[Rose]

Berrypaw
Post Count: 5/100

Berrypaw tried. She really did try to stifle a small giggle and listen patiently when Snowypaw began talking about his nose, of all things, and then went on to try and backtrack his words, flailing his paws around like a fish out of water. That was when she really did laugh, a full-fledged giggle bursting unceremoniously from her mouth, and then the apprentice’s paws self-consciously flew up to cover her own muzzle. But the situation was so funny because now she was trying to take back her own actions, and through the pent-up chortles, Berrypaw almost didn’t hear Snowypaw’s mumbled words. About him not being good enough for anything. Almost instantly, her expression sobered again. Blazing skies, she was probably being so rude! Laughing at his face like this, even if she hadn’t been laughing at him, exactly. She noticed his ears suddenly droop, and Berrypaw suddenly felt like the worst apprentice ever. Not only was she behind on duties, but she was also making her denmates feel bad about themselves.

When Snowypaw turned his blue gaze away to focus on Twilightstar’s next words, Berrypaw was entirely sure she had hurt his feelings. And to her absolute shame, all he could muster was a mere whisper for the new warrior, undoubtedly because she had offended him so. Turning her face towards the Breezerock as well, Berrypaw let out her own whisper to congratulate the former apprentice. “Congratulations Lilyheart!” She called softly, and then awkwardly turned back to Snowypaw. If she didn’t squeeze in an apology right now, she’d be too ashamed to approach him or anxious for the judgement to do so later. Besides, Berrypaw wished to have a clean slate. She did not want to be on anyone’s bad side. “L- Listen- I’m ssorry about… Laughing at you.” She mumbled, hunching her shoulders and ducking her head to look at the ground. “I’m sure your mentor is really proud of you.”

And then, without warning, Berrypaw whipped back around to look at her leader. If her already pale, freckled face could drain of color, that was what happened when Berrypaw heard the announcement of the deaths of three cats. Two warriors and an apprentice. While Berrypaw had not known too well who Rosepaw or Ravencloud were, she at least had witnessed, and had heard the race Redspeckle had organized. She hadn’t taken part in it, due to being too shy to participate, but Redspeckle had seemed so healthy at the time. What had happened to xem? Her heart twisted further in her chest upon recalling the apprentice who’d died. An apprentice had died. It reminded her how vulnerable they all really were. Life was not all fun and games. And she was wasting her own life away, doing what? Practically next to nothing. Just that fact alone made her heart and mind feel laden with guilt.

It was quite a surprise when, instead of ending the meeting on this note, Twilightstar went on to talk about bullying going on between… the apprentices? Berrypaw had noticed no such thing, so she was immensely surprised when Frostpaw, one of her denmates, stepped up to address Twilightstar. The young apprentice began speaking, accusing a cat- Badgerpaw, the cat who’d been made an apprentice the same day as her and Snowypaw-, and portraying herself and Tulippaw as the innocent. Now, Berrypaw didn’t have an opinion on any of this, but when Frostpaw called herself the most perfect cat, Berrypaw felt that as if it was an entirely direct barb. Did… Apprentices have to be perfect? The eggshell-colored she-cat turned to Snowypaw once again, wondering what he thought about all this, but the larger apprentice was already looking somewhere else. Upon following his gaze, she spotted Badgerpaw a little ways away, the subject of Snowypaw’s smile.

Was Snowypaw avoiding her gaze? Or was he genuinely trying to make Badgerpaw feel better? Hesitating, Berrypaw tried conveying her apology once again. “I’m really sorry… I, uh, sorry… I shouldn’t have laughed at you.”

[ @Alchemist Kitsune - Snowypaw | Don’t worry about it! I should be apologizing about the length of this now /lh ]