private a new chapter - nettlepaw

[PIKESPLASH]

The meeting had gone smoothly. One of his apprentices had become a warrior, which makes his heart soar with pride. Now, he has only one apprentice and that would be the newly dubbed Nettlepaw. Nettlepaw was different from his former apprentice for many reasons, but he was excited. After all, this would be the first time he was given an apprentice at the start of their training! This meant that he alone was in charge of Nettlepaw and had to come up with everything on his own to ensure Nettlepaw has training more suited to him. However, skills such as hunting or fighting would come later. Right now as his first day as an apprentice, he would get to know the place they call home. As much as he could after all. He had never worked with someone who was blind, so showing Nettlepaw around was taking a little longer. Not that he minded. He wanted Nettlepaw to know Riverclan as best as he could.

Pikesplash purposely padded close to Nettlepaw as a guide of some sort as he led the apprentice to the beech copse. This was a place that Nettlepaw would find himself coming back to and practically living here to train. He figured there was no harm in bringing Nettlepaw here. "This place is the beech copse! This is where apprentices train, so if you hear another mentor and apprentice around they're probably training as well. Here we teach battle moves and how to hunt land prey. We have some trees here to practice climbing as well." It might be boring to get a rundown of what this place is and who uses it and for what, but he figures giving Nettlepaw more information to garner a mental image of the place would help. Speaking of which. "Feel free to explore and get accustomed to the place. I, u-uhmn not sure how to teach you yet. You're going to have to help me out a little with saying Pikesplash this isn't working can we do something else? I do have to teach you some things, but after if you really want to work on a skill specifically we can do that."

/ @Nettlekit i hope you don't mind if i jumped the gun a bit and made a thread for them where pike takes nettle around riverclan territory!

 

[Nettlepaw-]

NETTLEPAW ♂
RIVERCLAN
APPRENTICE
THREE MOONS
BLIND IN BOTH EYES
BIOGRAPHY AND TAGS
APPRENTICED TO PIKESPLASH
PLAYED BY SHEOGORATH​

---

By now, the boy is almost certain that he's memorized the scent of Pikesplash. That would certainly help in regards to knowing where the Warrior was during their training. The scent of camp is easy to recall as well, but beyond it's boundaries... he walked in a world of uncertainty. His paws were clumsily placed, unstable. He stumbled over obstacles, reached out with fore-paws to feel at the world around him, and all the while, his nose took in every scent, his ears drawing every sound, as he did all he could to remember this new world.

Their first destination is a place called the Beech Copse. Silently, the apprentice listens as his mentor goes on to describe the area. Free to explore, Nettlepaw does just that, offering Pikesplash a simple nod of his head in acknowledgement. The Warrior would soon come to learn that Nettlepaw preferred to listen, rather than speak. He was not nearly so talkative. In any case, he was at least glad for his mentor's honesty. Seems neither of them really knew what they were doing.

Cautiously, Nettlepaw adventures around the grove, trying to imagine what it must look like. A tangled, thorny thicket of rough limbs and little to no undergrowth. Frost covered earth upturned and hardened by countless claws. An open sky scraped by the tops of knotted beech trees. It must be incredibly mundane to those who could see it, but Nettlepaw imagines a world much more intense, thorns like spikes that threaten to impale, talons for branches that blot out the sky. The boy has done a full circle, touching, feeling, smelling as he does. He carefully plods his way toward the middle of the clearing, hearing the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot.

Scenting the air, he tries to pin-point Pikesplash among the rest of the unfamiliar smells of the grove. His sightless eyes sweep the boundary of the clearing, searching, despite their milky sightlessness. With the leaf-fall wind racing past, rattling the branches, Nettlepaw finds it quite impossible to narrow down the location of his mentor. A frown creases his maw, a twitch of his tail. Annoyance. He wonders how well he'll fare in battle if he cannot pin-point an opponent. The RiverClan camp must have been even more chaotic during the rogue attack than he had initially realized.

