pafp TURNING TABLES WITH MISSING LEGS — first outing

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

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XXXXXHowlingstar’s meeting draws to a close, and before the newly-named Rainbowpaw can scamper off to crawl into a nest and take a nap, Raccoonstripe draws him over with the flick of a tail. “We’re going to start immediately. A ThunderClan apprentice should get to know our territory.” The tabby’s expression is serious, no-nonsense, and his voice is brisk as they leave through the gorse tunnel. The forest is splendid just now, their trees blazing with scarlet and gold, and though there’s a slight chill in the air, the sun is brilliant and warm on their pelts. “This is your first time out of camp, yes? Tell me what you smell.” There’d likely be no hunting today—even the experienced warriors struggle to bring fresh-kill back just lately—but he at least wants to start seeing how sharp his apprentice’s senses are.

XXXXXThe two of them head southwest first, leaves crunching underpaw. The ground turns sandy before long. Raccoonstripe looks to Rainbowpaw, his ears flicking. “This is the Sandy Hollow,” he explains matter-of-factly. “When we start to battle train, this is the first place we will start, but don’t think I won’t challenge you in other settings. Real battles won’t all be on soft, sandy ground.” He studies the young gold-streaked feline, dark eyes raking shrewdly over his features. “What’s the one thing you want to learn the most?” He finally prompts.

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please wait for @RAINBOWPAW
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[& RAINBOWPAW]

“ We’ll get started after the meeting. ” Raccoonstripe had definitely said that, but Rainbowpaw hadn’t thought he meant right now, right now. Rainbowpaw pads toward him when beckoned, fur tussled by Leaf-falls breeze. They wonder if this was going to take a long time. “ A ThunderClan apprentice should get to know our territory. ” That sounded kind of like it would. In the face of Raccoonstripe’s serious expression, he very much still feels like a kit.

Rainbowpaw quickens their pace to catch up with their mentor. They were really going out of camp already? The thought comes to him not with discomfort, but with mild surpirse. Maybe Raccoonstripe figured he could beat any rogues they came across easily. “ This is your first time out of camp, yes? ” A nod. Rainbowpaw had never seen any reason to break the rules as a kit. “ Tell me what you smell. ” The apprentice blinks.

Outside ThunderClan still smelled like camp. Just… more? " Um... you? " They’re partly trying to be funny, and partly not really sure what else to say. Rainbowpaw tries to concentrate, even if they weren’t super sure what they were concentrating on… " It might rain later, " They say eventually. Rainbowpaw takes a moment to glance around the forest. It seemed… normalish. Though his idea of normal could only be so good. He doesn’t recognize any of the scents he ever finds at the freshkill pile though. " There's no prey here, is there? "

He’s caught of gaurd, when the ground suddenly shifts to sand. Rainbowpaw lets it squish between his toes, the texture like a more interesting version of dirt.

“ When we start to battle train— ” So that was a thing. “ this is the first place we will start. ” Rainbowpaw nods along blankly. Challenged in other settings? Was he going to be sneak - attacked on the regular? The apprentice’s eyes go slightly wide. Did all mentors do that?

And finally, what did he want to learn the most? " Um... " Well, he was doing this apprenticeship thing because that’s what he’s supposed to do. " I dunno, " with a shrug, he answers.

『 OOC 🎠 DO YOU EVER WANT NOTHING AT ALL? 』

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• 

• ( I DO, I DO, I DO ) RAINBOWPAW: Sunfreckle xx Rabbitnose. Mentored by Raccoonstripe
  ✦ he / they ; fine with gendered terms ( tom / boy / brother / etc . . . )
  ✦ currently 4 moons old as of 10/11/2023 ; ages every 25
  
  warm - faced and bright - eyed, rainbowkit sports boyish features and an easygoing smile. sports long curling whiskers and a dip of sun - red down the length of their neck. growing into themselves; rainbowpaw is showing signs of growing into an above - average height with a somewhat leggy frame. rainbowpaw is most plainly to be described as kind, his most tangible goals and motives being to make the people around him happy. somewhat aloof when it comes to more complex / outer clan issues. lives in the present first and foremost.

• this is for cute purposes begone.

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[Moonwhisper]

The laugh that escapes her is equal parts genuinely amused and equal parts mocking as she pads forward onto the scene to find herself face to face with her former mentor and his new charge. Rainbowpaw had not been very impressive so far, you would think she'd give a newly apprenticed kit a little leniency but she doubted Raccoonstripe would and so she hardly offered such pity herself. You either shaped up quickly or you got bruised and battered into shape a little more aggressively than otherwise.
"Where is your motivation, Rainbowpaw? Surely there is something you want in life." Like her, she had goals-to make ThunderClan know her by her own power and efforts and not the shadows that once cast over her of her sister and father and even know her brother. Burnstorm's promotion is still a stinging nettle, she feels her hard work has done nothing and that he was given it simply on merit of being easier to get along. Was her icy demeanor so offputting? That she did not smile and joke was so bad she didn't deserve to be recognized? Moonwhisper doesn't want to be bothered by it, but when her grandmother had ex-kittypet on her council yet overlooked her it was hard to be understanding at all. Surely she deserved it as well as Burnstorm did?
Her cold blue gaze flits from the blue and red apprentice to her former mentor. Rainbowpaw looked like a merging of both his fathers and was proving to be just as useless meanwhile Raccoonstripe was formidable as ever. She chuckles again, "You've your work cut out for you."
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[RACCOONSTRIPE]

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XXXXXRaccoonstripe’s expression hardens at Rainbowpaw’s responses. There is little to no urgency in the drawling way his new apprentice speaks, and the lack of effort is trifling. “Yes, you probably smell me, but that’s not going to do you any good. You need to learn to focus on your surroundings.” He exhales through his nostrils, his patience waning like the moon. And then Rainbowpaw tells him, “It might rain later.” The tabby’s tail quivers, though he acquiesces somewhat.

XXXXX“It is important to pay attention to the rain,” he admits after a moment, throwing a glance to the overcast sky. “But can you tell me why?” The answer he’s looking for is two-pronged—yes, no cat besides RiverClan wants to be soaked to the bone, but he wants his apprentice to think critically about what the weather means for hunting or tracking. He knows he’s asking a lot of a four moon old, freshly apprenticed, but Raccoonstripe is beginning to wonder if there’s any potential worth molding beneath his paws.

XXXXXThe undergrowth shivers, and a familiar she-cat enters the clearing, expression cool and amused. Raccoonstripe gives her a pointed look. “Don’t I know it… Rainbowpaw, did you know Moonwhisper was my apprentice before you?” His whiskers twitch. “She may be a formidable warrior now, but when she first left camp with me, she was scared of her own shadow.” He returns the mockery her way, batted full-force.

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