Empty Vessel, Crooked Teeth [closed]

The arching curve of the ancient entrance to the cavern had partially collapsed, the dark stone crumbling away to reveal a great wound that bled constant exposure to the outside world, a stark reminder that the great big world outside of SkyClan's camp hadn't disappeared completely. Silvery rivers of moonlight and dashes of faint starlight hung heavily in the late night air, illuminating the fine specks of dust that drifted about endlessly and turning them into something akin to fireflies. Soft snores and the low chatter of intimate conversations bounced hollowly against the walls of the cave, a pleasant backdrop to the otherwise stifling silence of the cavern and late night forest.

Nestled up tightly against the sleeping lumps of her various littermates sprawled out within the confines of the Apprentice's den, Acornpaw could easily detect the rhythmic throb of Mudpaw's pulse whenever they were curled up so insufferably close- in fact, his soft snoring reverberated through her entire being as though it came from her own lungs. Letting out an irritable sigh and wriggling in an attempt to dislodge herself from the tangled swath of outstretched paws, curled up tails, and sweltering body heat, the little tortoiseshell couldn't resist the urge to puff out a low sound of discomfort. She had always struggled with sleeping at night, but tonight was different; there was a prickle beneath her coat, a restless energy that thrummed alongside her circulatory system.

It had been like this nearly every night since Newleaf had arrived. Thankfully Sorrelwing and Breezebranch hadn't caught onto her newfound habit of slipping out by her lonesome during the darkest hours of the night.

Wriggling again, and unsuccessfully attempting to free herself from the inescapable snuggle pile formed by her littermates, Acornpaw's wide gaze curiously drifted to the pale shape sleeping just a few pawsteps away. Robinpaw had joined them in the Apprentice's den not too long ago, yet hardly seemed to have much a presence- albeit that could be due to Shrikethorn's undoubtedly rigorous training schedule. So it was difficult not to be curious about the other she-cat, especially considering that Acornpaw prided herself on having a well-structured social circle that knew everything. After a few moments of carefully observing Robinpaw, and taking note that the molly's breathing pattern likely meant she wasn't sleeping too deeply, the little tortoiseshell couldn't resist the urge to give her paler counterpart a curious prod between the ribs.

"Hey," Acornpaw whispered, heartbeat thrashing wildly within her throat, "Are you awake?"

Unlike her denmate, Robinpaw's limbs were curled tightly to her own body, long tail rested gingerly just between her nose. The pale white of her coat glowed almost silver underneath the moonlight. Sleep was the only time that the she-cat ever truly seemed to be at peace. Her expression was usually either a blank and emotionless slate or it seemed to hold measures of disdain. Now, the sides of the sleeping apprentice's maw was soft and almost kit-like in its innocence. Outwardly, she didn't betray how light and restless her attempts at rest had been for the entire night.

It was at the prodding of a paw that caused her head to shoot up. Robinpaw's body tensed and her fur stood on edge. Teeth were bared at an invisible enemy, glinting against the moonlight. There was a moment before she found a clanmate standing before her. Pelt fell flat once again but she hesitated to hide away her fangs once again. She stared into the eyes of Acornpaw. There was a slow blink as she regarded her denmate. This particular apprentice had always seemed as flighty as one of the birds they hunted in the territory. There was a tendency to float from place to place, chattering away, and growing companionship. Thankfully, before this point, they had hardly spoken. Acornpaw hadn't done anything in particular to warrant such hesitance from her clanmate, and in fact, had earned some respect over the incident that had occurred during Robinpaw's kithood.

"I was asleep," She hissed between her teeth, glancing towards their denmates, "but I'm not now." Robinpaw rose, standing on the edges of her pads as to avoid waking anyone. She turned and slid past Acornpaw and out into the crisp night air. Once she stood in the center of camp, she rounded on her heels to face the other she-cat, "Were you aiming to wake up the whole den? It's the middle of the night." As she spoke, her tail flicked towards the moon as if to emphasize her point.

