Swiftcurrent Creek ghost under rocks

The gracious woman handled Shadowpup’s disrespectful tone with the practiced language of an experienced parent. 

“Her name is Silvertongue,” Shadowpup explained as she stood on her tiptoes, puffed out her chest, and pretended to be diplomatic.

“My name is Shadowpaw,” the girl half-lied, for fear of her suffix, pup, sounding too infantile. Adults liked to lie and so Shadowpup knew she needed to play their game. She would be an apprentice in two months, anyway, so what did it matter?

“I am the apprentice to Riverclan’s Dreamleaf,” she went on, fictitiously… for Kestrelcloud had left the pack. Riverclan had no Dreamleaf.