[H1][color=f7976a]Warmpaw[/color][/h1]

Still laying on the ground, Warmpaw watched the heated banter between leader and queen. He frowned when the she-cat entered the nursery and he looked at Hawkstar,
[color=f7976a]"If Gingerflame starts up again, just tell her its only for precaution. It could just be the change in the weather affecting Ravencoat. Mallownose tells me that Paddletail gets this way when LeafGreen changes to Leaf-fall."[/color]

Warmpaw stood up clumsily and turned when he heard his name being called. When he saw who it was, he became stunned. Snowpaw said hello to him! He was going to shout back a greeting of his own, but she had already left. Still! The she-cat of his dreams said hi to him!

His exuberance was short lived as Mallownose had him lead the way out of camp and to Riverclan for tansy. Despite having an ever expanding memory for herb effects, he was still only two moons into his apprenticeship.. and their locations often slipped into one ear and out the other. Still, he wasn't going to admit his lack of experience in front of the clan leader, no matter how understanding he was.

With less enthusiasm, he walked over to where the camp met the forest. He stopped and looked around, then back at Mallownose to make sure his mentor was [u][b][I]right[/i][/b][/u] behind him. There was no way he was going to leave camp without an adult. No way, no how. It hit him, in four moons [i]he[/i] would be an adult. This was a frightening thought for Warmpaw and his tail drooped in response. He licked his chest in attempt to sooth himself and, once he knew for sure his mentor was with him, snaked off in the direction of Riverclan.

Of course, the young tom knew how to get to Riverclan, and Warmpaw racked his brain trying to remember where exactly the tansy could be found. He was so focused, he ended up tripping over a raised tree root. He steadied himself quickly, hoping he hadn't ruined some cats hunting with all his noise. There was no way he was going to remember where to find the tansy, so he decided to just lead on to where he remembered crossing into Riverclan last time they went out.

Warmpaw was quiet for a time, but the silence was making him uncomfortable. Plus he saw the way Mallownose had zoned out earlier. At first he wondered what he was thinking about, but one look told him enough. It was the same look he always had when he made eye contact with Puddlefoot, his father.
[color=f7976a]"I've seen the way Puddlefoot looks at you."[/color] he started. Though he was still young, he felt he understood a little bit of what the medicine cat was feeling. He wanted to make sure Mallownose knew how much he appreciated him. [color=f7976a]"You are more than just my mentor, you looked out for me in a time when I had no one. If it wasn't for you.. I might not have survived."[/color] the small cat stopped and looked at Mallownose. [color=f7976a]"You were like my father. I know Puddlefoot doesn't accept you being the medicine cat, but I think Thunderclan would be lost without your skills as a healer."[/color]

Turning back toward Riverclan, Warmpaw started walking again. While he always expressed his affection for Mallownose, this was the first time he had actually admitted to thinking of him as a father rather than that silly, scatterbrained tom of a mentor he shared a den with.

It was still well before [b]sunhigh[/b] when they reached the Riverclan boarder. Warmpaw's tail twitched with agitation and he looked back at Mallownose.
[color=f7976a]"So, uhh.. I can't seem to remember where the tansy grows.."[/color] he smiled his sorry, [color=f7976a]"Guess I still have a lot to learn."[/color]