Frozen Mornings (Tagged)

[Anya]

The sound of soft snow being crushed by paws echoed from one cat to the next. A petite orange frame lingered near the opening of the apprentice's den. Her pink nose twitched in the cold. "Honeypaw?" she called in softly. It was the first day of her being a mentor and Sagewhisker was as nervous as she was on her first day training with her own mentor.

"Honeypaw? It's time to go." A puff of white air escaped as Sagewhisker sighed. She shivered in the cold; sage green eyes blinking in the frozen air around them. Each breeze felt like a death kiss upon her cheeks. Leafbare was when she envied the cats with thick, flowing fur. Her body longed for the warm days of Newleaf and she prayed that the cold weather would flee soon.

Tags: Feather

[Feather]

Honeypaw twitched in her light doze, idly wondering what had woken her up. It can't have been that long since her brother had jolted awake and all but ran out of the apprentices sleeping area. He'd had little regard for Honeypaw and what it was like for her to suddenly wake up to freezing cold air but that was typical of him. He was probably already out with his mentor, try-hard that he is.

"Honeypaw? It's time to go." 

Suddenly alert, Honeypaw remembered. It was her first day of training. Honeypaw slowly got to her feet, being careful to avoid stepping away from her warm nest just yet. No need to get the pads of her paws cold just yet.

"I'm coming, Sagewhisker." She replied, hoping her voice didn't break with the mixed feeling of nervousness and excitement in her belly. "Just a moment."

Honeypaw sat for a moment longer, addressing the fur that had become matted to the side of her face in her sleep. She had to make herself presentable for her mentor. Honeypaw was vibrating with slight excitement, her first training session meant that she'd be able to explore the territory, even if it was just slightly outside of camp. This was something she'd been wanting to do for what felt like moons. 

Finishing up quickly, Honeypaw quickly made her way out of the sleeping area and into the clearing where Sagewhisker was waiting for her.

[Anya]

"I'm coming, Sagewhisker." orange ears swiveled to the sound of Honeypaw's voice. "Just a moment."

Sagewhisker sat down patiently, her long tail wrapped around her side for the little warmth it could offer. The feathered tip twitched as the she-cat awaited her apprentice's arrival. A few moments later Honeypaw emerged.

"Good morning. I hope you slept well, today is going to be a very busy day." Sagewhisker stood on her paws and nodded towards the entrance guarded by Nightpatch. She led the younger cat over the frozen ground, the thin layer of snow that had moments ago been clear of footprints was now distorted. The young warrior dipped her head to the larger, senior guard before exiting.

The pair entered the birch forest. The long, narrow trees and their wispy branches were laden with snow. There was silence, spare a few birds, and a blanket of white upon the LeafClan land. The sun was shining through the filters of the forest canopy. It desperately stretched out to warm up the earth but alas the attempts were futile. The harsh northern winds whistled in the emptiness.

"I decided that I'd take you on a quick tour of the territory before we begin combat training." Sagewhisker spoke up. She wanted her apprentice to be comfortable in her territory. To know your surroundings was lesson number one.

The two cats reached a large oak tree. It was enveloped in snow and the bark was marked with graying moss. "This is the Mossy Oak. Great for collecting moss, hence; the name." the orange and cream warrior explained.

[Feather]

"Good morning. I hope you slept well, today is going to be a very busy day." Honeypaw wiggled slightly in excitement, the snow around her light-brown  feet dislodging. Her tail swished along with it, sending the snow drifting into the air for a moment before falling back into place. She'd picked the habit up from her brother and hadn't bothered to drop it; today was too exciting not to show her happiness anyway, so why bother what anyone else thought. She was so ready to get out into the forest that the cold ground beneath her paws wasn't even bothering her. 

Honeypaw followed Sagewhisker out of the clearing and into the place that she had been dreaming of for ages. It wasn't too different from their camp, but it was exciting all the same. Soon she would be able to explore this entire place on her own without any distractions and she would be so...free. She'd been feeling very restricted lately, as most young cats her age where, but it somehow felt different. Like not being able to explore beyond the camp's borders was holding her back from something great. Logically, she knew she was probably exaggerating but it still felt exhilarating and freeing to be out. 

"I decided that I'd take you on a quick tour of the territory before we begin combat training." 

The thought of combat training excited her, but exploring LeafClan territory was more enticing at the moment. Honeypaw was careful to take in her surroundings and attempt to notice any landmarks. A lot of the birch trees looked the same and it looked like it may be easy to get lost in the trees. Honeypaw didn't let the lack of noticeable landmarks discourage her yet, certain that her mentor would show her the most notable places, and wasn't disappointed when they reached an oak tree.

