The Ghostly Apprentice

[Duskstar]

The air in SwiftClan territory was dry and cold, a consistent wind blowing through the moors and causing a few grumpy elders to retreat to their dens in search of warmth. Clouds blotched out the sun, making the day even more bone chilling. The almost empty branches of Flower Tree swayed silently in the middle of the camp, its Greenleaf decor long gone. Even the kits shivered as the wind blew, and their tails were soon seen retreating into the nursery after a few strict queens. The camp looked downright depressing.

Then, sliding in from the outside world, came a shadow, small, and quiet, slithering to the fresh kill pile like a serpent. Small gray paws thudded softly against dull green grass, and two gems glinted as a sliver of sunlight peaking out from behind a cloud hit them. The creature absorbed the yellow warmth like a sponge, sucking it in through an ash colored pelt and causing it to warm his entire body, savoring the feeling before it was washed away once again by a chilling wind. Beneath a small black nose came a squirrel and plump mouse, both carried by the tails between solid ivory teeth. The shadow dropped the limp bodies with an almost silent thud, though the sound seemed to echo around the desolate camp, every living being seeming to have retreated to their dens. Large gray ears pricked forward for signs of life. Nothing came.

Vinepaw couldn't help but hiss as another freezing wind brushed through his pelt, which had not yet thickened for the winter months. He shivered at the uncomfortable sensation of air on his flesh, the cold spreading throughout his body just as the warmth had, but didn't disappear so quickly. Lucky him. Yellow-green eyes glazed over like stones as the tom stared at the almost empty fresh kill pile, and his stomach growled louder than a lion itself. "No." Vinepaw told himself, "You don't need it." Then turning away from the pile as to not be tempted, the apprentice started in the opposite direction, toward the den he and the others in training shared. Maybe a nap could take him somewhere warm.

He stopped about halfway, however, and flipped around, scenting a fellow clanmate. Yellow-green gaze scanned the cat in front of him, "Oh, its you." Vinepaw said seemingly without interest. His pelt bristled once again against the freezing cold chill, but he didn't let it show as much as last time. He couldn't look so weak in front of a clanmate.

[Foxed]

Brilliant-pelted feline laid in a corner of the dull, lifeless camp, hidden under the dark shadows of one of the few trees placed around the camp. Front paws were tucked under the she-cat's chest and long tail was wrapped around her slender frame, tip twitching thoughtfully. Gaze similar to molten lava twisted with flames searched the camp calmly. No one. The icy breeze twisted around the flaming feline, seeping under her pelt to brush her skin, chilling the feline easily as it seemingly tried to chase her into the Warrior's Den. Not that it worked. Most would think she was made of the flames that seemed to dance across her pelt for the simple fact the small she-cat could tolerate the cold quiet well.

I guess this leaf-bare will be a harsh one; leaf-fall hasn't even left yet and the camp is already abandoned from the cold. Forget doubling the efforts.. I'll have to triple them, or more, if I'll be any use to this clan during leaf-bare, and make sure Vinepaw is getting a training lesson everyday too. Going to be a intresting leaf-bare for sure. Hopefully no one will get sick during it. Starclan will watch us all though.. hopefully. They arn't going to let anyone die. Well.. I should go hunting again; tripling efforts means three hunting trips or more a day; I've only done one and I'm laying here like a lazy mousebrain.

Flameflower's thoughts wandered as she continued to scan pointlessly before pushing them away and forcing herself up swiftly, streching her unusually small body briefly. Her attention flickered to the warrior den then apprentice den as she wondered if there was anyone who'd like to join in the hunting. Doubtful. Who in their right mind wished to go out hunting in this cold weather? Well, it will only get worse, and so, everyone might as well hunt more and enjoy it before it gets colder. Molten gaze scanned once more, seeming thoughtful.

Hm. I wonder if everyone's in dens or if the Warriors and Apprentices are out training. How's the queens, kits, and elders? Maybe I should stop in and visit them to see if they need abit more moss before I leave to go hunting, then atleast it won't be a wasted trip if hunting is poor. Yes, that's what I'll do. They need warmth more then any cat, with the exception of any who are sickly; which, at the moment is none.. though.. maybe I should see if the Medicine Cat would like me to pick some up for extra bedding incase someone does get sick or injured.

It'd be hard to believe the sharp-tonuged, short-tempered little she-cat was so worried about the clan, for the simple fact, even though she has never showed any signs of lacking loyalty, she was often just that, not disloyal but sharp-tongued and short-tempered, common for making a comment some could mistake for unintrested in the clan's safety. The feline stood, padding towards the nursery seeing as it was closest, vanishing into it to speak to the queens. Within moments, Flameflower had came back out, thoughts echoing as she tried to remember a list of things to do.

Let's see, Doveflash thinks abit more moss is needed, her kits were shivering abit in there sleep. Treesong agreed and would like some moss too. Next I need to ask the elder and medicine cat. Then see if anyone else would like to come along hunting and possibly help gather the needed moss. Hm.. there's Vinepaw; I wonder if he's done any hunting today. He needs training today also. So many things to remember and do; I need to figure out what order I'm going to do them in to prevent issues.

