[PRP] Their Secret Code (Thymepaw/Fennelpaw)

[belloblossom]

Thymepaw was an apprentice at last! Okay sure, it had been a few days since he'd gotten his mentor, Aspenswirl, as a mentor, but he was still beaming with excitement about it. He looked around the apprentice den, still awed that he was here instead of the Nursery, though, admittedly, he missed being showered in kisses by his mtoher, Bone. Bone was mute, his father, Leopardthroat, had explained when Thymepaw was only two moons old. It didn't make her any less of a cat and in fact, she was able to see things in other cats that no one else could, because they were too busy talking to one another.

Thymepaw had never thought it to be weird or strange, but when he joined the apprentices den on his first day, Honeypaw, an older apprentice had sidled up to him and asked.
"Why's your mom so quiet? She doesn't ever talk to me, or to anyone else and it's rude and weird." And when he'd failed to answer, his mouth agape, she'd added incredulously, "Do YOU know how to talk?" He'd nodded and stumbled out some explanation that she couldn't talk, but it was okay and - but Honeypaw had left the apprentices den, apparently bored by the conversation already. Thymepaw had shrunken back and made his nest next to his brother, Sorrelpaw's, and gone to sleep shortly thereafter.

Still, even though it had been nearly three days since his apprenticeship and since Honeypaw had cornered him to ask about Bone, he shouldn't shake the uncertainty of it. He didn't feel up to going to his father or Bone about it - he didn't want to get Honeypaw in trouble, and she was older than him and they shared the same den together... it wouldn't be right to make problems with his fellow apprentices so early on. Still, he was disclined to try to talk with Honeypaw and try to make friends with the older apprentice immediately, so instead he chose one of the other older apprentices - who just happened to be Honeypaw's sister: Fennelpaw.

Fennelpaw was a she-cat, unlike his brother, Fennelkit. He tried not to think of Fennelkit - he'd only seen his brother once, before the older cats of the clan were taking him away to be buried. Thymepaw wasn't sure he would ever forget that memory. But now wasn't the time to be remembering sad stuff - he had friends to make! He was just getting up from his nest - Aspenswirl had told him they'd be joining the evening patrol and that was ages away - when Fennelpaw had entered the apprentices den.

"Oh, Fennelpaw!" He mewed, jumping up in surprise. "Are you back from training? Uh, who's your mentor again?" He asked her and then added quickly. "If you're not too tired, do you, um, want to go get something to eat from the prey pile with me?" He asked, hopefully. Please, please let Fennelpaw be nicer than her sister. @Blinded By Silence

 

[Blinded By Silence]

The day had been a long one. She'd risen with the sun to listen to the elders spin their tales. They had earned their right to an audience many times over in her mind. Tired or not, she would be there, smiling politely while fighting sleep, doing her best to be an active listener. Then she would help with the kits, play with them and keep them company while their mothers stretched their legs and got a much-needed break. The queens had taken... a bit longer to return today than she would have liked, but it was fine! Kits were cute, especially when they were tired. Normally, she would have tried to squeeze in a nap, but there had been no time. Fennel didn't want to keep anyone waiting, especially her mentor.

And so, even though the day was only half over, it had been a very long day for Fennelpaw. She gave an inward sigh as she ducked beneath the ferns that made up the nesting area, eager for her nest. Then, suddenly, her name was being called.

"Hm?" She banished her exhaustion and summoned her well-known smile, "Oh! Hi there, Thymepaw. Yes, I just got back actually," Her long fluffy tail flicked in the direction of the training hollow, "I'm Fleet's apprentice; you know, the grey she-cat with the cute little tail? She reminds me of a bunny!" She gives a little giggle as she uses her back paw to shake some sand from her fluffy ears, "Strong as a hare, too. We went over battle moves today."

Fennel blinked at the little apprentice's invitation. If she wasn't too tired... Part of her wanted to say no, but, well, she was about as good at saying no to cats as she was at battle moves. Besides, she remembered how hard it had been when she'd been first named a paw. She was never too tired to cheer up a fellow apprentice!

"Ooh, yes, I'm starving!"

@belloblossom