This is a short story for @LilystarOfForestclan's competition.  

OCs: Birdflight and Cloudfur as apprentices 

Word count: 585 (sorry it's a bit long. I can't ever write 200 word stories. XD)

"Come on, Cloudpaw!" Cloudpaw looked over at her brother. Birdpaw bounced up and tugged on the small black and white apprentice. His greenish yellow eyes sparkled excitedly.

"B-But I don't want to go." Cloudpaw stuttered. Birdpaw wanted to go to the canyon. He didn't want to leave Cloudpaw, so he decided to take her with him. Only thing was that Cloudpaw was scared of everything.

A leaf falling behind her sent her into the bushes. A surprise yowl of a cat made her cower. A loud clap of thunder chased her straight into the apprentices' den.

Cloudpaw wished she wasn't scared of everything. She wished she was more like her brother. Birdpaw wasn't scared of anything. The grey and white tom could easily climb to the top of a tree without blinking an eye. He made everything look easy.

"Don't make me drag your tail there." Birdpaw said. Cloudpaw sighed, standing.

"Fine." She said. "But I don't want to be out late."

"Yay! Let's go!" Birdpaw bounced away, followed slowly by Cloudpaw.

'I hope this is okay...'

~~~

"It's so big!" Birdpaw exclaimed as he looked over the edge. Cloudpaw stood a decent distance from the edge. It wasn't that she didn't trust Birdpaw, but he tended to not have an awareness when he got excited.

"Isn't this amazing?" Birdpaw squealed. "Hello!" He shouted down. His echo was heard for a few moments before it disappeared into the canyon's depth.

"Birdpaw, be careful..."

"This is so awesome-" Birdpaw squeaked as his foot slipped and he went over the edge.

"Birdpaw!" Cloudpaw ran to the edge and peeked over. Her brother was down on a ledge, 4 tail lengths away.

"I'm okay!" He called up. Cloudpaw sighed in relief.

"Can you climb back up?" She asked.

"Let me try." Birdpaw began to climb. H got halfway up before his claws slipped. He landed on the ledge with a thud. "Ow!"

"Are you okay?" Cloudpaw called. He nodded.

"Is there a stick or vine around you?" Cloudpaw looked around her. There was a large stick off to her right. She ran over and gripped it in her teeth.

"I'fe gawt awne!" She said around the stick.

"Hold it down when I climb up." Birdpaw instructed. Cloudpaw obeyed, holding it down. 

Birdpaw began to climb back up. Just as he reached the stick, a bird darted out of a bush...straight at Cloudpaw. The apprentice shrieked and dropped the stick in fear. It hit Birdpaw on the head and he fell back down.

"Cloudpaw!"

"I'm sorry." Cloudpaw dipped her head in embarrassment.

"You've got to be brave. Help me get up." Birdpaw said calmly. Cloudpaw nodded, taking a deep breath. She grabbed another stick and lowered it down. A leaf rustled behind her, but she kept still, eyes on her brother.

Birdpaw began to climb again. He managed to get halfway up and sank his teeth into the branch.

"Now pull!" He said around the stick. Cloudpaw began pulling as Birdpaw used the stick to steady himself. He slipped a few times, but Cloudpaw kept a grip on the stick. Birdpaw finally climbed over the edge and collapsed onto the ground, panting. Cloudpaw collapsed next to him.

"You...you did it...you were brave." Birdpaw panted, smiling.

"Yeah...I did." Cloudpaw smiled. "I like being brave." After a few moments of rest, the siblings stood and started to make their way back to ThunderClan camp.

On their way back, Cloudpaw made a vow.

'I'm going to try my hardest to always be brave.'