Post by Birdie on Sept 9, 2015 23:46:01 GMT -5
Although she knew it was necessary, should she ever want to advance in rank, Tallhawk had never actually expected to be given an apprentice.
Everyone in the Clan knew her feelings about young cats; she never made any effort to hide them- even as an apprentice herself, she had resented her peers rather than cooperating with them. She simply didn't have the patience- she had always wanted to move forward. A young cat, nearly a kit, dragging her tail every day, pestering her with questions- it had never appealed to her.
Perhaps Sunstar aimed to teach her patience as much as she aimed to teach Badgerpaw skills.
She knew nothing of the young cat. She knew that Badgerpaw existed, of course- she simply wasn't interested in the nursery. She never visited, or hung around outside to play with the kits, like some of the other warriors would during the high point of the afternoon, when the world seemed to settle for a while. She had woken herself early and crept out of the warrior's den at dawn's first light. She expected her apprentice would do the same- they had not trained the day after Badgerpaw's vigil; Tallhawk had insisted that the apprentice spend the day resting, and had, in fact, hardly spoken to her yet. She had plans for the young cat. The traditional tour of the territory would happen, but there was no reason she couldn't use it as a chance to measure what skills the young cat already had. If she was going to have an apprentice, it would be serious- she was determined to be strict with her charge. She would create a model warrior. If she set a high standard in the first few days, perhaps the apprentice would keep it up throughout.
In the center of the clearing, where the snow has been cleared away the most by dozens of paws passing through and by the active effort of assigned warriors, Tallhawk sat waiting, a sparrow in her jaws and a skinny hare set beside her, saved for when her apprentice emerged from her den. They would take time to eat before going out; in this weather, it was dangerous to be at anything less than top form. Hard training would form a hard warrior, though- perhaps it was good that they were starting in such a difficult leafbare. Things would seem easy by comparison when the snow melted and the ground thawed.
The she-cat hunched over and started picking her breakfast apart, taking her time with the pitifully small meal. When she ate slowly in times of hardship, it sometimes felt like her stomach was just a bit fuller.
Everyone in the Clan knew her feelings about young cats; she never made any effort to hide them- even as an apprentice herself, she had resented her peers rather than cooperating with them. She simply didn't have the patience- she had always wanted to move forward. A young cat, nearly a kit, dragging her tail every day, pestering her with questions- it had never appealed to her.
Perhaps Sunstar aimed to teach her patience as much as she aimed to teach Badgerpaw skills.
She knew nothing of the young cat. She knew that Badgerpaw existed, of course- she simply wasn't interested in the nursery. She never visited, or hung around outside to play with the kits, like some of the other warriors would during the high point of the afternoon, when the world seemed to settle for a while. She had woken herself early and crept out of the warrior's den at dawn's first light. She expected her apprentice would do the same- they had not trained the day after Badgerpaw's vigil; Tallhawk had insisted that the apprentice spend the day resting, and had, in fact, hardly spoken to her yet. She had plans for the young cat. The traditional tour of the territory would happen, but there was no reason she couldn't use it as a chance to measure what skills the young cat already had. If she was going to have an apprentice, it would be serious- she was determined to be strict with her charge. She would create a model warrior. If she set a high standard in the first few days, perhaps the apprentice would keep it up throughout.
In the center of the clearing, where the snow has been cleared away the most by dozens of paws passing through and by the active effort of assigned warriors, Tallhawk sat waiting, a sparrow in her jaws and a skinny hare set beside her, saved for when her apprentice emerged from her den. They would take time to eat before going out; in this weather, it was dangerous to be at anything less than top form. Hard training would form a hard warrior, though- perhaps it was good that they were starting in such a difficult leafbare. Things would seem easy by comparison when the snow melted and the ground thawed.
The she-cat hunched over and started picking her breakfast apart, taking her time with the pitifully small meal. When she ate slowly in times of hardship, it sometimes felt like her stomach was just a bit fuller.
