Stretch my claws

[zena]

Leopardstar paused in the entrance of her den, eyes narrowing slightly as the bright, early morning sunlight shone around her, making it difficult to see until her eyes slowly adjusted. Once she could look around without pain the tiger striped she-cat regally made her way through the camp, making a brief walk around the border to make sure their wall was holding up properly. The last thing they needed was something breaking through their defenses in the middle of the night. What that something might be, considering their peaceful status with the other clans and their location in the middle of a marsh, Leopardstar had no idea, but better safe than dead.

Heading over to the fresh-kill pile and finding it more empty than she would like, Leopardstar's whiskers twitched in dissatisfaction. She was going to have to tell the hunting patrols to do a better job if they were going to leave them with this little food. Especially since it was Greenleaf. I'm going to have to lead one myself apparently, she decided.

Leopardstar could be rather tough at times (most of the time actually) it was a well known fact. She ruled her clan with an iron fist, but it worked for her. Dissent and arguments were not tolerated. Either you did it her way or you got hissed at until you did. Leopardstar prided herself on having a neatly run clan, and she hadn't gotten any complaints thus far so what did it matter?

Taking up a position by the entrance of her den, Leopardstar waited patiently for the rest of her clan to wake, not about to drag them out of their dens simply because she was already awake and displeased. She was tough but not really mean. For now she could afford to wait patiently until someone showed up and she could begin to gather a hunting patrol. Even if it was technically her deputy's duty to arrange the patrols Leopardstar still did it from time to time when she had something really important she wanted or needed done. This seemed rather important to her, she figured they wouldn't mind. It didn't matter to her if they did.

[Sage]

Crescentpaw couldn't believe she was awake already. Her mind was still foggy from her dreamless night. Her muscles sore from battle training the evening before. She thought about trying to go back to sleep, but the last thing she needed was another reason for the others to pick on her. So instead she forced herself to her paws and left the apprentices den, thinking about food.

Finding that the pile wasn't as full as normal, she twitched her nose. She wouldn't eat until she hunted then. That way the elders or other cats who really needed it could eat first. She thought for a moment about waking her siblings for a hunt, but doubted they would agree since they had done both battle training and a patrol the night before. So instead she looked around camp, hoping to catch another cat up.

The only cat she saw was the last one she would have thought she'd see. Leopardstar was in front of her den, looking as patient as ever. Sagepaw wondered if she had been seen. Maybe she could... She flicked her tail, annoyed at herself. There was no need to be afraid of her mentor. Even if her mentor was the leader. She was go over, bid her a good morning, and act about a hunt. She might not even have to ask, her leader might just decide that's what they would do.

"Morning, Leopardstar," Crescentpaw dipped her head to the she-cat, "Did you see the kill pile?"

[zena]

Leopardstar saw movement in the camp and looked over, expecting to see her deputy or one of the warriors. So she was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was none other than her apprentice. Well, at least she had a good work ethic to be up this early, especially after they had been working so hard the day before. It was as much as she expected from her apprentice, and from everyone else in the clan honestly.

So she watched Crescentpaw move around the camp, noting that the first thing she did was approach the kill pile. No doubt she was just looking for food, but Leopardstar was tempted to delude herself into believing that her apprentice had been thinking along the same lines as she was when she approached it. Not that she expected an apprentice to think about running a clan but still.

At last the younger female noticed she was awake and approached, and the first words out of her mouth gave the clan leader hope for her. "Of course I did," she replied coolly, making a simple statement though it could be taken as a reprimand depending on one's frame of mind. "After checking the borders of course. It's far too low, I don't know what those warriors were thinking yesterday." Her tail lashed in irritation for a moment before she collected herself and looked over at her apprentice.

"I am going to lead a hunting patrol today, you would do well to join it," she said, making it a heavily implied suggestion instead of an order. Let it not be said that she never gave her clan members the choice of what they wanted to do, even if they always knew what she wanted. Sometimes disobeying her was acceptable, depending on how it was done. It could show that a cat preferred to think for his or herself. Or it could show a blatant lack of respect, which was definitely not acceptable. No one should want to be on the receiving end of her claws, which was where they would end up if they pulled a stunt like that.

