Jaypaw shifted in his nest, the poppies refusing to do their job as he tossed and turned. The critters of the night were keeping him from sleeping; it felt like they were yowling in his ears no matter how he turned. An itch beginning to grow in his shoulders, and he paused to catch it. Before he turned back to look around the den, the walls and roofs were as dead as they should. However he could still hear everything as if they were next to him.
'Maybe a night's stroll could help clear my head.' he thought, rising up onto his paws to leave the den.
Crawling over Pinepaw who lay in the nest closes to the entrance, he slipped out silently out of the den… proceeding towards the gap in the camp wall. And entering the forest outside, a chilling breeze stroked his fur… calm and quiet. The night sounds still hammering his eardrums as he headed over the hills, leaving towards the night covered forests. The mountains touching the sky above their heads, Jaypaw could feel each strand of grass brushing his limbs. Small critters scuttling up each blade as he passed, pausing to look at him from the tips.
He just ignored them as best as he could, the sounds still pounding his ears as he headed deeper.
"Well, is this tonight's evening patrol?"
Jaypaw jumped out of his fur, when he noticed in a tree not to far away. There was that loner again as she remained on her side of the border, though something was strangely off about her… but Jaypaw couldn't pinpoint it.
Jaypaw sighed as he flicked his tail and started to turn away, "Oh for StarClan's sake will you just leave me alone!" he groaned.
The she-cat flicked her tail as she dropped down, her eyes focused on him. "Why should I need to, you seem quite alone whenever I see you… even a loner could use company sometimes." She meowed.
Jaypaw continued to press on forward.
"I don't think we're properly introduced, I'm Rose by the way."
"Jaypaw."
"Ah so an apprentice, sure does explain your poor hunting skills." The she-cat commented.
"And how do you know so much of my clan?" Jaypaw inquired, turning his gaze to her.
Rose paused for a moment. "I am familiar with these terms, my old mother used to tell me stories about the clans. I never found them very conventional though.
Jaypaw rolled his eyes as the she-cat kept pace, he could feel her gaze burning into his back.
"So, what are you doing out so later, Clanner?"
"Just needed some fresh air, that's all… so if you be so kind as to..."
"Ha, ha, ha, ha! You think I'll let someone who's just out of the nursery wander alone?"
"I have been training for three moons now, I can handle myself."
The she-cat let a smirk spread wide across her face, dropping down into a crouch. "We'll just see about that!"
Jaypaw barely had a second to react before he was pounced on, before he could let out a yowl the she-cat held his jaw closed. "Come on hot shot, give me your best."
Jaypaw pushed upwards onto his paws, the she-cat dug her claws in deeper to hold her grip. Jaypaw thrashed around underneath her until he summoned his strength, and finally threw her off his back and immediately leaping into the air. the ginger she-cat narrowly dodged and used a forward swipe to catch his ear tip, he shook his head as he turned towards her and he reared up to swipe downwards on the she-cat.
The she-cat dodged, but Jaypaw reacted this time and shoved out his shoulder to catch her as she landed. The she-cat was sent flying back over towards the border, before she rose up onto his paws to rise up on her paws. she flicked an ear as that smirk remained on her face, spitting out dirt from her jaws. "Not bad, not bad at all."
Jaypaw remained posed as he faced her down head on, the she-cat flicked her tail… but she pressed back. "But here's something to remember."
In a flash, the she-cat was racing towards him. Leaping up and reaching straight for his head, which he ducked immediately. The she-cat got his back instead and he let out a low yowl of pain.
He spun his head around to find not even a cut on his back, although it does seem like she tugged out a patch of his fur. he turned his head. "I better be getting back to camp, if you'd be so kind as to peacefully go back to your own territory… unless you want to be chased off by full grown warriors."
"Aw, I was just starting to have fun… oh well, if you ever want some unique skills though," the she-cat meowed as she turned to leave, "You know where to look for me, I can give you a few tips."
Jaypaw flicked an ear, as he watched her turn and leave. Crossing the border and disappearing into the bushes on the other side, he then turned and left back towards home again.