Grow Your Wings || Tagged

[Carotius]

Tags: Falcon
OOC: You can choose if you want battle or hunting

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"I know changing the bedding in the dens isn't really something cats like to do, but it's a necessity, especially for the kits and elders. They need to be comfortable just like us," Thistlehawk explained, nodding towards the cave entrance. "but first, I'll show you one of the places we can get moss. Yes, you can find moss even in the mountains."

The blue-grey warrior trotted towards the entrance and out of it, already deciding which way to head to the Dead Willow without the need for his apprentice to climb too much given his limited experience. There was a slope running from the ledge just below the main cave that went up the mountain, looping around to where the Heat Pool was situated above the camp; the Dead Willow was very near the Heat Pool, so it wouldn't too hard of a landmark for Wolfpaw to memorise. He turned his head to look at his apprentice, nodding to beckon the young tom forward.

Part of Thistlehawk wanted to take the shorter path up to the Heat Pool but...that required some climbing. He wasn't too sure if Wolfpaw was up to the task of impromptu climbing lessons so soon when they were intending to only do chores at the moment. Maybe just some small climbing. Not too much. Besides, I can carry him when he gets too tired. Affirming his own decision, Thistlehawk began his trot to the left of the entrance, heading for the stepped side of the rocky mountain that led up to the Pool.

[Falcon]

"on the contrary Thistlehawk I enjoy doing chores, I helped the apprentices before when I was a kit sometimes, doing chores builds the bonds of the clan, and it gives apprentices a chance to ease into the thought of being responsible it's a good building block for young cats, it helps build their confidence and it they even get the chance to learn from the older cats in the clan" Wolfpaw followed his mentor eagerly "and I think that's just swell"

[Carotius]

The mentor blinked his eyes in surprise at his apprentice's comment. Did Wolfpaw really just state that he enjoyed doing chores? He did. He did. Thistlehawk was honestly impressed with Wolfpaw, and it was only their first few minutes out of the camp together, and they hadn't actually done anything yet! Smiling, he continued his trek, by clambering the first few steps with ease. He looked back down at Wolfpaw with expectant green eyes.

"I'm sure you've done a bit of climbing as well?"

[Falcon]

"Father says that climbing is a cat's way to fly, and we live on the mountain cause we're the closest clan to our wings, even if we can't see them, they're there and that's how we climb the best" Wolfpaw followed his mentor, hesitating only a few moments as he tested the ground to make sure it was strong enough to hold him "Father says that when we're on our mountain that even the stars are within our grasp, but our wings aren't yet good enough to reach them, that they'll only get good enough with practice, and then when we join Starclan our wings will be mighty and fierce, just like Talonclan"

[Carotius]

"Your father sure taught you aplenty while in the nursery. Do your siblings share you enthusiasm?"

Thistlehawk was itching to continue his climb upwards to the area above the Clan cave, but he needed to wait for his apprentice to make it up the first few steps first. That, and Wolfpaw looked a little bit tentative as he approached the older tom by way of the cliff. Oh, boy.. He moved back down some of the ledges, but still a distance from the brown tom, and lowered his tail, just barely out of reach.

"Just in case you need a little help."

[Falcon]

"Well I worry about Spiderkit sometimes cause she can't see and I know she wants to be a good warrior but my mother is over protective and it frustrates her, but Flamekit is quite energetic even if he sometimes channels it badly, he means well and that's what counts most of the time, though I think it'd help if he took a breath from time to time" Wolfpaw managed to get up at last padding over to his mentor "And then there's our friend Amberpaw, she's quite a trouble maker but I try to make sure she doesn't get into anything dangerous"

[Carotius]

To hear a little about Wolfpaw's family sparked a little happiness in Thistlehawk. A kit who couldn't see? Another who didn't know the best and proper way to channel his overenergeticness? It sounded like a family he'd take interest in getting to know for a change; Thistlehawk didn't always remember Clanmates' names and all that unless they took time to get to know him. Otherwise, it was just a brief flash of name and fur colour and that was it.

"Amberpaw, hm? Guess she's about to have a time of her life with Briarstar as mentor," the warrior chuckled, climbing up the next few ledges and stopping again to look at Wolfpaw. "Come on, Wolfpaw, the moss may not move, but the queens and elders aren't precisely patient enough for new bedding, if you know what I mean."

