quietly snuck in knowing the kits were still asleep and set the prey to the side and slipped back out without a word.

She darted out the back of the camp to the training hollow and found several things of bracken and thorn piece they could use to fix the wall around the camp. She carefully drug it back and set it aside then started mending the wall in places that looked weak. She winces as one of the thorns caught her leg but kept working. A little scratch never stopped her dad or Blizzardclaw. Once the wall was repaired she looked it over before darting back to the apprentices den and skidded to a stop staring at the shadow.

"Whoo!" she called out jumping around happily, before stopping as several warriors gave her stern looks. She grinned apologetically before wiggling happily. There was still about a paw length before the shadow would be touching the wall. Fastest time ever for her to get her jobs done. She was definitely getting better.

word count: 303 
tags:
notes: She is a mess...and bored. lol

    Smokepaw isn't usually asleep this late; usually, he's up at dawn, or before, if need be. In his defense, he'd spent most of the night tossing and turning, struggling to get anywhere near the edge of sleep; it wasn't that he'd suffered from nightmares, or that someone had left rocks under his bedding, or that he'd been too hot or too cold. He simply couldn't sleep, his mind whirling frenetically until dawn was nearly peeking over the horizon.
    It's really a good thing he wasn't slated to go out with his mentor or on any of the morning patrols. His morning of sloth, as much as it makes his fur itch with guilt, hasn't harmed anyone but himself. Could have been helping out, though, he mutters to himself in the quiet of the apprentices' den, everyone else having long since left for their morning duties. I bet the elders need tending to, or the nursery... there's bound to be something I could have helped with. Even as he scolds himself, though, he struggles to shake of the last creeping claws of fatigue, his sleepless night present in the sluggish way he stands and stretches, forcing himself to get up and face the day.
    Whoo!
    There's no mistaking that voice; that's definitely Dapplepaw. His ears prick up unconsciously at the sound of his friend's excited yell. Even if he didn't recognize her voice straight off, there are very few other cats in the clan who let their exuberance show quite that much, apprentices or otherwise. Despite feeling utterly slow and useless and grumpy this morning, he can't help but grin a little when he finally pads to the entrance of the apprentices' den and sticks his head out, seeing Dapplepaw positively wiggling with delight. What's got you so excited this morning? he asks, smiling slightly.

wc: 304
notes: Whoo, back in the game again!

 
 

Dapplepaw lifted her head as a figure came out and asked her what she was so excited about. She grinned seeing Smokepaw and straightened up, though her tail still moved happily form side to side.
"The last few times Blizzardclaw has given me jobs to do in the morning I've seen how quickly I can get them done," she explained happily, "Of course i make sure I do them correctly, but the fast I can get them done the sooner I can train, or help the clan in whatever way it needs help." The poor she-cat didn't realize how fast she was talking and it was probable that Smokepaw wasn't able to keep up with her. "Like this morning i had to make sure the elders and queens had good prey and then I had to fix the wall. Of course I went out by the sandy hollow to get brambles and such but I carefully brought them back and started fixing the wall. I did scratch my leg a little and I might get Frostbite to look at it later. It really don't hurt so I don't know. I just don't wanna get sick."

She paused thinking she heard a laugh come from the tom but as she looked at him he just sat there watching her expectantly like he was waiting for her to continue. SHe flicked her ears some. Smokepaw wouldn't laugh at her, not unless she was being stupid. Yeah she had talked a bit much that last time. She shifted a bit then looked at him sheepishly.

"Anyway...enough about me...how are you this morning," she said looking at him, tilting her head some, "you aren't normally one to sleep in this late."

word count: 284
tags: elissa!
Notes: Poor Smokepaw...not even awake ten minutes and getting his ears talked off. lol

    Smokepaw can't help but let out a soft purr of amusement at Dapplepaw's rambling explanation. The little she-cat always seems to make him feel better - but the warm, friendly glow her barrage of words lights in his chest is countered by the cold touch of guilt at the thought of all the work she's been doing this morning while he's been sleeping like a log. She's his friend, so he's pretty confident she won't actually judge him for one morning of sleeping in after a restless night, but that doesn't exactly make him feel any better about it, all the same.
    I did scratch my leg a little and I might get Frostbite to look at it later. It really don't hurt so I don't know. I just don't wanna get sick. Dapplepaw finally seems to run out of breath at that, but it makes Smokepaw's tail twitch with unease. He doesn't like the thought of her getting injured because she was doing chores alone... a little voice in the back of his mind whispers, Sure, it's just a little scratch, but if you hadn't been sleeping the day away, you could have helped her, and maybe she wouldn't be hurt at all. He tries to shake it off - these things happen, it's just a tiny scratch, and besides, Dapplepaw is strong in her own right, she certainly doesn't need his protecting - but he can't quite make the voice go away.
    He shakes himself out of this train of thought just in time to process Dapplepaw asking him about his own morning, wondering at his unusually late wake-up; he smiles a small, self-deprecating smile and shuffles his feet a bit, exiting the apprentices' den fully only to stare somewhat bashfully at the ground and do his best to muffle his mumbled, I had a hard time sleeping last night, so I guess I made up for it this morning, into his thick, fluffy fur as he dips his head to lick at his chest self-consciously.

wc: 346
notes: Mouse

Dapplepaw looked at him and flicked her ear some. It was strange that Smokepaw didn't sleep well. She didn't know much about his sleeping habits, but she also knew that he normally slept pretty well considering everything that had been going on with all of the clans.
"I'm sorry you haven't been sleping well," she moved her ears moving back some, "Do you think maybe have someone nar by will help? I don't mind moving closer. I've noticed you've been by yourself a little."

