Closed Thread New Sights, New Smells [13FF]

Adventurous hearts, wild and free, dance to the rhythm of destiny
⥼ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ⥽

Brindlepaw's thoughts raced with the speed of a thrush in flight, and her heart beat just as fast with excitement. Finally she was an apprentice. Finally she got to do more than be stuck around camp - she could be useful and had everything to prove to her new mentor. She wouldnt have been satisfied with any other cat, and her expectations were as lofty as the treetops they trounced beneath.

From the very start of their trip, her eyes were wide, pupils dialated with interested. Nostrils flared at every new scent as it lingered in her concious attention. Perhaps it was a bit overwhelming, but that wouldn't stop the young, ambitious she-cat from trying to absorb all she could. She nearly bumped straight into the tomcat when his pace started to amble, having been distracted by the flight of a nearby bird.

"O-Oh! Yeah. There's a lot to sort through, but that starling there..." She paused to face the creature in question. "And... the grass, dirt, " Bending to sniff at the ground beneath their feet, her face scrunched up in thought before her eyes met his.

"And the dawn patrol!"

You know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby

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Moosestar lightly chuckled as she bumped into him, feeling a warmth at the fact she was already beginning to watch the prey that skittered and flew by. That curiosity would do her lightly well, but that determination and impulses that came with it would need to be carefully reigned onto the right path. Curiosity often killed the cat, after all..

He watched her with guiding yet gentle eyes, emitting a light chuckle as she rose her head and looked at him with gleaming eyes. She'd be fine hunter, he'll be sure of it.

"Well done, Brindlepaw."

He said, beginning to have them walk at a slow pace. He looked forwards, but continued to talk to her.

"Do you know which cats were on that dawn patrol?" 

Adventurous hearts, wild and free, dance to the rhythm of destiny
⥼ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ⥽

Brindlepaw felt every fiber of her being beam with approval at the leader's praise. There was a little more bounce to her step, feeling light and agile on her feet - like she could chase something down and give him another reason to believe that mentoring her personally was the right thing. She didn't want to disappoint him, and forcefully slowed her curved back and forth trajectory to match Moosestar.

Then the real drilling began.

The first cat was easier; she bore a smiliar scent to their leader. An older she-cat who still tried very much to see herself at the forefront of serving her clan. "Greenfang crossed paths here... As well as... um," She paused, her nose hovering over the ground as she walked all the while keeping an ear tirned towards him.

Giving a focused furrow of her cat-like brows, another name blurped from her maw. "Wrentalon!" Not a cat that particularily pleased her... Honestly he probably didn't think much of her. Now.

She'd show him.

You're a Rockstar, a Superhero!
Get up, get up and show 'em what you're made of!

‹‹‹‹ ★ ››››

Moosestar watched with a strong, thoughtful gaze as his apprentice began to search among the fronds that they trotted over. She definitely had the determination which a warrior needed, as well as grand energy which he hoped lingered past her early apprenticeship. What he needed to train her in now was precision; this exercise would be the first in many towards such a goal. 

"Correct. They were sent to mark the border edges. I'll leave that as a lesson for another day." 

The tom responded, continuing to trod.

Soon, the duo were nearby an area where the bushes and foliage appeared to thin out. Instead, there seemed to be many trees, surrounded by shortly-cut grass. Moosestar slowed until he finally stopped, turning his gaze to his apprentice.

"Alright, we are currently nearby an area called the Orchard. Do you recall any stories about a creature named a twoleg?"

He asked. Noticeably, while his eyes were on Brindlepaw, at least one of his ears was constantly facing towards the Orchard like a watching sentinel. For now, it was rather quiet, but no warrior could be too careful around the Orchard that was at the edge of Thunderclan's territory.

Adventurous hearts, wild and free, dance to the rhythm of destiny
⥼ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ⥽

Brindlepaw followed her mentor through the dense territory, the smaller cat's stature popping back and forth between the frond's bristles. Her dappled pelt would do her well in her training and beyond, a fitting hunter and fighter through the forest's shadow. Her thoughts were wavering, distracting her as she blinked wistfully into the sunlight as they continued, breaking through the branches' canopy until they came to a strange, open expanse.

Carefully she pawed at the line of short, dense grass, strangely uniform as she stared across to the lined of odd trees... Everything seemed strange, if a bit unnatural, and she sniffed warily at the air. Her nerves were obvious as her pelt stiffened at the mention of Two-Legs, and with a lash of her tail, she dropped into a instinctive crouch behind a tuft of grass that was still long and offered some cover.

"Two-legs? I remember Two-Legs from stories... Markedkit was stolen by Two-Legs at the Gathering, no less! And Bloodstar lost a life to a Two-Leg monster!" Her empowered yowl was soft, yet intense on her lips, the edges of her whiskers bristling with excitement. A Two-leg would steal or kill them. Why would they be so close to their territory?

You're a Rockstar, a Superhero!
Get up, get up and show 'em what you're made of!

‹‹‹‹ ★ ››››

Moosestar nodded at her response, considering her response. He recalled not thinking much differently as a kit- questioning why his clan dared get so close to the borders of such dangerous creatures. However, as a leader- he knew better.