[Falcon]

"Well they have a right to be impatient, they are very important members of the clan, the elders pass on wisdoms and truths, while the queens take care of the kits until they become apprentices like me" Wolfpaw followed his mentor "but sometimes I think they might forget to take into account the difference in size, some apprentices are very short legs and it might take them longer to reach higher peaks then it would a regular sized warrior"

[Carotius]

Nodding in thoughtful approval that paired nicely with a smile, the warrior turned and lowered his tail to Wolfpaw again, lightly humming to himself. If an apprentice liked chores and understood the rationality of it behind it and most of the goings of life, then a mentor shouldn't have too much trouble to discipline them into the dutiful warriors they should be. He turned his head to look at Wolfpaw; he was starting to like this the young tom.

"Glad you understand both sides of it. Now, be quick - we're almost at the top!"

[Falcon]

Wolfpaw nodded, eager to get to work at last he hurried after his mentor as they neared their destination, he was so excited to start but he kept himself under control no point getting all Flamepaw like and accidently forgetting something or doing something wrong, he had to be calm and focused that way he did things to make the clan proud

[Carotius]

Thistlehawk managed to catch that flicker of excessive excitement in Wolfpaw's eyes. He couldn't help the smile that inched across his face, and quickly turned away to where the Heat Pool was, already appreciating the warmth of the air around it that chased away the slight chill of leaf-fall. Sure, it was good that the heat of greenleaf was past, but it didn't mean a long chill was preferable either.

The warrior approached the single plant life that was already withered and dull despite still standing upright like any tree would. Still living as a landmark for us, huh? Shrugging, Thistlehawk beckoned Wolfpaw with his tail, ruffling the fur on his head with a paw when the apprentice got close enough.

"Won't hurt to learn a little of the territory while we're at them. See that body of water over there?" he nodded to his right, where heat was distorting the view of the lands beyond the mountain. "That's the Heat Pool. Really nice place to warm up when it's cold, or when your joints and muscles ache... Gotta keep watch when kits come here, though - they get into the silliest trouble." He then nodded towards the tree. "Over here's the Dead Willow, and here's where we'll be collecting our moss."

[Falcon]

Wolfpaw nodded taking in his mentors words and studying the places he pointed out, the Heat Pool looked fun, good for relaxing, maybe he should take Flamepaw here at some point, a light smirk appeared on his face at his own internal joke before he looked over at the Dead Willow, his Father had told him that was where he did some climbing practice too, but he padded over to collect some moss waiting for his mentor to show him how

[Carotius]

Once Wolfpaw had finished studying the two landmarks his mentor had pointed out, the eager apprentice went over to the Dead Willow by himself, looking over his shoulder to look at the older tom. Thistlehawk smiled as he loped over to his apprentice's side, nodding once, then putting out a paw. He unsheathed his claws, then proceeded to extend them out as far as possible without it hurting before retracting them again.

"You saw that I extended my claws, correct? It's the extended claws that help us gather the moss efficiently; they're normally in thick clumps near the roots of the trees," Thistlehawk guided the young tom closer to the dead tree roots, where thick wads of greenish plants sticking to the dried wood could be seen. "First thing you have to remember when gathering moss is that you don't want any wood chips or even thorns to get into the clumps you're collecting. That's where the claws come in."

In one swift motion, the grey-scale tom had extended his fully to slightly beyond its full length and clawed them slowly at one spot of moss that clung desperately to a root. The claws sunk into its softness before some of it began to get pulled along with Thistlehawk's paw before laying on the ground, generally undisturbed and with few signs of wood or any other anomalies. Thistlehawk repeated the move a few times to ensure Wolfpaw got the motion; he had a pile of moss that could form a big roll by the time he was done.

"You try it now. Remember, full extension with patience."

[Falcon]

His mentor acted as if he were impatient all the time if there was one thing Wolfpaw knew, it was patience, but he nodded anyway to be respectful and started to gather moss the way his mentor showed him, checking for bits of wood and thorns, taking out any little bits he might have found, and waiting for his mentor to tell him the next step, protecting his pile from the wind

[Carotius]

"Nicely done! They're sure gonna love rhe soft moss you clawed out," Thistlehawk purred, taking a look at the piles of moss they now had. "Now, this next part might make you look a little strange, but it's a good way of carrying lots of this stuff back to camp."

The warrior scooped up some moss in his paw and brought it up to the area between his neck and chin; once he was sure it was where he needed it to be, lowered his muzzle, pressing his chin tightly against his chest, keeping the bedding in place. After that, he ducked to pick up the remaining batch of moss with his teeth, and stood up straight. Green eyes twinkling, Thistlehawk gestured his brown-furred apprentice to his own pile of moss with a wave of his tail.