"This is the Mossy Oak. Great for collecting moss, hence; the name."

"I have a feeling I'll be coming here often, then?" She joked, knowing that one of the common tasks for apprentices was to clean out bedding. Honeypaw started to move closer to the Okay, curiosity getting the best of her. The Oak tree was huge, much bigger than anything she was used to around camp. "Looks like a fun climb though."

She made a full circle around the tree, watching where the moss grew the most and places that others had already taken away for bedding. She had a feeling that because of the cold weather there wasn't as much moss as usual. 

[Anya]

"I have a feeling I'll be coming here often, then?" Honeypaw joked, moving closer to the large oak. "Looks like a fun climb though."

"It is indeed." Sagewhisker's mouth curved up in a smile, reminiscing in her own apprentice-hood. She had spent much of her spare time in her first Leaf-fall scaling the expansive oak. Her whiskers twitched as she returned to the present, "Let's get moving!"

She set off again, glancing over her shoulder every now and then to make sure Honeypaw was still following. "Up ahead we have the Thorn Bushes. It's great for hunting prey but be careful of the thorns." Sagewhisker used her nose to point towards a clump of bushes at their right. "There isn't much shrubbery in LeafClan, so the abundance of mice and voles make their dens in there." she didn't wait for Honeypaw to inspect the area. "We'll come back next time, when you've learned to hunt."

A few fox-lengths ahead a reflective surface came into view. "The Mossy Pool," Sagewhisker stopped at the edge of the small dip. "It's also a great place to collect moss. The best times to come here are Newleaf and Leaf-fall. In Greenleaf it dries up and in Leafbare," the warrior used her long tail to swipe across the ice, clearing away little fragments of snow and frost. "It freezes over. but," she held a mischievous glint in her green gaze, "that doesn't mean it isn't any fun."

She recalled her first Leaf-bare. The sheer excitement she had felt gliding across the cool and slippery surface of the frozen pool was still just as fresh as it had been back then.

[Feather]

The two cats were on the move again and Honeypaw started to feel relieved. The more they walked the more significant markers she started to notice. She followed just behind her mentor, careful to match the strides as best she could in order to not have to walk on the snow too much. Being in the trees here meant that the snow wasn't as deep or there at all in certain areas but her paws still didn't appreciate it much.

"Up ahead we have the Thorn Bushes. It's great for hunting prey but be careful of the thorns. Honeypaw followed Sagewhiskers gaze towards the bushes that had come up on their right. "There isn't much shrubbery in LeafClan, so the abundance of mice and voles make their dens in there."

Honeypaw wanted to stop and get a look but it didn't look like her mentor was going to slow down so she reluctantly followed the cream cat further into the forest.

"We'll come back next time, when you've learned to hunt." Honeypaw's ears perked up at that. She wan't to learn to hunt soon, at the moment she still felt bad for getting priority for food in the clan in the hard times. Now that she was an apprentice she would be able to bring things back for the clan instead of only taking.

Some distance away there was something glimmering in Honeypaw's sights. Sagewhisker continued to walk towards it and stopped in front of it, "The Mossy Pool, It's also a great place to collect moss. The best times to come here are Newleaf and Leaf-fall. In Greenleaf it dries up and in Leafbare it freezes over.

Honeypaw nodded along to what her mentor was saying, eyeing the slippery surface.

"but, that doesn't mean it isn't any fun."

Honeypaw looked over at her mentor in surprise, her tail perking up in excitement. "Fun?"

Cautiously, Honeypaw moved towards the slick surface. She wasn't a fan of getting her feet cold, but they were already freezing as it was and a little more couldn't hurt. She doubted that her brother would come home saying that she had fun today, not like this. "Is it safe to walk on?" She placed her front left paw on it and let out a yelp as the ice was really cold. "That's so cold!" She whined, moving her paw to lick it, purring with laughter as she did.

[Anya]

"Fun?" Honeypaw's tail perked up in excitement. Sagewhisker watched her apprentice move forward cautiously. "Is it safe to walk on?" Honey placed her front left paw on it and let out a yelp. "That's so cold!" She whined, moving her paw to lick it, purring with laughter as she did.

