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A sharp voice brought Moosepaw out of an uneasy sleep. His long dense fur meant he woke up warm despite the winter chill, though the unfamiliar surroundings did stir some strange emotions. Moosepaw had enjoyed the routine offered by the clan, taking comfort in the small constants. The clan always needed food, the clan always needed patrols to mark the edges of their territory, things like these were consistent. Now though things had become unstable, the natural balance disrupted. Strange that he was already sleeping in the warrior's den, strange that he would soon take his warrior assessment to prove he belonged there, strangest of all the cats in the nursery. Moosepaw rose and stretched his stiff muscles, the cold air working against his efforts. After a particularly large stretch, he padded forward into the camp proper.

The camp was slowly gathering for the meeting, and a sense of urgency was clear in the movements of all present. Moosepaw was not one of the first, nor one of the last, and he had not taken time to groom. He Sat down in front of the Highstump and began the process of smoothing his thick fur. As he cleaned he payed attention to the forest around them, trying to calm his nerves. He breathed in the scent of the cats around him, and of the clearing itself. Light frozen dew clung to the plant life scattered in the clearing, and to the grass underpaw. It would be colder in the shaded parts of the forest, meaning that prey would be loud on unmelted snow. His dense wide paws would mean his steps should remain silent if he distributed his weight properly, an advantage when prey was so scarce.

Moosepaw finished his grooming and gazed up at their leader, wondering what news the day would bring. Wondering also if he would be able to show Duskwing all she had taught him. Failure would not only doubt cast on his own abilities, but on Duskwing's efforts to teach him. The latter was more upsetting than the former.
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