Hopping Along
Cardinalpaw thinks about his current state while on a patrol.
Author's Notes
All characters and scenes mentioned take place in the role play group New-Star-Warriors. Most of this won't make sense unless you are a part of that group. I really suggest joining! I love it!
Cardinalpaw was put on the evening patrol that went along the border the Hollowclan shared with the grasslands of Fieldclan. He noticed that even though he still hadn't said a word about his deafness and inability to climb to his mentor, Lizardleap seemed to give up on any training involving tree climbing. Did he know? Did Needlestar tell him? Or did he just give up?
As the group of cats neared the spot the young apprentice had visited once before, the bicolored tom's pelt began to prickle with nervousness. The last time he was here, a dead tree had fallen on him and knocked him out, taking with it his ability to hear and to balance, crippling him for life. All because Leafpaw had snuck out of camp, the mouse-brain.
His kinked tail twitched, Leafpaw had been acting weird lately. Just a few days ago she was banned from ever getting near Hazelfang's kits after an incident he wasn't able to witness. The queen told him that Leafpaw had almost killed the kit, but Leafpaw insisted that it was just an accident. Leafpaw was soft and fragile when it came to the world, she always had been, at least that's how Cardinalpaw always saw it.
Needlestar mentioned how the tortoiseshell she-cat was skilled at hunting, was she not as gentle as he thought? Had Leafpaw been unable to turn off her hunter's instinct when playing with that kit? Was his sweet sister a dangerous cat? The idea sent a shiver down his spine.
He shook his head, trying to calm himself down. He looked over to the grasslands, his eyes going soft as he did so. He wondered how Honeypaw and Nectarpaw were doing, if they were doing well in their training, and if Fernstar was feeling better. He hadn't seen her for a while and never got the chance to speak with her at gatherings.
He thought about when Hollywish jokingly said he would be happier in Fieldclan, and even though he rejected it he felt something inside him telling him to go.
So why didn't he?
His thinking was interrupted when he heard his name being called, he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed it when he fell behind the others. He called out an affirmation and started bounding to rejoin the group.