private nothin' gonna break my stride | Mosspaw

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

Here’s the thing. Is Hazepaw supposed to be out of the camp on their own? Well, you would have to ask Cicadastar: surely they didn’t have anything planned, per say, but an apprentice is supposed to shadow their mentor at all times. Are they allowed to be out of the camp on their own? No. Does Hazepaw want to be out of the camp on their own? Not really — they would much rather be with Catfishpaw, but who knows when the pretty molly will be allowed out of the medicine den for good.

But is any of that going to stop Hazepaw from going? Stars, no: she’s been good and stayed put for at least two days, and her paws are itching like hell. It’s not her fault she’s not allowed to patrol alone like the warriors are: if they’d let her, then she’d never be breaking rules.

It’s broad daylight, which is admittedly not the ideal time to sneak out of anywhere, but the midday sun bearing down on them means most of the clan is sleeping the hot hours away in a shaded spot: even the ever-industrious Mosspaw is nowhere to be seen, presumably taking a mentor-enforced nap somewhere. If they’re quiet, no one should notice Hazepaw slipping between two dens on their way out…

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[Mosspool]

"You are sneaking out again?" Mosspaw accused, frustration written across her features. She had not, in fact, been taking a nap, not even a mentor-enforoced one. Instead, she had just returned from a morning patrol that had gone long and had been intending to grab a bite to eat from the fresh kill pile so she would be prepared for more work when the midday heat died down when she spotted Hazepaw.

Moon after moon, her sister's insubordination and carelessness continued. It had always bothered her, but she had hoped that they would grow out of it. As of yet though, there had been no such luck. Their warrior ceremonies were creeping ever closer but Hazepaw, in her sister's eyes, seemed wholly unprepared. She was capable enough when it came to hunting and fighting of course, but she didn't act like a warrior. No warrior of worth would be so irresponsible.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared down her sister. "When are you going to start taking being an apprentice seriously? We are not kits anymore Hazepaw." Mosspaw said sharply, her words honed to a point through moons of holding her tongue.​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

Ah, and here comes the fun patrol.

Hazepaw’s fur bristles at the sound of their sister’s voice. They like her well enough, on average, though they don’t have much reason to: Mosspaw is a stick in the mud of the first caliber. But they’re family; they have to stick together. Now if only Moss wouldn’t make it so tedious!

Since Mosspaw is being annoying, she’s not worth the effort it would take for Hazepaw to share her thinking — the words necessary to explain that warriors don't just blindly follow orders, and that it takes a good deal of thinking on your paws to be a good one. Uncharitably, they think that Mosspaw is like a baby, unwilling to so much as leave the apprentice’s den without an adult telling her to. Pointing at Moss, paw nearly touching the other apprentice’s chest, they claim: ”Kit.”

Their usual shortness of speech falters as irritation has them struggling to find the right word, and their tail lashes from side to side as they gesture toward themselves. They’re only doing what feels right. What they’re drawn to. Following the path the stars set out for all of them.

Sighing, she gives up and jerks her head towards Mosspaw again. ”Cicadastar?” She asks with a quirked brow: not just wondering whether her mentor has complained of her to her sister, of all people, but suggesting, What, are you the leader now?

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[Mosspool]

Mosspaw's fur bristled to match her sister's in response to the paw jabbed toward her. "Me?!" Her voice squeaked with her incredulity, her carefully maintained formality cracking for a moment. She stamped her paw. "I am not the one acting like a kit! A kit would not know how to follow rules. A kit would only cares about playing around all day. A kit would do dangerous things like trying to sneak out of camp all by herself!" For a moment she stared Hazepaw down pointedly, then glanced away with a frustrated sigh.

She loved her sister, of course. Even though they made it hard to do that sometimes. If she didn't care then she would have simply went to tell one of the warriors without a word. Mosspaw didn't want Hazepaw to be punished, she wanted her to be better, and clearly whatever punishments her sister had received weren't working.

"You should not need to be reminded what the rules are and why we have them time and time again." She stated with cold, firm logic, meeting Hazepaw's gaze once more.

Her eyes narrowed at the sound of her leaders name. "If he was here, he would say much the same. I am merely trying my best to emulate his greatness, as we all should." Mosspaw flicked her tail toward her sister. "As you should." It drove her up the wall that Hazepaw still acted like this while having the leader of the clan as her mentor. To be taught by Cicadastar would be an honor for any cat, especially an apprentice that was so insubordinate.

It was a testament to his patience that Hazepaw had yet to be reassigned.​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

Does Mosspaw make some good points? Perhaps. Hazepaw isn’t about to concede though: she’s far too busy imitating her sister as she rants, mockingly mouthing her words.

Her words sting, for all that Hazepaw hardly cares about her opinion. If one of their mothers had brought this up, they might have listened more closely; if it had been Catfish, they would have sat down and truly thought it over. But these are cats who love them as they are — or did, at least: Catfish has been distant, and they wonder… But that’s not the point. These are cats who would not ask them to change their own beings unless they truly thought it necessary to their safety.

Mosspaw wants them to change because she thinks she has it more right than they do, and Haze cannot tell whether or not she’s right because the very thought of it makes them cease listening. Their tail lashes from side to side, irritated; hurtful words curl over their tongue, bumping against the barrier of their teeth.

