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Chapter Text

The Xianzhou Luofu

Leader

Jing Yuan (a white and gray tom with golden eyes)

Apprentice, Yunli

Deputy

Yukong (A blue-gray she-cat)

Medicine Cat

Lingsha (Brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes)

Apprentice, Bailu

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Feixiao (white and gray she-cat)

Moze (dark gray tom with gray eyes)

Tingyun (brown tabby she-cat with green eyes)

Hanya (Light gray she-cat with gray eyes)

Xueyi (Dark brown she-cat, pelt color almost black)

Apprentice, Huohuo

Jingliu (light gray tabby she-cat)

Apprentice, Yanqing

Jiaoqiu (Light gray tabby tom with orange eyes)

Fu Xuan (Ragdoll she-cat with gold eyes)

Apprentice, Qingque

Apprentices (More than 6 moons old, in training to become warriors)

Yanqing (ginger tom with yellow eyes)

Bailu (Short, stubby white tabby she-cat)

Yunli (fluffy blue-gray she-cat with white paws)

Qingque (light brown she-cat with green eyes with white paws)

Huohuo (ragdoll she-cat with teal eyes)

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Caiyi (Dusky brown she-cat. kit: Little Qing, a black she-cat with green eyes)

Suyi (Cinnamon brown colored she-cat, kits: Little Shang, A light brown she-kit with white spots, and Little Yue, A pure-white tom with amber eyes)

[unnamed queen] (Ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Kits: Little Gui, a ginger tabby she-kit, and Little Lance, a gray tabby tom)

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Huaiyan (a light-gray tom with white paws)

Penacony

Leader

Gopher wood (a completely black tom)

Deputy

Sunday (A blue-gray tom with yellow eyes)

Medicine Cat 

Gallagher (Dark brown tom with two white paws)

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Acheron (dark gray she-cat with a battle scar on her flank)

Apprentice, Misha

Jade (A fluffy light gray she-cat)

Apprentice, Topaz

Black Swan (black she-cat with amber eyes)

Apprentice, Aventurine

Boothill (black-and-white tom)

Veritas Ratio (A sleek black tom)

Robin (a blue-gray she-cat with green eyes)

Apprentice, Firefly

Argenti (A light gray tabby tom)

Sparkle (A brown-almost-black she-cat)

Apprentices (More than 6 moons old, in training to become warriors)

Firefly (Light gray and black she-cat)

Topaz (A white tabby she-cat)

Misha (dappled blue-gray tom)

Aventurine (ginger tabby tom with a thick tail)

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Rappa (A light gray tabby she-cat)

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Mikhail (Blue-gray tom with white spots)

Belobog

Leader

Cocolia (Ginger she-cat with lighter stripes)

Deputy

Bronya (gray tabby she-cat with lighter gray eyes)

Medicine Cat

Natasha (Blue-gray she-cat with black paws)

Apprentice, Lynx 

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Serval (light yellow she-cat with blue eyes)

Gepard (ginger tabby tom with blue eyes and white paws)

Apprentice, Pela

Sampo (Dark brown almost black tom with green eyes)

Oleg (Chocolate-and-gray tabby tom)

Apprentice, Luka

Fersman (medium gray tabby tom with lots of fur)

Svarog (blue-gray tom with black paws and gray eyes)

Seele (dark gray tabby she-cat with a white underbelly)

Apprentices (More than 6 moons old, in training to become warriors)

Pela (blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes)

Luka (White tabby tom with blue eyes)

Lynx (a ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes)

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

[unnamed queen] (Ginger she-cat with darker stripes, Kits: Little Juli, a dark brown tom with black paws, and Little Hook, a small light yellow tabby she-kit)

Dunya (Light brown tabby she-cat, Kit: Little Ali, a chocolate colored she-kit with gray eyes)

[unnamed queen] (Gray dappled she-cat with green eyes, kit: Little Clara, a snow white she-kit with gray spots)

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Old Goethe (Gray and black speckled tom)

Amphoreus

Leader

Cerydra (Snow white she cat with gray paws)

Deputy

Hysilens (a sleek black she-cat with a gray tail-tip)

Medicine Cat

Hyacine (Dappled white she-cat)

Assistant, Ica (gray gender neutral cat with white paws)

Apprentice, Clementine

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Mydei (Calico tom with many battle scars and one torn ear)

Apprentice, Cyrene

Anaxa (black tom)

Apprentice, Castorice

Aglaea (Tortoiseshell and cream she-cat, blind in both eyes)

Apprentice, Phainon

Evernight (Sleek and dark chocolate colored she-cat)