The softly sloping curve of Acornpaw's cheek was delicately perched against the slender expanse of Lilypaw's narrow chest, the weight of her own head gently and inexorably shifting alongside the slow rhythm of her littermate's deep breathing. Rough tongue cautiously rasping over the petal pink of her freckle-dusted nose, the little tortoiseshell couldn't help but also twitch suddenly in response to Robinpaw's violent awakening- her own agitated heartbeat heightening to a wild storm within her throat and chest, an unpleasant roar of adrenaline and surprise. Heart and breath caught within the tight confines of her dry throat, the young molly froze for a brief interval - her heightened senses lending her an immediate and in-depth awareness to the soft echo of their surroundings - staring at Robinpaw with wide eyes. Against her spine, Mudpaw let out a drowsy murmur and flexed his limbs, before curling even closer.

"Sorry," Acornpaw hastily whispered out, her frantic exclamation shaky with the newfound awareness of how incredibly disruptive their voices were proving to be, "But not so loud, if you wake Brindlepaw or Mudpaw, they'll definitely tell Shrikethorn and Sorrelwing!"

Honeyed gaze made reflective in the pallid light of the moon, the young tortoiseshell couldn't help but frown as her rudely awakened denmate promptly stood and left the narrow alcove where they bedded down, rueful at the quickly dwindling control she currently held. Pale teeth bared in a soft pout, it took Acornpaw several gut-wrenchingly long moments to attempt to untangle herself enough to actually follow in her ruffled and unwilling companion's steps. After taking another few moments to ensure that none of her littermates had awoken due to her aimless squirming and light shoving, she practically tripped over her own paws in her hurried traipsing after Robinpaw- the light dusting of feathers and tufts of moss that clung to her dark coat leaving a soft trail of downy materials in her wake.

"Well..." Now that Acornpaw had actually found herself face-to-face with Robinpaw, it seemed as though her innate social expertise seemed to be failing her. How in the name of StarClan was she supposed to explain after already irritating Robinpaw, without coming across as even more fur-ruffling? Hey, you don't have any friends! I feel bad, or perhaps, none of the others invite you out to play games with us, why is that? Maybe even, some of my littermates think you're weird to be around during training sessions. "Sometimes we like to go exploring the territory at night without our mentors- it's just something fun, like getting let off without supervision to visit some of the places we're not really supposed to be around yet. You know, kinda like whenever we'd sneak into Mistedsong's den when he wasn't around."

"I don't think you've gotten a chance to come along, so I was thinking that... maybe you'd like to? Even if it's just us?" Acornpaw blessedly trailed off after an agonizingly long time spent exclusively dedicated to trying to explain her intentions to Robinpaw, feeling a bit flustered at her clumsy navigation of the conversation.

The apprentice blinked. She stared at Acornpaw for a moment as if feathers had sprouted from her head. There were a few moments where Robinpaw found herself unable to deduce if what her denmate was saying was honest. Few of the clan's other young cats spared the time to even speak to her but it wasn't like she much cared or craved their attention. Her sight were steadily set on becoming a warrior that the clan could be proud of and honing her skills for whatever may happen in the future. Never once had it occurred to her to indulge herself in the trivial and kitlike bantering of the other apprentices. And now, perhaps the most well-known of all, was standing before her with a question in the depths of those deep pools of amber. Robinpaw was one to always say what she meant, and what she was hearing was near unbelievable.

Acornpaw wants me to sneak out of camp with her?

"Do you want to be an apprentice forever? Have you considered that Silverstar might not make you a warrior over your little fun?" The words were tense, taut with measures of both confusion and frustration. Acornpaw wasn't daft, was she? The other apprentice had never shown signs of being a down-brain before. Perhaps this was some strange attempt at trying to trick her into getting caught by leadership as well, hold her back from being successful. Her teeth ground together, causing the most unpleasant sound to reverberate through her skull as her claws flexed. If this was some sort of trick, why was the other cat's words laced with such honesty. Maybe instead of farce, this was simply what Acornpaw thought she wanted. Companionship had been a rather foreign concept for the apprentice despite her clan upbringing. Whatever this was, she fought to come to some semblance of internal understanding of the situation unfolding beforehand. What further escaped Robinpaw was why this had to all happen when the moon was high overhead.

"I never went into Mistedsong's den without permission." She finally huffed. There was a long slow draw of breath as she glanced back to the den. As much as she longed to sleep, there was no denying that this instance had plucked her brain from the draw of rest. They were awake and as much as she longed to box her denmate over the ears, Robinpaw found herself prying with a question instead, "How have you managed to sneak out without getting caught?" The rasp of her voice only grew softer with each measure as if their leader would leap from the den and catch them at any moment. She swallowed thinking what her mentor would say if he knew she'd entertained such a feather-brained thing for even a moment. But she found her eyes meeting Acornpaw's gaze. Disdain faded from the depths, giving away to a soft and almost scared curiousity.