Letting out a sigh, the quiet tom awaits further instruction.
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[PIKESPLASH]

It is interesting to watch Nettlepaw. He approaches the world differently and he can only hazard a guess that is due to the lack of sight. Every time Nettlepaw stumbles, his heart practically leaps out of chest to rush to his aid and pull the apprentice along. However, he stops himself. The last thing he wants is to offend Nettlepaw and the pair don't even know each other well. Grabbing Nettlepaw and pushing him along doesn't seem like the best course of action. What Pikesplash opts for is waiting patiently and remaining silent as Nettlepaw stumbles his way around. He hopes his apprentice doesn't take it the wrong way. If he was truly bothered by Nettlepaw he would have hissed and dragged him to the Beech Copse. On the topic of bothering... It doesn't bother him that the young tom speaks little. Well... It does unnerve him just a bit, but he is aware of the rough start Nettlepaw has had so far.

The nod he is given relaxes his nerves. At least he's listening. That's better than nothing. I would have a harder time if he outright took charge and did things his own way. Emerald eyes watch Nettlepaw inspecting the Beech Copse, noting the areas in which his apprentices took longer to explore. It is here he learns how his apprentice navigates within his world. Nettlepaw uses smell judging by the near constant twitching of his nose, uses touch by how long his paws linger on a particular object, and hearing based on the near constant tilt of ears at every crunch the leaves give. Nettlepaw can't see with his eyes, but that doesn't mean he isn't able to understand where he is based on the other senses.

When Nettlepaw raises his little head to the air, nose twitching, followed by the signs of annoyance he is unsure what his apprentice is irritated by. Is something wrong? Pikesplash would pad towards Nettlepaw stopping in front of him, unaware of his apprentices plight. "You seem troubled Nettlepaw. Is there something wrong?" Perhaps Nettlepaw would be shocked by his inquiry. Very soon Nettlepaw would find that Pikesplash as a mentor is observant, that his mentor actually cares about his well-being. Care that is typically reserved for kin.

For a moment Nettlepaw's light colored pelt is replaced by a dark pelt, and a silvery paw gently rubs the fur atop the apprentices head. Laughter rings in his ears, before he is brought back to reality. The apprentice before him is not Otterpaw. He is touching Nettlepaw as if he was his own son. Ah. Unsure of what to do he continues the action of gently rubbing his apprentice's head. "You can tell me anything you want, Nettlepaw."

 

[Nettlepaw-]

NETTLEPAW ♂
RIVERCLAN
APPRENTICE
THREE MOONS
BLIND IN BOTH EYES
BIOGRAPHY AND TAGS
APPRENTICED TO PIKESPLASH
PLAYED BY SHEOGORATH​

---

Sightless eyes snap toward Pikesplash as the other speaks, allowing the apprentice to narrow down his mentor's location. The warrior approaches, and Nettlepaw closes his eyes, puts all his focus on listening. The crunch of paws against the leaves, muffled by birdsong and the howl of the wind, but with enough concentration, the apprentice thinks he can tune everything else out, and in doing so, becomes even more attuned to his surroundings.

Pikesplash is breathing, and this noise becomes more pronounced as the other RiverClanner comes to stand directly in front of the apprentice. Nettlepaw thinks he might even detect the faintest whispers of a heartbeat.

Frosty eyes open, empty, though they gaze sharply upon the figure of Pikesplash. His mentor is perceptive too, in a different way. Nettlepaw flicks his tail, debating on how to respond. He's not so sure that Pikesplash could help him. Before the boy answers, however, he feels a shift in the surrounding air, followed by the sensation of a paw against his head. Ears flatten as the youth bristles and hastily ducks, stepping back and away. The motion is far too much a reminder of his mother, and Nettlepaw flashes his teeth in clear agitation.

"Don't touch me." The apprentice demands, blind eyes narrowed toward the warrior before him. Training was one thing, but this was different. Personal. How could he be expected to move on from the past if everything reminded him of it? This was one solution. Eliminate the reminders altogether.

"I'm done with this place. Let's move on." Irritated, the boy's flat vocals are accompanied with a lash of his tail, creamy fur still ruffled against the breeze. He doesn't bother to answer Pikesplash's initial inquiry, no... he just wanted to move on and forget this little interaction. Learning the rest of the territory would serve as a decent enough distraction, perhaps one good enough that it would soothe Nettlepaw's nerves as the day continued to pass on. Exercise was food for the brain, after all.

