Not so aimless now (Lotus)

[Fallenmist]

@sockz

Fallen wasn't sure what she thought about getting an apprentice, especially right now. However, she was adamant about making the most of it, and determined to do he very best. She'd noticed the other day that the newly named apprentice had only three legs. At first she'd been worried, and tried not to show it, yet then she'd seen that light of determination in the child's eyes, and realised this would only give her more drive to be her very best. No doubt this would be one cat who wouldn't give up, and that was something Fallenmist needed right now. So, summoning a smile, the warrior trots over to the apprentice den and pokes her head inside. She'd given the apprentice time to sleep in a little today, and she'd collect her this morning, yet from now on she'd expect her to meet her at the camp entrance or training grounds fed and ready to go just after dawn.

"Lotuspaw, time to get up" She called, ears pricked to catch any response from her newest trainee. She waits a moment or two, before twitching her whiskers slightly. "Grab something to eat and meet me by the entrance" she added, trying to keep her voice gentle and friendly as she backed up, turned, and headed for the exit. Sitting down just inside camp, she tucks her tail over her paws and sighs, trying to relax. Again she feels self conscieous about the collar encircling her now slightly scarred neck. It was patched with red, and the fur and skin beneath it was rubbed raw, showing just how hard she'd tried to remove it. Yet she was confident it was weakened now, so it wouldn't take much more till it snapped. The material was stronger than that of her old collar, like they wanted it to stay on longer. She's broken out of her reverie as he eyes spot Lotuspaw, returning the smile to her face.

"Good. From now on, I expect you up around dawn and meeting me by the training grounds, which I'll show you today. I made an exception this morning, because it's your first day." She offers a warm smile to soften her words, not wanting to upset her new apprentice by listing all these expectations in some sharp tone or another. "Come, I'll take you on a tour this morning, and we might end with some hunting or fighting tips if we have time. Does that sound alright to you?" Getting to her paws, she gestures with her tail for the apprentice to follow, and leads the way out.

[Deleted]

Lotuspaw slept better than she had ever known she could, having a nest all to herself. She was deeply excited about starting training, yet she couldn'5 seem to get up. When she heard her mentor call from the cave entrance, she almost didn't notice it. Lotus opened her dark amber eyes slowly, sleep clouding them. She squinted at the sun. The sun... didn't apprentices start at first light? She looked around, noting that most her friends' nests were empty.
She padded out of the den, still half asleep. Groggily, Lotus searched through the fresh kill pile, thinking about what to choose. She didn't want something to weigh her down while training, or something with feathers to pick out of her teeth, so she chose a small mouse. She ate it quickly, as it seemed her mentor wanted her to hurry up. She burried her scraps next to the fresh kill pile. She wasn't sure if that was right or not, but I guess it didn't matter now.
Lotuspaw padded over to her mentor, trying hard to look strong and confident, a way to hide her missing leg. As she noticed her mentor smiling, she smiled back.
She listened carefully to what Fallenmist had to say, ignoring the collar around her neck. She didn't judge, as she didn't want to be judged, either. She made note to get up before her mentor woke, eat, and be ready to leave. Lotus wanted to impress Fallenmist the next day of training, so she wanted to wake especially early. Maybe they could have a contest on who would wake up first.
No, that was silly. Neither of them are kits anymore.
Lotus padded after her mentor and into the Fireclan territory, responding briefly to her mentor's question, though it mostly sounded like a rhetorical one.
"That sounds great! Where should we start?"

[Fallenmist]

Fallenmist was a little surprised at how tired the new apprentice was, seeing as she'd allowed her to sleep in a little later then she usually would. 'Perhaps her excitement kept her up? I certainly remember my first night.' She muses, the memory putting a smile back onto her face as she nods to Lotuspaw before leading the way out into the territory. She keeps a steady pace, though allows one ear to flick toward the child on occaision lest she have trouble keeping up. 'Shell be fine once we get going' she reminds herself calmly, turning her head to observe her apprentice as she speaks. She's glad to know the apprentice seems like she'll at least be easy to train, Fallen finds herself unsure if she'd be able to handle a troublesome apprentice at the moment.