Confusion settled across the delicate ridges of Acornpaw's features like the faint dustings of an elaborate constellation, obvious surprise rippling out across the painfully open expression she constantly wore. For several awkwardly long heartbeats, it seemed as though the two were only capable of providing a comical mirror of the matching expressions they currently donned; almost as though they were mismatched reflections displaying identical expressions, just simply founded out of a different reaction. Surprise and unease twisted indiscriminately within her circulatory system, a painful reminder that she was evidently sorely out of her depths here. Conversation and companionship were two tricky aspects of life that she excelled at, and it hadn't ever been like this before- an awkward symphony of missteps and miscalculations when attempting to read the emotional state of the other cat.

Acornpaw was unable to hide the little flinch that blossomed through her at Robinpaw's initial accusation, entirely convinced that this was nothing more than some stupid, hastily made decision that didn't exactly account for the other cat's feelings. Heated embarrassment and frustration steadily slipped beneath her prickling coat like motor oil atop water, the direct result of her inability to handle the momentary scorn being heaped in her direction. Next time she would listen to her denmates, because this was exactly like the time she had nearly gotten her head bitten off by that one RiverClan Warrior amidst her first Gathering! All this for just trying to be a bit more welcoming than the others. The little tortoiseshell's jaws had dropped open in an attempt to cut off Robinpaw's words, her flustered state of mind inciting an uncharacteristically defensive behavior- but something seemed to change.

There was a newfound openness within the pale molly's expression, albeit it was hardly discernible from Robinpaw's usual cool and collected state of living, but it was there nonetheless. Acornpaw's mouth remained open for a few moments longer as she gaped at the younger cat, her stinging smart of her wounded feelings gradually cooling as realization inevitably dawned on her. Robinpaw really didn't have any friends. It wasn't some hastily strewn together observation- upon closer reflection, she never saw Robinpaw with any cat other than Shrikethorn. It was hardly any wonder that she reacted like... that. Quickly snapping her mouth shut and trying to swallow down the unpleasant dryness that had sparked alight within her mouth, the young tortoiseshell let out a strangled little sound.

"Ahh... I can sort of tell that now." Acornpaw tried to lighten up the mood with a weak joke, wary of saying anything else that would get her head bitten off, "But it's not too hard. Sorrelwing never really assigns a cat to keep lookout most nights, so you can usually just walk right out if you wanted to." Nodding towards the crumbling entrance of the cave, the tortoiseshell took a few steps towards the silvery light that poured in freely. "I doubt any other cat's awake right now, if that's what you're worried about. If some cat does stop us, then I'm just helping keep an eye on you after you ate a bad squirrel!"

Light attempts of humor from Acornpaw fell on the deaf ears of the serious she-cat. Tension crackled like claws through the air and Robinpaw felt her heart beat a few extra times. She was sorely out of her element here. Speaking to another cat had never come easily, let alone considering flagrant violation of the warrior code. But underneath the thorn brimmed exterior, there was no denying that Robinpaw was still a young cat. The draw of companionship and adventure was a more carnal concept, one that she subconsciously tried to blame for even considering such a thing. After a few more moments passed, and she drank in Acornpaw's words, the apprentice felt her whiskers twitch. Thoughts of returning to the den seemed to have drifted away into the night air. Her gaze flickered nervously towards the camp entrance. Was she really going to do this?

There was truth to the fact that no cat had been assigned to guard at night. The cavern was well-protected without shifting eyes peering into the shadows. Robinpaw's breath was slow and shallow, deafened as her ears pried the air for any sounds of stirring cats. It almost soothed the pounding in her chest to realize there was indeed no other cat awake. Swallowing, the she-cat found herself gritting her teeth together once more. To come to a decision would violate everything she had believed in and prove what a weak-willed creature she truly was underneath it all. At first she simply nodded, forcing back the idea that to agree would be self-indulgent; this allowed her to further deny the hints of excitement that blossomed underneath her pelt, "Show me." Robinpaw finally spoke in a strained voice, one that held equal measures of nervousness, uncertainty, and anticipation. Her eyes met Acornpaw's gaze, asking her to lead the way.

