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Kestreldart wrinkled his nose. The scent of disease and sickness engulfed the camp. The somali tom flicked one of his wide-set rounded ears back as a feeble cough sounded from inside the barren nursery he had stopped outside. The camp seemed almost deserted, the members either sleeping or gone. Cats had been taken. Disappearing. A chill rippled down his spine, and he hurried away from the den where the sick offspring were. The tomcat blinked. They had lost two cats last night. It had all started only half a moon ago. It frightened him, inside.

Kestreldart padded up to his leader. His overly-fluffy tail swished to and fro behind him, and his shoulders rolled beneath his pelt. "Morning, Tearstar." The tom dipped his head formally in respect, his golden gaze travelling down to his paws with it. He then returned his optics to rest on hers. His gaze was blank with pain as he realised he had to tell her the news. "...Two cats last night."

[justify]_{sootpaw, head resting on dainty little paws, listened to the feeble coughs of the tiny kittens just outside of the apprentices den. his long tail swished through the leaves, making a trail in his nest and making a heap on either side of the apprentices den. having the hollowed out space all to himself required nothing more than one nest, and one or two extras that were set up in the corner. another loud, sickly wail trailed in through the entrance, and sootpaw clamped his paws over his ears to drain out the sound. the young apprentice had done everything he could to help with the sick kits, but between the medicine den and warrior training, sootpaw couldn't keep up with it all.}[/justify]

The tom nodded solemnly, before getting to his paws as Tearstar retreated to talk to her apprentice. He too made his way over to the young cat he was mentoring, and sat down. "Good morning, Sootpaw. Are you up for some warrior training to get your mind off of things?" Kestreldart himself knew that his apprentice was more medicine cat material, but that didn't mean he couldn't learn to hunt and fight for himself, did it?

Ivorytassel flicked his ear lazily. There he was, sprawling out in the warrior's den, oblivious to the disasters outside of the beautifully woven walls. He let out a sleepy yawn, stretching out his fawn limbs as the sun struck his orange eyes from the shafts between the material. The tom got to his paws, and stretched, cracking the knot in his back. Ivory rolled his shoulders back and forth, as if debating whether or not to leave the warm cosiness of his nest.

[justify]_{startled, sootpaw snapped his head up to where his mentor was sitting. clearly, the tom was waiting for an answer to something. sootpaw nodded solemnly, not exactly regretting training but still not exactly looking forward to it. "yes, why not?" he said, a flat tone wavering in his voice. the gray tabby wasn't in the mood to do anything, but maybe a quick run would summon up the energy to train.}[/justify]

The tom nodded, seeing his apprentice wasn't really feeling very spirited. Kestreldart got to his paws, and waved his tail. "I'll race you to the river. It'll be a good place to hunt on a day like this. Remember, be careful, and stop before you get too close. Be on your guard for... y'know."

[justify]_{a fear unlike any other pierced sootpaw's heart like a bow-and-arrow. what if him and his mentor somehow disappeared like the others? sootpaw swallowed the lump rising up his throat and tried to think happy thoughts. of course nothing would happen. how silly was that? besides, it was light enough now where it would be hard to disappear without someone noticing it.
"alright, lets race." finally, something to summon up energy, and one of sootpaw's favorite activities at that; running. if anything, running was perhaps another hobby sootpaw had, even if he didn't run often anymore out of fear. rising to his paws, the gray tabby got himself ready in the beginning stance and waited for his mentor to make the signal.}[/justify]

The tomcat raised his tail in a silent signal, before bursting out of camp. His long legs sped over the grass as he weaved between willow trees, his ears flat against his well-formed skull. His tail streamed out from behind him like a squirrel's, and he glanced back to see if Sootpaw was keeping up.

[justify]_{rushing after his mentor, sootpaw kept his nose at the tip of his mentors tail as he chased after him, soon appearing at his side. the training clearing was coming up soon, and if sootpaw could just pick up the pace a little bit...
panting, sootpaw slid to a halt a centimeter behind his mentor. "i almost... got... you." he managed to get out before flopping on the sand. he was correct; the race sure did clear his mind. sootpaw had forgotten all about his worries, and instead was running through techniques on how to improve on his next race with his mentor.}[/justify]

The long-legged tom let out an amused chuckle. "Close. You run well." After a moment to catch his own breath, the tom inhaled the fresh air. "We're going to do some hunting. Can you smell anything?"

[justify]_{gaping his mouth, sootpaw wrinkled his nose at the pungent smell of sickness that clung to both of the cats fur. trying to push that out of his mind, sootpaw was distracted by the scent of herbs. catnip, horsetail, dock... no no no! shaking his head as if to clear it, the gray tabby tried again. this time, he scented a small mouse, and could hear it scuttling not too far away.
"i smell mouse, fresh scent. it's scrounging in the leaves over there." sootpaw declared, jerking his head towards the pile of brightly colored leaves.}[/justify]