Starrypaw's Question

[mystickit]

Starrypaw walked up to Echostar's den. "Echostar?" she called into the den. Starrypaw looked down and licked her muzzle a few times, making sure she looked clean.

[sorrelpaw]

Sorrelpaw followed, her tortoiseshell coat gleaming from a recent grooming. She flicked a scrapof moss from her friend's pelt with her tail, then sat down beside her and waited, heart hammering in her white chest. She licked a paw and swiped it across her cheek a couple of times self-conciously, hoping she looked clean and respectable.

[untilthis.echo]

A pair of playful gold-green eyes gazed at the two young cats from the shadows. Soft paws stepped forward and a slender tail waved from side to side. A sudden form of mottled autumn-shaded fur appeared in the dim light, turned dark ruby from the darkness of the brush. Echostar crouched near his nest, eyes fixed on the two she-cats. He mewed and flicked his tail, "Welcome little ones. What is it you need of me?"

[sorrelpaw]

The tortoiseshell kitten dipped her head in deepest respect, her tail flicking with nervousness as she faced her clan leader. She looked at Starrypaw, wondering if her friend would speak first. Awkwardly, she scratched at the earth with her claws, blue eues down. Then she looked up, determined not to be phased. "Starrypaw and I wanted to know whether or not we will be appointed new mentors." She felt a rush of sorrow as she remembered her former mentor and uncle, Webclaw, who had been blinded in battle.

[mystickit]

Starrypaw picked herself up and walked into the den. She nodded to the leader, and then picked her head up again. "Echostar, I know that you are the one to decide when we get our mentors, but there is not much for us to do. I have not yet learned to hunt. All there is for me to do is take care of the elders. Not that I mind, they are very kind, but I want to earn my warrior name as soon as I can, and be helpful to the Clan," Starry spoke clearly and repectfully. She looked into Echostar's golden-greens eyes, trying to see what he was thinking.

[spiritdream]

Walnutclaw stood in the warrior's den entrance and stretched. Hearing what Starrypaw and Sorrelpaw said he padded over close to the Echostar's den quietly wondering if the respected leader might consider him. Probably not. He told himself, There are many other warriors who deserved the honor more than I do. He padded away to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a vole.

[sorrelpaw]

Sorrelpaw glanced at Walnutclaw as his scent reached him. The tortoiseshrll smiled weakly at the warrior, wondering whether perhaps he would get to mentor her or Starrypaw. The apprentice then switched her bright blue gaze back to Echostar as she waited respectfully for her leader's nswer.

[untilthis.echo]

Echostar twitched his tailtip and tilted his head, gazing at the three young cats and pondering the situation. The shortage of food had left many warriors weak and there were few to spare. His autumn tail curling, he thought. Well obviously there was Walnutclaw, and if he was correct, his deputy Twilightsnow was in lack of an apprentice. And Flightfoot was in lack of an apprentice medicine cat, though the choice was up to the Siamese tom, not to him. Besides Starrypaw and Sorrelpaw, Orchidpaw and Falconpaw had no mentors either. Echostar shook his head, frustrated and grumbled, "Well aren't we in a tight spot? More apprentices than available warriors. Alright. Since you two came to me first, why not have Walnutclaw mentor one of you?" he mewed.

His gaze fell on tabby tom. Now the question is, which apprentice to mentor?

[sorrelpaw]

Sorrelpaw looked at Walnutclaw. She did not mind whether he mentored Starrypaw or her, as long as both got a mentor. She licked her chest to distract hersel from the tense moment, her blue eyes clouded with unknown thoughts. She missed her father, and the kin mentoring her uncle had given her. She missed her mother's gentle touch, and the feeling of her brothers sleeping beside her. Her fur bristled slightly.

[mystickit]

Starrypaw's heart dropped when she knew this was not her time to get a mentor. The young, orange apprentice let her tail glide between the two of them. Starrpaw looked over at Sorrelpaw. Sorrelpaw was older than her and had been able to have a mentor already, so she shouldf be the one to train and become a warrior first. With her voice full, keeping it studdy, Starrypaw anounced, "Sorrelpaw can have her mentor first. She's older, and should be able to train and become a warrior as soon as she can," she voiced her thoughts aloud. With a heavy heart, she looked down at her paws, her disapointment visible only from her eyes. Her voice was strong and her tail glided still. It would be her turn to get a mentor sooner or later. Blinking away the disapointment from her lightly colored eyes, Starrypaw lifted her head up and looked straight at Echostar, pleading in her eyes to do as said.

[untilthis.echo]

Echostar gazed softly at the young she-cat, warmth and pride welling in his chest as her mature decision. Heated golden eyes stared into the apprentice's, judging her. The tip of his tail came over to gently tap his chin as he thought. Emerald flecks in his eyes dilated and he finally nodded, mewing, "Alright then. Walnutclaw, you'll mentor Sorrelpaw. I'll have the ceremony for it soon, or would you rather do without?"

Even as he said this, the bengal tom's gaze flickered over to Starrypaw, wondering and pondering at the young she-cat. Something stirred in his eyes as the gears in his mind started to twist and turn.

[mystickit]

Starrypaw looked away. She couldn't stand to have Echostar's eyes right at her's that long, though she could still feel his eyes burning into his pelt. The orange apprentice stood from the spot she sat. "I'll be off then," she meowed, nodding curtly to Sorrelpaw, then to Walnetclaw, then to Echostar. With thta she turned from her sopt and moved toward the entrace of the den, her tail swushing behide her, forabley held in the, to keep it from dragging on the soft ground.

[sorrelpaw]

Sorrelpaw opened her mouth to rptest, then hut it as Echostar spoke. She watched Starrypaw with anguish in her eyes. It wasn't fair on her friend! She swished her tail angrily. Then she felt eyes on her and turned to Echostar. "OK. Thankyou, Echostar," The tortoiseshell dipped her head, then hurried out of the leader's den without being dismissed. She stopped in front of Starrypaw, then nuzzled her ginger-pelted friend. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

[mystickit]

Starrypaw smiled up at her friend, but her smile wasn't happy at all. Her eyes showed how her heart really felt. "It's fine," she lied. "It's just not my time, I guess." Starrypaw started to walk toward the apprentice's den, motioning with her tail for her to follow.

To: Thethread we were in before.

[sorrelpaw]

Sorrelpaw flinched. Her friend looked so sad! She swished her tail in anger: Starrypaw should have been given a mentor! At least I know how to hunt already! Th tortoiseshell sighed under her breath and followed her friend, head down and blue eyes troubled with unknown thoughts.