Flameflower perked her ears as Vinepaw apparently noticed the scent of another cat and turned to see who it was. Alert even in camp; that's good. Hearing Vinepaw's 'greeting' she replied swiftly, usual personality towards others returning. "Yes, it's me. Your annoying mentor here to ask you if you have done any hunting today." she'd reply in a semi-sharp tone, pelt smoothing to seem calm as always while molten gaze focused on the gray tom, contrasting to the calm posture with a burning stare. The flame-colored she-cat had no intentions on seeming worried about leaf-bare, and so, she acted 'natural', or, whatever you call how she usually acts.

[Duskstar]

Vinepaw gritted his teeth as yet another chilled wind flew through his gray pelt, brushing the pale skin beneath. This time no shiver came, for the tom just closed his eyes and thought warm thoughts, like his days in the nursery. After all the apprentice was born just after Leaf-bare had finished, so he wasn't at all used to this. After a few heartbeats yellow-green eyes revealed themselves, and Vinepaw looked up into the molten gaze of his mentor.

The tom remembered the day he turned six moons, and how Flameflower's eyes had scared him. Before then he had only seen the yellow of Robinheart's optics, as well as the dark green of his mother's, Gorseflame. The orange color had frightened the young cat so much that reaching up to touch his new mentor's nose had been a challenge. Vinepaw gave a soft purr at the memory. It was surprising all the things that kits missed out on. Then again the tom didn't miss out on much at that age, having snuck out of camp so many times. Luckily he wasn't so unruly now, as in less than a moon his mentor had whipped him into shape when it comes to following the rules. At times he is still hard to keep track of, though.

Vinepaw sat, wrapping a long gray tail around small paws, and head dipping respectfully. By now he was used to the ginger warrior's sharp tongue and short temper, hearing her tone of voice and not daring to egg her on. "Yes I've been hunting, Flameflower." The tom flicked his tail to the fresh kill pile before letting it slink back to its original position, "Caught a squirrel and a mouse." Yellow-green gaze floated over camp, searching for Huntpaw. It seemed as though every time Vinepaw said something, the calico would show up with something twice as good. Resisting the urge to hiss with hate, the apprentice forced himself to meet Flameflower's lava-like gaze.

Vinepaw may have been respectful around those older than him, whether it be warrior, elder, deputy or leader, but those tom apprentices seemed to really ruffle his fur. He dreamed of one day becoming leader of SwiftClan, and didn't want them getting in his way. It was a rather odd tick, having such a hate for them, as every she-cat he met was treated kindly by the tom. But Huntpaw...... Huntpaw was competition. Vinepaw's eyes narrowed slightly, though you would have to be looking closely to see. Whether the other tom apprentice knew it or not, Vinepaw would watch him throughout training, waiting for Huntpaw to grow into real competition.

[Foxed]

The small feline glanced towards the sky as another wind swept the camp, once more wrapping around the she-cat and sinking through the flame-like pelt chillingly, ears twitching back slightly as it did so, yet no other reaction was given as she forced herself to ignore it completely. When Vinepaw's reply came, she gave a short nod of approval. "Good," she mewed, pausing. "I think this leaf-bare is going to be rather harsh. So.. hunting will be needed alot to keeep the pile filled, since, prey will be less and the prey there is be smaller. I'm glad you went to hunt without needing to be told," the feline finished.

Hm. It's good Vinepaw went hunting without being told too.. unless of course someone else told him to. In which case, he'd hopefully say so and not pretend he did it without being told to. He's progressed quickly from being troublesome. If he keeps up the progress he should be a good warrior. Though.. hopefully he won't continue to be so hostile with other toms his age, or he'll be making enemies constantly.

Flameflower allowed her mind to drift for a moment before snapping back to what was going on. "Well; I need to go gather some moss for the queens then hunt. Unless you want to traim, though I'd still have to get the moss." the brightly colored she-cat mewed suddenly, focusing on the gray tom as she waited for a reply, tail tip once more flicking thoughtfull before her molten gaze strayed upward to judge the time. Still early enough to get multiple things done. As long as she started soon.

[Ooc: Fail-post, blanked.. x.x]

[Duskstar]

Vinepaw nodded thoughtfully. Those poor queens. All they did, day and night, was sit and watch their kits. Some of them were too young to even walk, so the tom imagined it would be quite boring staring at them all day, just sitting there. And because they couldn't move around it would probably be freezing without a lot of moss. It was nice of Flameflower to offer some. Vinepaw shuffled his paws, seemingly in thought, though he was just covering up a shiver due to the cold.

Hmm... training in this weather? Gray tom almost winced at the thought. Then again, all that movement could warm him up. That was an idea. Warmth wasn't something easily found on the moors in Leaf-fall and Leaf-bare. Although, in SwiftClan territory the weather was rather enjoyable in New-leaf and Green-leaf. Suppressing a sigh, Vinepaw meowed, "Sure, we can train some more." Though he really didn't want to the apprentice didn't want to look weak or lazy, especially around his mentor.

Just then a few warriors rushed into camp, trotting briskly to the fresh kill pile and starting toward the warrior's den. A few of the patrol members nodded to the cats, and one of them even kicked Vinepaw teasingly with their hind leg. It was a young warrior that had been an apprentice with him for a moon. He had been a somewhat friend with her and the two still sometimes talked; a she-cat, of course. At this kick pale green gaze glinted playfully as he batted her back, flicking his tail in farewell as she retreated to the Warrior's Den.

[Omg, very short.. sorry.]