She smiled at him her ears perking up some. Smokepaw had been one of her good friends since Ratkit had joined Starclan. He had been there for her so she didn't see why she couldn't be there for him. She knew he had his sisters to turn to, but sometimes siblings were just a little too much to deal with.

"Maybe my dream self can scare those bad thoughts away tonight so you can get some sleep," she giggled before standing up, "Or i could just wear you out so much today you just collapse from exhaustion. I was gonna go gather moss and simple herbs to help out Frostbite...maybe hunt if something comes along. Unless you don't want to of course."

word count: 204
Tags: elissa!
Notes: If they weren't apprentices that "I could wear you out..." comment would so be taken the wrong way. lol

    Something about Dapplepaw's sweet words and earnest tone sends something warm and ticklish fluttering in Smokepaw's chest. You- I don't want you to go to any trouble... he starts, then hesitates. It's not like he's asking her to do anything too taxing, and besides, she offered - and it really would be nice to have someone near him. Maybe his mind will stop humming with quite so much stress at night if he has a tangible reminder of the fact that he's safe in his den, surrounded by friends and Clanmates. Thank you, Dapplepaw, he says, a little awkwardly. I'd like that a lot.
    Hearing her giggle made him perk up a little bit; his own tail twitched in amusement at the thought of Dapplepaw bravely chasing away his thoughts and leading him into sleep. It's a nice thought, anyway, even if he privately doesn't think that it will be quite that simple.
    He perks up even more at the thought of getting out and actually getting some work done. That would be great! he meows excitedly, leaping to his feet with a jubilant twitch of his tail. He's eager to shake of the last dregs of sleep and get rid of the last of the guilt that stems from snoozing through the morning while the rest of the clan - and especially his peers - got actual work done. Can we leave now? Then, suddenly, he realizes that Dapplepaw is just back from working all morning, and might not be quite as eager as he is to get out there and get back to work. Um, he amends, sheepish, unless you, um, need a rest.

wc: 282
notes: Mouse ; awww they're so cuuuute ;___;  

Dapplepaw smiled a little seeing Smokepaw be shy about her coming to sleep near him then second guess himself and accept her invitation. It was cute to see him like that sometimes, trying to act all brave, but in the end realizing that having the company would be nice. She paused a moment and flicked her ear. What was she saying? She felt the heat rise to her cheeks but pushed it aside as Smokepaw jumped to his feet eager to be doing something.

She let out a meow of laughter and stood as well flickign his shoulder with her tail. "When have you ever known me to be out of energy?" she asked looking at him over her shoulder, Anyway it was my idea to go out silly. Of course i don't wanna rest or take a break. The clan needs up to gather supplies so lets do it. Show our mentors we don't always have to be told what to do."

She flashed him a smile then bounded away from the apprentice den and toward the main entrance flicking her tail excitedly. She slipped through the small hole that had been created then waited on the opposite side for Smokepaw. She sniffed the air and noticed Quiverfur and Birdsong's scents near the training hollow. So going there would probably be a bad idea. Maybe Smokepaw had some ideas.

She turned her attention back the entrance as Smokepaw exited and flicked her ears some. Something about him just made her really happy. Maybe she could talk to her mom about it. But first she wanted to do something outside the camp.

"So, where do you think we should go?"

word count: 277
tags: elissa!
notes: I know!

    The soft brush of Dapplepaw's tail against his shoulder sent a rush of affection through him; he really was lucky to have a friend like her. And it was true - he never had seen her out of energy. He couldn't quite hold back a soft mrrrow of amusement at her bright words. She was right, though - they really should be helping the clan, and Smokepaw mentally scolded himself a bit for sitting around having mushy thoughts about his friend when there was real work to be done, and she was the one suggesting they do it. Hadn't that been what he had been so worried about in the first place? He wasn't sure what was wrong with him - this whole conversation had made his brain feel a little fuzzy in the strangest of ways. He shook his head a little to clear it, and then started with surprise to realize Dapplepaw was already bounding away, out past the apprentices' den.
    He had to scramble quickly to catch up with her, and by the time he did she had come to a stop outside the entrance, turning back to watch him as he exited camp. So, where do you think we should go?
    Smokepaw scented the air, though he assumed Dapplepaw had already done so - oh, yep, seemed as though the training hollow was probably out. He considered for a moment, his head tilted to the side thoughtfully. We could head into the forest, towards the Owl-Tree, he meowed eventually. Or we could make our way towards Sunningrocks - there might be some good herbs nearer the river. The day honestly was nice enough that, now that the knowledge that he was doing something useful had quieted the roiling guilt in his stomach, Smokepaw really didn't care where, in particular, they went. It would be good just to spend time with Dapplepaw in the service of his Clan. He almost purred at the thought - it really was the best of both worlds.

wc: 342
notes: Mouse ; He's so oblivious. XD Might take him a while to see the signs, poor guy...