"Get up, Ashpaw!" came a hiss in Ashpaw's ear.
"Ungh..." groaned Ashpaw, batting at whatever was talking.
"Come ON you silly sleepy head! Moonfur is waiting for you!" the voice hissed again. At this, Ashpaw jumped to his feet, nearly knocking his sister over.
"What? Oh, sorry," he muttered, looking at Mistypaw apologetically.
"Geez! You're dangerous," Mistypaw said, clearly shaken by almost being knocked over by her brother.
"Well, you would be too if you had a sister wake you up at the crack of dawn..." meowed Ashpaw in a quiet undertone so that Mistypaw couldn't hear him. Unaffected by the unheard comment about her, Mistypaw hit her brother playfully on the side of his head.
"Come on, bro! Let's go!!!" she said, bounding outside. Ashpaw groaned and heaved himself to his feet. He stretched the looked around the den with his bright yellow eyes. It was empty. He ran outside, cursing himself for being such a hard sleeper.
Moonfur was waiting near the center of camp. Oakfur was talking in a harsh tone with Mistypaw, who looked completely unconcerned about what he was saying. Thornfur and Darktail were leading Rosepaw and Duskpaw out of camp. Both were looking extremely bored. Leopardpaw was out of site though. She probably already left, Ashpaw told himself, trotting to Moonfur.
"Good morning, Ashpaw," purred Moonfur.
"Good. Sorry if I'm late," Ashpaw said bashfully.
"Perfectly okay. It is your first day and no one is perfect," she replied in a comforting meow.
"Thank you, Moonfur," Ashpaw mewed, grinning at his mentor who smiled warmly back at him. "So what are we doing today?" he asked, excitement beginning to course through him.
"I'll be showing you the territory boundaries," Moonfur said. "Come! It's a long walk so we must start!" She began walking towards the exit of camp, Ashpaw at her heels.
It was well past sunhigh when Moonfur and Ashpaw returned to camp. Ashpaw was extremely tired, and Moonfur looked satisfied with their trip.
"You have done well today, Ashpaw. One day you will make an excellent warrior," Moonfur praised him. Ashpaw purred.
"Thank you, Moonfur," he replied.
"Go and eat, I'm sure you are hungry from our trip," Moonfur told him. Ashpaw didn't hesitate this time. He ran off and took some food and lay down near the apprentice den to eat. Just then Duskpaw came out.
"Oh, hi Ashpaw," he said in surprise. "How was your training session?"
"Great," Ashpaw purred. "Moonfur showed me all around the territory and showed me all the boundaries. She also introduced all the other clan's scents to me."
"Wow, she taught you a lot," Duskpaw mewed in surprise. "On my first day, Darktail just showed me borders. He didn't tell me anything about the other clan's scents and we didn't see any of the territory other than the very edges. I saw all those things a few dawn's later."
"Oh," Ashpaw meowed in surprise.
"Well, I have to run; I'm going out on patrol again!" Duskpaw meowed as he ran towards Darktail, Stormfur, the deputy, and Bluestripe. They obviously were the others going on border patrol. They left a few moments later and the camp seemed to be a lot quieter without them. Most cats were in their dens to stay out of the sun. It was probably the hottest day of the whole green-leaf so far. But that obviously didn't stop Mistypaw from being excited and jumpy when she arrived back at camp soon after.
"Ashpaw!" Mistypaw said excitedly. "Guess what? I caught a mouse!" She held up a large brown mouse, her eyes shining with pride.
"Cool!" Ashpaw said.
"Mistypaw, go put that in the fresh-kill pile," came Oakfur's deep, commanding meow.
"Ok!" mewed Mistypaw in submission, bringing it over the stock. Then she bounced back over to Oakfur.
"Am I done for the day?" Mistypaw asked.
"Yes," Oakfur meowed. "You are dismissed." Then he stalked away towards the warrior's den. Mistypaw ran back to Ashpaw.
"Isn't he cool? He's like, the most senior warrior of all the senior warriors! He's amazing!" Mistypaw meowed, staring at Oakfur with admiration as he slunk into the large den. "What's Moonfur like?"
"She's... uh..." Ashpaw meowed, trying to describe his mentor to his eagerly waiting sister. "She's pretty cool."
"That is probably the worst description I've ever heard of a cat in my life!" Mistypaw meowed, rolling her eyes at her brother. "Can't you be a little more descriptive?"
Ashpaw frowned. "Well sorry I didn't meet your 'describing criteria' or whatnot," Ashpaw mewed in annoyance.
"Whatever. Oakfur's cool; he's like the best! He's so smart and fast and ..." Mistypaw began listing off traits. Ashpaw rolled his eyes and got to his feet, leaving his sister to talk to air. He ran right into Rosepaw, who scowled at him.
"Watch where you're going, tiny," she hissed.
"Sorry, Rosepaw," Ashpaw mewed in return.
"Sorry doesn't quite cut it," hissed Rosepaw. "Just watch yourself. 'Kay, tiny?"
"Rosepaw! Be nice!" yowled a voice from somewhere on the other side of camp. It was Moonfur.
Rosepaw jumped. "Oh, sorry Moonfur. Your apprentice is just acting really clumsy," she meowed innocently.
"Oh, yes, well, it's no excuse for being unkind to someone much younger then you. Leave him alone please," Moonfur said.
Rosepaw hung her head and walked off. Moonfur left as well. Ashpaw was left standing there in front of the apprentice den. He stood for a minute before going in and falling asleep.