Cipher (gray she-cat with black and brown tipped tail)

Bartholos (Dark brown almost black gender neutral cat)

Apprentice, Polyxia

Cerces (ginger tabby she-cat with white paws)

Terravox (dark gray tabby tom)

Apprentices (More than 6 moons old, in training to become warriors)

Phainon (Gray tabby tom with blue-grey eyes)

Cyrene (Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with mixed eyes)

Castorice (Sliver-and-white she-cat)

Polyxia (White she-cat with gray speckles)

Clementine (Golden brown she-cat)

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Tribios (light gray tabby she-cat with black paw-pads, kits: Tribbie, a small light gray she-kit, Trianne, a light gray tabby she-kit, and Trinnon, a fluffy light gray she-kit with dark paws)

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Caenis (Gray and brown she-cat)

Callictis (cream colored tabby tom with a gray muzzle)

Chapter Text

29 days before Leafbare

Lingsha had sent Bailu out to go get some more yarrow, since they had run out from treating little Gui (guinaifen, name changed to fit her kit status). Seriously, who taught that kit to go adventuring herself and eat deathberries? This wasn’t the first time she followed an apprentice out of camp just for “an adventure”.

Anyway, there was an abundance of Yarrow leaves near the border, so Bailu went over to go get some. As she picked up the leaves, another medicine cat approached her. Her ears twitched as she looked up.

It was Hyacine, the Amphoreus medicine cat. Ica, her assistant, was next to her, carrying moss in their mouth, Bailu touched both cats’ noses in greeting. “Ica, Hyacine,” She started, blinking at them warmly, “What are you doing here?”

“The same as you. To get some more yarrow.” Hyacine replied, returning the blinking. “How is your clan doing?” Ica ripped up some yarrow next to her.

“Oh, we’re doing fine. We just ran out of yarrow because little Gui ate some deathberries. I swear, she’s so mouse-brained!” Bailu meowed in annoyance. “Who goes around eating deathberries? Didn’t her mother tell her and Little Lance (Guinaifen’s brother Lancelot, name changed to fit a kit) not to?”

“I’m not sure…maybe her mother thought that she wouldn’t try to leave the camp? She’s only 2 moons old, after all.” Hyacine replied.

“Still, there’s no excuse. Now Lingsha’s stuck treating her.” Bailu complained. “Maybe we would've if she wasn’t stuck treating a bunch of mousebrains. And I wouldn't have to restock a herb every two seconds!”

Hyacine let out a quiet mrrow of laughter at the apprentice’s whines. “Well, that’s your job as a medicine cat apprentice. I’m sure your mentor will have time to teach you other things even with a busy schedule.” 

“You’ve better be correct.” Bailu huffed, flicking her tail in annoyance. 

“Well, I should get going. You should probably get the yarrow back to Lingsha, too.” Hyacine passed Bailu some yarrow. Bailu picked it up with her mouth and nodded in thanks, waving her tail for farewell.

When she got back to the Xianzhou Luofu’s medicine den, there was a sleeping Little Gui on the nest there and an exhausted Lingsha. Bailu dropped the yarrow in the storage for medicine.

“Bailu, you’re back.” Lingsha murmured, pressing her own nose against Bailu’s. 

“I got the yarrow, as you asked.” Bailu meowed, her tail upright. “I bumped into Hyacine on the way. I hope that telling her about Little Gui’s poisoning caused no problems?”

Lingsha sighed. “Don’t tell anyone next time. Luckily Little Gui is still a kit, so it shouldn’t be a weakness Amphoreus can exploit.”

“Okay, I won’t.” Bailu went to check on Little Gui. The kit was peacefully sleeping. She seemed stable for now.

“Go get some fresh-kill.” Lingsha suggested. “Everyone else has eaten. It’s just us that haven’t.”

“Come with me.” Bailu mewed. She glanced up at Lingsha with those cute eyes that were impossible to refuse. “Please? Little Gui shouldn’t need anything for the next few hours.”

Lingsha gave in. “Fine.” She meowed. “But we’re coming back right after.”

Both cats headed out of the medicine cat den and to the fresh-kill pile. There was only one squirrel left. Bailu separated the lone squirrel in half and made a point to give the slightly (like, 1 mm) larger side of the prey to Lingsha. Her tail went straight up as she had a proud expression on her face. Lingsha Lingsha gave in. “Fine.” She meowed. “But we’re coming back right after.”

Both cats headed out of the medicine cat den and to the fresh-kill pile. There was only one squirrel left. Bailu separated the lone squirrel in half and made a point to give the slightly (like, 1 mm) larger side of the prey to Lingsha. Her tail went straight up as she had a proud expression on her face. Lingsha stared at her in absolute confusion but decided to not even ask.

