Don't Mess With Thistles, Little Crow. [Tagged]

[Twix]

Crowpaw had already awoken this morning, expecting his new mentor to come and collect him any moment now to begin training. The apprentice waited in his den, beginning to clean and groom his short fur. It didn't take long for him to finish his task though, and still, his mentor hadn't shown up. Soon he got tired of waiting and decided to go out and find him. He's late for training! And I'm the apprentice! Then again, he couldn't blame Thistlehawk. Now that he was deputy of Talonclan, and Crowpaw was his second apprentice. He sighed, the thought dragging down his mood. He DECIDED to take me on as his apprentice, it isn't my fault! He pushed all the troubling thoughts away, instead sticking to his original task: finding him. He had said they would train today, and so they would. First thing's first, Crowpaw poked his head into the warrior's den, which was completely empty. The black tom smirked, a plan beginning to form in his mind. I'll give him a nice surprise for forgetting our training today.. A mixed feeling of revenge and troublesome fun swirling around in his thoughts. He ran off to his usual spot, an area that no one else knew about, that hid his stash of, well, everything. Making sure no one was looking, he stuck his muzzle down and plucked up a thorn, and headed back towards the warrior's den. No one seemed to be paying attention to him- which was a surprise. Maybe it was because the cave was a bit.. emptier than usual? Or was he just being paranoid? He ignored it. It only took a heartbeat to reach the warrior's den, and with no eyes on him, he slipped inside. He sniffed around until he finally came across a nest in the middle of the den, the scent of Thistlehawk clinging to it. Once again the black tom smirked, beginning to paw at the nest, and dropped the thorn delicately into the moss. He'll have a great time sleeping tonight. He chuckled to himself, and carefully made his way back out of the warrior's den, unseen.

[Carotius]

[Carotius]

Thistlehawk had been up since the crack of dawn, contrary to Crowpaw's belief, for he was eager and ready (perhaps even slightly nervous!) to get on with his new duties as deputy, most of which he knew to be assigning duties to the warriors of TalonClan. So as he made his way out of the warriors' den, he mentally planned out who was to go for the dawn patrol for the borders, and another for hunting. Maybe he could lead one of the patrols himself as a bit of a warm-up for the day. No, wait, he couldn't do that - he had something else to be done!

Okay, let's just get the duties assigned and head over to Crowpaw. He turned an eye to the apprentices' den, half-expecting his second apprentice with the black fur to push his head out in a wide yawn, sitting at the entrance to wait on his mentor. Nope, Crowpaw wasn't to be seen. The blue-grey warrior blinked in surprise, then shrugged and continued on with what he was intending to do. Gathering the warriors and apprentices who were already awake, he instructed them for the respective border and hunting patrols as necessary, even added some miscellaneous duties for the apprentices to finish up when they got back.

When he was done, Thistlehawk still saw no sign of the young black tom coming from the apprentices' den, and he sighed wearily, wondering if said cat was oversleeping. He padded over to the den, maw partially opened to call out for Crowpaw, when he felt subtle vibrations under his paws coming from the warriors' den, at the same time the scent of his apprentice becoming evident that he'd gone out already. Something isn't right. The blue-grey deputy hid himself in the shadows of the den entrance, watchful green eyes locked onto the one leading to the warriors' den.

Lo and behold, out came the young black-furred apprentice, wearing a triumphant smile of unmistakable mischief upon his face. Thistlehawk knew something was definitely up, and with a dramatic eye roll, he stood back up, keeping himself to the shadows as his apprentice came walking by. Once Crowpaw passed right by him without a blink, Thistlehawk stepped out, putting on a stern face that signalled nothing less than 'no nonsense'.

"Crowpaw. Just what in StarClan were you doing in the warriors' den? Don't give me the mouse-dung excuse of changing bedding - there's no trace of you having any moss at all," he began, tail straight out. "Even if you were looking for me, you would have seen me right there near Briarstar's den, assigning everyone's duties. Out with it."

[Twix]

As Crowpaw watched his mentor step out of the shadows, his first reaction was that of excitement, that is until he heard what Thistlehawk had to say. The black tom was silent; focusing most of his attention on something else, anything else, while trying to keep his composure as normal as it was just a moment ago. Even with all his focus, he could've sworn his tail-tip flicked nervously on it's own, but he hoped Thistlehawk wouldn't have noticed. "Uhm, well.. I thought I smelled something strange inside, that's all. I was just having a look to make sure everything was fine." The excuse was no where near his best. I mean, what kind of strange thing could be in the warrior's den? A fox? They didn't even have foxes in the mountain! After a few moments he realized that there was no chance that his mentor would believe him, at which point the black tom let out an exasperated sigh. "I was trying to prank you.. there's a thorn in your nest. but you were late for our first training session, and I got bored!" At least he told the truth, and he hoped that Thistlehawk would go easy on him.