[Sage]

Crescentpaw watched her mentor, trying not to feel stupid for her comment about the fresh kill pile. Duh, she thought dully. Why wouldn't the leader have noticed? She hadn't become leader for being negligent to the Clans needs.

"I don't know," Crescentpaw shifted on her paw, not looking at her mentor as she spoke. "The mentors had the apprentices out late with battle training. I don't see why they couldn't have hunted on the way back to camp." She remembered how she had caught enough for both her and one of the elders to eat before retiring for the day. Her legs had been tired from all the work she had done, but she didn't want to return to camp empty pawed. Or maybe it had just been that she was hungry and knew if she only caught something for herself she might get in trouble. And trouble was the last thing she wanted.

When Leopardstar mentioned a hunt, and that Crescentpaw should join, the young she-cat had to hold back a happy purr. She didn't want anypaw to think she was a purr-filled she-cat with nothing more on her mind then pleasing her mentor. She needed to act proper. Calm, relaxed, and smart- but not to smart.

"Yes, Leopardstar." Crescentpaw mewed with a nod, glad she didn't have to ask. She wasn't the best hunter out of the apprentices, and even less talented when it came to the warrior, but she loved the smell of the freshest, fresh kill. It also made her feel better if she knew she was doing her job in the Clan. When she became a warrior she would be able to lead patrols and hunting parties. So hunting now meant she would only get better. Even more so if her mentor was helping her learn.

She watched her mentor for a moment, wondering what was going through her mind. Was she thinking of where to go? Was she deciding who should be on the hunt? Or was her mind somewhere else? The thought pricked at her, making her feel awkward. She shouldn't be trying to see what her mentor was thinking. She should be thinking of what to do when out hunting. Remembering all she had learned so far. Which wasn't hard, she was still a newly appointed apprentice.

"Should I wake some other cats?" Crescentpaw asked in a soft, but clear voice. Not allowing herself to mumble in front of her mentor, but she also didn't want to come across as inpatient. Knowing that her ears would most likely take the price for that. She let her hazel eyes look up into Leopardstar's light green ones.

[zena]

It had been a rhetorical question, so Leopardstar hadn't really been expecting a response. "They were probably tired and thought they could get away without hunting," she replied with a quiet sigh. "It is understandable but still." She was not about to yell at them for doing what they were supposed to in training the apprentices, but she had expected better of them to be honest. "You did well yesterday," she commented, a rare piece of praise from her. Leopardstar had seen how hard her apprentice had been working, and it had not escaped her notice that she had gone hunting as well. It showed initiative.

Leopardstar would have been very surprised if Crescentpaw had turned down the suggestion/order to go on the hunting patrol. She could certainly use her as an example. And this way she could show her some tricks and see how well she could hunt, which she really hadn't gotten a chance to do yet. It would be good for both of them that way.

She noticed that Crescentpaw was watching her but didn't say anything, preferring to continue scanning the camp for any signs of life. It was getting to be the time when she would expect people to wake up, so they should be appearing soon... she really did not want to have to rouse the warriors and apprentices from their dens. Still she was beginning to become impatient and it would appear that Crescentpaw was as well.

"I had hoped not to have to, but clearly it must be done," she replied, nodding slightly to give her apprentice permission. "If they give you any trouble just tell them I sent you," the clan leader added, figuring that would quiet any complaints. Hopefully it would anyway, and if it didn't she would deal with them herself. Any other day it would not have been important to have everyone up at an early hour, but today was a special case. And besides, they were going to have a clan meeting soon. She wanted everything in pristine condition in their clan.

