REPLACE THE FEEBLE WITH THE FABLE (alpine)

    As the small voice appropriately emerges from the little tabby, and Midnightfang almost has to strain his ear forward to catch all his words as they tumble from an uncertain maw. Once finished, he does, in fact, finally match the name Mosspaw to the slight frame. One of Willowleap and Barkfur’s kits, he establishes inwardly, thankful he had not completely forgotten; knowing his Clanmates is one of his hobbies, really, if even just a name.

    Honestly, the way he shrinks in place might make the idle passing cat think that the warrior had struck Mosspaw. He tries softening his expression as much as possible; had he sounded demanding, or mean?

    Midnightfang waves his tail in a friendly way, pleased by the question. While the apprentice is not his own, he saw no harm in the inquiry nor in his agreeing to the terms. When he himself had been just an apprentice, any excuse to leave the confines of camp sufficed. And if, say, he wasn’t allowed to leave… well, let’s just say he’s done his fair share of changing bedding and picking ticks for the elders.

    "Of course." He purrs brightly. "Always like some company for an adventure." The words follow with a playful glimmer in his eyes and an amused twitch of his whiskers.

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    The warrior breams down at the slightly form, who seems to soften by degrees, slowly. The last thing he wants is for any cat to be nervous around him, of all cats. He would have to be a little more gentle with Mosspaw, him vaguely wondering what could have caused him to react to attentions so drastically. Midnightfang finds himself immediately wanting to protect the tabby apprentice, knowing that any amount of trauma or neglect can lead to such behavior. If he finds out some cat within the Clan has been doing this…

    He shakes his head outwardly, shaking the bad thoughts like fleas. At least, right now he could give small Mosspaw some peace of mind, distract from whatever is causing him grief.

    “You’ll get to stretch those legs of yours, and, who knows, maybe the extra outing will stretch them out so much that you’ll get a little taller, too.” Midnightfang purrs, winking.

    He turns round in a half circle and then begins to pad off, “Alright now, follow me,” he says, flickering his tail in a ‘come hither’ way.

    Midnightfang leads the way out through the camp entrance with assurance, nodding to those they pass. Sunhigh looms over the forest, and it's a particularly hot newleaf day, a day that promises the coming of greenleaf. Even though the sun only penetrates through in shafts of bright light, where particles dance in the spotlights and bugs can be seen flitting about here and there, it still touches his ebony pelt and warms it like no other. The prey would be plentiful soon, moreso than it is now, and Midnightfang doesn't mind sacrificing some comfort for it, even if it means sweating his paw pads off.

    "Your mentor, Mosspaw?" The warrior questions, slowing so the youth can come beside him and answer. "Have they taken you hunting before?" Quickly thinking that Mosspaw might take this the wrong way, he adds hurriedly in a gentle voice, "It's okay if you haven't, just curious."

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