A I R P A W
Against her better judgment, Airpaw had gone out of camp on her own. WindClan had been tense- though she supposed it always had been. Around the time when she was born, her Clan had been split into two halves, those who wished to follow Desertstar, and those who wished to follow Sandadder. She was too young to understand the disruption in her home when she was a kit but as she matured under the watch of her father, Hailgaze, also known as the Clan deputy, she began to gain insight into much more.
When she reached apprenticeship, she was one of the lucky few who had been selected as the Clan leader’s apprentice. She would be under Desertstar’s care from now until she earned her warrior name. Airpaw couldn’t afford to be anything but diligent. There were high expectations for her; being the deputy’s daughter and the leader’s mentee, she was constantly on her toes for training. Only apprenticed for a moon and a half and she was already the head of the apprentices in WindClan when it came to hunting. It would only be a matter of time before her body toned like her father’s and she would become just as skilled in battling.
Thankfully, she wasn’t alone. She had her older brother, Dayfall, to watch over her while her father and mentor prioritized the shift in their Clan. He was always there for her to guide her and support her and she appreciated his help and insight as she matured on her own journey. But even then… Even then, the young feline did need some time away every once and a while to soothe her restless heart and soul. Lately, there had been this strange sensation pulling her away from the moors. Airpaw didn’t know how to explain it- whenever she went out in WindClan territory, there was something calling her past the moors, to the forest. Well, not literally calling her, but more like, a feeling deep down in her soul that urged her to go there. She had never felt anything like it before and she didn’t know what to make of it. But today she decided she would find out.
Hailgaze had always instructed her to be cautious around the borders with their fellow Clans, to respect them and not to go past them but for some reason, the sensation that was pulling her was pulling her towards ThunderClan. Airpaw nervously bit the inside of her cheek. It felt wrong to purposely be prodding at boundaries but she couldn’t ignore the feeling she had that something was calling her to ThunderClan’s territory.
Maybe just this once?
A I R P A W
Whatever had its grip on her seemed to have the same affect on the other apprentice. The inner turmoil of knowing that there was this invisible line that separated them battled against the magnetic attraction that made them want to draw close to one another. Airpaw had never felt anything like it. She had never wanted to be so close to someone before. And she didn't even know this girl. When Applepaw spoke and introduced herself so shyly, the WindClanner felt herself smitten by the utter cuteness she portrayed.
What's going on? She wondered. The cold, harsh breeze of the moors blew and it made her shudder but with it, it brought the scent of the other molly. A sweet, calming smell that enveloped her and made her feel like melting. Never before had she wanted to succumb to temptation so badly. This scentline that divided ThunderClan and WindClan... Did it have to come between them? Before today, she never would have dared to even think such a thing.
"My name is Airpaw." She replied, praying that her voice sounded stronger than she felt. Her paws shook but she sturdied herself and squared her shoulders in defiance. She wasn't going to give in here. "The scent of a hare is nearby. I was going to catch it and bring it home to my family," she lied through her teeth. Of course she lied. Regardless of the strange sensation that brought them together, Applepaw was ThunderClan. She was WindClan. They had been raised their whole lives not to trust each other.
"What about you?" She challenged, "you're so close to the border, one would think you'd dare to cross it."