ϟ ThunderClan ϟ The Fierce and Caring ϟ |☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁| ϟ

Nettlepatch laughed, fighting the urge to scoot a bit closer to her. "I wonder if our border patrols will get changed around with the new twolegplace patrols. It's going to take a lot longer for those patrols to go out and come back."

Seafoam whipped around to give him a playful glare, moving over to him and cuffing him around the ear like a kit. "I was being serious Badgernight. Aren't you supposed to tell me, no dear! You're as beautiful as ever! I think your pelt looks just fine."

Blizzardstorm circled his apprentice, stopping every now and then to appraise his crouch from every angle. He nodded, rather pleased with Flurrypaw's form. "You have it down very well Flurrypaw. Move in that back paw a bit though, you're standing a bit too wide for your frame." He said, touching his tail to the offending back paw. "That's probably exactly how Lightningpaw was standing right? He's just a bit bigger than you so you have to adjust. Your crouch should feel natural, it shouldn't be uncomfortable."

“Ah… you caught me.” Flurrypaw mewed sheepishly, admittedly trying hard to look as good as the other apprentices. When Blizzardstorm helped him to adjust though, it did feel much better. “I guess I thought it would be fine if I just kind of got used to it that way.”

“And I give you one day before you’re proven wrong, I thought mentors were supposed to encourage and cultivate their apprentice’s potentials.” Scarletpaw snorted, looking up at Southmist as she recited words she heard from one of the other mentors. “Cultivate my potential! Show me how to kick a fox in the teeth!” She exclaimed, flexing her claws. “I have to get so good that I can even beat Applefur in a spar. Then I’ll be the stronger sister.” She decided.

“Oh! This one I do know! Papa’s really good at it, he likes it more.” Flurrypaw exclaimed, slipping down to roll his shoulders and loosen up his body, before stalking towards the stone. He felt a flicker of excitement, remembering Featherfoot’s stories of how he learned to hunt and stalk in Twolegplace, with a bunch of other kits like him who had no mentor or mother or father to show them.

Of course, Flurrypaw was excited, so he moved a bit quickly, and the fluidity of the stalk was wobbly. It was clear though that he didn’t mind stalking in open spaces.

"I wonder what Flurrypaw's up to." The she-cat said, turning to Yellowpaw and Lightningpaw. "I bet he's training super hard!" Lightningpaw chirped excitedly. "I hope we get to train soon." Yellowpaw said, shuffling his paws. "Don't worry about it, we will." Robinpaw reassured him.

Flurrypaw finally approached the stone, before narrowing his eyes and giving a noise of effort, leaping at the stone. He seemed to have a solid pounce, only missing one paw by a few inches, though the other paw landed squarely on the stone.

“Good to see the enthusiasm.” Hornetstrike approved, padding alongside his apprentice before he looked up at the trees and observed the wind. “It’s a good day for hunting. We’re downwind of the forest today. Especially if we’re going to be on hunting patrols. How do you feel about the Twolegplace patrol announcement?” He asked, wanting to know if Lightningpaw had any concerns.

“Mm.” Hornetstrike nodded, listening to Lightningpaw’s words before he shook his head once. “Never all the way in. I’ve seen the borders, and have met cats from Twolegplace but I myself have never been deep within it. But! I’m not too fearful of it. I trust our clanmates who grew up there, or who are used to it.” He padded onwards, before chuckling.

“Over in Riverclan, I’m sure my mother Winterfrost has been. She was a loner for most of her life. Even my brother, Diamondheart, he led a patrol there once. He’s never told me what for, but it’s apparently one of the reasons he was chosen as deputy right after he returned. I’m kind of jealous.” He joked, comfortable in that he and his brother were in separate Clans. After all, Thunderclan found him as a kit, and Riverclan found Diamondheart as a kit, so it was inevitable where their loyalties would be.

“It’ll be something new for both of us to learn together.” He decided.

“He still is Riverclan’s deputy.” Hornetstrike chuckled, rolling his eyes lightly as he joked. “I’m sure he’s all the more bright about it. He gets to sit near the leaders every gathering.” He grew serious again, a serene look crossing his face. “I only really miss that I didn’t get to grow up with him. I see him at gatherings and we always talk alot, I’ve met all of his daughters, he’s met mine… but we both accepted a long time ago that we’ll always put our Clans first, even before eachother. But. He will always be my brother, and I will always be his.”

“Oh! Uhm…” Flurrypaw hesitated for a moment to think before he perkee up and offered. “I could try and bite its tail or bite it in general, until I can get my other paw back on it?”

“Then keep them close.” Hornetstrike nodded, thinking fondly of Slatesight, his own best friend, as well as his mate, Whiteblaze. He looked at Lightningpaw and mewed. “Ambition can be a good thing, if you focus on helping the Clan more than just focusing on your own self. You have a good heart, Lightningpaw. I want you to always use it for good.” He implored.

Hornetstrike was relieved to hear Lightningpaw's promise, though he could only think back to Shadeclaw, how the now banished tom had once been his apprentice, his first apprentice, and how his desire for strength had driven him down such a dark path. Hornetstrike vowed the same would not happen with Lightningpaw. He smiled down at the younger tom and nodded. "We're going to be hunting for mouse holes. It's a good way to practice learning how to find hollows and how to control the weight of your pawsteps." He decided. 

"First, you should be looking for traces of a mouse scent. Typically, mice will burrow for most of leafbare, but may come out to gather food. That is when you'll be able to scent them. If we can catch the scent trail, then usually they'll lead right to their burrows. If the scent disappears suddenly suddenly after tracking, then you've likely gotten very close to the burrow." Hornetstrike explained.