Camp Center {OPEN}

Hawkpaw stretched in his nest and curled his tail over his nose. He was still upset about the death of Cedarfur, his mentor. He still had yet to be assigned a new mentor by Needlestar and today was his third day without a mentor. He was trying desperately to get over Cedarfur's death. He had been killed in a fight with some trespassing loners. The loners were later chased off, but Cedarfur was still gone.

There was no way Hawkpaw was going to fall back asleep with the noise from the clearing, so he pushed himself up out of the moss and shook the sleep from his pelt. He groomed himself quickly and wandered out of his den. The dawn patrol had just returned. Hawkpaw watched as Mintdust bounded out of Needlestar's den. Probably going off hunting. He thought to himself. Hopefully Needlestar would assign him a new mentor tonight.

He padded over to the fresh kill pile and picked over the prey that was left from yesterday. He chose a mouse and carried it over to the shade of an oak.

Shrikenose gave an open yawn as she awoke in the warrior's den. A glance outside revealed it to be daytime, not quite sunhigh, with some thin clouds scattered in the skies above revealed after she stretched to look up and out. Standing up, she stretched her sore muscles and made her way outside the den, sniffing about for Spiderclaw; maybe the other she-cat would want to go hunting today.

Spiderclaw sat rather comfortably in a tree, her tail hanging down off the branch and twitching every now and then. A gentle breeze greeted her face and she leaned into it, enjoying the breeze filtering through her whiskers. With a quick sniff she scented her good friend Shrikenose.

Spiderclaw crouched low to the tree branch, her claws unsheathing as she pounced, clawing her way down the trunk of the tree. She raced towards Shrikenose, bumping into her shoulder and nuzzling it affectionately in greeting.

"'Morning Shrikenose," she greeted, sharing tongues briefly with her friend's cheek.

Shrikenose grinned as Spiderclaw came into view and licked her cheek. "Morning, Spiderclaw. Hunt anything good lately?" she meowed, looking at the tortoiseshell with a friendly look. "If not, I was wondering whether or not you were free to go out and check out the territory later - we can hunt on the way back."

"Anything good? Not since yesterday," Spiderclaw responded, stretching. She hadn't done much yet to day; truthfully, she had been waiting for Shrikenose to wake before going hunting.

"Of course I'm free," she meowed. She brought one paw to her face and gave it a few licks, rubbing it behind her ear quickly. With a soft purr she sprang forward, circling around to face Shrikenose.

"Lead the way!"

Mintdust padded through the camp entrance with Needlestar. In her jaws she carried her catch. She walked over to the fresh kill pile and deposited the prey there. She wasn't hungry, so she found some shade under a tree and sat down, waiting for Needlestar to join her.

Mintdust looked up at the she cat. She had rolled over onto her back and was catching some rays of afternoon sunlight on her belly. "I think he's at the freshkill pile or talking with some of the warriors," she meowed, "We just got back from hunting."

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Hawkpaw perked up when he saw the patrol come in. He watched as Sparrowpaw entered the medicine cat den. He cocked his head to the side wondering what happened on the patrol. When Sparrowpaw came out of the den, he pushed himself up and bounded over to the other apprentice. As he neared him, he heard Sparrowpaw asking to go hunting. "Can I go too?" He called out to his mentor and the other warrior.