[ let the hourglass pass right into ashes ]

[Crowzerplorodon]

ooc|
I'd actually like to make a request for who joins this thread. Slug's Willowpaw is joining but I'd also like for Nightfall to play Bramblepaw and for Kelly and Cloudie to play Cinderkit and Falconkit. Anyone else can bring their cats in.

The dawn light of what seemed to be a cool Green-Leaf day covered the camp in thin lines, stretching over the various trees and bushes that protected FogClan from any dangers. Few were up at this time; it seemed the cats who weren’t called out for a patrol were taking advantages of the peaceful morning to snag some more sleeping time. But soon the camp would be alive with action.

Leaves that covered the warriors den shook as a thin, silver she-cat stepped from the depths. Her blue eyes blinked a few times as she adjusted from the darkness of the warriors den to the increasingly brighter light of outside. Silverflower could see bits and pieces of the sun through the thick patch of trees that surrounded her camp.

She hadn’t been called on the dawn patrol. Silverflower hadn’t been asked to go hunting with anyone. The she-cat had just woken up earlier than she should have that morning and sitting around in the dark den didn’t seem to be a good way to spend her time. She could find something better to do.

Like chat with someone. Yes, Silverflower liked that idea.

The warrior gazed around the camp, her eyes still lidded slightly. There had to be someone else up. Someone she could talk to and perhaps head out on a patrol or something with. Or maybe the kits would be up at this time. She did have a soft spot for the two FogClan kits. It would’ve made Silverflower very happy to mentor one of them, but she already had a wonderful apprentice.

Oh! Maybe Bramblepaw was awake. Silverflower’s took a few paces toward the apprentice den to see if the she-cat was awake. At first glance the warrior couldn’t see any movement from the smaller den, but who knew? There was a chance Bramblepaw was just sitting around, much like Silverflower had previously been doing.

[/blockquote]

[Slug]

Darkness... that's all there was. Darkness. An empty, gaping black staring at him, long, jagged teeth looking ready to close shut on him the second he stepped into the cave, leaving the forest behind him. As if a switch was flipped, Willowpaw found himself on a small rock in the center of a lake, the night sky twinkling above him with it's little stars. With every beat of his heart, the lake rippled and slowly, with each ripple... it turned into a blinding red colour, making the apprentice's fur glow in the crimson light. Heat was pressing against his pelt, and he started to pant, the sound echoing in the large clearing, sounding like a pair of angry drums. Boom boom boom boom boom boom**

It was then a voice pierced through the noise, firm and holding authority, yet somehow it soothed Willowpaw, and he felt a strong brush of cold drain away his warmth, leaving him shivering as the lake slowly iced over, the stars falling from the sky and crashing into the lake's surface in small, rapid explosions.

"Child of mine, fear not today, for you are being watched... wake up."

Willowpaw jerked awake in his nest, green eyes snapping open in alarm. Someone was watching him, just like the voice said. He could feel it in his bones. Sitting up slowly, Willowpaw peered out of his den, squinting at the light that peaked through. A figure was standing there, bathed in sunshine... "...Dad?" He whispered under his breath, squeezing his eyes shut and then opening them again.

The sunshine was gone, and there stood in his father's place was Silverflower. Rearing his head back, slightly annoyed that he thought Snow-whisker was Silverflower. Though the annoyance was replaced with fear, slowly creeping into his senses like a sickness. Heart hammering against his ribs, Willowpaw managed out "W-what d-do y-you w-want?".

[Crowzerplorodon]

Silverflower looked a little put off by the tone of voice Willowpaw took to her and the glimpse of annoyance she caught in the tom’s eyes. But it was quickly replaced by a looked of distress, and the silver she-cat quickly straightened up, giving the apprentice an apologetic look.

“I’m so sorry, Willowpaw!” Silverflower had not meant to wake up the tom. She felt horrible that she had, Willowpaw looked like he could use some more sleep. The way he stuttered and looked like he had just seen a ghost… Well he just looked plain petrified. Now that she thought about it, when Willowpaw spoke he didn’t sound annoyed…

He sounded scared.

Silverflower cast a worried look at the apprentice. Had he been having a nightmare? She could only imagine what things had terrified the tom so much. Perhaps it was better that she had woken him up. Maybe her presence had pulled the sleeping tom out from whatever horror his mind was playing for him. Or maybe she really was just bugging the apprentice as she stood there, a range of emotions playing in her blue eyes.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” she continued, voice much softer. “I was just coming to see if Bramblepaw was up.” Silverflower was not going to stick her head in the den and risk waking other apprentices. But perhaps Willowpaw, now that he was awake, could tell her if Bramblepaw was awake.

[Nightfall]

<sup>Yellow sunlight filtered through the woven branches of the apprentice den, waking up a grumbling young brown-furred apprentice.

Still grumbling, Bramblepaw gave her chest fur a few licks, mumbling about how early it was. She paused, looking up as Willowpaw exited.

