Applepaw watched the medicine cat entrance for a little while from in his warm moss nest. Knowing that the morning would soon arrive.
  After discovering that Russetstorm hadn't been taking care of herself, and that his father was still in critical condition a quarter moon ago; he was struggling with sleep.

He had tried counting minnows in a stream, getting up to grab food, training extra hard so he would be even more tired and just collapse into his nest, but nothing worked.
Applepaw was growing desperate, he had told Spikepaw about what he saw but Spikepaw was still resting better than he was.

The sandy-brown tom sat up in his nest once he saw the dark blue sky turn even the slightest shade of scarlet morning. He leapt to his paws and peaked outside, he was the only one awake right now. The apprentice tip-toed towards the fresh-kill pile, sniffing through it to find some breakfast.

It had become routine to do this, eat as soon as he awoke, because Rainwhisker would get him started on training as soon as his mentor opened his eyes. And he was hoping- no praying that tonight, he would sleep soundly for the first time in a week.
The sound of rustling reeds made Applepaw look towards the Warriors' Den. He blinked, surprised, when he saw Sloefur emerge. Sniffling, eyes dull and tired looking. Had the deputy been struggling with falling asleep too?

"Good morning, Sloefur." He meowed politely to the deputy.
Sloefur looked over, eyes stretched wide before they relaxed. Resting on the young apprentice. "Oh, good morning, Applepaw. Sleep well, I assume?"
He nervously chuckled, "yeah."
"I'm sure Rainwhisker will be pleased to hear that. He trains hard, huh?"
Applepaw nodded before finally grabbing a small fish and sat down, eating quickly as Sloefur approached and grabbed two fishes by their tails and walked to the Leader's Den.

  After a few more moments of eating in pure solitude, Shimmerpelt and Rippleheart purred as they emerged out of the den, giving a quick greeting to Applepaw as they grabbed some food and began to eat together, sharing the pike that Shimmerpelt had grabbed.
  Foxclaw stretched as he came out, licking his lips and blinking tiredly as he walked towards the Dirtplace tunnel, going in, his tail tip disappearing.
  Harethroat padded out of the Warriors' Den next, he seemed frustrated as Frostfoot sped walked after him. Slowing to a trot as the strong dark-ginger-and-brown patchy tom huffed. Frostfoot whispered something to him, pressing into him gently. Harethroat shook his head after Frostfoot spoke and muttered something as he walked off. Frostfoot watched before looking down sadly and heading back into the den.
  Milkfur yawned, shaking her fur out as she pushed past Frostfoot. Flicking her tail on Frostfoot's brown tabby flank before bounding excitedly towards the fresh-kill pile. Blinking happily at both Rippleheart, Shimmerpelt and Applepaw.

Most of RiverClan was already awake, but where was Rainwhisker?

"Good dawn-morning all!" Milkfur chirped, nosing through the pile.
Rippleheart looked up, smirking. "How are you doing, Milkfur?" The gray-blue silver molly meowed.
"As amazing as ever!" Milkfur purred. "I'm actually planning on asking Darkshadow something special today."
Applepaw looked up from the scrap of fish bones, whiskers twitching. A bit confused as Shimmerpelt gasped, her amber eyes round with joy.
A teasing tone sounded to the blue siamese's voice as she spoke, "What, you mean you and her weren't already a couple of lovesick doves?" All three she-cats exploded into a fit of purring laughter.

Applepaw sighed, burying his bones and blinking tiredly at Milkfur as he walked to the Warriors' Den. Where in StarClan's name was Rainwhisker? Milkfur's voice was growing distant as he poked his head into the den.

"Rainwhisker?" He whispered, a bit impatiently.
Mudbelly lifted his head, yawning as Perchwing stirred from beside him. Mudbelly's tired green eyes flashed in the darkness.
"Applepaw? Rainwhisker left camp ages ago. He wanted to test you or something of that sort." The muscular patchy tabby rested his head back on his paws, mumbling. "Check the training hollow." With that Mudbelly was back to snoring.
Applepaw muttered a quick thanks to the warrior and sprinted out of waking camp. Knowing he had kept his mentor waiting for a long time.

Applepaw heard Sloefur's mew echoing in the clearing, gathering cats for a patrol. Applepaw yelped as he slipped on a puddle of slush, barely catching himself as he continued to make his way to the training hollow. Smelling Rainwhisker's stale scent in the air.
So close, he could see it in the distance. The bramble and vine tangled walls. He slowed to a trot when suddenly—

"Applekit!" An excited mew called.

Applepaw paused, looking over and up at Sunning Rocks to see the awfully familiar tortoiseshell-and-white pelt of... Maplekit!

  He blinked, green eyes staring up at the wide, sun-warmed stone from across the border. Their eyes met, firey-glowing amber meeting soft forest-green.

  "Maplekit?" He whispered to himself before speaking louder to the cat across the river, "Maplekit, is that you?"
  Maplekit sat up, purring so loud that Applepaw heard it from where he stood. "I can't believe it's you!" She laughed, fluffy white tail twitching.
Her amber eyes softening.
  Applepaw hesitated before looking over at the stepping stones. They were far away so he couldn't leap over to meet the ThunderClan cat anyway. Seeing Maplekit filled him with a thrill.

  Applepaw shifted his paws as he looked back at the she-cat, smiling.
  "I'm so glad I'm seeing you again," she meowed loud enough for him to hear as she leapt off the rocks and onto the grass below, landing on her white-and-black paws.. "Ive... always wanted to thank you." Her voice grew low but Applepaw heard her just fine.

