{ started out as kids } private

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw had known that not all of her siblings would be joining her in the apprentices' den, but it still felt bittersweet, leaving those familiar faces for apprenticeship and all the things that came with it. a new nest, a new den, a new mentor. it all felt so, well, new, and sudden. she still wasn't sure that she was ready, and her uncertain paws still sometimes brought her to the nursery, no further than the entrance, before turning around to head into the apprentices' den.

absent-mindedly, she played with a piece of moss. less than a moon ago, it would have been alright for her to make a ball and toss it around, sometimes landing on the fresh-kill pile or the occasional warrior. they never seemed to mind; it was just 'kits being kits'. now, if she tried the same thing, she'd probably be given a lecture and be made to clean the elders' den.

now, mothpaw stepped into the camp, glancing around more out of habit than curiosity. daily life had become a routine, just another chore she was expected to do like every other apprentice. she would tuck herself into her nest at night, wake up early next morning, and train with redfoot. had it really been worth giving up kithood for?

she found her thoughts wandering, to her old friends, then to her family, her mother, her brother, her sisters. one in particular. a memory of playing a game of warriors with rosepaw came to mind. what had happened to her favourite sister? even as her mind formed the question, she saw a familar spotted pelt. 
"rosepaw!" she greeted, pale green eyes warm. 

@rosa

[Deleted]

Rosepaw was straiteninf her den when her sister walked in all sad looking. She heard Mothpaw call a moment later and approached with a small smile after making sure her den was as straightened as was required from their mentor. At least it was in her rules, she wasn't sure about Mothpaw. "Are you alright Mothpaw?" she asked cautiously. "You look sad."

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw blinked at rosepaw's words, surprised at how, well, easily she had read her emotions. the pale tabby had always thought that she hid her emotions well, better than most. it just goes to show how well rosepaw knows me, she thought wryly. they had always been close, but, as time passed, rosepaw started to seem almost mature. more like a big sister, in a way, she supposed. 

"i'm fine," she reassured, shifting her paws. "just... nervous, i guess." she didn't elaborate, hoping that it would make the lie more convincing. it was true that apprenticeship wasn't as exciting as she had thought it would have been, but it honestly wasn't all that bad. really, it was nostalgia more than anything. she smiled up at rosepaw, marvelling how much bigger she was. her sister's warrior ceremony couldn't be that far off now. 

[Deleted]

Rosepaw nodded. "Well how is your training going? " she asked, hoping to disract Mothpaw from whatever she was nervous about.

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw gave a non-commital shrug, trying not to be antagonistic. "to be honest, it's... it's not much, you know?" though the spotted she-cat was a lot older than her, they had been made apprentices around the same time, and had been given the same mentor, interestingly. "redfoot's kinda strict. not really mean, but just... strict." she peered up at rosepaw through dark lashes, ears perked for her resoonse. "what's she like with you? is she any nicer?" she asked, only half-joking. her pale green eyes were round with curiosity. 

[Deleted]

Rosepaw thought for a moment before nodding. "I must keep my nest in order, I get last pick at the freashkill pile, and a lot more. You?" she asked. Though Redfoot was strict in comparison to most other mentors, coming into apprenticeship she had expected worse.

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw smiled, starting to relax. "i can't leave camp without her permission, i have to clean the elders' nests - sometimes the queens' - can't start drama, have to practice on my own, and no romance," she recited. she wrinkled her nose at the last one, as if disgusted at the idea. "as if," she laughed, rolling her eyes. "what 'bout you, rosepaw? any potential suitors lined up?" she aimed a playful poke at her sister, almost as if they were kits playing in the nursery again. "i know a few toms who might be interested," she teased, pale green eyes gleaming. 

[Deleted]

Rosepaw nodded. "The same except I didn't know the boy leaving camp one. I leave all the time to practice stuff." she said, honestly having forgotten it if it had been given. "Suitors? No, feel free to set me up." she laughed. It was an ubsurd thought to her, loving a cat outside the family, but if Mothpaw or anyone else wanted to try she was fair game.

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw frowned slightly. she is older, she reasoned. still, if redfoot wasn't going to be consistent, it could make things difficult for both of them. was she supposed to ask her dear mentor for permission every single time she needed some fresh air? even in her head, her mentor's logic was dubious. the though faded away, however, when rosepaw spoke again. 

"i just might do that." mothpaw's eyes gleamed with mischief. "one of these days, my big sister is going to find her soulmate and run away with them, and i'll be all alone." her mouth turned downward with mock sorrow. "how will i cope with the grief?" there was some truth to her words; she had known that her sister would become a warrior long before her, but that day seemed closer than ever. 

[Deleted]

Rosepaw laughed. "Now that is rediculus. I have to make sure that you grow up and do love somebody. And then I have to make sure they won't break your heart." she responded with a tilt of her head. Would she really do that? She wasn't sure, but she would at least make sure her sister was never heart broken. Sure Rosepaw didn't know what that felt like, but she knew it hurt. A lot.

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw chuckled softly, tipping her head to one side as she wondered what rosepaw was thinking right at that moment. "me? grow up? never," she joked, tucking dark grey paws beneath her slender frame. "as for love somebody, well..." there was a glint in those grey-blue eyes. "and i think i'll be the one breaking their heart." her smile was smug, but her eyes were fixed on a distant point, deep in thought. 

[Deleted]

Rosepaw nodded with a small laugh. "Thatd probably true." she said.
"So what will your warrior name be?"

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw started at the question, a slight frown marring her features. "i don't know," she admitted. there were still several moons until she would be made a warrior, and those moons would be of hard work, training with redfoot and training alone, tracking invisible trails left by prey that brought her from one side of the territory to the other, until her pads were sore, until the sun had long set, until she had perfected her skills. then the cycle began again the next morning. 

"mothstrike?" mothpaw attempted, with a sideways smile. "no... anyway, you tell me." her ears pricked with undisguised curiosity. "what do you think my warrior name will be?" she had asked the question, well, because she wanted to know, and because rosepaw knew her; surely the spotted she-cat would have the perfect name. a name, after all, was part of a cat themselves, chosen by their mother, their leader. 

[Deleted]

"Cry. Song. Whisper. Heart. Petal. Blossom. Those would all work for your personality. You are good with you words, hence song whisper and cry, and though you may be harsh you are truly caring at heart. You would make a good mother to, as petal and blossom imply." she said thoughtfully. Rosepaw loved coming up with warrior names for others based on their personalities, but there was also hunting and fighting skills to add in on the list of names which Rosepaw honestly wasn't sure about for Mothpaw. She had never watched one of her sister's sessions with Redfoot. "So Mothcry, Mothsong, Mothwhisper, Mothheart, Mothpetal, or Mothblossom. Maybe Mothswarm or Mothbreeze too."

[Mothpaw]

mothpaw blinked at a few of her suggestions. honestly, she was, well, surprised to say the least. was she really all those things? she certainly didn't feel eloquent, caring, or even motherly. a bit early for that, she thought with a wry smile. 
"i always thought that mothfrost would be appropriate," she stated, trying not to sound as vulnerable as she felt. "y'know, 'cause i'm always freezing cats out. but you know i care, right?" her gaze searched rosepaw's, uncertain. afraid. 

quickly, she thought of something to say. "well, seeing as you gave me so many, it's only fair i do the same. i think heart, petal and blossom work better for you, to be honest. you'd be a lot better at being a mother than me. as for heart, well, i think that's self-explanatory." she blinked warmly at her sister. "maybe rosebreeze. but, then again, you'd have to be fast to get that name." she grinned, suddenly playful. "think you can prove it?" she darted to the side, a glint in her blue-grey eyes.