[Carotius]

Right as the deputy finished, his apprentice's expression from smug and triumphant to nervous and guilty, one that had become rather familiar to Thistlehawk from his own days as an apprentice. It wasn't just the expression that got him raising his metaphorical eyebrows, though; Crowpaw's initial claim of innocence that he was merely in the warriors' den to examine a supposed strange scent in said location didn't exactly catch on to the blue-grey warrior. The warrior tilted his head to the left, a serious but bemused expression showing in his green eyes. Foxes, Crowpaw? You expect me to believe a fox waltzed up here just to sniff around? He was this close to rolling his eyes, when the black tom finally gave in and admitted the truth, one of which made his mentor's lips quirk upwards.

The older tom lowered his head, just so it was level with Crowpaw's, his ears erect. "I was awake since dawn to arrange the patrols; it took a little longer than usual since there weren't too many who were awake enough to walk ten paces without tripping over their paws. You should know that," he explained, maintaining the stern gaze with his apprentice's frustrated one. It was on the deputy for being late to a promised session, but on the other end, it was obligatory that Crowpaw understood the responsibilities that Thistlehawk had begun bearing on his shoulders since the last ceremony. "You can't wait to start training, I know that. but instead of attempting to prank me, you could have practised something by yourself while you waited."

Giving his black-furred apprentice one pointed look with just his eyes and mouth, Thistlehawk returned to his proper posture, tail curled up over his back. He swept the camp with one analytical sweep of his oculars, ensuring that nothing else needed him for any reason at all. There didn't seem to be any chores for Crowpaw right now (though with the thorn in his bedding, Thistlehawk would want it to be changed), and said apprentice was looking restless to do anything of relatively low activity. The blue-grey deputy knew just what to do for starters.

"Did they tell you how fast a runner I am? Then maybe it's time you found out!" he chortled, sprinting out the cave entrance with an echoing laugh.

[Twix]

Crowpaw's ears lowered and began to lay flat on the black tom's head. He did know the responsibilities that Thistlehawk had.. but the prank was only a little fun, wasn't it? Then why did it make him feel so bad? "You're right", he mumbled, the words only barely audible, "I'm sorry.." If the young tom was ever going to reach greatness, he would have to start thinking like his mentor and less like a kit. Practicing would have been a better use of the tom's time than trying to prank his mentor, even if he was late. Crowpaw made a mental note to go back into the warrior's den and pull the thorn from his mentor's bedding before the night set in. That way, no one would have to change it and fix his own mistake. He would have did it before training started, but suddenly the deputy's spirits lifted and with a short comment about being a fast runner, he sped out of the cave, laughing the whole way out. "You bet they did!" Crowpaw called back to him. That was one reason he was so excited to have Thistlehawk as his mentor! One of Crowpaw's best skills was running, and his mentor was about to see it for himself! The black tom chased after his mentor, following him out the cave entrance and into the mountains. His long legs barely touched the ground as he flew after the blue-grey tom in front of him as he rapidly closed the space in between the two of them.

[Carotius]

OOC: Boop. I listened to this for this post XD Pardon the minor power-playing.

---

Ah, what a joy to be out in the open again! The wind may be pressing the fur against his body, but it was caressing him as his legs carried him out the cave and down the rocky hills, where the bright sunshine shone upon his tabby pelt of blue-grey that blended perfectly with the lights and shadows of the stones all around his Clan's territory. He let the wind carried himself forward, relishing in the strong gusts that whipped at his face, the smile on his face notably seen when he was really, really enjoying himself.

Thistlehawk swivelled an ear back when he heard the pummelling of the earth that was not in tandem with his, and he swung his head around halfway, wondering if he was being chased by his apprentice or by something else. A bemused smile played on the deputy's lips, his green eyes glittering in delight and amazement as Crowpaw's black form zoomed into view; the apprentice's long legs carried towards the speedy warrior almost as fast as he himself could. Almost.  The younger tom's shoulders were in line with the hip area of his mentor just as they ran past the half-wall of rock that demarcated the camp boundary.

"Impressive! No apprentice matches a warrior's speed on their first try," his praise was barely interrupted by the measured puffs of breath, making it seem as if this run wasn't winding him up at all.

Really, he went on a run around the territory every morning since he became an apprentice, and it definitely helped with his stamina and agility. Speaking of agility... His emerald eyes caught sight of the path that curved down hill leading to the lower level of the mountain before the fields, the point of its curve indicated by a pillar of rock that was four tail-lengths high - Crowpaw was in-line with it, while Thistlehawk was off to the left, where he could actually run off the edge if he wasn't careful. Oh, this was definitely something to show Crowpaw what having the deputy as a mentor would come as.

Turning his head to the black-furred tom once more, his breathing not missing a beat, Thistlehawk let himself smirk, a good-humoured challenge colouring his tone, "but it'll be moons before a crow can be like the hawk!"

The rock pillar was upon them now. Thistlehawk grinned, leaping upwards into the air with a flick of his tail. He soared over Crowpaw's still-running form in a forward-diagonal direction, seemingly about to drop behind the apprentice in speed and distance, especially with the obstacle in the way. Nope! Quickly bringing his hindlegs to himself, the warrior landed those hindpaws on the pillar, and in one fluid motion, he pushed off once more, changing his direction such that he hit the ground running quite literally, this time shoulder-to-shoulder with Crowpaw.

