[Fawn]

[smear:07c76b]FROGSPLASH![/smear:88cfad]
//Warrior of NightClan

It was something that hadn't really crossed the marbled she-cat's mind until recently. How old must the pines in NightClan be to have grown so tall? Just how many generations of cats had lived and fought and died under these very same branches, traipsing over the pine needle flooring just as she was doing now? Frogsplash hadn't intentionally become such an meditative thinker lately, but the subject of Boneshadow - who was always at the back of her thoughts - had left her feeling rather...mature in both mind and body. So many moons have passed since he's been gone. Was she starting to get better?

Frogsplash was certain that she had improved in demeanor enough that all outward signs of grief and desperation had been erased, but that didn't necessarily mean her heart had fully repaired itself. No longer a fresh wound, she was still in the process of healing, the thick scab starting to shrink and reveal the new skin underneath. Not about to space out on her first real hunting session with Darkpaw in a while - her first ever apprentice who, ironically had the same prefix as that lovable rogue she had for a best friend, Darkice - the pretty marbled feline called over her shoulder. "Sorry for not taking you out sooner, Darkpaw! Have you been keeping up with your meditations before hunting?"

It didn't feel right to follow in Boneshadow's exact teaching steps when it came time to tutor her own pupil, but there was something about the morning meditations that she felt necessary to continue, not just seeing the sense in focusing the mind first, but viewing it as a way to give a little nod to her deceased uncle. By contrast, Frogsplash had a rather natural, easy-going style that gave off older-sibling vibes rather than 'wise old owl' who was so vastly more mature and experienced that they couldn't possibly relate to the new blood around here. She was still very much 'new blood' herself, at least in the warriors' den, next to Strawberryfrost, and had no intention of acting much older than she was simply due to it being expected of mentors.

She was a fun, charismatic sort of creature, and the teacher/pupil structure was hardly going to beat that out of her. Frogsplash's short coat glittered in what little sunlight was able to filter through the dense pine trees standing like sentries on either side of them, the she-cat moving lively but with a sense of practiced silence, as though fully a part of the forest as much as any wild creature could possibly be. Not a great deal of information could be recalled when anyone made mention of Darkpaw to her, given her incredible closeness with Darkice (though the tom was annoying her lately, for reasons she didn't want to talk about), the first thing that came to mind was her own charming companion, not the calm, protective black and white tom-kitten padding along in her wake.

Open to the idea of a 'younger brother' of sorts, beside her own bull-headed older siblings, Frogsplash had already begun to look upon Darkpaw with a sense of eagerness, viewing him as a potential candidate for the role, eager to show him the ropes and help him reach that coveted title of warrior.

[Deleted]

i thought this place was an empire

---

The bulky tuxedo tom had begun to fill out, his shoulders broader, his legs sturdier, his hindquarters more powerful. His body was slowly developing from a large kit frame and into the foundations for a powerful warrior. Already, he was one of the biggest in the apprentices den, and he quite enjoyed it. His innate need to protect had begun to swell as well, reaching beyond his brother and to other cats, as well. So, the stronger he became, the more able he was to protect and defend those around him.

Large paws padded over the pine needle floor, cushion his steps into silence. He followed his mentor, Frogsplash, just a couple pawsteps behind. "Sorry for not taking you out sooner, Darkpaw! Have you been keeping up with your meditations before hunting?" The voice of his mentor filtered into his ears, and he flicked the appendages forward, his left remaining forever stuck in its oddly bent position.

One of the first lessons Fropsplash had taught him, the art of meditation. It had been odd at first, but he was open to go along with it, as she was his mentor. After a while, though, it had become part of his daily routine. Waking before the sun, the tom would quietly slip out of the apprentices' den, which was a lot easier to do than one would think, with his nest being the closest to the entrance, and quietly move through the sleeping camp. He'd exit into the forest, making his way toward the ambush pond, and meditate.

He start off my sitting down, wrapping his tail around his paws. In his usual manner of sitting, he'd place his paws over his tailtip, allowing the weight of his forelegs to rest on the appendage. For a few moments, he would just breathe, in and out through his nose, eyes trailing over the shape of the strange plant of the pond. Then, his eyes would drift close, and he would tilt his chin up to the rising sun. His mind would clear, his body in tune with the forest around him. He would cast out his senses, hearing everything going on around him, but never focusing solely on one sound or scent. He'd take them all in, his mind quickly processing everything at once. Before too many sessions, he had found he was hearing and smelling more than he had though possible. The process was oddly calming, instead of overwhelming, and he had actually come to enjoy his mornings alone.

Once the sunlight would filter more strongly through the dense pines, Darkpaw would slowly extract himself from his sitting position, slowly stretching each muscle and limb, his golden eyes remaining closed through the entire process. Then, his eyelids would part, and he would head back into the caves of NightClan's camp to begin another day as a warrior in training.

Darkpaw paused only a moment before responding. "Naturally." A small smile touched his face. As he followed his mentor, he cast his senses outward, picking up the gentle sounds of the forest. He was proud of the things meditation had taught him, and it definitely was not a practice that he would give up easily.

---

D A R K P A W

[Fawn]

[smear:07c76b]FROGSPLASH![/smear:88cfad]
//Warrior of NightClan

She rewarded his response with a matching smile, noting with satisfaction that he had answered without hesitation, Frogsplash finding no reason to doubt his words or somehow view him in a distrustful light. Considering the contradictory natures of so many different teaching styles when it came to mentors, it really wouldn't surprise the marbled tabby all that much if one of his denmates called him out on his morning meditations, and openly questioned it's usage. Darkpaw was nothing if not intelligent, and rather than step in to defend her apprentice in situations like that, Frogsplash was opting to allow the results speak for themselves. While many of NightClan's warriors had their own methods of doing things, when the end result of her tactics was a well-trained, extremely environmentally aware young warrior, both her peers and his could hardly hold those meditations against them.

"Good, let's hunt near the-"

A peculiar scent wafting across the sensitive glands just behind her top front teeth, causing her to halt mid sentence. I haven't smelled one of those in a while - this'll make things interesting. It was doubtful even some of her own denmates hadn't seen one up close before - they had probably only heard the stories from the more experienced warriors or even an old elders' tale while they were still nestled up to their mothers' bellies. Assuming they took the necessary precautions - as any cat with half a brain would - it should prove to be a good mini-lesson for her dark-furred protege.
"Actually," mewed Frogsplash, switching gears and gesturing that he follow her into a nearby clump of ferns with the tip of her striped tail. "There's something I want to show you, but we'll have to be quiet."

It wasn't every day that a porcupine showed up on NightClan soil.