Heronsong and Duskpaw
Training maybe?
ShadowClan Camp
14
Tiptoe through the murk and mire
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ♖ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧
The damp chill of morning still clung to the clearing as Duskpaw padded out from the apprentices’ den, his breath misting faintly in the cold air. The shadows around camp were just beginning to lift, sunlight struggling to pierce the heavy clouds overhead. He paused near the fresh-kill pile, nose wrinkling at what was available. He wasn't hungry. Not now.
His eyes flicked toward the warriors’ den, searching for Heronsong’s familiar silhouette. Battle training was the one thing that kept his thoughts in line lately, the one place where movement and instinct could override the gnawing weight in his chest. He shifted on his paws, tail twitching as he waited for her, unsure what kind of training she had planned or how much she’d expect from him today.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
Tangleloon, ♂ Whimsical Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
Rimekit, ♀ Rowdy kit
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
As Heronsong stepped out with a long stretch of her forelegs, she thought of her plans for the training session today. Duskpaw was close to becoming a warrior, and was skilled enough at hunting and fighting that she was beginning to run out of the simpler ideas for what to do. Besides, it was plain to her that he was troubled, and understandably so. Heronsong's own optimism and usual cheery attitude was being darkened by the recent bloodshed.
She greeted the dark-furred tom as she met him in the clearing. "Good morning, Duskpaw. I hope you slept well."
Tiptoe through the murk and mire
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ♖ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧
Duskpaw gave a faint shrug, his ears flicking at her greeting. "Well enough..." He said, though his tone lacked conviction. Sleep had come in fits, broken by half-formed dreams and the echo of things he couldn’t fix. But there was no point in saying that. "Maybe I slept on a burr."
He eyed Heronsong for a moment measured her posture. He wasn’t the only one feeling it. "What are we doing today?" The blue mink tom asked, voice low but steady. "More sparring? ...Or something different?" There was a quiet edge of hope in the question, not for ease but for challenge. He needed focus and he preferred something he could sink his claws into and not think too much over.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
Tangleloon, ♂ Whimsical Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
Rimekit, ♀ Rowdy kit
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
Heronsong couldn't help but note the undertone of Duskpaw's voice. It was worrying, and her plans for the day probably wouldn't help. She flicked her tail casually as she left the camp, letting her paws carry her towards their destination. "Well, seeing as how you're getting closer and closer to earning your warrior name..." she began, "I thought it would be worthwhile to go over the code."
She glanced at her apprentice, hoping he wouldn't be too disappointed. But with all the tension lately, perhaps some focused, controlled quiet would do them both some good/ Hopefully her plans for when they got to the burnt sycamore would make him feel better.
Tiptoe through the murk and mire
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ♖ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧
Duskpaw blinked, the faintest flicker of disappointment passing through his expression before he smothered it. The warrior code...of course.
He didn’t argue, though. If anything, he gave a slow nod and followed after her, his paws quiet against the forest floor as they left camp. "Right. Makes sense." He said, voice flat but not hostile. The code was important, especially to cats like Whisperingwind. To every cat who believed there was something greater in their lives - and maybe Starclan was enough. Maybe that was reason enough to take it seriously - even if it didn’t feel like enough sometimes.
Still, as the burnt sycamore came into view, his eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of curiosity sparking beneath the surface. "So, what? You going to quiz me or something?" Maybe he wasn’t thrilled. "Or should I start reciting...?" There was some hesitance there, as if maybe he wasn't as prepared for this as he should have been.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
Tangleloon, ♂ Whimsical Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
Rimekit, ♀ Rowdy kit
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
Heronsong nodded, seating herself at the base of the burnt sycamore. Reciting the code on its own was boring--she knew, she'd done it numerous times in her own training--but it was still important. "Yes, if you could just recite what you know. We'll fill in the gaps as we go."
With a glance up the tall, mostly-dead tree, she asked, "Also...how good are your climbing skills, do you know?"
