I Walk Alone

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Leaving the camp for time alone again, a snow white she-cat silently padded through the forest. Her pace wasn't fast, yet it wasn't slow. Her pads lightly pressed against the Earth, making sure nothing would snap under them. She desired no one to follow her. Run into her, she wouldn't mind. But follow, she disliked.

A short moment later, the she-cat arrived at a small tree. Her gaze scanned the area before turning back to the tree. The snow white cat padded closer to the tree, silently. As she got to about two feet away, a small hole in the tree was completely visible. The she-cat padded silently into the hole and sat down, her body facing outside.

With the camp out of her mind for now, she slowly shifted into the position to lay down. She laid on her stomach, and her snow white ears were perked up. She rested her head on her paws, though she was still aware of her surroundings.

[xradx]

Ashpaw had been wondering through the forest alone. She wasn't supposed to be alone, but Darksong, her mentor, had been injured by that awful badger, and she need to get out of camp and do some hunting. Although so far she'd done a lot more of wondeirng around doing nothing than of actualy hunting. The one mouse she had gone after had gotten away. I suppose I should probably try to come bacl with something to feed the clan with...

The young she-cat lifted her head and tasted the air, but instead of the scenting a piece of prey she caught the scent of a cat. She carefully followed the scent trail, it smelled of Ivory Clan, but it was not a cat she was familiar with.

At last she came across a snowy white cat that appeared to be sleeping. At first she thought she should leave the cat in peace and let her rest. But then she changed her mind, what if the cat was hurt? "Hello? Are you okay?" she called, and that sat down, waiting for a response.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

The snow white cat's gaze widened to usual size at the faint sound of a cat's paw-steps and scent, but it soon slightly narrowed at the cat padding closer to her, in front of her. She seemed to be an apprentice by her size and scent, but she wasn't familiar with this cat, even though it was in the same Clan. Her ears slightly flicked for a second, and she got into her sitting position as the apprentice asked her if she was alright.

The snow white she-cat straightened up in her sitting position, and her gaze then rested completely on the apprentice. It was now obvious that she was alright, so she didn't answer the apprentice's question in words for she had already answered in actions.

Her snow white ears flicked slightly again, and her tail wrapped around her paws. Her gaze widened back to usual as she waited for the apprentice's reaction.

[xradx]

As Snowsong sat up Ashpaw looked awkwardly at her feet, she probably looked and sounded like and idiot. Well at least she's okay... Ashpaw realized now that the cat had probably only been sleeping and she had just woken her up.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you had been hurt..." Ashpaw mumbled nervously. She wasn't sure who this warrior was, and she might be angry with Ashpaw for waking her up.

Why was she sleeping in the forest anywat? Ashpaw wasn't even sure that the cat had been sleeping, but that didn't stop her from feeling guilty. Well I guess she doesn't look angry...

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"Well, I understand how easy it is to mistake that...I can show you how to tell if a cat's been hurt or not.." Though her words seemed kind, the snow white she-cat's tone was emotionless. It would likely make any cat feel guilty if they had run into her like this, but her soul and heart were shattered recently, and throughout her life. Trust wasn't something she would give so early.

It had been a while since she had felt that someone was concerned about her. It brought out some of her good side, but none of her soft side. She had promised herself to never show her soft side ever again, and it seemed so possible so far. However, every cat could break that promise.

[xradx]

"Oh, thank -you!" Ashpaw was relieved that the other she-cat wasn't angry. But why would she be? I wasn't doing anything wrong. But Ashpaw knew that wasn't completely true. She wasn't supposed to be outside of camp by herself. But there's no one to go with me, so what am I supposed to do? Sit in camp all day?

Ashpaw let herself relax a little. It was only that she realized that she still had no idea who this cat was. "So," Ashpaw's voice was clearer now that she knew that the she-cat wasn't angry with her, "What is your name?"

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"I go by Snowsong..." Snowsong began to slowly get to her paws. Once she was on her paws, her gaze rested on the apprentice once again. "I would like to know what you go by as well.."

Snowsong lifted her right fore paw and licked it. Then, she pulled it gently over her right ear, the one with the faint scar on a small part of its edge. She then turned her gaze to her left hind leg and her gaze scanned the scar for a short moment as she waited for the apprentice's reply.

