Clans Drabble

This is just a brief drabble about a day in MarshClan. It is written from Breezesong’s POV as I plan to be working with her more, and wanted to get a better look at her character. I‘m writing more drabbles about the Clans, as I’m still working out their society, and they will be posted here.
== Breezesong ==
Breezesong stared up at the tall, granite walls, her short red hair blowing in the cool breeze that sent a cloud of pine needles floating down.
“Breezesong?” A young voice queried from behind her. The she-cat turned to see her trainee, Rowan, looking up at her. “Thee promised we would practice tracking in the clearing today.” The tabby nodded slowly, a faraway look in her green eyes.
“And indeed we will. Just give me a bit to get my coat.” Rowan gave a little excited bounce before he regained his composure. A smile tugged at the edge of Breezesong’s mouth, amused at her young ward’s enthusiasm. She remembered being like this herself once. However, no proper Clan cat bounced when excited, and he would have be reprimanded. “Do try and remember thee are not a kit anymore.” The small tom dipped his head.
“Of course. I apologize for getting carried away.” Breezesong nodded before hurrying out of the meeting place by the gate and onto one of the cobbled streets. 
“Breezesong!” A voice hailed her and she stopped in her tracks. A silver flecked tom, Pinefrost, dipped his head to her in greeting. “How goes the training? Is my Rowan doing well?” Breezesong allowed a fond note to creep into her voice as she addressed her trainee’s father.
“He is doing nicely and his battle moves are progressing well. His enthusiasm is to be commended, although he does need to learn that one does not have to bounce with it.” Pinefrost shook his head in annoyance.
“I have tried to explain that to him Creator knows how many times. I apologize, Breezesong, I will speak with him.” The tabby laid a paw on his shoulder.
“Peace, Pinefrost. I already have and he is doing his best in training. I do not think that he needs an extra lecture on it. Pinefrost uttered a snort.
“Thee spoils him, Breezesong.” The she-cat continued to look into his fierce amber eyes.
“I know, but after the loss of his poor sister and mother, the poor kit needs a bit of spoiling.”
“Tcah.” The tom bit his lip for a minute before stalking off. Breezesong watched him go with sorrowful eyes.
“Amethyst’s last attack took many. I think that he has gone quite out of his mind with grief.” A sharp voice snapped from behind her. The tabby turned, stifling a sigh.
“Greetings, Rogue.” Rogue nodded in return.
“Say, Breezesong, did thee not leave thy ward in the meeting place?” Her eyebrow raised almost mockingly. “Bit of an absent minded thing to do. Perhaps thee is also out of thy mind.” Breezesong bit back a sharp retort before brushing past the sneering she-cat.
“I thank thee for the reminder. Now, I must be off.” She hurried away, feeling Rogue’s one-eyed gaze on her back. The she-cat opened the door to her small cabin, and reached for the green coat hanging by the window, only to find a paw already handing it to her. Breezesong gave the cat a weary smile.
“Thank thee, Mackrelleap. What is thee doing in here?” Her brother gestured to the broom in his other paw.
“Cleaning. Thy place is a mess, sister.” The tabby nodded.
“I know. I do not have much time to clean it anymore, what with my new trainee and all, and no one is here....” She but her lip hard, forcing back the sob that threatened to escape. “To help me with keeping the place up anymore.” Mackrelleap nodded sadly, his eyes brimming with sympathy. The she-cat shook her head in an effort to shake off her grief, and looked back at her brother. “But thank thee again.” She pulled the coat on over her simple white shrug and turned to go.
“Sister....” Mackrelleap’s voice trailed off as Breezesong walked back down the street, pulling her coat tightly around her. Breezesong reached the meeting place where Rowan stood patiently waiting for her.
“Apologies, Rowan. I got a bit held up.” The young black tom dipped his head.
“I do not mind waiting.” Breezesong let a smile flit across her face.
“Good. Now then, come on.” She strode towards the tall oak gate, nodding at the armored guards beside it. The tom on the left returned her respectful nod and lifted the heavy bolt, his companion hurrying to help him. Together they pulled open the gate to let Breezesong and Rowan through. The she-cat closed her eyes for a second as a breeze blew across her face: needles falling around the pair. Beside her, Rowan spun slowly, looking up at the vast pine trees that surrounded the camp.
“I still cannot believe how enormous this forest is.” Breezesong nodded, fondly watching her ward as he looked around, eagerly taking in all the sights.
“It is enormous indeed, and there are areas that not even the senior warriors have been to. Now come along, I would like to get in a tracking lesson before it gets dark.” Her trainee’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he followed her deeper into the forest. The tabby felt the ground beneath her boots change from smooth pine needles to shifting sand as they arrived at the tracking hollow: a sand-filled hollow near the border that allowed trainees to practice finding tracks in difficult terrain. She turned to Rowan, who stood waiting instruction behind her.
“Right. I am going to walk around in the tracking hollow and than I am going off to hide behind a tree. I want thee to find my trail using scent and sight, figure out which direction I took, and than come find me. Does thee understand?” Her ward nodded eagerly, his curly hair bouncing about his face.
“Yes.” Breezesong’s whiskers twitched.
“Excellent. Now close thine eyes and waif for me to call out to open them.” Rowan’s bright amber eyes closed as his tail waved madly with excitement. The tabby shook her head, unable to hold back a chuckle at the sight of her trainee’s lashing tail kicking up a cloud of dust. “Calm down there, Rowan. Thou does not want to wipe out my tracks before I am even out of the hollow.” The young tom’s tail slowed and his ears turned pink with embarrassment. 