"It is ice." Sagewhisker laughed softly. The wind began to pick up, whistling around them. It seemed to dare them. The trees beckoned them forward as they swayed back and forth. "We could walk around it," the orange and cream warrior blinked her sage green eyes. "Or," she took a step forward, pushed off with her hind legs and bent her legs just so, gliding across the surface. "Glide!" she laughed, straightening up and using her long tail to balance. She spread her toes out wide to help her keep her grip on the slippery surface. She was use to the cold touch.

"Come on Honeypaw," she looked over her shoulder. "Give it a go!"

[Feather]

"Come on Honeypaw," Sagewhisker looked over her shoulder at her. "Give it a go!"

Honeypaw watched in surprise as her mentor started gliding across the ice. The cream coloured cat looked graceful and seemed to just move across the ice with ease. She couldn't imagine it felt good on the paws, but she looked like she was having fun so Honeypaw hesitantly placed her paw back onto the ice and resisted the instinctual flinch. With one paw on, she waited a moment for it to get used to the cold before moving the second one forward. Her body was expecting the shock this time so she didn't immediately leap back but she did flinch slightly. Then, just like her mentor did, she brought her entire body onto the ice but kept it low. "Like this?"

Honeypaw wobbled and slid around slightly but was no where near as graceful as Sagewhisker as she glided across the ice. Honeypaw stumbled forward a bit, keeping all four paws planted firmly on the ice. There wasn't much movement beneath her paws, and so to achieve any sort of movement she started to wiggle her paws forward and ended up sliding forward a few mouse-tails worth. "Wow..." She said, staring down at her paws. "This is hard!"

[Anya]

"It took me a while to get the hang of it." Sagewhisker smiled. She bent her legs and used her tail to make a u-turn. The she-cat slid forward, balancing the weight onto all four paws as she glided over to Honeypaw's side. "Use your tail to help balance and align your body. Keep your toes spread wide and make sure your weight it distributed evenly on all four paws. Keep your legs bent just a little when you move." she instructed. "Remember, you don't need to do a lot of moving. Just push off and let yourself slide forward."

Sagewhisker recalled the many painful and cold falls she had experienced when her mentor tried to teach her. but she had been a persistent cat and she hoped Honeypaw would be too. Not that she doubted her apprentice. The young cat already showed great promise.

"I'll meet you on the other side!" the orange and cream warrior pushed off and lodged her front two feet into the snowbank on the opposite side. She pulled herself off the ice and turned to watch her apprentice try again.

[Feather]

Honeypaw nodded as her mentor listed off the instructions, already adjusting her balance. The she-cat wobbled a bit before righting herself. "I'll meet you on the other side!"

"Okay," The young tabby muttered herself, fur ruffling in the breeze. "You can do this."

The she-cat started by doing as her mentor said and spread her toes. Her pale-brown paws were numb at this point but Honeypaw ignored it as best she could. She'd have to get over her hatred of the cold one day. Next, she readjusted her balance so that she wasn't putting so much weight onto her front paws. Shifting along the ice obviously wasn't going to work so she was just going to have to trust--

Honeypaw yelped as she started to move forward. Her paws were sliding across the ice. Mind, she wasn't going that fast, but it felt like she was sprinting across the ice. The she-cat's paws slid a bit from side to side and wobbled as she tried to find her balance. Her toes felt like they were being stretched beyond belief and then-

"Oof!" Honeypaw fell face first into the ice, smacking her chest and chin down onto the cold surface. The impact shook her for a moment, startling the breath right out of her. She laid there for a moment and almost wanted to stay and rest before she realized that Sagewhisker might get worried. She hurried to her feet, paws splayed out in an attempt to regain her balance. Her claws scrabbled for purchase and she found it again, finally.

It took three more attempts and just as many falls before she was gliding across the ice on her own terms. "Aha!" Honeypaw mewled in success as she slid to a messy stop in front of Sagewhisker, nearly bumping into her. "I did it!" Honeypaw honestly wouldn't be surprised if she had looked like the biggest idiot in all of LeafClan, but she didn't care because it was fun. It was the most fun she'd had in ages.

[Anya]

Sagewhisker observed her apprentice try once more. She watched the changes as her wobbly apprentice fought to find her balance.

The orange warrior winced as Honeypaw fell face first onto the ice. When she didn't rise Sagewhisker's heart skipped a beat and she was ready to race out when Honeypaw abruptly rose. Perseverance! Good! She sighed in relief as her apprentice found her balance once more and slowly, ever so slowly, glided across to land before her.

"I did it!" Honeypaw exclaimed.

