An [Apple] in the [Rubble] (open)

[Babylonranger]

Golden eyes studied the inside of the Elder's Den. This is where you might sleep one day, the young she-cat thought, flicking her striped tail. If you live long enough, that is. The apprentice shook her ginger pelt, casting the thought from her mind. It was pointless to concern herself too much with something that was likely so far in the future. The present had enough to keep her busy already.

"Rubbleclaw?" Applepaw called out. "Are you awake? Is there anything I can do for you today?" Maybe she could avoid the other apprentices if the elder gave her a chore to do. She sat just inside the den, tail curled around her white paws to wait for Rubbleclaw's response.

[Lionhearted]

OOC: Babylonranger Sorry for the late reply D: You didn't tag me, so I didn't know ^^'

The gray elder wheezed a bit as he looked up. "Ah, who are you again?" he asked, squinting. "Aspenpaw, or Applepaw? I don' know anymore." He hobbled up. "Are you going change my nest?" he asked, coughing. "It's nice of you to do so. The other apprentices don' really care."

[Babylonranger]

((Ooc: Oops! Sorry, Lion, I didn't think about that *head-desks*))

"It's Applepaw," the young ginger tabby confirmed as she rose and padded over to the Whisperclan elder and the nest he'd just vacated. "I would be happy to change your nest, Rubbleclaw." The apprentice gathered up the old tom's mossy bedding carefully, silently taking note of Rubbleclaw's wheezing cough.

Not wanting to assume, Applepaw asked, "As long as I'm here, would you like me to ask the medicine cat for anything for you?" She knew Cederpaw was prickly on the best of days, but if enduring his barbed tongue for a few minutes helped make the gray elder more comfortable, she wouldn't mind.

[Lionhearted]

"Nah, I'm fine," croaked Rubbleclaw. "Comes with old age, mind. Ain' nothin anybody can do ta make me younger. And I don' want to be younger. StarClan's given' me a few more moons, an' then I'll be joinin' them. And young Cedarpaw has got his paws quite full, eh? You just stick to your duties, young'un. Don' let WhisperClan down. Plenty of stronger cats ta replace me, an' you better be one of 'em. I'll be watchin'."

[Babylonranger]

"Alright, Rubbleclaw," the ginger tabby apprentice said, feeling her ears warm up. "I'll do my best to make Whisperclan proud and strong." Applepaw finished gathering up the elder tom's old nest and left the Elders' Den to dispose of it.

She had a good memory of where the softest moss grew in Whisperclan's territory, and was soon able to get enough to make a new nest for Rubbleclaw. Before much more time had passed, the young she-cat had dragged the fresh bedding into the den for the gray tom. "Will this moss do, Rubbleclaw?"

[Lionhearted]

"Tha's fine," Rubbleclaw said, nodding. He clambered up to make room, and helped Applepaw scrape away the older moss. Gathering it in his jaws, he tossed it outside with the rest of the old moss. "That'll do, young'un," he croaked. "Once ya finished with tha', you're free to go. Now, run along- I heard Thrushleap's gonna make the ceremonies soon, eh?"