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Looking this good is a full-time job
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Smokepaw had expected training to feel different with an encouraging mentor who would answer all his questions, but here he was walking behind them in near silence. he expected them to pause and glance over their shoulder to point something out but that never happened.

When they finally stopped at the border, Smokepaw looked where Beewhisker gestured. The scent of another Clan seemed clear. He leaned forward to sniff carefully, trying to commit it to memory. Their voice carried a strange emptiness. "...Okay?"

He had to try and give them the right infomation..."I'd tell them...Where it happened first and who they were if I knew them... And that they ran away like cowards!" A murr of excitement rose in his chest as he stood up tall, the tip of his tail swishing.

Be the reason someone smiles today.

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At least Smokepaw had the right idea anyway. They nodded, their pale blue eyes flicking emotionlessly over to Smokepaw. They hated themself for forcing their own grief onto them, but what else could they do if it was all they felt? Regardless, they tried to speak his praises the best they could. "Well done. But we shouldn't be too prideful about it. Telling them the location, identity and action would work fine." They knew they were being harsh, this was Aspenberry's kit, and hurt them too much to think of him that way... but they couldn't find any other way to see him. Beewhisker lowered their ears slightly before glancing back over in the direction of twolegplace before spotting nothing they were looking for.

For the first time today, Beewhisker glanced toward Smokepaw and let out a sigh, they had the spirit still, even if Beewhisker didn't. "You're doing well. Anyway. Can you tell me what this place is? In the same instance as before, where would the cat have been chased off from?" The added, trying to force their ears up and even then, they still looked like they sat heavy on Beewhisker's head.

"Sorry." Beewhisker stated, the tip of their tail twitching and catching the light from the sun. "About before. You deserved more than. That." More than what I could give you, they added in the mind, but they didn't day much more. Simply staring on into the distance. Their eyes devoid of much else besides guilt and grief.

Looking this good is a full-time job
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Smokepaw's ears perked at the praise. Sure it wasn't glittering, but it was something. His mind was still fresh from their first border tour and his hackles pricked with devious excitement. "This is Trespass Point...So anywhere that wasn't...here." A paw flicked out, extending and gesturing broadly to everywhere that wasn't...exactly where they were.

Beewhisker looked tired, like they hadn't gotten a wink of sleep since before the Mad Rogue died. His brows furrowed as he looked away from her, kicking a small pebble to distract them from the dour spirited look in his eyes. Those eyes so very much like his mother's.

"...Fawnstar picked you. She could of picked anycat... So you should be happy." It sounded so...alien that she was so emotional about this, or a lack of emotional. Basically a completely different cat.

"If I got picked to mentor I'd be really happy but right now I'm trying just to be happy that I'm an apprentice now." He grumbled as he padded stiffly towards the border shared between all four Clans.

"At least you didn't see Cedarpaw's..." His voice trailed off suddenly, afraid to say 'body'. What he meant to say was...there was still hope. Hope that they were still alive somewhere. "They're out there somewheres." Stuttering awkwardly, he wasn't paying attention and stomped all over RiverClan's border where he stood in the grass.

Be the reason someone smiles today.

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"Right." Beewhisker explained, twitching their tail as Smokepaw continued, rather unprompted, but they didn't argue, simply allowed him to speak. While they knew that Fawnstar chose them for a reason, they thought that the reason, unintentionally or intentionally, didn't have their best interests at heart. They didn't want to think ill of Fawnstar, so they decided to pick the unintentional route.

"I think she chose me, to get me out of camp." the WindClan warrior muttered, "but I don't hat-" Their jaw tightened when Cedarpaw was mentioned and they forced their fur to lay flat on their form. They knew, a part of them knew that Smokepaw was just trying to help for the most part. But bringing everything up at once... certainly wasn't the way to approach it. That's what Beewhisker thought anyway. "I won't stop looking for them." they added when Smokepaw stuttered about Cedarpaw still being out there somewhere. They had no doubt of that. If Berrypaw said they were taken by Twolegs, then Twolegplace was the next place to check.