"One thing you will learn not just through word, but also experience is that life as a warrior is extremely difficult. The danger of twolegs, while grand, is something that we must face when we are battered by harsh leafbares."

He responded. His expression had lost it's playfulness from before, and instead he looked stoic, strong- as if what he said truly burned deeply in his heart. The future, harsh cold of leafbare he hoped would stay just an experience for the apprentice, rather than a lesson.

Not many lived out what was taught when life was the teacher.

Adventurous hearts, wild and free, dance to the rhythm of destiny
⥼ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ⥽

Brindlepaw's thoughts raced as she recalled every bit of Two-Legs from the storytelling she had heard as a kit. Once the clans were tribes of big cats, but it was due to human intervention that Starclan blessed them with their smaller, more stealthy bodies. It was a careful consideration, and Moosestar's sincere somberness only made the she-apprentice blink up at him.

It wasn't fair, and she puffed up. "Leafbares, Two-Legs, foxes, hawks, and badgers - There's nothing Thunderclan can't face if we face them together." Her passion had brought her to her paws, seeking eyes traveling between the manicured boughs of the orchard. Perhaps she'd be wily enough to out smart a clumsy Two-Leg if she ever came across one, but even she wasn't so eager as to wish to encounter them. 

Claws flexing the individual strands of dirt beneath her, she waited for her mentor to continue along the border, but her nose worked fine enough, and decided to start without him. Padding along the well marked lines of their territory, she was proud to be Thunderclan.

You're a Rockstar, a Superhero!
Get up, get up and show 'em what you're made of!

‹‹‹‹ ★ ››››

Moosestar nodded in approval at her response. That was the truth of Thunderclan; despite all the dangers it had to face- the river, the thunderpath, twolegs, clan wars, even predators- it still stood to this day. That fact was something he found caued a deep appreciation to well inside of him, especially in his ancestors. They had been through the thick of it; feeling out so that today the system was as steamlined as it was today. More cats survived each year; and he took pride in being one of the cats to further that process of refinement.

Despite that pride, he also felt pressure heavy on his back- clogging his mind long enough that once he focused again, he could see that Brindlepaw had begun to push forwards and start feeling along on her own. He narrowed his eyes with a bit of a furious glare before bounding after her, sweeping against her right side. He gave her a fierce look which edged on a glare.

"I understand your excitement, but I think you need to recall who is leading the patrol, Brindlepaw." 

He spoke with a stern edge on his tongue. This was what he guessed was going to be one of Brindlepaw's largest flaws; over-confidence, something which often lead to what the clans all together dreaded; narcissism. He needed to get the kinks straightened out early on with that before it got out of control..

Adventurous hearts, wild and free, dance to the rhythm of destiny
⥼ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ⥽

It wasn't fair. It was because of Two-Legs that Starclan needed to help them survive and turn them into their smaller selves. If it wasn't for the dangerous two legged things, she could be a large, fierce predator. Clans ruling the forest - and beyond! Stuck at as a pipsqueak what could the clans do but just hope that they didn't intrude on their territories? It's not like Two-legs were very smart - they couldn't even understand them!

Her train of thought was interrupted by a rough brush at her side and her eyes followed up towards the sleek brown tom, who looked a bit cross with her. She leveled her glare, softening with a small sigh. Sure, maybe what she did was out of line, but who could punish her passion? Why stifle her outburst when she'd just seethe into compliance?

''S'ry." She mewed simply, sighing soft under her breath. It would be no good seeing her mentor in a bad mood, not when she had so much to learn. "It's a lot to think about. One day I'll be a warrior, and it'll be up to us to keep our clan safe. It's a big responsibility. I can't imagien how hard it is to be leader of a clan."

Matter of factly as she smiled, waiting, at least, for Moosestar to take the lead this time.

You're a Rockstar, a Superhero!
Get up, get up and show 'em what you're made of!

‹‹‹‹ ★ ››››

Moosestar watched her as she began with a joining glare, then relaxed with a sigh, and a s'ry. His expression remained until she began talking, where it softened as well. He nodded. 

"That is true, Brindlepaw. Though, I will say;" 

He padded forwards a bit and gently bapped her on the nose with his tail. 

"The first step to becoming a warrior is listening."

He teased, sidled up by a playful chuckle- the little tension releasing gently as it filled the air. It sounded like he needed it; for Brindlepaw was right, it was quite the responsibility. Though, he supposed the initial stress would fade with routine and time.

"Let's get moving, shall we?"

The tom asked with a final snicker, turning and beginning to jog-bound through the bushes alongside the border.

Adventurous hearts, wild and free, dance to the rhythm of destiny
⥼ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ۵ ⭒ ⥽

Brindlepaw was sure he didn't just bap her nose like a kit! The end of her tail hairs pricked with slight irritation, but the slow exhalation paused whatever fleeting fit of naughtiness crossed her mind. She needed to become a warrior, and while she would certainly be the best one since Moosestar, Thunderclan's leader, was training her, she also understood that he probably had equal expectation for her.

With a bit of a wave of her tail and a smile, she followed him - keen to keep up, and bobbed her head eagerly. "Lets!" She spoke as they both disappeared into the bushes to finish her first of many territorial patrols.