Hailpaw trudges through ShadowClan’s damp undergrowth, staring forlornly at his paws.
Managing to ignore- or at the very least, tolerate- the anxiety that caused an uncertain quiver in his gait was getting to be very difficult.
He was starting to regret declining Willowstar’s offer for an escort to the Moonpool, as perhaps some company would mitigate the loneliness that followed him everywhere he went, but it was too late for that now.
Besides, Hailpaw needed to show his Clan, and a certain someone in particular, that he was capable of handling something as simple as a trip to the Moonpool without needing to be guided the whole way through like a kit taking its first steps.
It was a paradox, truly, being left to his own devices when he truly needed help but being coddled in regards to much less pressing tasks like getting prey from the fresh-kill pile.
Hailpaw quickens his pace, though no excitement is present in his demeanor.
His imminent naming ceremony, after all, felt more like a reason for even more cats to pity him instead of being of help in his current situation.
Worse still, it’d serve as another reminder that his mentor was gone and no longer here to help make the world seem less frightening.
Despite his attempts to stop thinking about what happened, it always found a way to creep back into his mind and this whole debacle would only aggravate those intruding thoughts.
It was a losing situation all around, and though the possibility of the ceremony going well remains in the back of Hailpaw’s consciousness, it fails to gain any leverage over the messy storm of doubt and worry occupying his thoughts.
Noticing the faint sound of rushing water, Hailpaw glances up at the winding dirt trail up to the Moonpool.
Pausing a moment to take in a few deep breaths and prepare himself, Hailpaw takes a single but hesitant step onto the pathway.
“Almost there,” he murmurs, trying to psych himself up.
The phrase was one that Thornflight had used often to try and encourage him when things got frustrating and its persistent presence at the back of his mind seemed to indicate that it worked, at least a little.
Discovering that some of his nerves have dissipated, Hailpaw increases his speed to a brisk trot and hurries up the slope.
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