I TOLD YOU ONCE, I CAN'T DO THIS AGAIN
She was trying- that was something…right?
A quarter-moon since Cinderfrost had been banished, she counted the days, a small claw mark in the sand before she drifted off to sleep each night.
Sleep, that had gotten better. The period of sulking had ended, and Roepaw began to throw herself into her training, at least for the last couple of sunrises. She couldn’t stand the sight of her mentor still, but she listened and followed his instructions, even if her demeanor was still icy.
Today, her muscles burned with strain, she had begged to be on the last patrol for the night, and was granted permission.
The camp was eerily quiet, perhaps the frosty tinge in the air was the cause- no cat wanted to be out in this weather.
Stiff and freezing legs wobbled towards the apprentice’s den, she was the last one in by now, so hopefully her denmates would already be sleeping soundly.
She had just barely stuck her head into the entrance before a looking presence was causing her to stumble back.
Toxic green eyes, almost aglow in the darkness, cast down on her.
Roepaw had grown, but not much, and she was still stuck craning her head to gaze at the other, a scowl scrunching up on her face.
"I’m not doing this tonight, Robinpaw." Roepaw’s tone was firm behind her gritted teeth.
Robinpaw rolled her eyes, ”Like you could touch me, runt.” The response was a sneer, but spoken in something that could hardly be considered a whisper.
"Scared of someone seeing you for the bitch you are?" Roepaw shot back, white-hot anger prickling along her spine. When it came to Robinpaw, the tabby could never find it in her to be the better person.
”Ouch. I’m simply saying hi to my denmate, and you call me names?” The taller mollies lips purse in a faux-pout. ”Everyone heard what you said to Olivepaw, honestly- how cruel can you be? Or… did Cinderfrost raise you to be that way? Apple doesn’t far from the tree.”
The needles now sparked, evolving into a burning red that swelled in Roepaw’s paws, she bared her teeth. "Say her name again-"
”What? Because you’re so big and bad?” Robinpaw takes another step forward, but Roepaw refuses to back away this time, and they are inches from each other’s face.
”Some of the others agree with me, you know? We just… don’t feel comfortable sharing a den with you, who knows what you’d do? I think it’s best if you sleep outside tonight.”
The shock must have been evident in Roepaw’s gaze, because Robinpaw smirked, promptly shoving her back.
"You can’t-"
”Oh, yes I can. Step so much as a paw inside the den, and I’ll make sure you’ll lose it. Fox’s are everywhere, and you’re the perfect size for a midnight snack.”
With that, Roepaw was left standing outside. She could get someone- but what then? What would Robinpaw do to her?
The anger fades to despair, and the fire diminishes, leaving the cold to seep into the apprentices pelt.
Defeated, Roepaw rounds the apprentices den, finding a spot somewhere in the sparse underground to settle down. She felt like Toraline again, hugging onto those twigs for dear life to protect herself from the cold- only, there was no Cinderfrost to save her this time.
Without a thought to it, Roepaw falls asleep hugging a wilted fern to her chest that night.
"speech."
A quarter-moon since Cinderfrost had been banished, she counted the days, a small claw mark in the sand before she drifted off to sleep each night.
Sleep, that had gotten better. The period of sulking had ended, and Roepaw began to throw herself into her training, at least for the last couple of sunrises. She couldn’t stand the sight of her mentor still, but she listened and followed his instructions, even if her demeanor was still icy.
Today, her muscles burned with strain, she had begged to be on the last patrol for the night, and was granted permission.
The camp was eerily quiet, perhaps the frosty tinge in the air was the cause- no cat wanted to be out in this weather.
Stiff and freezing legs wobbled towards the apprentice’s den, she was the last one in by now, so hopefully her denmates would already be sleeping soundly.
She had just barely stuck her head into the entrance before a looking presence was causing her to stumble back.
Toxic green eyes, almost aglow in the darkness, cast down on her.
Roepaw had grown, but not much, and she was still stuck craning her head to gaze at the other, a scowl scrunching up on her face.
"I’m not doing this tonight, Robinpaw." Roepaw’s tone was firm behind her gritted teeth.
Robinpaw rolled her eyes, ”Like you could touch me, runt.” The response was a sneer, but spoken in something that could hardly be considered a whisper.
"Scared of someone seeing you for the bitch you are?" Roepaw shot back, white-hot anger prickling along her spine. When it came to Robinpaw, the tabby could never find it in her to be the better person.
”Ouch. I’m simply saying hi to my denmate, and you call me names?” The taller mollies lips purse in a faux-pout. ”Everyone heard what you said to Olivepaw, honestly- how cruel can you be? Or… did Cinderfrost raise you to be that way? Apple doesn’t far from the tree.”
The needles now sparked, evolving into a burning red that swelled in Roepaw’s paws, she bared her teeth. "Say her name again-"
”What? Because you’re so big and bad?” Robinpaw takes another step forward, but Roepaw refuses to back away this time, and they are inches from each other’s face.
”Some of the others agree with me, you know? We just… don’t feel comfortable sharing a den with you, who knows what you’d do? I think it’s best if you sleep outside tonight.”
The shock must have been evident in Roepaw’s gaze, because Robinpaw smirked, promptly shoving her back.
"You can’t-"
”Oh, yes I can. Step so much as a paw inside the den, and I’ll make sure you’ll lose it. Fox’s are everywhere, and you’re the perfect size for a midnight snack.”
With that, Roepaw was left standing outside. She could get someone- but what then? What would Robinpaw do to her?
The anger fades to despair, and the fire diminishes, leaving the cold to seep into the apprentices pelt.
Defeated, Roepaw rounds the apprentices den, finding a spot somewhere in the sparse underground to settle down. She felt like Toraline again, hugging onto those twigs for dear life to protect herself from the cold- only, there was no Cinderfrost to save her this time.
Without a thought to it, Roepaw falls asleep hugging a wilted fern to her chest that night.
"speech."