Bailu ate her side of the squirrel extremely fast. Lingsha ate it slower to avoid choking due to haste. “Hehe, I’m faster than you~” Bailu taunted as she finished her food (she finished it in like, half a minute T^T).

“First, it’s not a competition, second, did you give me the slightly larger portion just so you could win this competition that we never agreed on?” Lingsha meowed, unamused.

“No. But if you want you can give me that 1 mm back-”

Lingsha rolled her eyes. “No. And don’t eat so fast next time. You’ll choke. Then the medicine cat apprentice will need a medicine cat.”

Once Lingsha finished her food, she and Bailu headed back to the medicine den. On the way there, Bailu slammed into another cat, around the same size as her.

"You stupid furball! Watch where you're going!" A voice to the northeast of her hissed. Bailu looked up and saw Yunli and Yanqing in front of her. And it looks like they were about to start verbally fighting again.

Lingsha shook her head and left Bailu there to go to the medicine cat den. She could not deal with this shit today :crying emoji: :praying emoji:.

"You watch where you're going!" Yanqing shot back. "You're the one who led me here and made me bump into the medicine cat apprentice!"

"Classic Yanqing, blaming it on me now? At least I didn't bump into her!" Yunli hissed.

"Stop arguing! Gosh, you two are so immature..." Bailu broke in. "Maybe you should go back to the nursery and spend time with Little Shang (sushang, name swapped to fit a kit's) and Little Gui?"

"Absolutely not!" Both apprentices meowed at the same time.

"Us, in the nursery? No way, we're apprentices now. Plus, those kits are wayy too loud!" Yunli retorted.

"My mentor can't teach me things if I'm in the nursery!" Yanqing mewed at the same time.

Bailu's mint green and yellow eyes held a glimmer of amusement as she watched the two try to defend their honor. "Alright, I'm just teasing. The nursery probably shouldn't house two bickering apprentices. You'd bother every kit and every queen trying to rest there."

Yunli and Yanqing both let out a sigh of relief. "oh thank starclan." Yunli sighed.

"Anyway, we should probably go back to the apprentice den. Our mentors are making us get up at dawn for the hunting patrol, because Leafbare is coming soon and we have to bury fresh-kill underground or something." Yanqing meowed. "Come on Yunli."

"Ok, fine. It was nice catching up with you-!" Yunli let out a yelp as Yanqing dragged her away by the tail. “I have legs, you annoying furball!”

Bailu smirked. Looks like those two haven't changed at all. Then she turned around and headed back to the medicine cat den.

(she went the wrong direction and had to loop around the entire camp to get back to the den lol T^T)

Time: 28 days before leafbare

Bailu and Lingsha were over at Penacony collecting horsetail. Lingsha was also teaching Bailu more about being a medicine cat, so the apprentice's wishes were fulfilled :D.

Lingsha was repeating the medicine cat code to Bailu again, because the former was convinced that this was extremely important.

"And again, medicine cats CANNOT have a mate or kits ok?"

"I know, Lingsha. You've been telling me this everyday." Bailu complained, rolling her eyes. 

"And I'll tell you this a million more times if I have to. You’re not repeating the same mistakes some previous medicine cats made." Lingsha picked up the horsetail and turned back around to go to the XIanzhou Luofu. Bailu quickly grabbed more and followed Lingsha.

When they entered the Xianzhou territory, they noticed that the hunting patrol was hunting there already. Today, the patrol consisted of Xueyi, Huohuo and Hanya. Xueyi was teaching Huohuo a better position to hunt prey (Xueyi is Huohuo's mentor).

Huohuo pounced and actually caught the mouse. "Good job, you actually caught it." Xueyi meowed.

"Thanks...Yunli's been teaching me when she has time..." Huohuo mumbled.

Bailu cast Huohuo a knowing glance before quickening her pace to catch up to her mentor, who literally started to leave her-in hindsight, it was probably her own fault for pausing to stare at the hunting patrol, but whatever.

Inside the medicine cat den, Yunli was already there. Beside her, there was a large tom. Bailu recognized him as Jing Yuan, Yunli's mentor.

"Ah, you're back, Lingsha." Jing yuan nodded. "Yunli got stung by a bee."

Yunli huffed. "Did not! The bee just walked past me and its stinger accidentally got on me."

Lingsha clearly did not believe the young she-cat. "mhm...Bailu, could you go get some borage while I treat Yunli here?" Bailu rolled her eyes and nodded, stalking out of the medicine den.