"You did! I'm happy you didn't give up!" Sagewhisker purred, very pleased with Honeypaw's efforts. "It's important to have some fun now and then," she flicked the small brown tabby's nose with the feathery end of her tail. "Keeps you younger, longer." she laughed.

"Come," Sagewhisker rose to her paws and turned back north. "Let's finish that tour." The orange and cream tabby led the way forward. "There," Sagewhisker picked up the pace as they neared a cluster of fallen trees. "Here is The Dead Woods." she used her pink nose to point to the hollowed old wood. "I'd feel better if you stayed clear of this area. Predators like to lurk around here. Leaf-bare isn't the most dangerous of times but I wouldn't risk it." her tone grew very serious. The last thing she wanted was Honeypaw to get hurt, or worse.

[Feather]

"You did! I'm happy you didn't give up!" Honeypaw felt her insides flutter at the praise and the she-cat started to purr in response. "It's important to have some fun now and then," A feathery tail swooped up towards Honeypaw and she restrained from flinching as the tail brushed against her nose. Surprised, she scrunched her nose up and tried to hold in her sneeze. "Keeps you younger, longer."

Sagewhisker then moved back towards the direction they'd been heading. Honeypaw moved off the ice slowly, careful not to fall again. It was embarrassing enough as it was... but at least no one but Sagewhisker had seen. The older she-cat had seemed proud that she'd been successful anyway and that was enough to keep Honeypaw from feeling bad.

"Come," Honeypaw's ears perked at the sound of her mentors voice. "Let's finish that tour." The tabby didn't wait and so Honeypaw scrambled to catch up, snow kicking up under her paws as she went.

The two cats reached a cluster of fallen trees and Honeypaw slowed her pace to match Sagewhisker's. I'd feel better if you stayed clear of this area. Predators like to lurk around here. Leafbare isn't the most dangerous of times but I wouldn't risk it."

Honeypaw's heart was pounding still from when she'd been rushing to catch up but it was starting to slow again as her mentor turned serious. "I won't." Honeypaw mewed. "I promise."

The brown tabby stared out into the The Dead Woods with wonder. She wasn't mouse-brained, she wouldn't go in there before her mentor said she was ready, but the dark area still fascinated her. The itch inside of her would have to wait until she was stronger before the braved that area of LeafClan territory. "Do warriors go in there often?" She asked, eyeing the hallowed out wood. The area looked scary and yet inciting all the same.

[Anya]

"I won't." Honeypaw mewed. "I promise."

That reassured the orange warrior and her green gaze softened. She trusted Honeypaw.

"Do warriors go in there often?" her apprentice asked.

"No," Sagewhisker shook her head. "Sometimes if chasing prey, or they'll pass by on walks and patrols. but most stay clear of here. No one wants to jump into unnecessary danger without good reason." she turned forward once more, and continued walking. She didn't call back, expecting Honeypaw to follow regardless.

The pair was headed to their last destination. The orange and cream she-cat stopped at the edge of a winding set of lines. "This is the thunderpath. It's unused though." she used her tail to beckon Honeypaw closer to the steel tracks. The place was covered in moss and vines and the wildlife had embraced it completely. Only the muddied and weather-worn tracks displayed any signs of prior two-leg meddling. "Here is where we will train. but before, let me tell you our borders so you aren't confused of the boundaries. Up ahead, past the Unused Thunderpath is a small grove of birches and beyond that fields of tall grass. A little further, northeast is the seaside. You might see it on your way to your first gathering. On the northwest side is where the Pond of Truce is and beyond that the Skyfields where you will go with me when you are ready." she paused here to let it sink into the small tabbies mind. "Where we stand, to the east is the border we share with SunsetClan and to the west is our border alongside MidnightClan. You are never to cross the border, under any circumstances. I can't guarantee you'll be let off easily by the other clans so I want you to be extra careful around the borders. I'd prefer you only hunt in patrols, but if you must hunt on your own for practice or otherwise, be careful." she knew she didn't need to worry about her apprentice being mindful of her surroundings, but for her hearts satisfaction she emphasized the importance of the matter.

"Right," Sagewhisker smiled. "Now that we have that cleared up let's focus on training." The sun was at the peak of it's height above and would soon be setting. "Have you learned any moves already that you'd like to show me?" the warrior asked. Often, apprentices, even as kits, would be taught some basics or would learn by observing. The orange she-cat wanted to know how much her young apprentice had absorbed.

Ooc:// I thought I replied to this thread xD I was probably going to when I fell asleep.

