BARE YOUR TEETH ☾✩ training

[nightbird]

her time remaining in the medicine cat's den had been useful to an extent. despite her paws itching for escape, her brain was steadily at work. planning and plotting for how she would be to turn this new apprentice into a strong, successful member of thunderclan. guilt hung onto her for not being able to jump into training sooner, the loss of these days would not be impossible to make up in the grand scheme of things, but with threats looming on every border each day would be essential. riverclan was sure to retaliate, they would need strong and healthy warriors to make sure they would lose once again.

nightbird waited near the heart of camp for duskpaw to meet her. today, she intended to lay a strong foundation, take the apprentice into some deeper parts of the territory and get basics rolling. the quicker all of that was cemented, the quicker young duskpaw would see themself progress. the warrior had little doubts about the child's readiness to learn, she only hoped that the excitement and dedication she had seen at the meeting had not dwindled in the time she spent healing.

// @DUSKPAW ​

[ ☾✩ ]​

 

[DUSKBIRD]

There had been only an imperfect silence when the days of her apprenticeship first turned on. In the quiet of her own mind, Duskpaw would admit that it was a welcome moment of respite. Hours with which she could adjust herself to the life that she led, the cat that she was now to be. The other warriors had kept her busy, but only with the most menial of tasks. The boring things that they might hand those who cannot handle anything more, and the young tortoiseshell chafed at the restraint. She could do so much better, didn’t they see? Now that Nightbird had recovered from her time in Berryheart’s den, she would prove that.

Without question to delay, she would prove herself. She would show the new lead warrior that it hadn't faltered. Not in the slightest. But rather than a kitten struggling to control herself, the cat that approaches the heart of ThunderClan’s camp in preparation for this training is a young apprentice. She holds herself together firmly, unwaveringly—she tries to, in any case, but her mentor would most certainly see right through her and to the shining core of anticipation that glowed within her chest. Her paws still have a small tremor of excitement to them, and their heart thuds loudly. In a voice that is incongruously quiet, however, Duskpaw speaks her first official words to this shared moment: "I’m glad you’re doing better, now."

˗ˏˋ〚  OOC NOTES INFORMATION 〛´ˎ˗

• ooc: —
• ──── duskpaw. apprentice of thunderclan. she - her.
  ──── blazestar x little wolf, older littermate of skykit.
  ──── does not know of her father / skyclan heritage.
  
  ──── an undefined kitten with long, dark brown fur that fades just slightly near the chest, throat, and ears, while the tip of her tail burns with the bright orange tabby flame. eyes are a deep, rich amber-brown, seeming red.
• "speech"

​

 

[nightbird]

"yeah, me too. one more day in that den and i'd have lost it," nightbird didn't waste any more time with small talk. if duskpaw was really as psyched up as she appeared, the molly would only be doing her a disservice by keeping them idle with chatter. her head tilts towards the gorse tunnel, signaling their departure. pacing herself at a brisk trot, she would lead their exit from camp, only pausing to give the apprentice a clear path by pushing away the brambles that kept them hidden.

once they were both out, she turned to face the direction of the shadowclan border. "follow me close, this undergrowth'll eat you alive if you're not careful," navigating it became a second nature to the cats of thunderclan, but an untrained paw was sure to get tangled in twisting bushes and jutting roots. their destination wasn't too far, so the warrior lead the way rather swiftly, casting quick glances over her shoulder to make sure duskpaw hadn't fallen victim to a shrub.

ahead, the entwined branches of the great sycamore came into view. soon they would reach it, the smoke pausing to shake any straggling twigs from her pelt. "we're near the shadowclan border. it's hard to miss, marked by the thunderpath," her tail flicked in the direction of the black belt separating the territories. "that's equally hard to miss, you can probably smell it now. it's got monsters running across it constantly. they'll kill anything in their path, i'd avoid it," she would give a moment for the information to settle before moving on in her speech. "this is the great sycamore, hunting's been good here recently," the droning of her voice was almost too much for her own ears to handle, but these landmarks were important to commit to memory despite their drab descriptions. as much as she wanted to jump into the techniques that would hopefully put duskpaw above her peers, there was unfortunately a lot of boring stuff to get through. however, nightbird would leave the air open for any questions that the apprentice may have, it was her first time so far from camp after all.​