Silky delight crept across the expectant features of Acornpaw, entirely too indulgent in the validation of winning over Robinpaw when others failed to achieve such a feat- the near rejection had rattled her admittedly flimsy pride upon initial realization, so this complacency felt like a soothing balm to her singed ego. Weight perilously shifting between the fragile joints of her thin forelimbs in a visible display of her excitement, the little tortoiseshell gave a few little bounces in her stationary place of rippling moonlight. The soft dusk of twilight was laden with low snores and restless shifting bled through the resounding silence in the absence of any further conversation, the dark-coated molly's insufferable expression made all the more prominent by the stifling lack of external stimulation.

"Alright," She cried, eager voice settling comfortably between too-loud-for-a-whisper and too-quiet-for-a-conversational-voice, "follow me!"

Scampering off in the direction that guided the pair of mollies towards the crumbling outcrop of stones, and leaving a iridescent storm of fine dust and grit trembling in her wake, Acornpaw was quick to bound towards the dark smear that marked the beginning of the actual forest. Blissfully unaware of Robinpaw's nerves or internal questioning, the young tortoiseshell demonstrated a surprising amount of stealth and delicacy as she crept past several of the sleeping lumps sprawled out along the duration of their path. The soft stones that hung heavily against the jagged wound in the cliff-side were laden with thick swathes of thorns and foliage, heavy with bright flowers and buds weighting down each of the spindly tendrils that curled skyward in a menacing gesture of strength. Although Acornpaw took care in her exiting of the yawning entrance to the cavernous spaces, just the slight pressure of the foliage bearing down upon her lanky form filled the air with a faint rattling. A very telling sign of what was occurring, if any pairs of ears happened to be listening.

Weight shifting sharply as she whirled around to catch a glimpse of Robinpaw's likely slower-going process, Acornpaw's tail gave an agitated little twitch, "See- not so bad, huh?"

Training had demanded that she watch her pawsteps, stifle any noise they could stir up. Now, those delicate steps held far more weight than previously. Robinpaw had sucked in a breath and clung to it with clenched teeth. It was as if breathing would stir every cat in the cavern. She picked her way forward with creeping and delicate steps. Acornpaw's tail waved ahead. The thin strip of tortoiseshell fur flickered in and out of view, blending in with the shadow-skewed background. Flickers of silvery light lit the way and created an enticing path forward in her denmate's wake. Swallowing back nerves hardly became easier as she peeled away from a sense of security offered by strict adherence to the code.

As the pressed on through the entrance to camp, Robinpaw felt her fangs digging into the soft flesh of her maw. Admittedly, there was a brief moment of hesitance as a fine shower of dust scattered down onto the pale-coated molly. She flinched. Glancing back once again, she stole a fleeting bit of drive and pressed on. This was it. Already she had left behind a cooling nest and signs of disobedience. Dwelling on the consequences would have to wait as her paws were now firmly on the stone just outside of camp. Acornpaw's voice made her ears twitch. The apprentice almost jumped at the sound of another cat but instead she settled for digging her claws into the earth. How could she prove herself to be a worthy warrior if she both violated rules of the clan and was spooked by the mere sounds of words?

"Not so bad." Robinpaw muttered absentmindedly in reply. Her eyes darted around for a moment, scanning the foliage for any signs of another creature among the shaded leaves, "What now, Acornpaw?"

Branches, heavily laden with the precious growth fostered by warmth, curled across the rich night sky like talons- weaving and interlocking so that only select portions of the late evening sky were visible. Flinty specks of starlight were evident through the gentle framing of fragile leaves, occasionally obscured by the gentle stirring of a warm southern wind. Robinpaw's gently sloped features were decorated by the soft shadows of the evening, bathing her pale fur in rich hues of greys, blues, and muted reds overlaid in bland oranges and creams. Delight sparked hot and eager in the fathoms of her chest at the exhilarating of convincing such a rigidly structured cat to deviate from the rules in such a manner, Acornpaw undeniably eager at the prospect of telling her denmates about whatever adventures occurred from here on out. Earlier hurt and confusion erased in the blossoming excitement simmering in the twisting track of her delicate circulatory system, she couldn't help but skip forward a pace- movements jovial and fluid, reminiscent of a kit instigating a playful fight. A slender paw flashed out in a sweeping arc, gentle toes easily catching against the bristling nestle of Robinpaw's prickly whiskers.

