#bogpaw

What Bogpaw had said was true. Bogpaw was being herself, loving and whole and throwing herself into her tasks with her whole heart. But...

... But something still wasn't feeling right. The times where Bogpaw felt most complete wasn't when she was with her sister. It was when there was nobody looking at her, or Goldpaw was appreciative of her, or...

... the word 'her' wasn't helping much. Everytime it went through Bogpaw's head, or was directed at Bogpaw, it felt like a mismatch. Like a mouse forcefully being given wings, and told to fly with it.

But Bogpaw wasn't a guy.

"... Bogpaw?" Goldpaw's voice drifted from the next nest over, and Bogpaw turned over to face him. His golden eyes shone with worry. "You've been awake for a while. You okay?"

Bogpaw could lie and say 'i'm alright', but Bogpaw didn't want to. Bogpaw sighed, head lowering to paws. "... I don't... think I'm a molly."

Goldpaw paused, and he tilted his head. "So... you're a tom...?"

"No." Bogpaw replied, easily. "Like- neither fit me. I don't- I don't like either of them. Get them away from me." A laugh, nervous. "But, what else?"

Goldpaw thought for a few moments. "... you could just... not. Isn't Quickstar like that? Everyone talks to them fine."

Bogpaw paused. That's right, everyone referred to them differently. Still the same, but...

Nothing. Not a mouse, not a bird, not a mixture.

"... I'm like Quickstar." Bogpaw meowed. "That's alright? To just... change like that?"

"I don't see why not." Goldpaw chuckled, shuffling closer. "Is this why you've been grumpy lately?"

"I have not been grumpy!" Bogpaw complained. "Just thinking!" They sighed, rolling their eyes. "Why did I confide in you."

"Because I listen and bring up things to consider." Goldpaw meowed. "And you help me push forward. We're a good duo."

Bogpaw sighed, running their paw over the stripe on their head. "... of course. Thanks for... pointing out Quickstar. I completely forgot. I'll tell everyone tomorrow."

Goldpaw purred, whiskers twitching with amusement. "I'll tell Batpaw."

"Yeah, that's fine."

With that, Bogpaw settled into their nest. Their sleep came easily this time. 

(She was not going to admit that Whiskershadow's name made sense.)

Graypaw and Bogpaw followed behind, with Currentdash at the back.

It was quiet. Graypaw and Bogpaw were quiet, which was slightly unusual for the two of them. Currentdash hopped over the last ledge, and then it was a stretch of trees and rocky terrain on their sides.

Finchstar watched them from the corner of her eye. Bogpaw was glancing around, and Graypaw was focusing on walking forward.

"Say, want to hear about how we became a clan?"

Bogpaw's eyes flicked towards Finchstar, but she didn't say anything.

Finchstar held her head up. "Back when we were just a bunch of loners, I was a just a regular cat who wandered in the part of the woods that became our camp. I would explore, of course, but that got me far too many glaring looks and threatening to get out of their area."

A pause. No response. Bogpaw even wasn't looking anymore. Finchstar glanced to Currentdash, who was scenting the border.

"Don't you guys want to know about how we got started?"

Graypaw thought for a moment. "...not really."

"I'm sure it's interesting, but I want to see the ThunderBorder more...?" Bogpaw offered, smiling nervously. "Sorry, Finchstar."

Finchstar rolled her eyes. "Another time. So, the ThunderBorder, huh? Where'd you hear that name from?"

Bogpaw glanced to Currentdash, who glanced away.

"... Alright, I guess I can call it the ThunderBorder." Finchstar meowed.

Graypaw tilted his head. "... didn't you call it the ThunderBorder when-"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Finchstar replied, stepping over a root. 

Graypaw tripped over it, and Bogpaw giggled. She made sure to dramatically hop over it. "Look where you're going, Gray!"

"Ugh, whatever, Bog." Graypaw shook out his fur and continued walking. 

Currentdash chuckled, making sure to avoid the root. After a while, they arrived, and the apprentices stared with wide eyes. "This is our ThunderBorder. Be very careful! Monsters can travel here, and their speed can cause any cat to be flattened under their paws."