-- "I don't talk for the pleasure of hearing my own voice, unlike some cats"--

"What did you come here to see me for Maplepaw?" Jayfeather asked. "Is it something about you seeing StarClan again?"

"Not really. I was just in pain from this morning, I was confused why." Maplepaw meowed remembering her aching body.

"Did you fight someone in StarClan or something?" Jayfeather asked while he examined Maplepaw's body.

"Yeah, something like that." Maplepaw meowed sighing.

Jayfeather felt around her body, lifting her paws as well as feeling her pelt.

"I see you opened the wound up again." Jayfeather meowed with a sigh.

The big scar on Maplepaw's back was covered in dry blood- though she hadn't fought another cat in quite a while.

"Why is it that every time I see you, your scar seems to get bigger?" Jayfeather asked Maplepaw, placing some cobwebs onto her back.

Maplepaw winced in pain. She felt quite useless to ThunderClan, though she was Bramblestar's apprentice- she couldn't seem to do anything right.

"You do enough, Maplepaw. Don't think yourself down." Jayfeather meowed, staring at Maplepaw with his old blind eyes.

"It's always weird to think you were ever young." Maplepaw meowed with a mrrow of laughter.

Jayfeather's mouth went wide open as he fumed with anger, but he never spoke a word. He only shook his head with a smile.

"I never thought I could befriend such an annoying kit." Jayfeather meowed, walking over to a large pile of herbs. A glimmer of humor resided inside his eyes.

"Nor I a old grumpy cat." Maplepaw meowed laughing off all her worries.

-

"So, how was your talk with Jayfeather?" Ripplepaw asked, his eyes sparking like the silver pelt.

"Okay, I guess." Maplepaw meowed shrugging, flopping into the apprentice's den. Cold, tired, and strictly worn out- Maplepaw struggled to keep herself awake for this long.

"I've heard he's always been a grumpy old cat for his whole life! He never liked any cat, is he mean to you too? Are you guys friends? What do you talk about? Can-"

"Ripplepaw! Be silent." Turning to Breezepaw's voice, Ripplepaw closed his mouth. "Can't you see how dead tired Maplepaw is? We all do, even Bramblestar is worried about her health. She works harder than some of the warriors, giving advice, helping in what every way she can. You need to be more gentle and quiet with her."

Nodding, Ripplepaw looked at the silent- now asleep - Maplepaw. He could see how small and tired the she-cat looked with dark circles under her eyes. He had never seen her without an injury or two on her body.

"You're right." Ripplepaw meowed. He placed his tail onto her sholder carefully.

Breezepaw padded over to the pair of cats, sighing with relief at Ripplepaw's understanding.

"Ripplepaw? Is that you?" Maplepaw asked half awake as the tom leaned in to listen to the she-cat's words. "I'm cold can you sleep next to me?"

Ripplepaw was shocked by her sudden request, but he still listened to her request- placing himself next to Maplepaw.

He was worried about her, but then again, he knew she would be fine. Maplepaw was strong. Maybe even leader strong.

"She would make a fine leader." Ripplepaw though. "But she would make an even better friend."