Mourning - Open

[Leonid]

---

Sunpaw padded out of the deserted Apprentice den. It seemed so large when it was empty - almost daunting. He knew his friends would never return. He no longer had family to love and to return his love. No possible mate in his future. BogClan, even after the disease had past, still suffers. The once mighty Clan was slowly dying. Slowly fading into a mere legend. No one would remember the Clans' roles in the life of cats. It was all destroyed. Everything was falling apart because of the accursed Kittypet, Socrates. Sunpaw felt a flash of anger towards the tom, only to be replaced by a pang of grief. He would forever mourn his fallen Clanmates. None could replace them. There was simply no possible way for anyone to fill the void left in the young Apprentice's heart.

Sighing, he went to fetch water, wondering where Flamestar had run off to.

---

[TygerShore]

Dewleaf

Dewleaf trotted out of the warriors den.  Though it was cold, the sun was high in the sky and that was all that mattered.  After all, being covered in mud had many advantages, one of which was keeping warm.  Noticing the apprentice, she walked over to him.  "Hello, Sunpaw," she said.  She absolutely loved that name.  Sunpaw.  So cheery.  Too bad it didn't seem to match the apprentice.

"What's wrong?" She didn't like to see her Clan-mates so sad yet they often seemed to be recently.  After all the cats started dying.  It made Dewleaf a bit sad too but she didn't like being sad so she didn't think about it.  "Hey, look, a bird!" Dewleaf made a pounce up into the air at the tiny speck flying high above them.  "I can never seem to catch birds," she said.  "No matter how many times I try I can't seem to jump high enough."

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[Leonid]

---

Sunpaw looked up at Dewleaf for a moment. Just enough time for a quick glance. "Dewleaf, why do you try?" he asked, solemnly. It was pointless, to him, to attempt something you know you won't achieve. "That bird is too high for any cat to reach. Only StarClan's paws could catch that jay." Lowering his head to normal stature, he moved toward the entrance, slowly. He hoped Dewleaf would stop him. He needed to talk to someone. His life was so lonely now that the other Apprentices hunted with StarClan. Before Socrates came to the Clan, he was cheerful and energetic. Now, he just trudged along as if there was no point in life. He was just waiting to join his old friends and hunt in the stars.

---

[TygerShore]

Dewleaf

Dewleaf tilted her head to one side "Maybe one day StarClan will bring one down for me.  I would like that." Seeing the apprentice walking away, she hurried to catch up.

"You are always so sad, Sunpaw.  We should do something fun!  Do you want to hunt?  Or practice your battle moves?  You choose, I'm fine with whatever." Seeing a exceptionally muddy spot, Dewleaf started to roll in it as she waited for his answer.  She loved the feeling of it as it oozed through her fur.  Sometimes it would get in her ears and nose -- it wasn't as much fun when it did that.  

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[Leonid]

---

Sunpaw sighed in disgust over, not the mud rolling, but the entirety of the concept of 'fun'. "Fun, Dewleaf, does not get fresh-kill in the pile and keep the Camp protected," he said, bluntly. "Ah, would you look at that? A mere apprentice is teaching a warrior. Is this fun enough for you?" Being the obnoxious cat he was, Sunpaw shrugged off his rude behavior as if it was daily - which it was. This ignorance towards others' feelings became a sort of a habit ever since the time of Socrates. To think he actually enjoyed that flea-infested kittypet's company! Hah!

---

[TygerShore]

Dewleaf

It was not fun when Sunpaw was so cross.  An idea dribbled into Dewleaf's brain.  It might not have been a good one in the circumstance or in any circumstance for that matter, but Dewleaf didn't think about it that far.  She stopped rolling in the mud and instead moved it to one pile as if she were doing it absentmindedly.

Dewleaf dug one paw under the pile.  She then flung it at Sunpaw.  She jumped to her feet, excited to see his reaction.  This was so much fun already!  "Isn't this fun?" she asked him.  

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[Leonid]

---

Sunpaw sighed. "Yes, it's very fun," he said in a mock-excited tone. "Can I go hunt, now? We need food and, obviously, you're having too much fun to hunt."

Sunpaw sighed and walked away, slowly, closer towards the entrance. It was fun. It really was. But, unfortunately, Sunpaw was one of the last Clan cats in the entire forest. He couldn't just have as much fun as he could get away with, like in the times before Socrates. No, he had to hunt, build up the walls along the entrance, make sure all the dens are as small as possible to keep the heat inside. Without a Medicine Cat, BogClan couldn't afford to lose any cat due to another sickness. So, instead, Sunpaw took it upon himself to make sure the Clan was kept safe from yet another plague. He wouldn't be able to handle another illness sweeping through - he was still recovering from the previous one.

---

[TygerShore]

Dewleaf

It didn't happen very often, but Dewleaf was hurt by what Sunpaw had said.  Was she a burden to her Clan?  She didn't think so, but she would have to prove it.  "I'll come hunting with you, then," she offered.  If Sunpaw didn't want her to join him, well, she would have to stay back in camp -- she didn't remember why, but she wasn't meant to leave camp without another cat.

She trotted up beside him, a hopeful look in her face.  "I'm sorry, I just wanted you to relax a little.  Everyone has been so tense lately." Why were they all so tense even?  Dewleaf couldn't remember but it didn't really matter, did it?  

Dewleaf turned as she heard Flamestar calling to them. "Hunting can wait, I guess, let's go see what she has to say," she told Sunpaw.

(Continue in the Whole Clan thread)

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