While she was collecting the herbs, she noticed the (second) hunting patrol out. This time consisting of Fu Xuan, Qingque, and...

Bailu called, "Hey, Tingyun!"

Chapter Text

Time: 28 days before leafbare

Tingyun was sent out on a hunting patrol with Fu Xuan and Qingque. She crouched down followed the scent of a vole.

Her eyes locked on the prey. When she got close enough, she lunged, swiftly biting the vole. Qingque bounced excitedly as she caught them.

“Uwahh! Tingyun is so cool!! Teach me!” Qingque exclaimed, jumping up and down.

“Qingque, she’s not your mentor. She shouldn’t be teaching you hunting skills.” Fu Xuan reminded her. “I’m your mentor, you stupid furball.”

“Oh yeah- can you teach me how to hunt?” Qingque asked uselessly.

“I already did–are you actually mousebrained?” Fu Xuan snapped.

Tingyun rolled her eyes at the pointless conversation in front of her. Sometimes she wondered why Jing Yuan even appointed Fu Xuan as Qingque’s mentor. Seriously.

Since usually, thinking of higher ups meant that Tingyun was going to think about the deputy, Yukong…. And how ANNOYING it was that she already had a mate. Qingque and Fu xuan were too busy going around in circles to pay attention to her, so her thoughts probably wouldn’t be interrupted for another-

“Hey, Tingyun!” The shrill call from a familiar voice snapped her out of it. Tingyun jumped, startled, her fur bristling.

She instantly relaxed when she noticed it was Bailu. “Bailu, don’t scare me like that…” Tingyun sighed.

“Haha, sorry, was that too sudden?” Bailu’s eyes held a glimmer of amusement. 

“Bailu!” Qingque bounded away from her mentor to go greet the fellow cat she was denmates with not so long ago.

“This kit…” Fu Xuan groaned. “I’m going to claw her eyes out one day, I swear.”

“You almost clawed out her ears yesterday, so I don’t think that’s too far off.” Tingyun teased, her ears twitching. Fu Xuan’s only response was a glare.

“Qingque! How are you doing?” Bailu asked. “Have you found someone else to play with you yet?”

Qingque huffed. “No.” She complained, wagging the tip of her tail. “I’ve been trying to force Fu Xuan to, but it's not really working. She just forces me to train more, ugh.”

Fu Xuan twitched her ears, irritated. “Stupid apprentice…” She padded over to Qingyun and grabbed her scruff with her teeth, dragging her away.

“EHHH? Fu Xuan, I’m not done-!” Qingque yelped.

Bailu watched them leave. “Did I bother you guys hunting…?”

Tingyun shook her head, blinking at her. “no, you didn’t. I caught the vole before you called, so you didn’t scare away any prey either.”

“That's good.” Bailu sighed in relief. “How are you, Tingyun?”

“Oh, I’m fine. Just the same old routine.” Tingyun was an expert at deception. There was no way in hell she would tell any cat in the Xianzhou Luofu–heck, even in the whole forest–about the conflict weighing on her mind right now.

“Yeah, I would imagine! Anything you need help with?” Bailu straightened up.

“Um, Bailu, don’t you have things to be doing?” Tingyun gestured to the borage that Bailu had dropped.

“Ohhh, shoot.” Bailu groaned. “Ugh, looks like I still have work.” Bailu picked up the borage and mumbled something that Tingyun deciphered as “gotta get back to Lingsha bye”.

Bailu ran off with the borage she was carrying. Tingyun shook her head before deciding to continue hunting.

She looked around for the hunting patrol. The fuck, where did they go-

~~meanwhile, at the mentor and mentee duo~~

“That's weird,where did Tingyun-” Qingque suddenly gasped. “We left her back there, didn’t we?”

~~back to Tingyun~~

When Tingyun returned to the camp, her eyes scanned the premises, landing on the deputy speaking to her mate. Also known as, Yukong speaking to Caiyi. She had to repress a hiss at the sight of them.

“What are you doing-” Yanqing asked, randomly teleporting (not really) behind Tingyun. The latter recognized him as the kid that traded away her gifts for sticks or something.

“Where did you come from?” Tingyun asked, actually surprised for once. 

“Training.” Yanqing replied. “Now, answer my question. Why are you glaring daggers at the deputy?”

“For absolutely no reason.” That was somehow the best excuse Tingyun could come up with. 

“Mouse-brain.” Yunli came up behind the other two cats. “Is it not obvious? It obvious that big sis Tingyun-”

Fuck fuck fuck. As if this couldn’t get any worse. Now Yunli was about to announce her secret out loud. Tingyun even noticed that the kits were peeking out of the nursery, curious. Well, Little Yue and Little Shang were, anyway.

