Wisdom speaks with a silent tongue (PalexCinder)

[Cloudbat]

Breathing as a warrior! Eating as a warrior! Sleeping as a warrior! YAAAAAAY!

Border patrol as a warrior! Yay!

Even the most ordinary things contained a little thrill whenever someone addressed her as PaleFOOT. It would probably wear off in a few days, but oh well, she'd enjoy it while she could.

Everything smelled fresher, looked sharper, and tasted better as a warrior. Everything was so free and ready to just charge in to...as long as she'd done her duties.

And she had to do one now, but at least it was with Cindertail and he was good company even if he was mute. He was very expressive and his doodles were cute.

They made their unhurried way to the border, even though Palefoot longed to just race there kicking up dust clouds. Hey! Maybe Cindertail would agree to race her. Couldn't hurt to ask.

"Hey, Cinder-y, want to race to the border? Last one there is crowfood!" She took off before he answered, grinning like a fox, but not going too fast to give him a sporting chance.

[nightfall]

<sup>Ah, Palefoot. The overly excited she - cat he was currently on border patrol with.

Not to say that border patrol was bad, it was just that lack of sleep, a hyper she - cat, and early morning patrols could make a cat grumpy.

To be honest, he had to admit that Palefoot's mood was cheering him up a little, even though it was also making him grumpy.

Wait, does that make sense? Of course not. Nothing ever makes sense in my mind...

"Hey, Cinder-y, want to race to the border? Last one there is crowfood!"

Of course. Palefoot, being Palefoot, had finally had enough of just walking leisurely to the border and instead had decided to challenge him to a race. No surprise there.

Can't she ever just walk somewhere?

She had taken off as soon as she finished speaking, of course, so now Cindertail was very behind. Time for a little payback, Cindertail - style. Yep, he really needed a nap.

Using his much longer strides, Cindertail quickly caught up with the happy she - cat before she reached the border. But, instead of simply overtaking her and winning, he tackled her.

I blame the lack of sleep still.</sup>

[Cloudbat]

La la la, merrily we run alo- oof! Palefoot suddenly found herself in a rather close embrace with a clump of dandelions and sneezed as some of the seeds found their way into her nose and the rest drifted off

For a moment she was annoyed at Cindertail (this was a race after all, not a playfight) , but it quickly turned into amusement as the lanky gray tabby tackled her. The spotted she-cat was caught off guard, but quickly wriggled so she didn't have her face in the dirt and head-butted him in the chest.

"This is a race, silly mouse-brain! Cheater!" She mewed accusingly, though the new warrior couldn't hide a grin. At least Cindertail didn't seem annoyed by her silliness...well, not that she could tell.

Annoyed...a few cats seemed annoyed at Cedarstar lately, some former rogues and kittypets mainly. She had no idea why, and it wasn't in her nature to worry, but it did make her wonder if Cindertail felt that way too. Surely not...though she couldn't claim to know him particularly well, he seemed a content, kindhearted sort of tom, if a bit antisocial.

But at least she was having fun with him! That's what mattered, right?