"Well, I think we'll pass one of our landmarks, then head toward the Rockclan border." She decides, ears twitching slightly as she peers in the direction of the aforementioned clan. She hadn't seen any landmarks in her training, yet she'd at least learnt about one during her time as an apprentice, yet she wasn't sure about the others so she tended to just make up her own. Keeping a brisk pace she keeps moving until after a while they happen upon a large claw like rock jutting out of the ground. 'The Hunter's Claw' she'd heard some call it. She nods to the rock and sways her tail slightly. "This is one of out main landmarks, if you ever get lost you'll be able to find your way home easily from here, and thanks to the prairie you can see this rock from miles away." She smiles slightly before gesturing onwards and slightly to the right. "Rockclan border is over there, Iceclan is that way, Treeclan is that way, and camp is directly back the way we came." She nods toward each location in turn before pricking her ears and peering curiously at Lotuspaw. "Any questions?"

[Deleted]

Lotuspaw padded on after her mentor, watching for small holes or rocks in the land. She didn't want to step on one, trip, fall, and make herself look foolish. As Fallenmist said that they would be looking at landmarks, she paid strict attention. This would help her if she was sent on hunting mission by herself and got lost. As they went through the plains, she looked around at the sky. A few birds were flying overhead, and it was very blue. Soon, the crisp air of leaf-bare would be settling in, maybe in a moon or so. Lotus had only been alive for a short time, so she had only experienced the warmth of greenleaf and the beginning of leaf-fall. She couldn't imagine what Treeclan had during leaf-fall, as she had heard some elders speak of the leaves changing colors throughout the year.

As they neared a rock that Lotuspaw had seen from a distance, Fallenmist slowed. This is one of our main landmarks... Lotus listened to what she had to say, and glanced it over to make sure she knew what it looked like. She looked behind her as Fallenmist said that the camp was at their backs. She could barely contain her excitement as her mentor said that they were going to the borders next. She had always wondered what they looked like, and what kind of cats lived there. Lotus was increasingly curious about Treeclan's border. She bet that all the trees were different there, and she deeply wanted to see them. But, one thing bothered her; she didn't know which clans were enemies and which were friends. When Fallenmist turned her head to peer at Lotus, asking if she had any questions, instantly she mewed, "What about our enemies?" Lotus didn't know if that question has very vague, but if her mentor told her who was their enemy, she could easily figure out which clans they could ally with.

[Fallenmist]

(Hehe, incan answer this question! My other character is Shadowpaw and was made apprentice to the deputy, then asked basically the same thing, so I can answer this. Yay, Fallen won't seem stupid and unprepared! )

Fallenmist pays extra attention to her apprentice, watching how she reacts, where she looks, the excitement that flickers across her face at the mention of Borders. This apprentice is very attentive, and Fallen can't help but enjoy training her. Even the way she is now...it's not just a relief to be out of camp, she truly believes she can get along with this kid. And so Fallen finds that she isn't forcing her smile when she casts a look over her shoulder, and her eyes don't hold their usually odd shimmer of grief and reluctance. That usually uncertainty. As her apprentice moves on to ask a question, her ears twitch slightly and that uncertainty returns. "Well you see, I'm not sure we have enemies so much, but we're mostly neutral with all the clans. Darkstar seems to be a little...hard to align with, perhaps..." She trails off slightly and her tail flickers in discomfort. She moves on with her answer, glad to move away from the mention of their leader. "We helped Iceclan after their avalanche, but we're not so much allies. There is quite a bit of tension between us, and I believe the same is with Rockclan. However Treeclan we seem to have a stronger alignment to. It is them we'd go to if we needed aid, and I believe it is vice versa too." She glances back at her apprentice, tilting her head to question if this is all, and if the answer satisfies her.

It isn't long before they reach the Rockclan border, the ground getting rockier beneath paw and the grasses thinning out to clumps of heather as rocks begins to rise from the ground. Fallenmist slowly her steps so she can keep better track on her footing, treading carefully to avoid lose or sharp rocks. Once she reaches the border the she-cat peers around, eyes narrowed slightly, before finding a comfortable looking rock and seating herself upon it, marvelling in its warmth compared to the cool chill of the morning. Yet she is not here to relax, instead she nods across the border. "This is Rockclan. They are the smallest clan, yet are a reasonably close knit group and I believe tend to keep to themselves. They are strong diggers, which seems to be rare for a cat, and they tend to hunt creatures that warm themselves on the rocks, or whatever crosses the border from either a Treeclan or Fireclan. I've also been told that they group together and hunt predatory birds. Any questions?" Her eyes turn to survey the area, yet she keeps one ear tuned upon her apprentice, curious of her opinion.