“-Wants to be the deputy, duhhh.” Yunli’s announcement startled Tingyun. Deputy? She hadn’t even thought of that! Yukong was an excellent deputy, and she had zero qualms about that. But if it could throw the apprentices off her track…

“Yeah, that.” Tingyun mewed, in what she hoped was a convincing tone. But somehow, the two apprentices were too stupid to figure out how unenthusiastic she sounded.

“But you need an apprentice first..” Yanqing mused.

Yunli gasped as if she found an entire family of mice to catch. “How about you be my mentor?” She asked.

“Yunli, are you stupid?? Jing yuan is already your mentor! And he’s the literal clan leader!” Yanqing smacked her with his paw.

“Big sis Tingyun, he's bullying me!” Yunli pouted.

“Are you guys sure you're six moons old?” Tingyun asked, letting out a mrrow of laughter.

“I’m 9 moons old!” Yunli gasped dramatically.

“I’m 11 moons old!” Yanqing exclaimed at the same time.

“You're like, the second cat that's called us kits recently.” Yunli huffed.

“Can't you see that we're apprentices already? That means we aren't little anymore.” Yanqing added. “And I’m almost a warrior!”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. Now shouldn't you guys be training with your mentors?” Tingyun asked, pointing her muzzle towards the camp’s exit.

“Jingliu went hunting by herself. And Jing yuan fell asleep and we tried everything, but he wouldn't get up.” Yanqing sighed. “He deserves his rest, he's taught Yunli well. And he’s been an amazing clan leader..”

“Yanqing what is wrong with you? It sounds like he joined the ranks of Starclan!!” *Yanqing kicked him with her hind leg. “This kit keeps on being honorable around my mentor. It's like he's expecting him to die at any moment! I get that Jing yuan’s his father, but still!”

“Go check on Jing Yuan again. He might be awake.” Tingyun offered.

“Fine.” Both cats headed off to the warriors’ den.

Tingyun walked outside of camp to go get a sip of water, her steps noticeably lighter. How does Jing yuan and Jingliu deal with these kits, anyway?

Time: 27 days before leafbare

“Let all cats old enough to catch their prey gather here beneath the Highledge!” Jing yuan yowl startled Tingyun, who had just returned to camp alongside Huohuo and Xueyi.

Huohuo seemed to be 10 times more shocked than Tingyun, because she dropped the squirrel she was carrying and tripped over her own tail when she tried to retrieve it. Poor cat.

“What is it now..” Xueyi murmured as she headed to the Highledge, causing Huohuo to scramble up and chase after her mentor.

Tingyun followed closely behind, her ears twitching in confusion. Within moments, the entire clan had gathered beneath the Highledge, staring at their clan leader expectantly.

Tingyun noticed Little Qing (Qingni, name changed to fit a kit’s) pushing her way in between other cats, and something clicked in her head.

“I gather you all for a very important occasion.” Jing yuan began, somehow managing to not look sleepy. “Little Qing has reached her sixth moon.”

Little Qing bounced in excitement. Unlike some other kits, who were usually nervous during this ceremony, Tingyun noticed that Little Qing seemed to be the exact opposite.

“She has grown to be an obedient and quick-witted cat,” Yukong continued. “and I believe that she is ready to be an apprentice.”

“Little Qing,” Jing yuan meowed. The kit stepped forward, her tail held upright in confidence. “From this day on, you shall be known as Qingni.”

Before the other apprentices could even call out her name, the other kits in the nursery just started squealing. Little Gui was the loudest of all, her interpretation of “Qingni” ringing in the other cats’ ears.

“Why are they so loud?” Qingque complained, crouching lower. The other apprentices seemed to pay no mind, as they started chanting alongside the kits. 

“Qingni! Qingni!” Yunli led the chant enthusiastically. 

Jing Yuan looked up at the sky, covered with wispy white clouds that covered about half of its surface area, apparently searching for Starclan. “I ask Skycl-wait no I mean Starclan- to watch over you, and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior.”

Jing Yuan looked up and locked eyes with Tingyun. “Tingyun.”

Tingyun’s eyes widened, surprised. She did not expect to be a mentor so soon! Slowly, she padded towards Qingni, feeling her pelt prickle with excitement.

“I know that I am putting Qingni in your safe paws. I trust you will pass on all that you have learned to Qingni and help you become a warrior that the clan will be proud of.” Jing Yuan meowed.

“I won't let the Xianzhou Luofu down.” Tingyun promised, her voice steady and confident.

