More Than Meets The Eye
Cherrypaw trotted out of the apprentice den, seeing her mentor Fawnbreeze just pad out of the warriors den, looking rather tired. She hopped over to her mentor.
"What are we doing today?" She asked eagerly. Fawnbreeze glanced at her.
"Always up before dawn, Cherrypaw. We're doing dawn patrol, but we don't need to meet Sunshadow for a while." She said, ending it off with a yawn. "I don't understand how you love mornings so much. Half the camp isn't awake yet."
"I just like to start new days!" Cherrypaw said enthusiastically. "I mean, a new day is like the start of a new adventure! I don't understand how you cats don't love mornings!"
Suddenly Sandshade padded over. "I see you two are up early. Sunshadow should be here soon. I'll go get Applepaw, she should come with us." Fawnbreeze nodded as he left, and began washing her cream and white fur quickly.
As Sunshadow walked over, Sandshade and a bedraggled Applepaw padded over. Cherrypaw nudged her friend's shoulder.
"Come on, dawn patrols are fun. We're doing Shadowclan's border, which is even better. I mean, it's so dark and shadowy over there, and then suddenly the sun finishes rising and you can see everything! I really love sunrises!"
Applepaw yawned. "Yeah right. I've been an apprentice for a moon longer, the dawn patrols get boring after a while." She licked some fur down on her shoulder. "I don't know why you're so excited. After 3 moons of dawn patrols, you should be sick of it."
Sunshadow glanced down at them. "Come on. Maybe some of Cherrypaw's enthusiasm will rub off on us after a while. Let's get out into the forest, stretch our legs a bit. We can see which of you two can get to Shadowclan's border the fastest." Her eyes sparkled as she issued the challenge.
Cherrypaw liked Sunshadow. She was still a young warrior, and didn't mind making things fun. Grumpy old warriors like Sandshade were always so serious! At least she had Applepaw, even if she may be grumpy old badger in the mornings, she was pretty fun after the sun was up.
"Alright! Let's go!" Cherrypaw said, tearing out of camp. Applepaw caught up to her quickly. Although Applepaw never had the same energy as Cherrypaw, she was still thinner and faster.
She tore along faster, trying to keep up with Applepaw, who had passed her and was still accelerating. She glanced behind her, seeing Sunshadow nudging Fawnbreeze and charging after the apprentices. Sandshade glanced at Fawnbreeze, who in return gave a look that said 'What can you do?'. Eventually the warriors were racing after them, if only to keep up with the others.
Cherrypaw was well ahead of the warriors, although Applepaw The Speedy was way ahead.
She narrowed her eyes, giving her all and running forward. She soon caught up with a panting and exhausted Applepaw, and they trotted alongside each other until they reached the border.
Fawnbreeze was the first to catch up. Then came Sunshadow and Sandshade. Sunshadow nudged Cherrypaw.
"When I was an apprentice, Fawnbreeze and Sandshade weren't so old and grumpy. They used to be a lot of fun."
Cherrypaw glanced at the older warriors. "I hope I don't end up like that when I become a warrior." She mewed.
Sunshadow laughed. "Unless something big happens, I don't think you'll ever be that boring."
Cherrypaw looked up at her. "I hope nothing happens then."
They were nearing the end of the patrol when Cherrypaw heard the soft crunching of pine needles being squashed. Her ears perked up, and she looked down at the ferns and grass beneath her and her clanmates' paws.
"I think there's a Shadowclan patrol nearby." She meowed.
Suddenly she heard two youthful voices and two toms raced past on the other side of the border, before screeching to a halt and padding back towards
Cherrypaw and the patrol calmly, as if nothing had happened.
"Um, hello?" Applepaw said, looking half amused and half curious.
One of them was staring at Cherrypaw. She shuffled her paws slightly in awkwardness.
"Hi. I'm Sootpaw and this is my friend Emberpaw." Said one, nudging the one who was staring at Cherrypaw.
She felt relieved, and responded quickly.
"Hello. I'm Cherrypaw, this is Applepaw, Sunshadow, Fawnbreeze, and Sandshade." She said, introducing her patrol. Some cats came up behind Emberpaw and Sootpaw.
"What is this?" Asked a black she-cat, who seemed to be leading the patrol. Her eyes were narrowed and she eyed them all critically.
Emberpaw replied quickly, as if eager to answer her question correctly.
"Thunderclan patrol. This is Sandshade, Fawnbreeze, Sunshadow, Applepaw, and Cherrypaw. Is there a problem, Shadowmist?" He said quickly and without any emotion, although his gaze had returned to Cherrypaw.
She smiled slightly, shyly. Why did he keep staring at her? It's not like she was anything special. She wasn't anything worth looking at, was she?
Shadowmist frowned, drawing her attention again as she spoke. "Carry on with your patrol. Just remember, we'll be coming back this way, so don't stir up any trouble."
The patrol moved on, but suddenly Emberpaw held one paw up and faltered. "I think I have a thorn or something in my paw." He said.
Cherrypaw responded quickly. "I'll help him. I was watching Pebblefall last night, I know how to do it." She kept up her cheery expression, although part of her wanted to frown. Why had she lied? She never lied. She didn't know exactly how to remove thorns, just part of her had wanted to hold back and help Emberpaw.
"Alright." Sunshadow said. "You can stay behind and help him. If it takes a while, just go back to camp. If not you can catch up later."
Shadowmist looked reluctant, but then agreed. "Fine, she can help you. Meet up with us later on the border if it's not too serious." The patrol moved on, although Sootpaw passed a worried glance back at Cherrypaw and Emberpaw, as did Applepaw.
Emberpaw smiled weakly. "So, you're Cherrypaw?" He said slightly shyly.
"Er, yes." Cherrypaw said. Part of her felt embarrassed. Why was that? She hadn't done anything!
They stared at eachother for a moment.
"Er, we shouldn't waste our time. I need to catch up with my patrol later." She said, taking his paw and examining it.
"Oh, yes...right." Emberpaw mewed.
"There doesn't seem to be anything here." Cherrypaw said. "I'd better go catch up with my patrol.
"Wait!" Emberpaw said, then instantly looked awkward, as if he hadn't meant to say it out loud. "Um, never mind. Go."
Cherrypaw and Emberpaw parted, although she couldn't help but glance back a couple times.