[ ☾✩ ]​

 

[DUSKBIRD]

It's a relief that Nightbird does not keep her there any longer than necessary. Though politeness comes easily to the young apprentice, it is not something that could be maintained for long. Certainly not when there are things to do and learn. Her first steps from camp. Her first taste of the freedom that would come once she earned her name. Her mentor was a lead warrior, and one day she wanted to follow in those very same steps. And so...she followed. Just as she was. With only a glance back over her shoulders, Duskpaw glides through the tunnel and the brambles that her mentor held aside for her, and into a whole new life.

It wasn't too different from camp. The scent around them is still strong; the air around them still tastes like home. Though there is no immediate bustle, her paws touch ground that is worn, and fall into pawsteps of warriors who had patrolled before her. She glances down to the sight of it, smoothing her paw along the indentation of a mud print. Bigger than her own. Was it her mother's? Howlingstar's? Or maybe just an older apprentice's, so much further ahead in their studies than she. The thought makes her antsy, and she pushes herself to walk a little faster through the undergrowth, following right at her mentor's tail.

There's no missing the scent of ShadowClan. The stink of the Thunderpath that separates them is stamped to her mind as surely as the distant smell of another clan. She crouches instinctively, though there are no monsters to rumble past her now. "Will you take me closer?" she asks, though is quick to tack on, "later!" as soon as she realizes the demand in her words. She pads along after Nightbird without waiting for a reply, darting a few faster steps to catch up the distance lost to her enthrallment. Only a few short paces and Duskpaw finds herself enthralled just the same, though this object is different.

Never before had she dreamed of a tree so great, broad and steady where it is rooted. Could she climb it? Would Nightbird teach her to, one day? Lost to her own thoughts, the apprentice steps closer until one outstretched paw can touch the mottled bark, dry and harsh beneath her paw pads but soothing anyway. "It must have been here forever! "

˗ˏˋ〚  OOC NOTES INFORMATION 〛´ˎ˗

• ooc: —
• ──── duskpaw. apprentice of thunderclan. she - her.
  ──── blazestar x little wolf, older littermate of skykit.
  ──── does not know of her father / skyclan heritage.
  
  ──── an undefined kitten with long, dark brown fur that fades just slightly near the chest, throat, and ears, while the tip of her tail burns with the bright orange tabby flame. eyes are a deep, rich amber-brown, seeming red.
• "speech"

​

 

[nightbird]

she snorted softly at duskpaw's eagerness to close the gap to the shadowclan border. although it was likely just a result of curiosity, she couldn't imagine going there willingly. the vile scent paired with equally rancid felines, it was a chore that needed to be done, but there was no reason to hurry the process. "unfortunately it's likely we'll patrol there soon," her remark was unenthusiastic, but thankfully duskpaw moved on quickly as they made their way to the tree.

nightbird watches patiently as duskpaw takes in the sight of the great tree before them. her captivated gaze had the lead warrior tilting her head up herself, just to check if she had missed anything amazing. it looked the same, lusher due to the recent warmth. it's size never did fail to surprise her though, especially when she was used to seeing the smaller oaks day to day. she hummed an agreement to the apprentice's exclamation. it had to be one of the first in this forest. "the size makes it good for navigation. if you get lost and are able to see it, you can probably find a good trail back to camp."

back on her feet after the short break, a dark tail flicked behind her as nightbird urged duskpaw around the wide trunk. it was an area that was often shaded, resulting in the growth being notably less dense. she needed to get some things rolling that could translate to both hunting and combat, and would also allow her to practice on her own. "unlike us, the mice feel our movement before they can even catch our scent. it's important, even when you're not the one hunting, to move silently," she prompted. "when you're walkin' keep the weight in your haunches, land with your toes first rather than the whole paw," nightbird added, speaking slowly to provide an example. "it'll feel weird at first, but you'll get used to it. go ahead and give it a shot."​

[ ☾✩ ]​