Closed Thread Feeling Chatty

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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The air was cooler today. Not a great day for swimming - but unfortunately for everyone that didn't stop Sootpaw.

Traipsing into camp, looking somewhat waterlogged was the white-furred tom. His early-morning fishing had not gone to plan, and at some point the apprentice had resigned himself to embracing the water rather than avoiding it. Despite this, he had the good graces to be bringing a collection of minnows and frogs with him. A bit flattened but still perfectly edible. 

"Honeyglow! I found frogs!" He called to the elder as he hopped over, still dripping wet. His collection did make the freshkill pile a bit larger, and he looked incredibly pleased with himself - even with pond water dripping off his whiskers.

In an attempt to get water out of his ears, Sootpaw shook the droplets from his coat - sending up a spray that hit anyone in his vicinity.

"Sorry." He cast a glance at Brackenwing.

Honey makes the world go round
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Pausing on his way to the pile, which was looking a bit lacking at the start of the day, Honeyglow lifted a forepaw and began to bathe himself, idly glancing up to see if anyone noticed him and the general going ons in camp. Dawn patrol should be getting back any time now, and sunhigh patrols could be organizing, but his attention was drawn to a brown tabby.

"Morning, Brackenwing. On any patrols today?" A small yawn pitched his maw, forepaw brought back to the ground with a quick lap of his tongue over his muzzle. Honeyglow had awoken with a bit of an appetite. Maybe Brackenwing had gone hunting earlier.

His expression brightened noticeably as he watched a black and white apprentice bound through camp with youthful vigor that any older cat could be jealous of. Prey dangled from his jaws, and Honeyglow approached the young tom, and the fresh kill pile, by proxy. "You found frogs, or are you a frog?" His tail gave a pleased thump. He wasn't even too perturbed as the apprentice shook out his pelt, droplets of water glazing his coat as the tom half flinched.

"In this heat, pond water is pretty refreshing. And that catch looks tasty. If your mentor was here she'd be pleased, I think. Lizards and frogs are a favorite of hers. Makes for easy prep and a cool stomach on a hot day."

He flicked his other paw before giving it a couple licks, all the while eyeing one of Sootpaw's caught frogs. His green eyes blinked back at Brackenwing, who he hoped didn't get too drenched by Sootpaw's enthusiasm. "What kind of prey do you like eating most, Brackenwing?"

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw set the frogs down, and backed away to finish shaking out his fur. "For the gathering, I was thinking of asking Riverclan cats for advice on swimming." He pause. "If I'm allowed to go." he added - sheepishly.

"Cause I brought it up with Palestar and she said swimming to catch ducks wasn't a great idea. But I think that if you went below them, grabbed em and dragged them underwater when they weren't expecting it - that would work great!" His eyes were wide at the idea of it. "They catch fish and muskrats right? Maybe they have a new way of catching ducks!"

His optimism was infectious - if misguided. Surely grabbing a duck would result in a concussion and a loss of dignity?

Honey makes the world go round
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Honeyglow gave a fond little nod at the mention of enjoying lizard more. Frogs were a good, apprentice friendly catch - he agreed, and everyone had their preferences. "Frogs are forgiving if you can catch them before they get to water."

The old ginger tabby had stopped staring at Sootpaw's prey in consideration to address the apprentice in his inquiry for advice. Fish were experts of swimming, cat's were less so. Much less an apprentice with some outlandish ideas. Nevertheless the confusion was far from his face, and seemed genuinely curious.

"It's tough to say for certain, but I think adding unnecessary danger to a tried and true hunt might be unwise. Even if you were a great swimmer, like a Riverclanner, cat's can't breathe water. You could drown in the struggle." He let the apprentice down softly. "Riverclanners are incredibly patient - They wait for the right moment to swipe a fish rather than swim after them." Sootpaw would do well to learn some patience in Palestar's lessons. They were often the key to a successful hunt.