[Feather]

They moved on to their next destination and Honeypaw felt her paws start to get tired. Regardless, she plodded on after her mentor and knew that with time things would get easier. Their day wasn't over yet after all. Sagewhisker paused just before a set of lines.

"This is the thunderpath. It's unused though." The orange and cream cat meowed before using her tail to get Honeypaw closer. Honeypaw went easily, fascinated by the winding path. She'd heard about two-legs and their strange...things, but this was the first time she was witnessing it first time. It was a lot bigger than she was expecting. Were all two-leg things like this? So big and intrusive? Where all two-leg things like this allowed to have the grass grow around it? Or was it just because it was unused? Honeypaw looked at the strange rock like material and wondered where it had come from. Sagewhisker then begun to explain the borders and Honeypaw perked up in excitement. This wasn't something she wanted to miss, or forget. 

"Up ahead, past the Unused Thunderpath is a small grove of birches and beyond that fields of tall grass. A little further, northeast is the seaside. You might see it on your way to your first gathering. On the northwest side is where the Pond of Truce is and beyond that the Skyfields where you will go with me when you are ready."

Honeypaw nodded, following Sagewhisker's gaze as she explained each area. The Gathering. Honeypaw wondered what that must be like but she was even more interested in the Pond of Truce. Every apprentice made that journey and she personally could not wait to get farther than LeafClan territory to explore. Everything out there must be so new and exciting. 

"Where we stand, to the east is the border we share with SunsetClan and to the west is our border alongside MidnightClan. You are never to cross the border, under any circumstances. I can't guarantee you'll be let off easily by the other clans so I want you to be extra careful around the borders. I'd prefer you only hunt in patrols, but if you must hunt on your own for practice or otherwise, be careful."

Honeypaw nodded along politely, careful to absorb as much information as possible. It was past mid-day at this point and she was begining to wonder whether or not they were going to be learning anything asides from borders today when Sagewhisker meowed, "Right, Now that we have that cleared up let's focus on training."

Honeypaw bounced a little in anticipation. "Have you learned any moves already that you'd like to show me?" Honeypaw faltered a little, not sure if anything she's picked up on through fighting with Cedarpaw would transfer over. Nervously, she young tabby she-cat nodded. 

"I think so." She admitted, "I'm not sure I'm any good though, Cedarpaw always manages to pin me down." she pawed at the ground nervously. "I put up a good fight though!" She says, a little bit of resentment for her brother bubbling to the surface. "It's not my fault his big belly pins me down. He always leaves it open anyway so if I really want to get back at him all I have to do is flip and shove him away from underneath. He's awful at predicting what I'm going to do. He just expects me to be complacent and not fight back." It infuriated Honeypaw and it was all coming out like word vomit now it seemed. 

OOC: It's quite alright, I think I've done the same exact thing before. This got a little long haha. I apologize, I tend to get carried away.

[Anya]

“I think so.” Honeypaw nodded, slight nervousness could be detected. “I’m not sure I’m any good though, Cedarpaw always managed to pin me down.” she pawed at the ground. “I put up a good fight though!” she spoke with a touch of resentment if Sagewhisker was correct. “It’s not my fault his big belly pins me down. He always leaves it open anyway so if I really want to get back at him all I have to do is flip and shove him away from underneath. He’s awful at predicting what I’m going to do. He just expects me to be complacent and not fight back.” the warrior blinked as her apprentice spurted out the words.

Sagewhisker felt slightly uncomfortable. She didn’t really know anything about dealing with this particular thing. She had her own brother issues. Growing up in a big litter and having her brother desert her was what had built her into who she was. The orange and cream she-cat opened her maw to speak and shut it when she found no words. She needed to choose them carefully. She didn’t want to be insensitive.

“It can be hard, I know,” she knew very well, “but don’t let it get your fur in a knot.” Sagewhisker flicked her ears. “I know you’re capable of being a great warrior, and I’m going to make you one.” she smiled. “Let’s begin,” the warrior crouched low, belly grazing the snow. “I want you to attack me.”

Sagewhisker decided the best thing to do was what her mentor had taught her. Trial and error. That was how she had learned everything she knew. Where most of the other mentors would spend time showing and explaining different moves and techniques, her mentor, allowed her to develop her own techniques. He would give her advice on how to improve them along with correcting her form but would never tell her what to do. She felt it was the best way to learn. She didn’t have to do anything that she couldn’t or that didn’t work for her. She was free to make her choices, and she wanted it that way for Honeypaw as well.