Qingni trotted over to Tingyun and touched noses with her, accepting Tingyun as her mentor. 

“I hope Qingni will train hard and serve our Clan well.” Jing Yuan mewed after all the commotion died down. Tingyun, out of the corner for her eye, noticed how proud Qingni’s mother looked. She still resented the dusky brown she-cat, but her jealousy melted away for a second. I promise I will teach your daughter in the best way I can, Caiyi. 

“I will.” Qingni grinned. “What’s my first duty as an apprentice?” She asked Tingyun.

“I’ll show you around the forest after we find a nest for you in the apprentice’s den.” Tingyun meowed. 

Qingni nodded excitedly and padded after her mentor.

Tingyun took her to the den. The moss next to Qingque’s moss bedding was free. Tingyun also had no clue why Yanqing's one was pushed up against the wall, but whatever. Once they had finished doing that, Tingyun took Qingni outside of camp.

Qingni’s yellow-green eyes sparkled at the sight of the forest. “Are you gonna teach me to hunt today?” She asked, her tail twitching with excitement.

Tingyun let out a mrrow of amusement. “Once we finish exploring the territory, maybe.”

Twenty minutes later…

Tingyun had just been explaining the training grounds to Qingni when she suddenly lunged and pounced on nothing. Tingyun stared at her in confusion.

“There was a mouse,” Qingni explained sheepishly. 

“Qingni, we were not being discrete at all. The prey will most definitely notice us.” Tingyun sighed. She saw Qingni’s disappointed face and caved in. “Fine. I’ll teach you how to hunt.”

Qingni looked up. “Really?” her eyes sparkled.

Tingyun nodded. “I'll start by teaching you the hunting crouch.”

When Qingni headed back to camp, she had a mouse dangling from her jaws. Tingyun followed closely behind, actually impressed for once.

As Qingni placed the mouse on the fresh kill pile, Qingque came out of nowhere. “You caught a mouse on the first day?”

Qingni nodded. “Yeah, Tingyun taught me how to hunt! She said I was a natural.” 

“Well, good job! The first day of my apprenticeship, I caught a leaf.” Qingque mewed. 

Tingyun watched the two of them talk. Then Qingque bounded up to Tingyun to say, “hey, Tingyun, can I go with Qingni to the apprentices’ den now?”

Chapter Text

27 days before leafbare

Tingyun had been teaching Qingni hunting. While she was teaching her the stance, Qingni spotted a squirrel perched on the ground, eating something. She pointed her muzzle towards it, gesturing to her mentor. 

Once Tingyun nodded and let her try and hunt it, Qingni stalked up behind the squirrel, feeling her belly fur brushing against the ground. The squirrel, suddenly aware of Qingni, ran off. Qingni tried to pounce at it, but ended up a tail-length away from the prey.

“Fuck!” Qingni hissed.

“Qingni who taught you that…” Tingyun asked, her disapproval evident in her voice.

“I heard you saying it.” Qingni explained, shrugging. “Whenever you’re upset or something. Or you know, when you’re staring at my mother.”

Tingyun felt her fur prickle with embarrassment. Qingni’s mother was Caiyi, and she had mumbled “fuck you” under her breath to Caiyi every time she saw Caiyi and Yukong doing something romantic or something (eg. sharing tongues).

“You shouldn’t say that.” Tingyun murmured.

Qingni shrugged and went back to looking for prey, despite the fact that they had practically scared all of the prey away. 

From the corner of her eye, she noticed a pile of leaves, which were orange and yellow due to Leaf-fall, moving briefly. Carefully, she crept up to it, her belly fur barely brushing the ground.

She pounced onto the pile of leaves. The force of her movement blew away some of the leaves, and she saw a wood mouse in between her paws. She bit it swiftly behind the neck, killing it.

“Good job, Qingni!” Tingyun sounded surprised. “Most apprentices don’t catch prey on the first day. You’re a natural at hunting, it seems!”

Qingni glowed with pride. The excitement lasted all the way back to camp.

When both the cats arrived at the camp, Qingque bounded towards Qingni. “You caught a mouse on the first day!” 

Qingni nodded, “Yeah, Tingyun taught me how to hunt!” She exclaimed, bouncing happily. “She said I was a natural.”

“Well, good job!” Qingque exclaimed. “the first day of my apprenticeship, I caught a leaf.”

Qingni snorted, amused. “Seriously?”

“yup. Fu Xuan hit me with a sheathed claw when I told her I caught some prey.” Qingque mewed.

“Wow…that's…” Qingni was out of words. The situation was just too funny.

