It felt like the sun was rising slower with every passing day that Leaf-bare. The warm light of the sun, looking a little pale with the season, could only do so much to combat the layer of snow over the ground. This made the morning an unbearable time for Moonpaw. He preferred nighttime, when the apprentice den was full of his fellow trainees. He wished to be asleep, surrounded by their warmth and unbreakable sense of security.
Since the first light of dawn, the blue tom had been watching empty nests appear where other apprentices had once been. Some were awoken by their mentor; others were trotting out to fetch their mentor. Whenever a cat would rustle their old nest too loudly, or when a warrior entered without lowering their voice, Moonpaw would let out a groan and roll over. He used his forepaws to hold his ears flat against his skull until the sun's light would better penetrate the den. Peeking out from under his paws, the apprentice could see he was one of just a few cats still in the den. This reminded him how cold it was, so a shiver ran down his black spine.
Moonpaw knew he would have to leave the den soon; it was now warmer outside than in the partial shade of the den. He knew also that Crystalstream would be looking for him soon. Mantispaw, the other apprentice under Crystalstream's training, had already stretched their bones and headed out some time ago. The thought of his mentor's unkempt fur made his skin crawl in its coat. He hated sparring with that warrior. He wished Mantispaw did not show so much enthusiasm; she was only adding on more work for the both of them.
Hoping never to be like his teacher, Moonpaw began to groom his whiskers lazily.
Owlpaw snored lazily, rolling onto her back. She was one of the last apprentices asleep, ever since her mentor had disappeared, the apprentice had been slacking off and often escaping training by heading out on her own to pace the territory and pretend she was busy. It was as she felt some of the surrounding heat disappearing around her, she blinked her eyes open only to see her own littermate heading out of the den.
With a start, she was up and on her paws, following after him with an exaggerated yawn. The young she-cat stretched herself out, pressing her chest all the way to the ground with the effort.
"Morning, sleepyhead." She mewed, as if she wasn't the one who had just woken up. "Crystalstream is late! You're normally out slaving away by now!" She nudged him with a grin.