Acrobatic stunts during his runs was something he pretty much liked to show off at times.

[Twix]

Crowpaw's face was a reflection of his mentors- a smirk of satisfaction as the black tom closed in on the cat ahead of him. Though he was glad to see Thistlehawk smiling and enjoying himself, and the black tom felt glad that all of the trouble earlier seemed to be forgotten. He had really gotten lucky to have the deputy as his mentor, he would just have to learn to be more patient is all. Crowpaw didn't respond as the blue-grey tom ahead of him called out to him, but he still felt proud by his words. I guess no one told you I was fast too, then! He would've said the words aloud but wanted to concentrate more on keeping his breathing steady as his paws pounded after his mentor. That was until they began to reach the curve in the mountain, and Crowpaw noticed just how close to the edge his mentor was. He may have instinctively gotten worried for his safety, though he figured Thistlehawk knew what he was doing, and the black tom was about to be proven that he did. Thistlehawk called out what seemed like a challenge only moments before leaping into the air, flying over the black tom beneath him and onto the pillar that rose from the mountain. Crowpaw began to slow as he watched his mentor do such an amazing stunt, the black tom's eyes sparkling in admiration. I hope I can do that one day! In the next instant, Thistlehawk had left the pillar behind and had landed neatly beside Crowpaw. "Wow, you're amazing!" the apprentice couldn't hold back a compliment after watching such grace and precision. He really was lucky to have Thistlehawk as his mentor, and he hoped one day he'd be just as great as him.

[Carotius]

The blue-grey deputy slowed into a fast trot, allowing his apprentice to catch up just enough to match his pace. It was good to see the young tom showing enthusiasm (and obvious interest) in the stunt, which was something Thistlehawk could use as training motivation for later when he needed it. For now, they could both be contented with the image of the stunt in their heads as they made their way further down the mountain; the tabby was thinking what they could do today aside from hunting training, which he had long planned to have since agreeing to take on the black tom as a second apprentice.

Some exploration couldn't hurt.

~~~Time Skip~~~

The pair had made good time in reaching the bottom of the mountain by mid-morning. Though their pads had hardened and grew accustomed to the stony paths over the course of their lives, it still felt utterly refreshing to have soft dirt and grass beneath their paws. Fresh mountain air became sweet and sharp scents of dew on grass and a slight salty taste of water from were the big sea was on the edge of the fields. Swishing grass, tall and short, stretched as far as the eye could see, seemingly going on for miles upon miles of unexplored land. 

Well, to a kit or an apprentice, at least.

Thistlehawk tapped the tip of his tail on Crowpaw's shoulder, drawing the black tom's attention forward to the open fields before them. "These fields belong to no Clan, for they are shared by all, even our ancestors. Some loners made their homes here, and they've helped the Clan cats where they can before - don't mistreat them," he glanced at the young tom to ensure he was listening, that turned back to the wonderful sight as birds flew overhead. "How about some hunting training first? If you get your basics right, I'll teach you my favourite technique."

[Twix]

[All of my post will consist after the time skip, just by the way.]

Crowpaw was relived when he finally stepped off of the last crag of mountain and onto something that was actually soft beneath his paws. The dirt and grass of the fields below Talonclan. His eyes stretched wide as he took in everything that he could. Grasses of all lengths spread out farther than he could see, and he caught of tang of salt in the air. He could just make out the source of it as he raised himself onto his back paws to just get a glimpse of the large body of water he had heard tales of at the edge of the fields. This was his first time ever coming this far from camp, and he was going to make sure he saw all that he could. He could only hold himself up for so long though; before the black tom came back down to land on all four of his paws.

He would have continued looking around if it wasn't for his mentor's tail touching his shoulder, pulling his attention back to Thistlehawk. He listened intently has the blue-grey tabby spoke and he made sure not to miss a word of it. Loners? Really? He had never met a non-clan cat before, and honestly found the thought rather interesting. He wondered what they were like. Though Crowpaw was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a bird shriek over-head and he instinctively looked upwards. They were taught from birth to always keep an eye out for birds of prey- they could easily fly away with kits, apprentices, and sometimes even warriors if they were big enough.

but he was relieved to see that, even though the bird was relatively large, it was a white bird from the sea. A seagull, I believe they're called? He had heard the word from the elders and their stories; they said large flocks of these birds tended to stay around the salty water. He was just happy it wasn't something that could've been bad for the two cats. He didn't realize that his attention had faltered and he hadn't been listening to Thistlehawk anymore until the word hunting caught in his ear fur. Instantly the tom perked up and all eyes were on the blue-grey tabby again. "You're favorite technique??" He wondered what it was like. Knowing his mentor, it would probably be as awesome as he was. The black tom nodded enthusiastically, ready to start his training as soon as possible. "Yes, lets do it!"