As Silent as Ghosts

[latepath]

Latepath padded into camp with a bit of a sigh. She made her way to the freshkill pile, and added the rat and raven she had caught earlier. She then stood up taller and gazed around camp... Seeing that everything seemed fine she lowered her head and turned towards a stone.
She laid down in it's shadow and started grooming herself. She rarely had a quiet moment to herself, so she wanted to make this last. Latepath frowned, noticing how grubby she was; she hadn't groomed in days. She had a lot of work to do.

[Neon Blue]

Racingstep

An amber gaze peered out from a dark corner, blinking softly as they landed upon Latepath. There was a sigh as the black cat heaved herself to her paws, moving from the shadows that hide her so well. She stretched her limbs, mouth opening in a loud yawn. She had taken a small nap after her endless round of hunting. However leaf-bare this year was more violent, harsh. She had come home with only two mice and a rat.

She shook her head, ashamed with her catch. But it was something that couldn't be helped. Padding forward, her sights set on her fellow Fighter she meowed, "hello there Latepath. How is your hunting going today?"

[latepath]

Latepath paused in her grooming, and looked over as another cat approached her. She stopped and sat up, deciding she was pretty much done, anyway. She gave a respectful nod to other she-cat, despite being the Backup of the clan, she still showed equal respect to each and everyone her clanmates.
"It was... decent." She said after a brief pause. She had chosen to go hunting by herself, even after her solo boarder patrol. Even though she assigned patrols to do this, she still felt responsibility on taking part once in a while.
"Truth be told..." She said with a sigh, as she confessed. "It wasn't as good as it could have been." She gazed out in the horizon. "Leafbare is going to be harsh this season."
She usually didn't share her thoughts to other clanmates, knowing now that she was Back up, that her words would hold more power, and she didn't wish to worry anyone. But sometimes she talked with fellow Fighters about Clan troubles.

[Neon Blue]

Racingstep

The black Fighter didn't seem to might the Back-Ups honesty and nodded in agreement. "Your right, I can feel the bad weather to come all the way to my bones," she whispered. She turned, her gaze following Latepaths to stare out the mausoleum doors where the run was starting to fall. The stone structure that acted like their camp would keep them protected from all wind and snow, thankfully. But it did nothing to help with prey.

Her tail tip twitched, a telling sign of her own worry, as she turned her attention back to her clan mate. "The dawn patrol will be heading out soon, hopefully they caught no scent of Riverclan on our territory."

[latepath]

Latepath frowned hearing what Racingstep had to say about the cold weather still to come and the Riverclan scent. Being a Back up was hard and the responsibility came with a lot of stress as well. She found herself sometimes second guessing herself, wondering if she made the right choices, and thinking about what clan life would be like if someone else had been Back up. Would the clan be better off?
She sighed, and shook her head, erasing the worries that clouded her thoughts like an approaching storm. There was no use in worrying about it now, what was important was performing her duties, and doing the best she could for Thunderclan.

[Neon Blue]

Racingstep

The black Fighter jerked her head to the side, ears perked when a noise from the nursery sounded. But she calmed soon enough, it was only the Mothers settling down. She shifted on heavy paws, perhaps another hunting mission for her was what she needed. Glancing over at the Backup she twitched her whiskers. "Hey, Latepath, Want to go hunting?"

[latepath]

Latepath glanced at the nursery, hearing some commotion, and noticed the Mothers getting more comfortable. She then briefly thought, about what it must be like to be a mother. She had never given it much thought, and she never really showed any interest in finding a mate.
She then flicked her ears, hearing the suggestion made by Racingstep, and she smiled. "Sure." She said cheerfully. Though, she was just out hunting, she could go for another round. She hadn't caught as much, and clearly both she-cats were feeling anxious; getting out would surely calm them down.
Latepath got up on her paws and stretched, before turning to Racingstep. "Why don't you lead?" She offered, with a smile; after all, it was her idea. And she liked handing responsibility to other Fighters. It allowed them to develop more, to learn and gain more confidence, as well as experience. Not only did it often please them, but she hoped that it would also result in growing more talented Fighters, and strengthen the whole clan.

[Neon Blue]

Racingstep

Turning her head shortly, she blinked her amber eyes at Latepath, but she said nothing. It was just a surprise that a cat of such a high position should offer her the lead. Nodding softly she moved toward the mausoleum entrance, eyes focused. "Perhaps the dancing willows will have prey today."

[latepath]

Latepath watched as Racingstep looked at her before nodding in answer. Then she followed the Fighter as she padded to wards the entrance of camp. The Dancing Willows? That was a very well chosen spot, in Latepath's opinion. Even in this bitter cold, prey was almost always there.
The Back up glanced over her shoulder to look at the Thunderclan camp, and she scanned it one more time. Seeing that everything was as peaceful as ever she stepped outside and into the territory, following just behind the Fighter.

[Exit Latepath]
(I'll let you start, Neon. )

[Tanglepaw]

Icewind padded out of her den. She saw two cats, she thought that were Latepath and Racingstep leave the camp, and the ginger and white tabby she-cat sat down to groom her pelt.
After a while she scanned the camp with her icy-blue eyes and wondered whether her apprentice has already left the ThunderClancamp.
The healers belly rummpled and she let out a sigh while padding to the fresh-killpile.
She chose a rat that smelled after Latepath.