A Tour of the Territory [Blue & Ash]

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[OOC: ☼Шїℓℓ◎ω]

Bluepaw was seated in the clearing of the camp, swaying ardently on her haunches. Her ears were perked and eyes fast on the draw for her new mentor's arrival. After a moment of waiting, she began to groom her shaggy fur, still keeping her senses alert and wide. The silver she was extremely eager for her first day of training, and could hardly contain her feelings.

[☼Шїℓℓ◎ω]

Ashbrook strode out of the nursery, where his kits were, and looked back at them lovingly. He turned his head the other way and saw Bluepaw, his new apprentice, rapidly grooming her fur, but still alert. He liked that about her. He held his head high and padded over to where Bluepaw was seated. "Hello there Bluepaw. Are you ready to begin your training?", he asked.

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Upon hearing her mentor's voice, Bluepaw leaped to her paws from her seated position. "Yeah yeah yeah!" She exclaimed eagerly, her eyes now wide. Only seconds later, though, she stiffened. "Oh uh...yeah. Yes. I'm ready." She cleared her throat. "What are we doing first? Are we going to train, or...oh! We're going around the territory, right?"

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Ashbrook chuckled. "Well aren't you cheery today. Trust me.." He leaned in and whispered, "being an apprentice ISNT as fun as it seems." Ash brook took a couple steps back and acted like nothing ever happened. "So. Now that you know that, what do you want to do?, He asked, wanting to know the answer.

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Despite her mentor's odd seriousness with those words, she found it hard to believe. How could being an apprentice not be fun? This had been what she had wanted since she was...well...born. Bluepaw was silent for a moment before thinking aloud, "I want to see the territory, and hunt, and fight, and...I can't decide! I really want to see the Tadpole Pools...but..." She bit her lip and squinted. "I want to see the territory!"

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Ashbrook laughed, he had never trained such an excited apprentice before. "You have to clean out the elder's den.. bring new moss for ALL the beds... The list goes on if you want to hear it!" Ashbrook said. "We are going to tour the territory, but on our way,"Ashbrook's voice came to a whisper, "are going to see if we can find some plump prey for us to catch." Ashbrook's voice grew again. "No other apprentice is gonna have a tour and catch prey! You ready! Follow me." With his head held high he raced towards the entrance of the camp and leaped into the bushes to see if he could scare Bluepaw.

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"Oh, I don't mind that much." Bluepaw grinned, casting a glance towards the elder's den. "Elders tell good stories!" She exclaimed joyfully.
Bluepaw paused for a moment to let her mentor speak, and as he did, her mood visibly grew. Once Ashbrook was finished, the young apprentice's eyes were bright and joyous. "I'm ready!" She yelped, nearly dashing out of the camp.
She seemed a little confused, though, for she had lost her mentor.
                                                                "Uh...Ashbrook...?"

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AShbrook tightened up on his haunches and sprang on top of Bluepaw. "First lesson! Always know your surroundings." He backed away from Blueppaw and watched her face go to an terrified expression. "Sorry if that scared you, but you always have to be aware. I'm going to save that lesson for a later day though. Come on let's go!" aAnd he flicked his tail and padded out of camp.

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Bluepaw was stunned. She let out a small yelp and batted her paw at her mentor, claws sheathed. As he backed up, she felt her face grow warm. She had just failed a lesson, so to speak. She cleared her throat and followed after her mentor stiffly, head held high to try and mask her embarrassment.

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Ashbrook led the embarrassed Bluepaw to the Tadpole Pools. "Here we are...", he sighed. "This is where I met Feathefang, my mate." Ashbrook kinked his tail towards the water. "There are animals always scurring around here. but if you're up for fishing, the pools have fish and tadpoles that are quite delicious once you get used to the taste." Ashbrook unsheathed his claws and was unnaturally still. He spotted silver in the pond and flashed his paws into the water. In his claws, was a silver fish, red dripping from claw marks in its flesh. Ashbrook nipped its neck, and the squirming stopped. He played the fish in front of Bluepaw and said, "Try it. Copy what I did. Exactly."

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Bluepaw's eyes brightened noticeably as she was subjected to the sight of the Tadpole Poles. "That's so sweet!" She exclaimed with a warm grin. She bit her lip at the word, "fish," though. The young tabby had never really gotten her paw wet. At all. She had to admit that she had a rather large fear of water in general, but she was in no state to refuse a little practice. She watched closely and carefully as Ashbrook demonstrated, memorizing each move the tom's paw made. Bluepaw couldn't help but cringe as the bloody, scaly creature was placed in front of her, thus she forced herself to turn away and crouch near the pool, gazing sternly into the water.
Exactly like Ashbrook...exactly...
The silver she unsheathed her claws and let her dull green gaze scan the rippling water. At the moment they caught sight of another, rather large, streak of gray moving silently through the blue, she lashed her paw forward. To her dismay, she was just a pawlength short. Her claws skimmed the fish's tail, but the creature was left unharmed otherwise.
"Mousedung..." She grumbled under her breath, preparing herself to try once again.