However, before more could be said, Smokepaw was over the border, and the large WindClan warrior saw something equally as large on the prowl towards him. Th puffed up and rushed to his side, protecting the younger tom, he was the most of what they had left of Aspenberry. If Beewhisker lost him on the first day of his apprenticeship, StarClan what would they be like then?

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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Hailstrike was on the prowl for a rabbit near the trespass point when she saw the rabbit flea, however it was not for a lack of reason. A kit? No too big for a kit, an apprentice, was out with... was that Beewhisker? Beewhisker didn't go to many gatherings really. Maybe Fawnstar doesn't want to invite them much, but regardless, the pelt was... faintly familiar, maybe they're a mentor now. But their eyes were sort of... distant to say the least.

Regardless, Hailstrike still prowled, obviously rustling the tall grass to give away her position, she didn't have a lot of interest in taking turning a hunting ground into a battlefield. Not today, at least. 

Hailstrike then popped out flamboyantly from the tall grass, hoping this encounter, likely the first with any cat from another clan to the apprentice, would be something of memory for him. But as Hailstrike was about to weave a theatrical greeting, the apprentices' mentor puffed up like thistle down and stood protectively over Smokepaw. Got their priorities straight, at least, she thought to herself as she heeded the stance with a dip of her head.

"Not here to lay a paw on anyone. You guys just took a few pawsteps over the border is all." Hailstrike stated, if it was just Beewhisker trespassing, she would have been a bit more snappy, but the apprentice was young and likely experiencing the territory for the first time, so she was a little calmer. "You must've got lost there... which WindClan apprentice are you?" They asked, earning a slightly less fluffed up pelt from Beewhisker, even if they were still on defence.

Looking this good is a full-time job
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Smokepaw nearly jumped out of his fur when the RiverClan warrior suddenly emerged from the grass. He tried not to look completly taken aback, eyes sliding towards Beewhisker as their lesson struck his mind from moments before. He could do this.

The dark spotted tom leaned over towards his mentor, voice lowered to a note that would be discernable to only the WindClan warrior...hopefully. "Is this the part where we chase her off? We're supposed to chase trespassers away, right?"

Only then did he get a moment to stare at his paws, offending. It seemed that he was the intruder here. "...Oh. I think I accidentally did the tresspassing." He shuffled one paw backward, but stopped when he realized that still put him on the wrong side of the border as his muzzle scrunched up with an embassassed glower.

"Are you gunna chase us off, then?" He asked the blue ticked she-cat. "And I'm Smokepaw." Recalling the warrior's question, hoping it wasn't painfully obvious that he was new. "Who're you?"

Be the reason someone smiles today.

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Beewhisker's ears perked slightly, they would have shared a laugh with Hailstrike if they had been in the right mind, but all that escaped them was a breathy attempt of a laugh that hardly sounded like one at all. More-so an awkward breath than anything else. "We would if she was the one trespassing." the WindClan warrior spoke, not necessarily in any harsh intent, but not with vigorous enthusiasm either. Simply, words as they came.

When Beewhisker saw that Hailstrike wasn't really worried about the few pawsteps over the border, their bristled fur then flattened completely, tense muscles moving to relax, but they didn't exactly... move from Smokepaw's side in a defense, just in case, as the thought, the reason behind it, didn't change. 

"It wasn't his fault, it is his first day, were focusing on borders and reporting rites for the time being." Beewhisker stated to the less than formal RiverClan warrior.

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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"Chase you off? Nah, I'll only do that if you both don't leave on your own accord. What's a couple of pawsteps from an unknowing apprentice anyway." Hailstrike assured the new apprentices, Beewhisker reiterating what Hailstrike had already assumed from the situation at paw.