"Thank me?" His tail twitched as he saw a stone that was visible from the water. But it was wet and slippery. He'd be a fool to jump on it.
"But- but for what?"
"For comforting me in a time of need. Being there when..." her voice had trailed off and cracked but Applepaw knew exactly what she was talking about.
"Of course." He smiled brightly at her as she reached the border on her side of the river, "I'll always be there for you, Maplekit."
Maplekit looked up, "you promise?"
Applepaw nodded, "promise." He meowed. "Oh and, it's Applepaw now. I got my full name."
  Maplekit looked up, "Oh, yeah? Me too! Or- erm, not that I'm you- I'm not Applepaw..." She seemed embarrassed.

Applepaw laughed, "I understand. So you're Maplepaw now?" She smiled, shaking her pelt out.

"And proud of it! Maplepaw of ThunderClan!"

Suddenly a low, gruff voice echoed through the trees causing both cats to flinch as they look at the oaks. "Maplepaw!" Applepaw looked at the calico apprentice.
"Maplepaw, where'd you go? You need to stop running off " Maplepaw looked over her shoulder before rolling her eyes. "I gotta go." She meowed sadly.
Applepaw titled his head, "maybe I'll see you at the gathering tonight?" He suggested.

"I hope so.. I'd be sad if you weren't there. I want to talk to you." She shuffled her paws, looking up shyly.
"Bye Applepaw!" She flicked her pretty white tail before padding away, casting one last, long glance at him before disappearing into the ThunderClan forest. Her home.
The RiverClan tom watched her leave, a tingly feeling in his paws as he watched. His heart racing slightly.

"B-bye..."

•••

  Applepaw shook his fur out, huffing as Rainwhisker walked off. He was just scolded by his mentor, apparently he wasn't quick enough with his leap when practicing battle moves and would've had his "side torn to shred!" According to Rainwhisker.
When would they move on the hunting? He didn't just want to be practicing fighting all the time.

Beepaw approached him, "Hey Applepaw..." He meowed. The sand-brown tom looked up at his friend. "Beepaw, hey." He greeted, 'Tonight was the night where he would leave RiverClan forever.'
"Ready to go to the gathering?" Applepaw meowed, trying to start some sort of innocent small talk.
"I don't know." The dark brown tabby confessed, "I'm finally going to a place where I can be me, but everyone I've ever known and loved is here. I'll have to face you guys in battles and- and..." Applepaw placed his paw gently on his friends, giving the dark tabby a smile.
"At least you get to be happy and be you, the cat you want to be."

"I just wish I told Reedpaw but I'm scared she'll tell everyone."
"I understand," Applepaw sympathized. Reedpaw was quite the blabber mouth. Like that time when he had snuck some honey from the Medicine Cat den because Spikekit dared him too. Reedkit told Icewhisker about it, and in turn, Russetstorm was informed. He was put in time out for ages.

Spikepaw approached, tail flicking. "You alright, Beepaw?" His brother meowed, then he cast a flickering glance at him and then back at the tabby.
"He knows." Beepaw flicked his tail, slipping it out of Applepaw's grasp. "He knows I'm leaving."

Applepaw gasped, looking around before back at Spikepaw. "You knew?"
Spikepaw blinked surprised, "of course I know." His brother hissed, "but you knew? When was that?" Beepaw went between them, looking at Spikepaw.
"I told him first thing. Then, I told you."
Spikepaw nodded, before any tom knew it Reedpaw bounded over, licking Beepaw kindly on the cheek.

"Hey you guys!" She greeted happily.

All three of them froze, slowly turning to look at Reedpaw. She blinked, tilting her head, eyes scanning their faces. "What, do I have something on my face?" She laughed. After a few awkward seconds of just staring at each other, she sighed. "Okay, okay I get it. You're probably talking about tom business. I won't bother you, then.."

She flicked her striped-tail and slowly walked off. The three of them watched as Reedpaw noticed Dawnpaw and Birdpaw sitting outside the Apprentices' Den, yowled their names and raced over and began immediately chattering with them, eyes flashing in greeting.
All of them starting to sound like a flock of chirping starlings.

Applepaw twitched his whiskers and then chuckled. Beepaw snickered, shaking his fur out.
"Tom business?" Spikepaw meowed. "I suppose so." Applepaw hummed. Beepaw went to open his maw speak when suddenly Birchstar's yowl pierced the air.

"All cats old enough to swim, gather beneath the Tall Birch for a clan meeting!" Even though most of RiverClan was already gathered, the meeting call made everyone alert.

"The moon is at its highest, and we have to leave soon. I will now list the cats who will attend."
Applepaw perked his ears up, hoping he would get to go. He had made a promise to Maplepaw and didn't want to break it. He was really looking forward to seeing her at the gathering... But now was time to see!

    "Rainwhisker, Mintface, Harethroat, Shellskip, Mudbelly, Silverfern, Applepaw, Beepaw, Reedpaw, Spikepaw, Shadeeyes, Darkshadow and Milkfur." She paused to take a breath, "Ebonystream, if wish to join, feel free." She nodded at the black tabby queen who just nodded back to her and rose to her paws.
  "Perchwing, you will stand guard outside camp, Shimmerpelt you right after him, and Rippleheart you're in charge of camp." The three warriors nodded as Sloefur finished speaking.

The clan had gathered at the clans entrance, Applepaw buzzed with excitement at the thought of seeing his ThunderClan friend. They'd finally be able to catch up and talk without being judged.

•••

1950 Words.

I decided to cut this chapter in half so- slightly stupid, short Applepaw and Maplepaw interaction chapter and then a more interesting, much longer Gathering Chapter next time xoxo
(03/24/23)
[EDIT]

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So, before anyone comments on how stupid Applepaw is for being buddy buddy with Maplepaw. That's because he is. /hj