They pick the thorny, bitter tangle of them apart, seeking the single kernel of meaning at the heart of sharp sentences: stop reminding me, then and sounds like I’m not the only one who can’t remember her place, when Mosspaw goes on as if she were their mentor rather than sibling; if you’re such a perfect apprentice why isn’t he mentoring you, at her mention of Cicadastar. But the words are cruel and empty: none of them are what they truly want to say. Though it would feel good to give back as much as they get.

What does she want to say?

Well, when you take away all the harsh words and all the deeper truths, driven deeper by Mosspaw’s comments — when you take all of that out of the tangle… only one thing: What are you gonna do? Stop me?

And that doesn’t require any words at all. Only a skeptical, vaguely patronizing look and a challenge in the tilt of their head as they go to walk right past Mosspaw on their way out.

[⋆]​

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[Mosspool]

Mosspaw's gaze was firm and proud as she stared down her sister, awaiting a response. There was nothing that Hazepaw could say that she couldn't rebuff. She knew she was right. With enough time, she was certain that she could convince Hazepaw to do the right thing.

Hazepaw, however, didn't say anything at all.

The look her sister gave her, that challenging tilt of the head, made Mosspaw blink, and all she could do was watch in shock as Hazepaw began to simply pad past her. "Wha- Hey!" She cried in disbelief, glancing around. Part of her expected Cicadastar to emerge from nowhere to scold his apprentice. There was no way that her sister could get away with such blatant, brazen rulebreaking, was there?

"I am going to tell!" Mosspaw called out childishly, her voice cracking with frustration. Her words were empty, and she knew it. Of course she was going to tell. They knew each other too well for Hazepaw not to know that already. If her sister wasn't willing to so much as willing to listen to her, then there wasn't much more she could do.

All she could do was watch helplessly as her sister watched away.​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

I am going to tell!

Hazepaw stops, turning their head to stare at their sister. The threat has little effect, for all that punishment from Cicadastar is never a fun time: their leader seems to have far too much on his mind to find a way to make them truly regret their decision. Part of them already knew Mosspaw would tell anyway.

But they love their sister, even if right now that really, really don’t like her. They kind of want to shake her, actually, for only seeing what lies in the narrow field of her rules-abiding sight.

”Come,” they say, half challenge, half wistful: an invitation that they know will never be taken, and the wish that it would. why don’t you come with me and see for yourself—

She pauses, blinking, before a grin stretches her lips. More animated, she repeats, ”Come! Trade.”

If she were to follow Moss’ way of doing things, it’s only fair that her sister try her way once in return.

[⋆]​

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[Mosspool]

Mosspaw was as relived as she was surprised when her sister turned back at her call. Hope sprung up within her anew that Hazepaw might yet see reason.

Instead, Hazepaw uttered a single word that made Mosspaw blink. Her confusion only grew as her sister repeated herself. "Come? What do you-"

Mosspaw suddenly looked like she had swallowed something foul.

"You want me to sneak out with you?" She asked incredulously, hoping that saying it aloud would make Hazepaw realize how ridiculous it was. Even the mere suggestion of doing so was making her a heavy guilt settle in her stomach that made her fur stand on end. "No, no way. I would never! There is nothing that-" She hesitated, and her discomfort grew. Her paws shuffled beneath her, and her eyes looked everywhere but at her sister.

Hesitantly, Mosspaw asked a question she feared she might regret. "What exactly are you offering to trade?"​

 

[Hazewish]

TRAVELER, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (AND NOW YOU MUST GO) ⋆⁺₊⋆

And so the fish is hooked — Haze’s ears flutter in satisfaction as Mosspaw hesitantly asks to know more. They know their sister is curious, perhaps as curious as they are, only better reined in; unlikely to act on it, but still. It had a… small but decent chance to get her attention.

Nodding enthusiastically, Haze gestures animatedly with their tail: first at Moss, then at the boundaries of the camp. "Come," they repeat, as enticingly as they can. Pointing their paw at themself then at the camp still dozing behind Mosspaw, they lift their head straight in an imitation of their sister’s serious countenance, frowning to appear more serious. ”Rules.”

Their gaze blurs in thoughtfulness and they add slowly, to sweeten the deal: ”New moon.” The sky would be fully dark in a few days’ time; she could behave for that long… probably. The memory of having dragged her oh-so-responsible sister out against orders would make the boredom easier.

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[Mosspool]

Though Mosspaw shared her sister's curiosity, it was easily held at bay by the discomfort and shame she felt at the thought of breaking the rules. Her spotless record was what made her a good apprentice in her mind, and there was very little she would risk that up for.

Except maybe family.

The thought that she might be able to get Hazepaw back on the right track, something that no one else - not even Cicadastar - seemed to be able to do, that was tempting. It wouldn't be that easy, of course, one little favor wouldn't be enough to make her sister change forever. Only until the new moon. Even then, perhaps that was enough.

For a moment she mulled the idea over. Her gaze flicked between Hazepaw and the edge of camp behind them.

"Fine." She muttered ruefully, padding toward Hazepaw. They were the only one who had ever been able to influence her like this, and she almost resented them for it. "But if we get caught I am blaming you." For all the good that would do. Claiming that she had only broken the rules at her sister's behest would make the rules no less broken. If anyone found out that she had done this, even just once, she would be mortified. The lengths she was willing to go to for Hazepaw's sake knew no ends, it seemed. Perhaps once they were both warriors they would thank her for this.

For now, Mosspaw could only hope that by the time the new moon arrived her sister would have seen the good that came from following the rules, but she doubted it. The moment that the agreed time period was up, her sister would be back to her usual tricks. This was not a permanent solution, but it was better than nothing.​