xx. to catch a dream! [sorrel+]

[Jitt]

SORRELPAW!

A soft breeze blew ripples across the stream, and an oak leaf skittered across the water to rest in the shadow if a cat. Glistening amber eyes gleamed showed identical reflection of that very oak leaf. Ears twitched, and the eyes moved to stare out across the stream, then up to the sky. The stars shone in amber. Meanwhile, an oak leaves blew on through the trees, leaving the young she-cat alone. The crisp, cold air magnified the stars, and she felt almost as if she could reach out and touch them with the tip of her tail. The moon was over half-full, and it gleamed off her smooth coat, making it look copper.

In a few nights, the cat would no longer be known as Sorrelpaw. She was already overly due for her ceremony. Excitement had put more of a bounce in her step over the last few days, but recently, she had been thinking of all the things she might miss after she received her warrior name and status. How often would she get nights like this? She lived for these moments, so calm, serene, so wonderful. She had seen how busy warriors were nowadays. She could still remember the days before RainClan and HailClan, when warriors could spare an extra moment to themselves, when their only enemies were the foxes and the eagles.

Life had been so much more simple, or maybe it had just seemed so because she had been so young. Either way, she missed those days, and although more Clans meant more excitement, she still wasn't sure of what to think of it all. But she lets these stressful thoughts slip from her mind. soon she would be a respected warrior, and she would be brave, and apprentices and kits would eye her with awe, and try to be just like her. These were the thoughts she liked. Her time out here, outside of camp was precious now, because she wasn't sure of how often she would get pauses from life by the next full moon.

The wind picked up, and she could hear it whistling through the trees at her back. She lowered her head against the freezing air. The time for empty bellies, sickness, and sleepless nights was approaching. Frost was already sparkling on the eaves of the stream, and Sorrelpaw felt a shiver vibrate down her spine. She fluffed up her coat and moved over to a prickly bush, seeking shelter from the cold. No good would come from an apprentice who had to crawl out of the medicine den on the day of her ceremony. The smart thing to do would have been to head back to camp, but she couldn't not yet.

She curled herself in a ball and put her fluffy tail over her nose. Her eyes lit up as she watched snowflakes begin to fall from the sky. She found snow fascinating, and tried to focus on the small pattern in the nearest flakes. Now it was truly leaf-bare. She had been a kit the last time she had seen snow. In reality it wasn't all that long ago, but to her it felt like a lifetime. She remembered wandering out of the nursery with Beechpaw, touching the fallen snowflakes, then running away. This made her purr, and she relaxed, drifted into a dazed state, watching the snow fall around her.

[Wren]

sagepaw

Thoughts drifted in Sagepaw's mind as she picked her way down toward Pebblebeds, nature sliding slowly toward being nocturnal, just like an owl. She was just a little bit tired from the apprentice work she'd done earlier that day, but not too tired. They told her so, that she wasn't quite tired enough to have to sleep. No, no, Sage. Of course you can still go out and explore. Watch the stars, watch the moon... We'll watch you, the murmurs had gone around, from voice to voice.

The sound of running water made her stop, and a confused look shadowed her face. Her fur suddenly felt wet all over, but when she looked back over her shoulder, each little hair was perfectly dry. Studded with snowflakes like the sky was studded with stars, but dry. The lizard crawled ahead of her, but suddenly looked back and blinked. "I know, we should keep going. I shouldn't be out too long, should I?" Sagepaw asked, apparently no one.

She hadn't noticed Sorrelpaw's scent coming from a bush a few leaps away, nor had she seen the ginger fur of her fellow apprentice. Perhaps if she'd known the she-cat was there, she wouldn't have come. No, no, you'll be alright... We'll take care of you, the voices assured her sweetly. Sagepaw nodded and went down toward the banks, pebbles scraping under her paws quite unpleasantly.

The lizard stopped at the water's edge, not daring to go in. And then it vanished as she blinked. The voices were still. The wet feeling remained, and she fought the urge to turn back and lick herself dry. It wouldn't help. Sagepaw looked down at her side and saw the bright lizard, head pointed toward the bush Sorrelpaw was resting under.

"What about it? It's just a dumb bush," Sagepaw mumbled. You're a dumb cat, Sage, one of the spirit voices sighed. Go to the bush, see who's there. She didn't move, doubtful. Surely no one else would be out on a night like this? Snow drifted down.

How many times have we been wrong? one of them asked a bit more gently. "I dunno," Sagepaw shrugged. Exactly. Go. Check the bush. She hesitated just a moment longer and strode forward. Now the scent was clear, StormClan, and she could see snatches of ginger fur through the brittle branches. "Who is it?" Sagepaw asked a bit timidly, curling her tail down beside her leg.