Qingque bounded up to Tingyun and meowed, “hey, Tingyun, can I go with Qingni to the apprentices’ den now?”

Qingni jumped up and down, excited. Tingyun saw how excited both the apprentices were and gave them the green light to go back.

Qingque took Qingni to the apprentices’ den. Huohuo’s scent was still fresh on her bedding. Yunli was still there, dead asleep.

“I've been meaning to ask, why is there a nest pushed up against the wall?” Qingni asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

“Yanqing refuses to sleep next to Yunli, so he decided the next best thing was to sleep on the wall. I don't understand it, either.” Qingque shrugged. “Most of the kits seem to ship them.”

“Seems unlikely. They're fighting all the time. How can you be mates if you fight this much?” Qingni reasoned. 

“Go tell that to the kits. I'm sure they'd definitely listen to you.” Qingque padded over to the back of the den and pulled aside some of the brambles to reveal an apprentice sized hole in the wall. “And here's where I slack off. Until Fu Xuan gets sick of looking for me.”

“How did you manage that?” Qingni asked, shocked.

“Oh, your mentor helped me. I swear, I need to repay the favor.” Qingque murmured. 

“Is the sun setting soon?” Qingni looked outside of the den.

“Yeah, it is.” Qingque confirmed. “Want to eat together before we go to sleep?”

Qingni nodded quickly, and followed Qingque to the fresh kill pile. Qingque picked out a particularly fresh thrush from the middle of the pile. The bird was recently killed, so it was still warm. Qingque and Qingni shared the piece of fresh kill as the sun gradually went down.

When nightfall hit, Qingni curled up in her moss bedding and drifted off to sleep.

Time: 26 days before leafbare

“Qingni! Battle training!” Tingyun called, poking Qingni with her paw. Qingni opened her eyes and sat up groggily.

“Right now?” Qingni groaned. “The dawn patrol hasn’t even come back!”

As if on cue, Jiaoqiu, Feixiao, Huohuo and Yanqing entered the camp, each holding fresh kill in their jaws.

“The dawn patrol has just come back.” TIngyun tapped Qingni again, a little more forcefully this time. “Come on, Qingni”

Qingni grumbled and got up, stretching. “Alright, alright.”

“Huohuo!” Tingyun called. “Get Xueyi. Battle training.”

Huohuo nodded frantically and ran off to the other side of the camp, where Xueyi was grooming herself. Huohuo and Xueyi arrived next to Tingyun and Qingni moments later.

Qingni followed the rest of the cats to the clearing, her pawsteps crunching against the dry leaves on the ground. 

“I-I'm not the best at battle moves, so you don't need to worry too much.” Huohuo reassured Qingni shakily, her voice timid and high-pitched as always. “I'm sure that Xueyi will let us train together…you’ll probably win.”

Qingni wasn’t very close with Huhuo (she was closer with the kits than she was with Huohuo), but a chance to train with her is a chance to train nonetheless. “Challenge accepted.” She purred. “I’ll beat you in a spar, guaranteed!" 

“Hurry up. You’re lagging behind.” Xueyi snapped.

Huohuo and Qingni quickened their pace, catching up to their mentors. When they got to the clearing, it was blissfully empty. Qingni guessed that Yanqing and Yunli were forced to clean the elder’s den due to misbehaviour again (and Qingque was probably hiding in her hole). Haha.

Tingyun took Qingni to one corner of the clearing. “I’ll teach you some fighting techniques. Claws sheathed.” The she-cat warned. Qingni made her claws slide back into her paws, embarrassed. She had accidentally unsheathed her claws in excitement.

Tingyun demonstrated a front paw strike. Basically, slice downward with your front paw at your opponent. “Practice on me.” Tingyun suggested. “When you’ve learned enough moves, you can practice with Huohuo.”

Qingni’s eyes lit up hearing that, and she readied her stance enthusiastically. She lifted her paw and slashed at her mentor. Her mentor easily sidestepped, avoiding it. “Too slow. Try again.” Tingyun mewed.

Qingni and Tingyun practiced battle moves until it was almost sunhigh. Then Tingyun called Huohuo over. “Huohuo! You can practice with Qingni now.”

Qingni gasped. “Really? I’m doing well? We can practice together?”

Tingyun nodded. Qingni bounded up to Huohuo and spun round thrice before turning to face Huohuo. “So we just spar, right?”

“I think so, yes.” Huohuo confirmed. “It was like this when I did it with Yanqing. And Qingque. And…Yunli…” Huohuo’s expression became all moony for half a second before switching back to timid mode. “Come on, let’s start.”