He smiled at the young tom. "I think I will take one of those frogs, Sootpaw. Thank you." Before a claw beckoned over the pile before dragging one to the natural dinner plate in front of him. HIs maw darted down to chomp down on its chewy hide, taking his time to savor the fllavor. Satisfying.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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He smiled at the elder, placing one of the larger frogs he managed to find in front of them, before following Brackenwing's gaze. "Oh. I guess you are going on dawn patrol then! He looked at the entrance of the camp. I tried to convince Ashpaw to come help me but he said he was busy. I dunno with what though."

The fact that his brother was making leaps ahead of him in training rubbed Sootpaw the wrong way a little bit. Not that it was his fault! Palestar just... was busy a lot. It's a good thing he has been doing his own training sessions since he was just a kit. Maybe that's why Starclan put him with her?

"If you need more paws I can go on patrol?" Sootpaw tried to seem innocent, but he knew that e was considered too young to assist in full fledged patrols. Even still - he wished he could. Maybe he would be better at it than hunting.

Honey makes the world go round
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Honeyglow was pleased with his meal, and his enjoyment was clear on his face as he relished his breakfast. The frog was fresh, and the slippery meat was firm and tasty. He lapped at his whiskers as he listened to the other two cats chat. It was a shame that it seemed that Ashpaw was always busy doing things with Hollyclaw. It made him consider speaking to Palestar and seeing when she'd be available to take him out sometime; leadership was its own burden.

Once he was about halfway done, he lifted his paw and started cleaning his face. "I was about to go out on patrol myself - find a good sunning spot and take a nap, maybe see if any prey is unlucky enough to be caught. If that interests either of you you're both welcome to join me. We won't be touring the border or anything, but you'll be accompanying an Elder." It wasn't the most glorious of offers, but it didn't have to be. He enjoyed the company either way.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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"I promise! I won't do anything. I'll just... uh, follow behind. You won't even know I'm there." That was a steep promise from the cat who notoriously never knew when to be quiet, but Sootpaw didn't want to be left behind.

Honeyglow wanted a tour! He wanted to go patrolling! Brackenwing wanted to go out of camp! He could see no downsides to the three of them going to the borders. Maybe they would catch a glance of the Thunderclanners by the Thunderpath... is that why they were called that?

No... he knew that they were 'made by Thunder' - but then why was Thunderpath called that? Did it make thunder? Did monsters make Thunder? Where there big monsters that shook the skies when it rained? Honeyglow might know... he would have to ask.

Honey makes the world go round
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 With the taste of prey still on his maw, he smiled at the two, his eyes giving a playful roll when Brackenwing worried about Sootpaw being too young for patrols. "It's not like Sootpaw is a new apprentice. He's nine moons. Plenty old for a hunting patrol or standard, non-dangerous border patrol." He waved away their worries, finding the black and white apprentice endearing. Palestar was lucky to guide such a cat, even if he could be a little wet behind the ears.

"You don't have to worry about being invisible, Sootpaw. You should be an active participant -Let me know what kind of prey you smell while we stroll, why don't you? I need a couple of young noses." Giving Brackenwing an appreciative blink. The ginger tom was more or less done with his meal, bones and all. Honeyglow stretched out his toes, smoothing over the kinks in his form before he stood and half turned towards them over his shoulder.

"I'm ready when you two are." Before, as if he never really retired at all, began to pad out of camp, a leisurely pace but not without intent. Into their territories and in the direction of the thunderpath. A good amount of prey called the foliage between the grey path and the underbrush separating it. Good places to snag a nap in the dappled sunlight too. "I can't wait to find a good napping spot."

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw was all pep this early in the morning - although one could argue he was always peppy. He explored the territory as the patrol passed through, poking his paws into the grass, periodically chasing insects that hopped or flew by, before regrouping the older cats, eyes twinkling.

"Do cats ever eat bugs?" He wondered aloud. "How many bugs would it take to feed a cat. Maybe it depends on the size of the bug - I once saw a spider that was huge! It was... like... the size of my face! I think, if it and a bird fought, the spider would win." He stopped ahead of the patrol waiting for them. "I think I could only eat 4 of that size of spider."

At the mention of napping spots, Sootpaw's ears perked up. "There is a big flat stone over by Thunderpath. It's not really close but you can see all the way across the path, into Thunderclan's territory." He bounded away in the direction that he remembered - roughly - the rock was located in.