She nodded in acknowledgement at the tri-colored warrior's statement then took a glance back at Smokepaw, assuming that Beewhisker was allowing them to introduce herself further. "I'm Hailstrike, I'm a RiverClan warrior, though haven't been a warrior for very long yet, not even 6 moons ago I was earning my warrior name. I was still an apprentice when you were exploring the camp." She remained civil with the apprentice and the WindClan warrior, whether that was too civil wasn't really up to her, but Beewhisker didn't press her back... nor did they leave their apprentice open, understandably though.

Hailstrike then dipped her striped head to both WindClanners, she had nothing against WindClan, after all, one of their warriors helped take down the Mad Rogue a few moons ago. It was nice to be courtious with them for now. Though she wasn't here to make too many friends. "How's the first day going?" She asked, seemingly to both mentor and apprentice.

Looking this good is a full-time job
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Smokepaw's ears twitched at Hailstrike's answer and some of the tension immediately melted from his pelt. "Oh, good, then." He chirped up at the warrior, his tongue flicking across his chest a bit self conciously. Beewhisker might choose to not look their best, but he wanted to make a good impression.

He shuffled backward until all four paws were on WindClan ground. Hailstrikes question struck a bit of a nerve, like the backwards ruffle of feathers. He huffed a bit, expression flattening. "Not great. I thought being an apprentice was supposed to be exciting. Instead we've been walking around, talking about borders..." He paused, an ear flicking towards Beewhisker.

"And my mentor is sad all the time." He meowed with a voice heavy with uncomfortable honesty. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do about that...But I did learn how to report a trespasser. And then I became one!"

He looked up at the blue ticked she-cat curiously. "What about you? Do you remember your first lesson?"

Be the reason someone smiles today.

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Beewhisker's eyes narrowed Smokepaw and Hailstrike were talking as if they weren't there, and they let out a huff at the interaction, to show that they were still there. "I'm sure WindClan would appreciate not having too much of their business shared." they reminded him quietly, flicking their tail for a moment before backing away with their apprentice, their puffed tail being swept slightly in front of Smokepaw as he continued the conversation. still rather cautious.

There wasn't much else Beewhisker could say or do, but they did notice the sympathetic look in Hailstrike's eyes, seems she had heard what happened to Cedarpaw, and certainly Aspenberry by now. But Beewhisker didn't need her pity, however much it lightened the interaction.

A bout of sadness washed over Beewhisker as Smokepaw complained, they were sure that they were doing what they were supposed to, pressing noses at the clearing, allowing him to spend the rest of the ceremony with his his kin, then taking him out for a fulfilling first lesson. The idea that Smokepaw still had things to complain about shattered their heart further than it already had been, their brows furred as they let out a crestfallen sigh.

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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When hearing that Beewhisker seemed to be consistently sad, she had assumed it was from the news given at the gathering. Whether Hailstrike had or hadn't been there, news travelled fast, especially big news like the fact that an apprentice was taken away from their own territory by twolegs and hadn't been seen for what was a full moon now. Her heart went out to the she-cat.

To lighten the mood, they hoped a story of her own first lesson would hope to serve as an interesting and educational standpoint for both mentor and apprentice, if Beewhisker needed it at all. "I did basically the same thing you're doing. It'll get exciting, but you can't hunt and fight in a territory you barely know. You'll study the borders first before you start getting to the bigger stuff." She reassured him, though... maybe Beewhisker should have been doing that? Though is kind of looked like Beewhisker's paws were going to give out from under them, so she didn't press.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you Smokepaw, but we've all got clans to serve. I won't say anything about this if you two won't." She chirped in a sweet farewell as she slipped away into the tall-grass once more. Now she'd need to find another thing to ger her claws on...

Looking this good is a full-time job
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Smokepaw's ears flattened at Beewhisker's reminder, tail gave an embarrassed little flick. "Right. Sorry." He replied in a clipped mew. He hadn't meant to share anything WindClan shouldn't be sharing. He'd just... answered honestly. Hailstrike had asked about it after all. Green eyes followed the RiverClan warrior to the ticked tail tip.