[Deleted]

Lotuspaw dodged large rocks as the group was heading into Rockclan, and muffled a yowl of pain as she stepped on a jagged pebble. She followed her mentor right up to the border, and flicked her ears as she sensed Fallenmist's unease. "This place is very...dull," Lotus meowed as she scanned the rocky landscape. No cats were to be seen, and she couldn't understand why any cat would want to live in such a place. She took a step backward from the sight and slipped, nearly stumbling into a hole. She leaped straight up and landed hard on her rear leg, causing it to collapse under the weight. She hit her side on a rock and got the wind knocked out of her, but quickly tried to get up. She pushed her front paws on the ground and hoised herself back onto her paws, then slowly lifted her head to look into her mentor's eyes. She suddenly felt weak and stupid, and just wanted to move on to the next border. She murmured, "I'm fine," not waiting for a question. Lotus didn't know what to do, so she stood and waited for Fallenmist's next move.

[Fallenmist]

Fallenmist watches her apprentice, noting her disinterest in the place, the almost sullenness to her voice as she speaks of how dull it is. Her ears twitch slightly, and she narrows her eyes a little, peering over the border as though to deduce how exactly it is so uninteresting. She can pick up their scent, find herself wondering who was there and why. The destinguishable hints of prey and border markings, what she assumes might have been a cat teaching their own apprentice of the borders as she is doing. Her ears twitch slightly, picking up sounds. Her eyes scans over the maze of rock that is the neighbouring clan, noting holes that must lead to tunnels underground that they dug themselves. A few scattered feathers highlight her point of their hunting of predatory birds, and she notes one circling overhead. Even notices the slight flash of fur as a vile ducks into a crevice in one of the rocks. Her eyes flit back to her apprentice and she shakes her head patiently. "You merely need to learn to see more. Note your surroundings, the scents, the sights, any movement you see. Like that bird up there, and those feathers, and the fresh scent marking." She lists of each thing so easily, like they're the easiest things to spot. For her they are, yet to someone who isn't used to looking they may not be.

She'd just returned her attention over the border when she heard scrabbling. Whipping her head around she peers back just in time to see her apprentice scramble out of a hole she'd almost fallen into, before falling over and struggling back to her paws. Her ears twitch slightly, her expression falling concerned as she she turns completely around. She opens her mouth to speak before the child quickly brushes her off with a quick 'I'm fine.' Fallen offers her a disbelieving frown, before nodding and clearing her throats, not wanting to upset Lotuspaw. "Right, well head back into the territory then head for Treeclan." She offers the child a gentle smile before leading the way back into the territory, moving gracefully and carefully to avoid the sharper rocks. It isn't long before the terrain transverses back to the familiar prairie beneath her paws and she strides out a little more. Soon enough she comes across a stream. She pauses briefly, lapping at the water before leaping over it and glancing back at Lotuspaw. "This is one of our main water sources. It comes from the mountains of Iceclan, and is the border between Iceclan and Rockclan before coming into our territory. I believe it leads through Deathclan into twolegplace. Occaisionally we may find fish there, but you won't find many who can catch them." Her ears twitch slightly and she awaits her apprentice before leading the way toward the Treeclan border, ears pricked and eyes watching.

[Deleted]

Lotuspaw felt every bit more embarrassed as her mentor reacted by leading her away from the Rockclan border. She knew that Fallenmist only did it so she wouldn't feel as upset about it, but still, Lotus felt as if she had totally ruined their lesson. She jumped from rock to rock as Fallenmist did, until she landed softly on familiar terrain. She padded across the prairie with her mentor until they reached a smooth river. She watched as Fallenmist bent to take a drink. She was suddenly thirsty, as she noticed that Rockclan seemed to have a different air to it. Her throat felt dry, maybe from the dust she'd inhaled when she fell. After her mentor had jumped across the stream, she quickly trotted down, got a quick drink, and looked back up at her mentor, waiting for her. She smoothly leaped the watering hole. Fallenmist explained where the river went, and she suddenly became curious about something she had said. "Deathclan? I've never heard of that clan before. Do mentors take their apprientices to the border? What clans does it border?" Lotus suddenly felt the subject wasn't meant to be spoken upon other than the river, so she padded up beside her mentor and stood to wait until they set off again. She was about to ask what kinds of cats lived there, but she would learn that sooner or later from the camp. From what she'd heard queens and elders discuss, Deathclan had never been mentioned.

