brush it off & Parsnippaw

[Ashenclaw]

[ ☾ ] A bushy tail stuck straight upwards with the tip twitching back and forth, "Come on, we are almost there," He assured a young cat that was behind him as he moved across the smushed path of snow. Pawsteps had flattened the otherwise fluffy snow to the point it made a good path now through the forest and a blue tabby seemed rather confident in how he moved. This was the first day he would take out his apprentice; Parsnippaw. Hailstone wasn't sure what Blazestar saw in him that would allow him to be a mentor but he wouldn't let his leader down that was for certain.

Despite being a daylight warrior, the tabby had arrived to the camp very early this morning to get a headstart on training with the young cat and now they were out in the territory. He had an idea of hunting down snakes in the rockpile for a white, plus the icey covered rocks would make good for balance practice. Though the trick was to keep things safe from vemonous snakes, but he doubted there would be any in the midst of winter right now. Plus mice liked to hide in the crooks and crannies of the rockpile; it would be fine.

"Tell me, what can you scent?" Hailstone asked Parsnippaw with a raise of an eyebrow at the young apprentice.

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[parsnip]

Smaller paws dutifully follow after the blue tabby, carefully maintaining the same pace as the warrior. Their green eyes wander on occasion, taking in the snow that blanketed the forest. Their first leaf-bare. Despite hearing descriptions of it, they find themself unaccustomed to the change.

She pushes her thoughts away at the sound of her mentor’s voice. Her mind is wandering; that's not good. ”Okay,” they say in acknowledgement, dipping their head before falling into silence once more.

They continue to keep pace with their mentor, despite the chill in the air nipping at their inexperienced lungs. They suppose it’s another thing they must learn and so they make sure not to falter in the face of their mentor. They steal a glance at the tom - only for a second, to make sure they’re not caught staring.

When they arrive at the rockpile, Parsnippaw eyes the frost creeping along the surface of the rocks but makes no comment on it. What do I scent? They bite their tongue to stop themself from responding with the obvious. He’s sure Hailstone wouldn’t appreciate any smart comments from them.

They draw in a breath, trying to parse the different smells. ”Pine and…” they trail off as they struggle to pin a name to the scent, ”and, uh, mice?” Their voice comes out more hesitant than they're comfortable with. They clear their throat and shuffle their paws, ”- yeah, mice and pine,” they repeat lamely, ears twitching.​

 

[Ashenclaw]

[ ☾ ] A nod came from the older tomcat in approval, "Very good, there is faint mouse scent here near the rock pile cause of mice hiding in the cracks," Hailstone gestured with his fluffy tail at the pile of rocks that claimed part of the Skyclan territory. He looked down at young Parsnippaw with a slight smile ghosting his lips, a slight crack in the facade of ice and stoicness, "Though be careful, there is snakes both poisnous and venmonous in these rocks, so always stay vigilant, Parsnippaw," He spoke to the young cat then leapt up onto a rock, careful to use his tail for balance as the rocks were covered with a thin sheet of ice.

The blue tabby then crept up the rockpile a few feet from the ground and looked back towards Parsnip, "Be careful, use your tail to keep your balance and don't stick your nose in a hole unless you've searched it," Hailstone warned the other with a narrowed gaze before continuing around to the left of the rock pile.

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