[Sage]

Crescentpaw nodded to her mentor before heading towards the warriors den, calling in about a hunting patrol lead by the leader. She didn't hear anypaw complaining, but she wasn't really listening for it. After she was sure everyone was getting up, she headed to the apprentice den and repeated the message. There was more annoyance from the apprentices, but they didn't say anything to Crescentpaw.

Once she was sure everyone was awake, she returned to her mentor. Sitting a few tail lengths away to show respect. "I woke them, I don't know who all is out on the dawn patrol, though. If anypaw is." She spoke calmly, with her head held high. She didn't see her father among the warrior exiting their den, so if there was a patrol, he might be on it. She glanced at the nursery to see her mother slipping out, her black coat had lost some of it's beauty. Crescentpaw wonder when she would give up the nursery for the elders den. She flicked her tail with annoyance, and a little bit of pride. Her mother would move to the elders den until she couldn't hunt her own food.

She realized that Runningfoot was looking at her, and bowed her head slightly. Her mother didn't nod back, but Crescentpaw almost thought she saw a gleam of pride in her mothers eyes. Is she proud I'm the leaders apprentice? She wondered, or that I'm up early helping out?

Crescentpaw almost ask Leopardstar to be excused so she could go say hi, but her mother was already moving around. Maybe off to make dirt. Crescentpaw looked away from her mother, her eyes darting around the moving cats in front of her. She saw her litter mates heading to the fresh kill pile, and was almost surprised at her sister for grabbing something despite how small it was. Her brother at least carried something to the elders.

Feeling as though her mind was going as fast as a stormy wind, she curled her tail tightly around her paws and looking to her mentor, waiting for what was next.

[zena]

Leopardstar remained where she was, watching silently while Crescentpaw went around and woke the camp. Fortunately for everyone there was little to no complaining, even if the apprentices were slower to respond to her summons. It did make sense though, they were little more than children and some did not take up their responsibilities as quickly as others.

The clan leader was tempted to give her apprentice a snide remark, clearly she could see that she had woken everyone, but held it in, nodding slightly instead. "I am not sure the dawn patrol left, I was up rather early and did not see them," she replied, scanning the cats for missing faces. They could have cleared out before she woke up though, for which she would commend them when they returned.

Catching the silent interaction between Runningfoot and Crescentpaw, the leader was about to tell her apprentice she could go see her if she wanted when the queen headed off in the opposite direction and Crescentpaw returned to scanning the crowd. "You might start thinking of who should go on the hunting patrol. Besides your sister of course, she's definitely going," Leopardstar commented, spotting the girl grabbing some food from the fresh kill pile and clearing her throat quietly.

"I would like everyone to listen to me for a moment," she called out, pausing for just a moment to make sure she had their attention before continuing. "I am disappointed by the state of our kill pile. There will be a hunting patrol leaving shortly, lead by myself, and we will remedy this. Anyone who wants to volunteer to go is more than welcome to, though I will be making some selections of my own of course." There, that should get their attention now shouldn't it.

[Sage]

Crescentpaw nodded, already trying to remember all the names of the warriors. Her mind could think of a few. The comment about her sister already having a sure stop on the patrol made her feel hot with embarrassment. Of course her sister would be put on the patrol, she was the first cat to take from the almost gone kill pile. She wondered if she was going to be the one to tell her sister.

When Leopardstar called the Clan to attention, Crescentpaw turned and looked to her, forgetting about her sister for a heartbeat. She figured the leader would want to acknowledge the poor state of their kill pile, and she wondered if the leader would scold Nightpaw, her sister, in front of the whole Clan.

When the leader finished speaking, Crescentpaw walked over to her sister, nodding a hello before sitting. Nightpaw all but ignored her. Which was fine. Crescentpaw looked around for her brother, noting he was sitting by the elders. She was still looking for her father, but didn't see him in camp. Not that it mattered.

Crescentpaw thought about telling Nightpaw she was on the hunting patrol, but decided that she would wait until Leopardstar was done. Maybe she would announce who was going. Nightpaw couldn't get mad at Crescentpaw if it was the leaders telling her.