hollowmoon was a project.
he was a good kid. she'd been a new apprentice when he'd been born, a new warrior when he was apprenticed - to her. even at twelve months old, it'd been clear that the femme would be an excellent teacher, and she'd done well enough with the tom. many mentors and apprentices had a parent-child relationship, but she'd never had anything like that with her own. older, now, it was like she was an aunt - worldly, older, smarter, but not quite as hardened as a parent. with hollowmoon, though? it'd been like she was an older sister, responsible for teaching her younger kin. they'd both been young and close, friends with a clear authority, a leadership, in their duo.
it'd been seasons since she'd trained him formally. still, no matter how many apprentices she had in the meantime, the tom would always be her student, always need her teachings. and she'd always feel that desire to make him the best he could be - or at least keep him alive. he wasn't like most, where she taught and then let go off on their own. she still trailed after him, trying to keep his nose out of trouble with a light sort of scolding. it really was because she cared about his well being, wanted to see him safe and well and okay.
this particular afternoon, the warrior was hoping to take the tom out on a quick patrol. peek into some abandoned fox dens, make sure no one had snuck into the borders. a territory patrol, per say. hopefully, they could catch up - she missed hanging out with the younger tom.
"hollowmoon?" she called into the warriors den as she slipped in, her frame smaller than most of her clanmates, picking through the nests as she approached the toms. "rise and shine hun - patrol time." she told him with a pleasant smile on her face.
it was early - most cats were just beginning to rise from their nests. but blackcanary was always up earlier than most - she was a light sleeper and even a denmate going to the dirplace could rise her, leaving her unable to return to her abyss, as had happened a few hours earlier. she smelled of the territory and fresh squirrel, a pair waiting on the near empty freshkill pile for whoever wanted them.