never have to leave [open]

Wow, thought Laurelpaw as he stopped to stare at his Clan-mate, Fenheart sure looks cozy over there.

He’d gone out for some fresh air but had gotten lonely quickly—as Laurelpaw was often want to do—and had been searching for a friend who happened to be out. The sight of Fenheart tucked comfortably under the bough of a pine tree was kind of a blessing to a young cat dying of boredom. Then again, Laurelpaw was pretty much always dying of boredom. Especially if he was alone. It was, truly, the most terrible affliction he’d ever had and apparently unfortunately lethal (in his mind). Actually, no, it was definitely possibly lethal in real-life, because when Laurelpaw was bored he tended to do something stupid.

Such as now.

The young apprentice veered toward her almost immediately. She’d had to jump over water to get where she was at, and the apprentice squared his furry haunches before launching himself onto one of the flat stones. He paused for a moment, whiskers dipping to sniff at the peaty water. Eugh—it would not be good if he fell in. His thick fur would be holding the smell of the bog for moons if he did.

So don’t fall, Laurelpaw thought, straightening confidently. He wiggled his hind-end and bounded to the next rock. He straightened, ears perked and blue eyes locked on Fenheart. He seemed to be weighing something in his mind, before he suddenly yowled what was most certainly his catchphrase, “Hey! Fenheart! Watch this!”

If Fenheart had been trying to sleep Laurelpaw’s loud yowl might have been ruining that. He didn’t look to see if she actually was watching him, but instead started backing up and looking over his shoulder. For a heartbeat it might have been clear what the foolish apprentice’s intent was—but no cat would be fool enough to try jumping backward onto a rock right? Especially just to show off?

Oh. Wait. It’s Laurelpaw.

With a grunt he shoved off with his forepaws to throw himself in reverse—and immediately fell into the boggy water with a yowl of genuine surprise. The thing about a cat’s haunches is that they’re made for springing. They’re more powerful in that way. The front legs? Not really the sort that you use to push off the ground with to leap. Certainly not backward onto a stone you can’t see. So came Laurelpaw’s second catchphrase, a loud and somewhat panicked: “AGGGGH! NONONO! I MEANT TO DO THAT!”