Good Morning -- OPEN

The morning found Panthershade settled by the entrance to camp. Under normal circumstances, the proud warrior would have sought a patch of shade to relax in until he was called for patrol. He had no apprentice to wake early in the morning for training, after all. However, some odd instinct urged him to hover by the entrance of camp.
It very well could have been the unnerving tension that had settled within the clan. Laurelheart seemed different lately, and Panthershade had noticed the uneasiness was shared among both medicine cats. While it very well could have been lingering regrets from the harshness of Leaf-bare, Panthershade sensed that the cause may be something more threatening.
The medicine cats would have alerted the leaders if something were amiss, surely?

Panthershade was startled out of his worried reverie. Charcoal black ears swiveled, and Panthershade turned his head to see Rookstar. "Good morning, Rookstar." He returned the greeting politely, tone low and calm as usual. "You needn't worry. Just an old warrior pondering upon trivial things." He chuckled softly.

Graywing padded out of the warriors' den and stretched. He grabbed a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile and padded over to the warrior's eating place.

Rookstar was relieved that his clanmate was ok. He had not been leader for that long yet so he had thought about visiting the elders or senior warriors for some advice about leading the clan. Rookstar spotted Graywing heading over to the fresh-kill pile to grab something to eat. He murmured 'good-morning' to the young warrior before turning back to Panthershade. "So how have you been doing?" He asked. "Got any apprentices to mentor?" The black and white tom-cat asked waited for a response from the older warrior

Panthershade's muzzle quirked in a smile at his leader's obvious relief. Rookstar was young, but Panthershade couldn't help but admire the tom's compassion. The senior warrior desperately hoped that kindness would not get him in trouble one day.
"Not for a long time." Panthershade replied, with a slight sigh. "Perhaps in a few moons, when Burnkit and Moonkit are made apprentices."
A few moons prior, Panthershade's answer would likely have been different. He had only recently come to terms with Rainpaw's loss, and had finally resigned himself to moving on. The best way he could make up for it was to continue serving his clan to the best of his ability, and never allow the same fate to befall another apprentice.

Rookstar had almost forgotten about Moonkit and Burnkit. He looked at Panthershade. The senior warrior would be a good choice for mentoring one of the two kits. "When the time comes one of them will be yours to train" he murmered. He thought about which warrior should mentor the other kitten.

Jayleap has Fernpaw. Frostflower, Mothflight, and Chatterwhite all have apprentices. Rookstar stopped thinking. There would be plenty of time to choose mentors later. Right now he and Panthershade were having a conversation. Rookstar then had no idea what to talk about