“Sorry. I have just been looking forward to this all day.” Breezesong padded down into the hollow, making sure to double back and make her trail as tangled as possible before she slipped off into the trees.
“I am ready, Rowan.” She watched carefully as the young tom walked into the hollow, sniffing the air. He picked up her trail quickly enough, his keen eyes scanning the marks her boots had left in the sand. At one point, he got down on his knees to sniff the ground at one of the places she had doubled back. Breezesong watched with interest as her trainee found where she’d left the hollow, and came walking though the trees, ducking branches on his way. He rounded the thick base of the tree she stood behind and gave a purr of satisfaction.
“Did I do well?” The tabby smiled at him.
“Thy tracking skills are exemplary. Thee seems to have inherited thy mother’s sense of smell. She had the best in the Clan next to Mapleshadow.” Rowan smiled, glowing at the praise.
“Thank thee, Breezesong. Did I pass?” She nodded, noticing the sky starting to darken.
“Yes. Now let us get back to the camp. I have no desire to be stuck out here in the dark.” Breezesong started the trek back to camp, Rowan struggling a bit to keep up with her long strides. The pair reached camp just as it started to get dark, the outline of the walls backlit against the setting sun. Breezesong turned to Rowan with a slight smile.
“Would thee like to hail the guards so they let us in?” The small tom grinned excitedly.
“Yes!” He cupped both paws around his mouth and bellowed up at the wall top. “Ahoy!” A sleek grey head came into view as the guard leaned over.
“Who goes there?” Rowan paused and looked at Breezesong, who nodded.
“Go on.” The young tom continued.
“Rowan and Breezesong. We request to be let in.” The guard, whom Breezesong recognized as Rainglow, nodded. 
“One minute.” Her head disappeared behind the ramparts, reappearing moments later. “Who let thee out of camp?” Rowan turned to Breezesong, looking confused. The older tabby took over.
“Dawnwind and Oaktail.” Rainglow vanished again and the gates swung open. Rowan looked up at Breezesong as they walked through.
“Why did they ask who let us out?” The tabby sighed.
“It is an extra safety precaution. Just in case thee knows who tries to access our camp through the outside.” Her trainee nodded, looking sober. Breezesong forced a reassuring smile as she looked at his worried face.
“Now run along home. Thee did well today.” Rowan gave a small smile and dipped his head before hurrying off. The tabby watched him go before turning down her street and going to her cabin. She opened the door with a heavy sigh, knowing that her cabin would be cold and empty as it had been for the past two months. Her brother looked up from where he was reading a book at the table, the fire lit behind him.
“Greetings, sister. Did thee have a good training session?” Breezesong nodded and hung up her coat, smiling at Mackrelleap.
“Yes, Rowan did very well. But why has thee done all of this?” The darker tabby smiled back, gesturing the chair across from him.
“Thou hast been grumpy lately. I thought that thy might welcome some company for dinner.” He pointed at a pot bubbling over the fire. “I made stew.” His sister chuckled, a mixture of amusement and affection making her eyes warm.
“It had best be better than that last attempt thee made.” Mackrelleap looked sheepish.
“It was burned, that was all.” He caught his sister’s stare and grinned. “And I might have put a little too much salt in.” Breezesong smirked, sitting down.
“Just a little, eh? If I recall, it tasted like thee put the entire jar of salt into it.” Mackrelleap tossed a napkin at her.
“Thou is not one to talk. Remember that pie thee tried to make? The one thee forgot to put the sugar in?” The tabby’s mouth opened wide in mock indignation.
“That was a long time ago! I was thirteen seasons old!” Mackrelleap smiled teasingly.
“It still did not taste good. And speaking of, I was sixteen seasons when I made that stew.” Breezesong nodded, affectionately placing one paw on her brother’s.
“I do appreciate the effort, really.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously. “Although I hope thee has gotten better at cooking over the years.” The tom smirked slightly.
“And I hope thee remembers to always put sugar in a rhubarb pie.” Breezesong laughed for the first time in weeks.
“I do. They are not very pleasant otherwise.” The two siblings ate hungrily, Mackrelleap’s stew being perfectly eatable and quite good. The tom rose from the table, tucking his bowl into the bucket of soapy water.
“I had best be off. Rainglow’s shift is due to end soon.” His sister nodded, finishing up the last of her stew.
“Tell her I say hello. And thank thee for the stew.” She brushed her short headfur back. “Thy cooking really has gotten better.” Mackrelleap paused in the doorway, pulling his coat over his shoulders.
“I presume thine has to, sister. Farewell.” He shut the door behind him. Breezesong smiled slightly as she got up to drop her own dish into the pail.
“Thank thee, brother.” She pulled off her clothes, and slipped into her grey nightdress before curling up in bed. “Thank all of thee, Mackrelleap, Rainglow, Rowan....” She gave a wry smile. “Even Rogue. Thee does not know what thy does in keeping me sane now. Although perhaps not entirely sane, as I am talking to myself.” The tabby blew out the candle by her bed and shut her eyes, praying that she would not wake again to screams and the sounds of battle. It had happened too many times before, and this time, there was nobeast to reassure her, to help her get into her armor. No mother. No Sunflash....
== Dusk ==