I do not own the Warriors Series, any plot, characters, or anything that you recognize belong to Erin Hunter. I as well as MelodyStarrWH own Shadowpaw, Breezepaw, Ivyclaw, and Mudfoot.
Ivyclaw sighed. He had just finished his watch that had lasted until moonhigh. He padded from the entrance of camp to the warrior's den. His new apprentice was wearing on his nerve. It had been four moon's since she had become a RiverClan apprentice and still she drove him up a tree. She was good, StarClan was she good. She picked up every lesson he had taught her quickly, except for swimming and after she learned to compensate for her fur, she picked that up quickly too. She was learning the code and living by it. No he had no complaints there. It was her attitude. Always hostile and always issuing challenges. She was so confrontational all the clan, save the little cream apprentice of Mudfoot's absolutely hated her. And if he were being honest, he practically despised her too.
Okay so maybe hate was too strong a word. Though they definitely didn't like her. The warriors scorned her for her claims of being the best when she first arrived. The apprentices grew jealous of because of how easy the lessons seemed to come to her. She did what she had to do and made no effort to get to know the other apprentices, who by all rights preferred her absence. Sleeping in the apprentice den was most likely a very strained event. Though the clan leader and deputy didn't seem to mind her as they spoke with her from time to time.
Ivyclaw was at a loss for what to do. He has tried to be nice to her, punish her by taking care of the elders, gather herbs for the medicine cat, extra sparring sessions, and even night watch. Nothing cured her rude mouth and sharp tongue.
He stretched and went to enter the warrior's den when a slight movement caught his eye by the elder's den. He padded softly over only to see the long and soft fur of his apprentice curled near the middle of the log. It was nearing leaf-fall and that meant it would be getting colder. Already it was cooler. He moved his paw to prodded her awake when the she-cat elder stopped her. "Do not wake her, Ivyclaw. She just fell asleep."
"She is supposed to be sleeping in the apprentice den." He told her. The elder looked sad.
"Oh Ivyclaw" she shook her head. "You see her, yet you only see what you want. She hasn't sleep in the apprentice den since half a moon after she joined River clan. She seems to prefer not making a grand scene every night before sleep. No apprentice save young Breezepaw will even provide her warmth."
Ivyclaw froze. "What? It's been nearly four moons since she came to RiverClan. Where has she slept since then? And if you knew why wasn't I informed?"
"I didn't inform you, Ivyclaw, for the same reason the other elders, Mistyfoot, and LeopardStar did not inform you. She asked us not to tell you or do anything about it. She said she didn't mind much and that it was her problem and posed no problem to the clan so she would take care of it." She smiled sadly. "You have a brave and loyal apprentice, but I fear she may take her personal battles too lightly."
"What does she do? It is highmoon. Why is she just now asleep?" he asked puzzled.
"You see your apprentice as confrontational and rude just like the rest of the clan yes?" The elder asked, but continued since she seemed to already know the answer. "Shadowpaw's actions speak much more than her words do. She was moving the moss in the elder's den around, because Heavystep complained of his side hurting. She will most likely gather moss tomorrow and replace the old with the new. Like she's done the last three moons."
Ivyclaw looked at his apprentice with a small smirk on his face. "You may yet be right young Shadowpaw. You may very well be the best cat in the clan already. Not from skill but from heart. Let's go before we wake her up with our gossiping Swallowtail. She has training in the morning."