[Fallenmist]

Fallenmist watches as her apprentice takes a drink, no doubt thirty from the dust by Rockclan, before leaping over the stream to join her. The warrior allows her gaze to travel toward her former home, ears twitching slightly in some sort of unreadable emotion, before she turns her attention back to her apprentice as she asks a question. As soon as she hears what it is, her whole body tenses and her eyes widen slightly, gaze flicking instinctively toward Deathclan. She forces herself calm before giving a slightly shake of her head, gesturing her apprentice to follow her on toward Treeclan. "I'm afraid I don't know much about Deathclan" she offers after a while, ears flicking back toward the apprentice. "Basically they're a scattered clan of rogues that tend to be rather...dangerous. They haven't had the best history with Fireclan from what I've heard. I'm not sure of their borders." She hurries her stride slightly, and soon enough she spots trees looming ahead. Soon enough she pulls up to the border and nods for her apprentice to explore. "What do you know about Treeclan?"

[Deleted]

Lotuspaw felt she had said something wrong when her mentor tensed. She really wanted to move from the subject. But, as a mentor, Fallenmist told her everything she knew of Deathclan.

Lotus had to hurry her stride a bit as Fallenmist seemed to be in a rush. As she spotted trees in the distance, she became excited. They were going to Treeclan. When Fallenmist gave the approval for Lotus to explore, she instantly launched into stirring up clouds of orange leaves with her paws. "I don't know much," she started, poking her nose under a large rock, scenting a mouse. "Only that they are very good tree climbers." A disappointed look grew on Lotuspaw's face as the mouse scurried away, and she looked back at her mentor, wondering what more Treeclanners could do. She was also a bit curious about Iceclan, and that border was next.

[Fallenmist]

Fallenmist finds herself relaxing slightly once they reach the border. Despite the fact she knew little more than what she'd been taught of this clan, it always seemed so...pleasant. It reminded her of the forest her and her childhood friend used to play in when they were no more than carefree kittens with more curiosity and energy than they could handle. She cpshake sof the thought and chuckles slightly as Lotuspaw dives right into exploring, quite literally.

She watches as her apprentice scatters some leaves in a cloud of browns and reds and yellows, drawing out an amused purr from the feline. She allows herself to relax a little more, glad for the subject change. Her ears twitches slightly, simultaneously watching both her apprentice and the border for signs of patrols. None, though the scent is strong, so one must have just past. Her apprentice is buzzing with excitement with this border, that she can tell. It brings a pleasant smile to her face, and she watches her apprentice sniff out a mouse she hadn't even noticed herself. Unfortunately, it runs across the border before tpeither can so much as consider catching it. Pity, but they weren't here to hunt.

The disappointed look on the child's face draws her attention, yet it seemingly dissipates quickly. "You're right about that, they're well known for their treeclimbing, that and their skill for fighting in close quarters and dropping from the trees to attack." Her ears prick forward and she peers over the border, picking her Brian for what she knows of her teachings. "They are a much larger and less reclusive than Rockclan, their prey certainly more plentiful thanks to all the food and shelter their trees and foliage provide prey. Their leader is Spiderstar, and their deputy is Arrowstrike. As I said before, they are our closest ally out of all the clans, and they are Storm and reasonably peaceful from what I can tell." She smiles slightly, nodding to herself once before returning her attention to Lostuspaw.

"So, any questions? What can you tell me from the scent along their border, anything interesting?" She wants to know what the child has learnt so far, how much attention she pays to her surroundings. She hopes the young apprentice will point out the patrol that had passed by recently, perhaps the scent of rabbit that had crossed the border some moments back, yet not long before they reached here. It'd be witching Treeclan's territory now, most likely looking around for some food. It's burrow would likely be on Fireclan's territory, though, so no doubt it'd be back across once they're gone. She peers over at her apprentice, curious what she'll find.

(Feel tpfree to add anything else for her to find )

[Deleted]

Lotuspaw continued searching after her mentor had finished. She scented treenclan very well, as a new scent. A patrol must've past through recently. Then, she spotted rabbit tracks, but didn't want to go after them. She stood up tall, and turned her head back to her mentor. "What next?"

(( sorry this is short i half lost interest xD ))