WHEEL OF TIME ♡ SMOGSTAR

[mirepurr]

"Smogstar." Gentle greenleaf breeze catches onto the singular word — impossibly light despite the weight of changes resting upon it — and carries it into the world. Mirepurr waits for him to finish the task at hand, ever-polite and unassuming in their stance. "Mind if I borrow you for a minute?"

Plumed tail vanishes from view as Mirepurr leads Smogstar into somewhere more private; while the subject is not necessarily a secret, they would rather discuss it in the company of just one other pair of eyes.

"Snowpaw's time as an apprentice is coming to end. I think he is more than ready for an assessment so he can get his warrior name before next moon's meeting, if you agree." Anyone who's paid enough attention to the passage of time would know that this 'paw has dutifully slogged through all that apprenticehood entails. It is not a light subject for Mirepurr; their chest threatens to cave under the amount of pride they feel, but one does not soon forget their very first apprentice... or so they think. Whatever new name they will receive from Smogstar will feel odd on their tongue, and it will be even stranger to walk beside him as an equal on patrols, not as his mentor.

The blue of their eyes bore into Smogstar's own calculating ones, eagerly awaiting his response. It's not like he would say no... right? Snowpaw has a good head on his shoulders; he keeps quiet when necessary, talks when necessary. Whatever system Chilledstar had for when the time for assessment comes is a mystery to Mirepurr — and even if they knew of it, they assume Smogstar wants to do nearly everything differently than his predecessor.

@smogstar

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[smogstar]

Mirepurr approaches and asks him to lend his ear, and he does. All the while, as the lead warrior calls attention to their apprentice's final evaluation, Smogstar must recall interactions he's had with the former leader. Sort through memories and try to recollect how the process played out previously, where the requirements lay and the performance criteria involved. Whatever guiding examples emerge are only tenuous, at best. Never has he struggled to get an apprentice assessed; Sharpshadow's pivotal role on the journey earned her a full name immediately afterwards (even if his training was longer than most), and Ashenfall was an exemplary pupil through and through.

What does it look like when one fails their assessment? Rather, what does it look like when an apprentice isn't rightly prepared for it? He does not know. Precedent eludes him, and yet, he knows this is a decision that shouldn't be approached in a vacuum. Amber eyes hone in on Mirepurr, and the leader nods. "Very well," he says, his voice low and solemn in this little tract of privacy the two'd carved out for themselves. "If you deem Snowpaw ready for it, then by all means, assess him."

A pause, as an ongoing thought flares anew, and the tom lifts his head. "How do you plan to do it, Mirepurr? Would you like me to be present, as well?" ​

 

[mirepurr]

Smogstar meets their inquiry with approval, and Mirepurr has to force themself to stay idle. Really, they'd like nothing more than to pant through a lap around the entire forest, maybe even weave amongst the giants at Fourtrees for good measure, and let the built-up excitement fizzle out that way. No doubt Snowpaw will feel nervous — all apprentices do, when faced with such importance —, but they believe in him.

And all that leads to the next matter at paw...

"I was hoping you'd help me figure that out, actually," they admit, sheepish with such a request in the wake of Smogstar's agreement. "I don't mind assessing him by myself, but... I'm not too sure how it all goes, with Snowpaw being my first. Was Chilledstar usually present for these?"

It would not be fair, or professional, to force Smogstar into picking up all the pieces. Mirepurr has been turning over the idea of this assessment for the past moon; it is time to see if he agrees with what tasks might await Snowpaw. "I thought his sneaking might be more difficult for him, only exception being leaf-bare. So a successful hunt requiring skill, rather than speed or brute strength, would be a good way to test how far he's come. Then, the opposite — I'd love to see him try to combat me sneaking up on him, evading me until he finds an opportunity to catch me off-guard instead."
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