Reeling back and rocking her weight precariously on her toes, Acornpaw couldn't help but laugh at the inevitable reaction on behalf of her prickly denmate. The lack of supervision made her eager, as well as the enticing nightlife singing unfamiliar songs, made her skin ache under the fierce weight of excitement sweeping beneath her flesh like a torrent of floodwater. Whirling around and scrambling ahead a pace or two, and nearly losing her footing on an admittedly cleverly hidden swath of tree roots, the tortoiseshell tossed a stare back in the direction of Robinpaw, suddenly certain on exactly where they needed to go.

"C'mon!" Acornpaw mewed, plunging ahead into the rich darkness of the unperturbed evening, "Try and keep up!" For now, she would keep their destination a secret- it would be much more fun to try and force Robinpaw to try and live in the moment for once in her life.

Her eyes had been trained on an unmoving shadow ahead. The flicker of Acornpaw's swipe was shocking, and drew the immediate reaction of the she-cat recoiling with bared teeth. After only a moment, as she witness the joyful features creasing her denmate's maw, Robinpaw relented into realizations of how utterly ridiculous her reaction was. From her chest came some rumbling mix of a growl and laughter. The cavern of her chest felt strange at the foreign sensation. Hints of a smile gave way to the a brief flash of sharp fangs. Acornpaw's enthusiasm and joy was palpable, infectious. Despite the lingering hesitations that stalled every pawstep, she found herself drawing more at ease with every breath and every flick of the other she-cat's tail.

The teasing words drifted through the air and caused Robinpaw's ears to twitch in response. A challenge was left in the wake of Acornpaw's path. Several paces ahead the tortoiseshell pelt taunted her, highlighted by only brief flashes of silver light. Robinpaw was quick to respond to the call. Just as before, her steps were light and each long stride left behind hardly a sound. Swift bounds carried her forward and closer to the unknown destination. Acornpaw hadn't revealed where they were going and for once, the stoic apprentice didn't question it. Measures of control slowly melted away and it blurred her senses. Maybe it was easier this way, to forget that she was violating a part of her very identity in pursuit of an indulgence she never even knew had existed. The night breeze stung her lungs with each breath. Finally, she was at Acornpaw's heels and then her side.

"You will have to be faster than that!" She called out, as she pressed forward, straining to keep pace as she ran. There was no doubt her companion's lighter and more slender frame gave an advantage, but training and power allowed her to keep pace. Robinpaw found the thick atmosphere becoming lighter, and the pounding of her heart stilling despite the run. It never even once occurred to her to ask where they were headed.

Silvery specks of a pale moonlight bled freely from the gaping wounds in the thickly-woven forest canopy, illuminating the sharp and wild forest in the petulant light of the perturbed night- stripping the world of its freshly blossoming display of greenery, and instead rending it down to nothing but varying hues of whites, silvers, and deep twilights. The young mollies' laughter and resounding challenges crowed out in sweet voices made shrill by excitement hung heavily on the warm evening air, easily blending with the chaotic symphony made by all the nocturnal creatures who resided in the depths of the dark forest.

Acornpaw threw her head back as her vocal chords trembled under a voracious bought of laughter burst forth from low within her chest, delighted and intrigued by the continuous challenge laid forth before her, easily keeping the pace. There was a slight twinge resonating within the slightly stiffened joints of her hips, a telltale ache that bespoke the admittedly unfamiliar experience of such high-intensity running; the proclivity for speed and endurance was a well-kept secret within her blood, but it was certainly a poorly exercised trait. It hardly took any time at all for the telltale fire of exhaustion to seep into her pounding lungs and straining muscles, a burning pulse that throbbed sharply alongside the labile rate of her heart.

The forest around them, previous dense and all-consuming, was rapidly fading out; the soft earth hurriedly giving way to rock-heavy soils, trees and undergrowth falling away to reveal sizable stones jutting up from the earth like callous wounds, the worn surfaces often cracked or crumbling. Specks of moonlight often caught upon the reflective minerals encased within the stones, sending vibrant flashes and sparks of pallid light bursting forth from the corner of one's vision. "C'mon!" Acornpaw called out, strained voice still joyful at the prospect of their continuing race, "we're almost there!" Although the tortoiseshell's pace had noticeably slowed for some reason or another, she was still easily keeping close proximity with Robinpaw, blatantly curious to see how the other molly fared after such a lengthy dash.