Then, Snowsong lifted her head to its usual position again. Her gaze once again concentrated on the apprentice only. "After I know your name, I'll be able to tell you. Although, I doubt you'll like sitting around too much, so I'll take you for a walk while informing you. Perhaps I could demonstrate things for you during the walk as well."

[xradx]

Ashpaw perked up at the idea of going for a walk with this cat. She had been bored lately without a mentor, but this sounded like fun.

"My name is Ashpaw" her voice rang with a certain quality that seemed to express a mixture of excitement, joy, and gratitude, "And I would love to go for a walk with you. My mentor, Darksong, got hurt by a badger so he's stuck in camp. So lately I haven't been out in the forest as much as would like."

Ashpaw got back up on her paws and let out a quiet purr, so quiet she almost thought she had imagined it. It's about time someone helped me with my training again, I don't want to fall behind the other apprentices while Darksong is hurt!

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Snowsong slightly nodded at Ashpaw. She let out a light 'Mm' before turning around slowly. She began to slowly pad off. She glanced back every once and a while to see if Ashpaw was following.

"Now, to be able to know if a cat is hurt instead of just napping, the scent of blood would usually be in the air. Also, you should try to examine the cat and see if there are any wounds or anything unusual." She expected Ashpaw to say that those things were obvious, but she didn't know if she knew all this yet. She continued padding slowly through the forest.

[xradx]

Ashpaw continued to follow Snowsong as they walked deeper into the forest. She couldn't help but notice that the weather had gotten colder even since the last time she had been in the forest. As she listened to Snowsong she wondered if the snow-white she-cat thought she was an idiot. I think I could've figured that out on my own.

But she knew that she was supposed to respect older warriors so she smiled and said, "Well I suppose that makes sense."

Hopefully Snowsong would have more to teach her than that. Ashpaw wanted to know all there was to know about being a warrior, and she was in a hurry to learn it.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Snowsong continued padding along. She then paused as she spotted a tree that seemed like a good place to practice. She turned around and faced Ashpaw. "How about we practice fighting?"

Snowsong sat down, but her reflexes and muscles were ready to practice a battle. "If you don't want to yet, I can take you hunting." She guessed it was stupid to think that Ashpaw would hunt rather than practice fighting, but it wasn't her mind, it was Ashpaw's.

[xradx]

Ashpaw's ears pricked when Snowsong asked if she wanted to practice fighting moves. "Oh, I would love that. I haven't had a chance to work on my fighting skills because of Darksong's injury, but I would love to!"

This way I can fight of badgers too! She had been slightly embaressed that when the badger had attacked her in the forest with Darksong she had done absolutely nothing to help him. But if she had known how to fight she could have helped, and then that Secret cat wouldn't have called her scared.

Next time I won't be too scared!

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"Alright." Snowsong got to her paws, and she flexed her claws. Her muscles tensed slightly, but her claws remained sheathed. She then waited a short moment. Then, she suddenly charged at Ashpaw.

Come on. Show me what you can do. Dodge or counter attack. Snowsong never actually had an apprentice, but she was an apprentice once. She continued to swiftly charge at Ashpaw, aiming to ram lightly into her.

[xradx]

Ashpaw hadn't been expecting Snowsong to come at her just then, and for a moment she froze, unsure of what to do. She knew that she probably couldn't fight the other she-cat. so she decided she would try to et out the way. So as quickly as she could she jumped backwards, only to realize that all she had done was put more distance between them, and Snowsong was still charging.

Okay, that didn't work, you should jump to the side next time. But at that point Snowsong was almost to the spot where Ashpaw was standing, completely unready for an attack. Without thinking she leaped into the air as high as she could, and when she landed on the forest floor she could no longer see Snowsong charging at her.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Snowsong swiftly unsheathed her claws and dug them into the earth. It decelerated her, and she whisked around. Then, she sheathed her claws again. Ashpaw used too much strength and energy in that jump..

Snowsong began to dash in the direction in which Ashpaw seemed to be jumping at. She soon paused her steps and lifted her nose into the air. She caught Ashpaw's scent and silently and carefully prowled closer. Perhaps I could surprise her...I could try to show her how to counter attack a surprise blow...