"Willowpaw?" She asked, shaking her head when he didn't answer her. Slowly, she stretched and stepped towards the entrance of the den. Silverflower was there, talking with Willowpaw about something. She heard her own name and something about walking up. Quietly, Bramblepaw stepped out of the den and padded over to Silverflower. "I am now, Silverflower" she yawned.

00c;; fail. :c</sup>

[Slug]

“I’m so sorry, Willowpaw!”

'You better be,' Willowpaw thought, and then flinched, as if slapped. 'Where did that come from?' He wondered, then shook his head clear. "I-It's o-okay, S-Silverflower." Willowpaw tried to soothe her, ears flat against his head in shame from his earlier thoughts. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” Silverflower started again. “I was just coming to see if Bramblepaw was up.”

'I just bet you were.' Willowpaw inwardly snarled to himself, and mentally gave himself a kick. 'What is wrong with me today?' He blinked, surprised. Then gave Silverflower a weak smile. "I c-could g-go ch-check f-for y-you." He offered, trying to make himself feel better. 'Yes, let's suck up to ourself while Silverflower knows not of what we think. Brilliant, Willowpaw! Do you want a mouse?' Willowpaw gave a gasp, then his whiskers jutted forward in embarassment. 'This is not my day...' He grimaced, and then without waiting for Silverflower to answer, he turned on his heel, though was stopped short at the tired voice that suddenly called to him.

"Willowpaw?"

Willowpaw shuffled backwards to Silverflower's side as Bramblepaw came padding out the Apprentice's den, saying "I'm awake now, Silverflower.".

'Sleeping beauty is awake,' Willowpaw flattened his ears again, as if to block out the voice. 'But I think our "beauty" needs to rest some more appeal for herself. Look at the build she's packing!' The little voice laughed, then suddenly went silent.

'Thank StarClan... I thought I was going crazy for a moment.' Willowpaw gave a sigh of relief.

[Crowzerplorodon]

It was almost painful to listen to the stuttering Willowpaw. Whatever was going on his head seemed to have really shook him. Silverflower let her ears flatten against her head as she continued to watch the gray apprentice. She was just about ready to suggest Willowpaw fall back asleep when he spoke up.

"I-It's o-okay, S-Silverflower. I c-could g-go ch-check f-for y-you."

Silverflower smiled a little and was about to thank the poor apprentice when she heard the familiar voice of her own apprentice somewhere in the den. She watched as Bramblepaw pulled out of the den and approached her, momentarily forgetting Willowpaw. ”Good morning, Bramblepaw.” She said politely. ”I hope you slept well.”

Then she turned back to Willowpaw, looking over the tom slowly. Silently she wished that she could help out the apprentice. Give him someone to talk to. But it wasn’t unknown to the clan that Willowpaw wasn’t the biggest fan of she-cats. Regretfully Silverflower knew she would have to leave the apprentice be. Perhaps he could talk to his mentor. She may have not seen Duskheart in a while, but he couldn’t be avoiding his apprentice, could he?

”Thank you, Willowpaw,” she said with a small smile. Again the suggestion of telling Willowpaw to maybe get some more sleep popped into her head. But it seemed too pushy to Silverflower. While she may be a warrior, she was still a young one. Ordering an apprentice that wasn’t hers to ‘go back to sleep’ just didn’t feel right.

[Slug]

”Good morning, Bramblepaw.”

As if magic, the voice come back, rearing it's ugly little tone.'What? No good morning for us? How rude.' It sniffed, annoyed. Willowpaw sagged his shoulders, defeated. But before he could ask for a truce between him and whatever it-- this earned a "hey!" from the voice-- was, Silverflower spoke again.

”I hope you slept well.”

'She's ignoring us. What a badger!' The voice huffed. "Quiet, you." Willowpaw whispered under his breath, growing more angered by the passing second. ”Thank you, Willowpaw,” Silverflower suddenly said, and the silver apprentice looked up from his paws.

A brilliant smile graced his muzzle, anger gone.

For now.

[Crowzerplorodon]

Silverflower looked between the two young cats thoughtfully, ears flicking at she thought she heard Willowpaw say something. But she just passed it off as the wind messing with her. After all, Willowpaw wouldn't be talking to himself. Or maybe he would, she thought with a smile. Silverflower often spoke to herself, it wouldn't be that strange for another to do the same.

At Willowpaw's smile Silverflower felt whatever dark feelings she had lift away. The tom had a nice smile, she noticed. If only he used it a little more.

But now there was the dilemma of figuring out what to do. Silverflower would feel bad if she just took Bramblepaw away. After waking Willowpaw up so rudely it would just be even worse of her to leave the tom stranded. Her ears flattened once more as she tried to think of something all three of them could do.

Perhaps hunt? But no. She did not want to but in on Duskheart's job as Willowpaw's mentor. Maybe they could find the old warrior and ask them to join a hunting patrol? That could work. Silverflower's eyes glanced around the camp, looking for the dark tom cat and hoping he would just appear.