Qingni nodded, and sheathed her claws. She watched Huohuo do the same. Then, she  slashed at Huohuo with her front paw. Huohuo dodged and kicked Qingni with her back paws, throwing the latter off balance, before pinning Qingni down. Qingni swiped Huohuo’s stomach, and instantly jumped up when Huohuo loosened her grip.

Now upright, Qingni jumped behind Huohuo and attempted to grip the she-cat’s fur.  Huohuo stepped back, dodging it, then bounded off the wall with her back paws, and landed on Qingni, pinning down the latter with her paws.

“Good job.” Tingyun purred as the two cats separated. “Qingni, you learn fast. You need to work on your speed, though.”

Qingni’s eyes gleamed and she nodded quickly. “I'll improve my speed, I promise!” She mewed enthusiastically.

Huohuo glanced at her mentor. Xueyi gave her a curt nod, and Huohuo twitched her ears happily.

Qingni and Tingyun practiced until sunhigh.

Huohuo glanced nervously at her mentor. Xueyi gave her a firm nod and mentioned something about technique or strength, Qingni wasn’t even paying attention at this point. Her entire body was thrumming from excitement, and she felt like she could jump to Starclan.

“Qingni, are you listening to me?” Tingyun asked, tapping Qingni’s pelt with her paw. 

Qingni snapped back to reality. “Huh? What?”

“I said, we’re going back to camp.” Tingyun repeated, rolling her eyes playfully. 

Qingni’s pelt warmed with embarrassment. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Tingyun led the way back to camp, leaving Qingni stumbling over her paws to catch up to her.

Qingni picked a fresh and plump starling from the fresh-kill pile. Yunli padded up to her. “Hey, Qingni! How do you like it as an apprentice so far?”

“I love it. It’s much better than staying in the nursery all day.” Qingni remarked, pushing the starling towards Yunli. “Wanna share?”

Yunli nodded and the apprentices shared the bird. Qingni licked her own paws a few times afterwards and turned around just in time to see Fu Xuan dragging Qingque by the tail out of the hollow.

Yunli let out a purr of laughter. “That’s what she gets for slacking off! Fu Xuan’s gonna claw her ears off!” She taunted. “Can you imagine? Couldn’t be me~!”

Qingni watched her laugh with a tinker of amusement shining in her eyes. As she opened her mouth to respond, Jingliu called, “Yunli! Hunting patrol!”

Yunli kicked the dried leaf on the floor with her back paw. “Dammit. Catch you later!” Yunli bounded up to Jingliu and started talking to her with extreme speed. Qingni managed to catch, “Should I catch a vole today? Or a shrew? A thrush? A squirrel? Or maybe all the prey went underground already. Couldn’t we technically dig them up since the ground isn’t frozen over yet?”

“STOP TALKING.” Jingliu’s hiss made Yunli shut up…for about two seconds. Then Yunli went on talking AGAIN. Qingni couldn’t catch that, but it was probably bad, since Jingliu looked like she was about to rip her own ears off. 

“Qingni!” Caiyi called. Qingni padded up towards her, cocking her head to the side. “How would you like to go to the border patrol at sunset?”

Qingni gasped. “You’ll let me?”

“Technically, Tingyun suggested it to Yukong and she decided to ask me for a second opinion,” Caiyi shrugged. “She said you’ll be going with Yanqing and Tingyun, since she’s your mentor.”

“Is Yanqing less insufferable when he isn’t with Yunli?” Qingni asked her mother hurriedly. “Cause he’s terrible when he’s with Yunli!”

“That- I guess so?” Caiyi looked a bit puzzled. “Is he really that bad?”

Qingni nodded. Tingyun came up behind Qingni to say, “Qingni, come on, you’ve got to change the elders’ bedding.”

“Whaaat?” Qingni complained. “I thought Yanqing and Yunli already did that?”

“They searched the elders for ticks. They hadn’t replaced their bedding.” Tingyun replied. “Jing Yuan and Jingliu whisked them away to practice stalking techniques before they could.”

“Alright fine, I’ll replace their bedding.” Qingni sighed and went to the medicine den to go grab some spare moss that hopefully didn’t have any thorns in them.

When sunset finally arrived, Qingni was practically about to explode from anticipation. She met up with Tingyun and Yanqing near the fresh-kill pile.

“You’ve arrived. Can we go now?” Yanqing asked Tingyun, the tip of his tail twitching.

“Yeah, we can. Follow me, Qingni.” Tingyun led the way to the border. Qingni tried her best to keep her pawsteps light.

As they neared the border, Tingyun paused. Yanqing stared at Tingyun. “What happened?” HE mewed.

“There are traps here.” TIngyun responded.