Once she was gone, Smokepaw turned back toward Beewhisker, seemingly oblivious to her sullen expression. Perhaps he had just gotten used to it by now. "Well...I guess she was right. I don't like it...but I guess I gotta learn all the boring stuff before I get to the fun stuff."

He stomped along the border a bit, pausing only to sniff at the various intermingling of Clan scents. Maybe he was committing them to memory, but he was more likely just trying to sort the smells.

Be the reason someone smiles today.

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With a sigh, Beewhisker watched as Hailstrike left, it was nothing against the RiverClanner, Beewhisker was simply wondering why Fawnstar gave them an apprentice now of all times to hand them out. There were more kits to come, there always were. Why Smokepaw, of all cats? Although... Beewhisker appreciated Smokepaw tendency to lounge around in calm. It gave them time to sit and try and let the pain settle. Perhaps talking to someone that won't blame them for their grief would be nice. If there even was a cat like that in WindClan.

"Uh-huh." They mumbled to Smokepaw, their mood still dampened by his words. Aspenberry wouldn't say that about me, they thought to themself as they padded along the border, using all the strength they could to simply walk to another part of WindClan's side of Trespass point on the further end. "We're lucky we met one of the kinder RiverClanners. Some of them would love to carve cuts in your fur if you're not careful." If Smokepaw was being honest, so were they.

Beewhisker then sat, mind even further away from the situation as they desperately looked in the direction of twolegplace, hoping, praying, silently pleading to StarClan that Cedarpaw's silhouette would appear on the fenceline around a twoleg den. But there was nothing, nothing familiar. They let out a sigh and allowed their paws to finally slip, causing them to slowly slide down into a lay. "I'm sorry, for being such a burden on you." They sighed. "You just look so much like-" They stopped themself before they said any more, then let out another drawn out sigh. "I just... miss them... so so much." They spoke in a cracked voice. They wanted to be left alone, but if Fawnstar insisted on giving them a cat to look after, this cat wasn't going to spend a day without hearing his mentor speak. "I do my duties, but nothing has been the same, I'm stressed, upset and I feel like everything has been emptied out of me. I don't know how long I can go on like this Smokepaw."

Looking this good is a full-time job
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Smokepaw slowed when Beewhisker collapsed into the grass nearby. His ears flicked forward and briefly the apprentice didn't immediately have something clever or impatient to say. His green eyes just bored holes into his mentor and listened to how their voice cracked as they spoke. Discomfort knotted in his chest as he tried to empathize with someone who wasn't himself...

Smokepaw shifted his paws unsure of what to do with this between them. It felt like a chasm that he couldn't possibly jump across. "But...you can't just stop." They couldn't stop doing what they were doing for their clan and that included looking for their daughter.

"I know I look like my mum but I'm not her." Almost as though they were searching his face for someone who wasn't there... "I'm Smokepaw and I'm your apprentice now." He wasn't too good at all this sad stuff. He wished they could just teach him something useful to distract them from the feelings they were subject to.

"You could...teach me more about the borders oooor...We could find something to chase after." His voice tilted up at a suggestive lit as he half grinned, trying to guide them in the direction of something fun.

Be the reason someone smiles today.

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Beewhisker seemed almost completely motionless as Smokepaw spoke. But a small twitch of the ear revealed that they heard him. Beewhisker then turned their head to him, their eyes glazed and almost devoid of the joy and enthusiasm that they had displayed when Smokepaw was back in the nursery, back when... back when Aspenberry and Cedarpaw were still here. "I know..." They murmured before looking back down at their paws. "I want to keep going, but everything is just... so heavy right now." 

Regardless of the weight pressing itself against Beewhisker's shoulders, they forced themself to stand. "I don't think it will change my mood, but I could teach you how I was taught to hunt rabbits." They replied, glancing around trying to find a good spot to learn the vital information. After all, rabbits were the main diet of WindClan cats. Among other things that dwelled on the moor. 

"I'll take you to The Steppe, it's usually full of prey to practice with." Beewhisker finally spoke before padding off into the direction of The Steppe, trusting that Smokepaw would follow them