Perhaps Nettlepaw would bring up his earlier concerns at a later time, provided he trusted Pikesplash enough to reveal such information.
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[PIKESPLASH]

The reaction Nettlepaw gives is not great. He wasn't prepared for the apprentice to take it so badly, but he waits. Although it feels horrid knowing that Nettlepaw created distance between them and seemed to be distressed as well.

A forepaw is immediately placed to the ground with a jolt as soon as he was reprimanded. "I'm sorry," he mews immediately towards his apprentice. Nothing more is said. If Nettlepaw had expected him to lash out and punish him for disrespecting him, none would come. Why should he punish Nettlepaw? Besides, it was his fault. He had done something that out of line and Nettlepaw made it clear he didn't want to be touched. This was the first time either of them would get to know each other as well. Nettlepaw would be his apprentice for moons and if he wanted to have the most miserable time with the light colored apprentice then he would disrespect the younger toms wishes. However, he wanted to have a somewhat amicable relationship with his apprentice.

The apology given would be skipped over as well. Nettlepaw coldly stating that he is done and would like to move on. "Okay. Follow me." The next place he would take Nettlepaw because it was close and for the apprentices own safety would be the gorge. It is forbidden for apprentices to go near the gorge, but he hopes that Cicadastar wouldn't be frowning at him from above for taking Nettlepaw here. Besides, they were going to stay a good distance away from the edge, so neither would fall into it. The sound of the waterfall would become louder as they neared the gorge.

Pikesplash would cut in front of Nettlepaw to prevent him from exploring further. Unfortunately this place was not to be explored unless he wanted Nettlepaw to meet an untimely end. Sensing his apprentices confusion from being forbidden to explore his surrounds he mewed, "This place is dangerous. Apprentices are forbidden from getting anywhere close to the gorge. Right now we're a good distance away from it, and the only reason why I am telling you about this place is because it is part of our territory and I don't want you to in the case of exploring by yourself end up plummeting to your death." He doesn't even want to imagine the idea of walking on solid surface for a moment only to end up falling. Normally, one could see how dangerous it is but Nettlepaw wouldn't be able to.

Thus, he decides an explanation is better than nothing. "The gorge is deep. It's also rocky and unstable at the edge, so it's easy to fall in. If you fall in, you're pretty much dead. Either you die by drowning, which is easy because of the ragging currents, or... from going over the waterfall. The gorge leads into the falls which I'll take you after. It'll be loud. The point is you must never go to the gorge Nettlepaw." He doesn't mean to frighten the apprentice, but he needs to be aware of the danger the gorge brings. It is forbidden to apprentices for a reason. Beesong... He shakes his head and looks at Nettlepaw. Waiting if the tom has any questions.

 

[Nettlepaw-]

NETTLEPAW ♂
RIVERCLAN
APPRENTICE
THREE MOONS
BLIND IN BOTH EYES
BIOGRAPHY AND TAGS
APPRENTICED TO PIKESPLASH
PLAYED BY SHEOGORATH​

---

He's rather surprised when he hears the apology. Pikesplash was sorry? For a moment, he's grateful. But Nettlepaw can't help but wonder how easily his mentor would be to lie to, or manipulate, when needed. It's a thought that he knows is wrong, but... things were tough. Nettlepaw was struggling. A little lie here and there to improve his life surely wouldn't be too bad a thing?

For now though, he keeps quiet, slows to let his mentor take the lead again as the sightless apprentice remains close enough to touch, scenting each new landmark with pricked ears. There's a steady roar that grows as they approach the gorge, a place that Nettlepaw has only ever heard of, but never visited. For good reason, it seems. He stops just before bumping into Pikesplash, gazing sightlessly up at his mentor with a studious expression.

"It's loud." The boy comments simply, scenting the air. He thinks he detects something strange, yet familiar, winding through the air nearby. "What's that smell?" He asks, noting the WindClan side of the river. "You don't have to worry about me. I won't go to the gorge." The tom offers, though he's not yet sure if it's a lie or not.

Nettlepaw can't deny his curiousity. He does want to get closer, but he also understands the danger. Perhaps it might just be best to steer clear altogether, as Pikesplash was suggesting.
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