Welcome to Apprenticeship! || Tagged!

[Carotius]

Tags: @makememapie
OOC: We shall explore the territory and do battle training. I'll have time skips, if that's okay. ^^

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Kestrelflight took a few jaunty steps out of the warriors' den, feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep. He'd spend the previous day training Foxpaw, and it had been rather good though tiring. Nothing a good sleep couldn't fix!

but today, the Bengal had a new responsibility. Another apprentice! At first, he was surprised and wanted to gently turn down the offer, but most other warriors were so busy, that he felt obliged to take on this new warrior-in-training. So it happened that the young grey tom was assigned to the older spotted brown tom, and Kestrelflight actually delighted in taking Smokepaw out today.

"Smokepaaaw! You've been wanting to explore the territory! Let's go!" he called into the apprentices' den, laughing a little. "Come on, we'll have battle training afterwards!"

[Deleted]

OOC: (Eh I don't mind time skips ^-^)

Smokepaw would look up from where he was sitting. He hadn't slept all night. Those horrible dreams were what he feared. Maybe training would cheer him up a bit? It had been long since he had done so. Some one's more exited than I am. Smokepaw thought to himself and walked out of the camp with his new mentor.

Don't mess up, Don't mess up, Don't mess up. Was all that he could think about- His face was focused on where he put his paws and his yellow eyes seemed focused on the dirt. Stern and defiantly not relaxed.

[Carotius]

"Morning, Smokepaw," the Bengal tom greeted his distracted grey apprentice, one forepaw rubbing the top of the young tom's head in a friendly gesture. "We'll head over to the LeafClan border first, then circle on all the way to the abandoned Twoleg nest."

Kestrelflight observed the look in Smokepaw's yellow eyes; they were dull, almost tired, like he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, but he didn't dare ask. Maybe there's some other reason. I don't know. He resolved not to say anything about it until they were more acquainted with each other, which might prove a problem with the kindhearted warrior - he didn't like to leave his Clanmates lost in some despairing thoughts. That landed him in a fix with Dawnwhisker - Dawnpaw, currently - and he'd been quite ruffled by the incident.

Suppressing a sigh, the spotted tom turned towards the entrance. He padded on, pushing through the thorns of the single grassy clearing that was the camp, and out into the sandy reaches of the massive beach. The salty air filled Kestrelflight's lungs, and he let himself relish the brief moment of relaxation. He turned at the rustle of his apprentice's exit.

"The beach, our primary area. Unfortunately, it's dangerous to head towards the shoreline when it's greenleaf because of the Twolegs, so our supply of prey has to come elsewhere. Good thing there's a stream at the border, so follow me," he explained, nudging the grey tom gently.

[Deleted]

Smokepaw would nod and follow his mentor, he had so many questions to ask but he didn't know how to word them.
As he came to a steady trot beside Kestrelflight. and looked up at her mentor with a more loose expression. A swim might help with training. . .

"What are twolegs?" He would ask- he had heard all about them- but never really seen one for himself.

[Carotius]

"What are Twolegs?"

The question took Kestrelflight by surprise. Up until now, he hadn't had the chance of being asked a question as simple and as innocent as that, especially by an apprentice. It had always been quite the assumption that all cats would know about Twolegs once they could understand as kits. Though now he realised...it could be a matter of whether they've seen a Twoleg for themselves. Hm. No matter.

He replied as they trekked towards the LeafClan border. "Twolegs are strange creatures on two legs. No fur except for the ones on their heads, and they seem to keep warm with strangely-coloured pelts, though underneath it all is their pink skin." He made a turn at the path. "They live in big dens of stone, do the silliest things which include keeping dogs and cats as...companions or something. Strange, yes? Mhmm.. We have them at the beach every greenleaf for some reason, them with their pelt-dens and running around on our usual spots... I'll show you along the way."

His phrasing and explanation had been awkward. He wasn't used to explaining much about Twolegs without others somehow already getting to where he was at, so this was quite an experience. Even Foxpaw didn't ask him this. Kestrelflight glanced at Smokepaw, green eyes curious about what the apprentice was thinking.

"Not that everyone thinks the same, but personally, I find Twolegs to be intelligent sometimes. Except their stupidity seems to overpower their intelligence more often than not...

[Deleted]

The tom would only nod in response as they continued their walk onwards. They do sound strange. . . The gray tom would think to himself and look up at the birds tweeting away above them. Stay focused. . . stay focused. He consecrated on his thoughts. He stepped on a twig and scarred himself- leaping backwards at the sound of sudden movement. Jumpy much?. He growled lightly and acted as if he hadn't just scared himself with a silly twig.

[Carotius]

OOC: Sorry if it's short and/or bad; my muse for Kestrelflight threads was sapped! ^^;;

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Kestrelflight whipped his head around in surprise at Smokepaw's reaction. The grey tom seemed...jumpy for some reason. The older tom would have liked to ask if anything was bothering the apprentice, but, remembering his bout with Dawnwhisker as was mentioned earlier, he'd rather wait and see if he would be told. He just needed to be patient. For now, they would concentrate on their training.

~Time Skip~

"This is the stream some of us go to fish at when the Twolegs run rampant at the beach. It doesn't run too far, but it's certainly on OUR territory," he explained as the padded along the stream bank, intending to head straight for the LeafClan border instead of simply stopping there. "I know it's a little tempting to take a swim, but we're going to need to rush a little, since I plan to have your battle training today. Keep up, okay?"

It was against better judgment, but Kestrelflight sped up into a light trot, skimming past the next line of undergrowth rather noisily but quickly.

[Deleted]

Smokepaw would nod in understanding and dart after his mentor as top speed. A foul stench hit his nose as they came close to the scent markers on his guess. I don't want to go to gatherings if that revolting smell will be there! He would growl to himself and leap over the driest stones, doing his best not to jump into the tempting cool water.

[Carotius]

So far so good, as Kestrelflight and Smokepaw left the cooling stream to trot along a line of shrubs. The dense jungle of SunsetClan territory was lush with ferns and vines, and it was a little hard to believe it could co-exist with the main beach and also LeafClan's birch forest. Strange how nature can cooperate with each other more than we cats can ever do. He wondered if Applestream would share the same idea.

No longer had he thought of the dark ginger tom did his nose get assaulted with a musty stench. It was a heavy and cloying mix of leaves, mud, dirt, and all manner of plants, with a soft tang of water every now and then. The spotted tom wrinkled his nose in disgust. He could never quite get used to LeafClan's defining odour without snorting at least once. And by the looks of it, his grey-furred apprentice wouldn't get accustomed to it either.

"Well, that's LeafClan's remarkable air. You should take note of it for future patrols and when the Gathering arrives," he meowed tightly, throat contracted to not let in so much of the foul air. "Occasionally, you might see LeafClan cats in the trees, jumping on it... I think they're pretending to be squirrels. Hehe!"

They didn't spend too long at the border since the markers were still fresh, and neither Clan had crossed their borders. Satisfied, Kestrelflight waved his tail for Smokepaw to follow him, and the two toms went away from the sticky smell, heading in the direction of the Skyfield.