EMBARK ✴ tall pine patrol

[BLAZESTAR]

Snow crunches under big golden paws, and behind him trails lost-looking prints that quickly become filled with falling white flakes. The sky is malignant, painted in watercolor grays and violets -- the color he's come to associate with snowfall, with leafbare. Bleak blue eyes take warily to the horizon behind the pine trees -- the smell of a storm is on the air, and the flakes seem to be falling so fast -- but Orangeblossom had told them to go on this patrol, and he's sure she has her reasons.

His apprentices and Slate trail behind him. The crowning achievement of their forest looms ahead of them, the Tall Pine. Blazestar's mood is grim when he turns to the others. Butterflypaw's last climbing session sticks in his side like a thorn, but she's nearing warrior age; despite her small stature and kitlike nature, she will soon be expected to hunt and fight like the rest of her Clanmates. And Cosmospaw -- he's on the cusp of his ceremony. Blazestar is embarrassed, realizing he doesn't know if either of his apprentices are truly ready to take on that mantle.

He looks at Slate and says in a soft voice, "You heard our deputy talk about assessing their skills." His breath plumes pale before his cream-splashed face. "SkyClan is known for being adept at climbing trees, but... it's never been my strength." He sighs and beckons Butterflypaw and Cosmospaw forward with his tail. "Go as far as you can safely. Let's do this before the snow gets worse."

He looks at Slate next. "Why don't you scout around? See if you can pick up any predator scents. I fought a dog fox here only a few moons ago." The memory of his torn throat, a gaping wound seeping scarlet, causes his fur to rise along his spine. He shakes his pelt. "Maybe see if you can find any prey, while you're at it. Though I'm not too hopeful."

He turns his attention to the apprentices. Speaking, walking out of camp, the bitter cold -- it's drawn a bit of animation back to his lifeless features. Blazestar feels almost like himself, though the sadness has become as much a part of him as his pelt or his paws that he does not think he will ever truly shake it.

@butterflypaw @COSMOSPAW @SLATE ​

 

[COSMOSBLOOM]

Cosmospaw follows behind the flame-point through the falling snow on this patrol of theirs. An assessment of his and Butterflypaw's skills has been ordered by the deputy, and though Cosmospaw isn't sure which skills he was going to have to put to use, he could only assume, with their location nearing.

Tall pine.

No doubt, climbing would be involved.

It's a skill he'd once struggled with - growing paws once unable to balance on branches, heights once too scary to go far - but with time has mastered.

And of course, his suspicions are confirmed as Blazestar speaks, and assigns both him and his training partner to climb as high as they can while still being safe. Pale eyes look over at Butterflypaw before motioning over to the tree. "Come on," he urges, knowing Butterflypaw can be a bit nervous about these things.

The white tom then heads over to the tree himself, springing upwards to begin his climb. Though he still carries fear with him as the distance grows between him and the ground, it is diminished, captured into a focus on the branches before him.
​

 

[butterflytuft]

Taking up the rear of the patrol is Butterflypaw, head ducked as it so often is, tail brushing against her heels as it drapes low. They're headed to the Tall Pine, and like Cosmospaw, she can guess what they'll be working on. The tortoiseshell is like her mentor, soft and not particularly skilled in such athletic of an activity as climbing is. That, paired with her crippling fear of heights, makes for a pretty sorry SkyClanner. But thanks to Blazestar's teaching and encouragement, she can at least make a bit of progress up one of those bark-covered death traps.

She nods obediently to the leader, then looks to Cosmospaw as he urges her forward. "Mhm." Butterflypaw trails behind him until coming to a stop at the base of the trunk. Wide yellow eyes peer upwards, a short gulp following. The tallest tree in the forest...There's no turning back. Drawing in a breath, she eases her way onto the tree much slower than her training partner had. Needle-like black claws into into the bark and she hauls her tiny form upwards until she reaches the first branch. Huffing and puffing, she clings to the limb and glances back down towards Blazestar. Her expression gives away her thoughts. Is this high enough?​