Brightpaw's Training [DanaBelle]

[Rogue]

DanaBelle

Cloudshine waited excitedly by the entrance to camp, practically bouncing on her paws. She had just received her first apprentice, and she was waiting for her to arrive so they could begin training. The grey and white she-cat had to admit that she was nervous, though. She had only just been made a warrior a few moons ago. She hoped that she would be as good a mentor to Brightpaw as Riverleap had been to her.

[DanaBelle]

Brightpaw placed one large white paw in front of the other; bounding forward. The flighty apprentice was excited for her first session with Cloudshine. Her white and ginger fur shined with a healthy glow in the sunlight. The sun was high in the sky and the heat was in plenty.

At the entrance she saw the gray and white warrior waiting for her. "Sorry I'm late Cloudshine! My dad made me clean out my nest. He said it was worse than a squirrels burrow. We don't even hunt squirrels." Brightpaw flicked her ears, rolling her dark green eyes. She wasn't that bad...though she hadn't actually seen a squirrels burrow and she was curious as how her father had.

[Rogue]

DanaBelle

Cloudshine couldn't stifle the purr that rose in her chest. Brightpaw reminded the grey and white she-cat of herself. Pleased by her apprentice's enthusiasm, Cloudshine flicked her tail lightly across Brightpaw's flank. "That's alright," she said cheerfully, turning to head out of the camp and motioning for Brightpaw to follow her. "We have all day. Now, I was thinking we would start with fighting practice."

[DanaBelle]

Brightpaw nodded eagerly, she had promised herself she would train hard. She had to if she wanted to find her mother. "Fighting sounds good!" Slightly dismayed she followed her mentors lead. She would have preferred swimming but then again she was already pretty good at that. It would be best to train in areas she was less familiar with. "Are we going to have a training session with the other apprentices too?" she asked.

[Rogue]

DanaBelle So sorry for the delay!

Cloudshine sprang easily over a small rock that had been blocking her path, glancing back at her apprentice as her paws hit the sand. "We will if we can gather together some more mentors and apprentices," she called back to Brightpaw, flicking her tail. She glanced anxiously at the edge of the water as they passed by it, her stomach twisting into a knot. She was working on her fear of water with Heronsplash, but it still frightened her.

[DanaBelle]

Brightpaw couldn't resist stepping out of line and walking around the stone to splash her white paws in the water. It felt so good she let out a purr of pleasure.

"The water is nice and cool!" it was indeed a welcome relief from the heat. Little tadpoles whisked about, avoiding her paws as she splashed after Cloudshine.

(I apologize myself ^^)

[Rogue]

DanaBelle

Cloudshine glanced back at her excited apprentice, flicking the tip of her tail. She was glad that Brightpaw was enjoying herself, even if seeing her splashing around in the shallows gave her a little anxiety. A pang of envy struck the grey and white warrior's heart; if only it was so easy for her to go sprinting through the waves. "Brightpaw, let's focus, okay?" she called over her shoulder to the white and ginger she-cat. "This isn't kit's play. We're almost to the training grounds."

[DanaBelle]

Brightpaw’s ears flattened, it felt as if Cloudshine was reprimanding her and she didn’t want to disappoint her mentor. “Sorry, Cloudshine.” the ginger and white apprentice softened her steps and positioned herself so that she was following Cloudshine’s example.

It wasn’t in Brightpaw’s nature to be so serious. but she didn’t want to get into trouble on the first day. She wasn’t that mousebrained. She needed to train seriously if she was to accomplish her task. If she was to set out like she planned she would need to know how to hunt and fight.

Her thoughts drifted off to her dream. She was in unfamiliar territory and there was a thick fog engulfing her. Whatever she tried to do would be useless against the haze before her. A dark figure of a cat was all that could be seen. Albeit unnerving, it exuded no malicious or sinister intent. The figure seemed sad, and it beckoned her forward. When she moved towards it she had always woken up. An instinctive feeling came forth when she suspected the figure to be her mother. It must be a sign. Brightpaw would find the she-cat who birthed her. She was determined.

[Rogue]

DanaBelle

Cloudshine saw the young she-cat's face fall, and she instantly felt a little guilty. Perhaps she had been too quick to snap at her. Brightpaw was her first apprentice, so she wasn't really sure how to mentor quite yet. She loved Brightpaw's enthusiasm and playful nature and she wanted to be a good mentor to the young cat, to help her along her path to becoming a warrior. She remembered how great of a mentor Riverleap had been to her and she decided that she would try and follow in his pawsteps.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Cloudshine padded over to walk beside Brightpaw and ran the tip of her tail lightly down her spine. "It's okay," she reassured her. "I just want to help you become the best warrior you can be. It's my job to guide you. You're my first apprentice, so it's going to be a learning experience for both of us."

[DanaBelle]

In deep thought, Brightpaw failed to notice her mentor padding over to match her stride and it wasn’t until a tickling sensation ran down her spine that she realized. ”It’s okay,” Cloudshine’s reassurance was evident in her tone. ”I just want to help you become the best warrior you can be. It’s my job to guide you. You’re my first apprentice, so it’s going to be a learning experience for both of us.”

The younger she-cat nodded, the corners of the defining line on her jaw raised up, and she smiled. Cloudshine was new to this, akin to Brightpaw in their current situation. “I understand. I’m really glad you’re my mentor!” the spark returned to her green eyes and she was once more buzzing with excitement. “Are we almost there yet?”

[Rogue]

DanaBelle

Cloudshine purred when the lively spark returned to her apprentice's eyes, and she licked the top of Brightpaw's head affectionately. "And I'm really glad you're my apprentice." The grey and white warrior began walking again, flicking the tip of her tail at Brightpaw's next question. "Yes, we're almost there. It's a bit of a walk." Especially in the snow. This leafbare had been cold and harsh, and even now the frigid wind tugged at her short fur.

The training grounds were covered with a layer of snow, just like everything else right now. Cloudshine slowed once they reached it and turned so she was facing Brightpaw. "Alright Brightpaw, I need you to listen to what we're going to work on today." She sat down and motioned with her tail for the young apprentice to do the same.

[DanaBelle]

Terribly sorry for the delay. ^^'
_________________________________
"Yes, we're almost there. It's a bit of a walk." Brightpaw nodded at Cloudshine's reply. The cold, frigid wind blew against her silky white fur. Despite the thick undercoat she was still shivering.

The pair reached an expanse of snow and her mentor turned, facing her. "Alright Brightpaw, I need you to listen to what we're going to work on today." The warrior sat and motioned with her tail for the apprentice to mimic her.

The young she-cat settled down, plumed tail curled around her large paws. "I'm all ears." she flickered her ginger ears this way and that to make her point. Her fur had fluffed out even more as the wind buffeted her from all angles.