Watching
Smokepaw woke from a long sleep. Her friend Fernpaw was curled up beside her. Smokepaw pushed the gray tabby awake. Fernpaw rolled over and kept snoring. Smokepaw walked toward the fresh-kill pile and pulled out a juicy mouse. She walked back to Fernpaw with the mouse in her jaws. Fernpaw jumped up at the smell of food and grabbed the mouse.
"You were waiting for me to do that", Smokepaw asked, "Weren't you?"
"You caught me", Fernpaw mewed between bites.
Smokepaw's sister, Brindlepaw came into the den, "Why does she get the first prey of the day?", she asked, "When I have to go on the morning patrol half-starved."
"Because she wouldn't wake up", Smokepaw answered.
Smokepaw walked out of the den and ran into her father, Breezepelt.
"Watch it", he snarled.
Smokepaw cringed in his fury, "Sorry Breezepelt", she whimpered.
Breezepelt pushed her out of the way with his paw, sending her tumbling into the rocks nearby. Smokepaw never had a clean relationship with her father. Brindlepaw was the one he loved, because he had named her. Smokepaw thought her name was closer to breeze though. She wished her father would show that he loved her.
… a couple moons later
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join us under the highstone for a clan meeting", called Harestar as he finished the warrior ceremony, "Smokepaw your name is now Smokehaze."
Smokehaze sat beside her sister, Brindlewing. She felt a pair of eyes on her, her father Breezepelt was watching her, not Brindlewing, with pride and love in his eyes.
He really does care for me.