[Phoenix]

I WISH EVERYONE WAS LOVED TONIGHT

If anyone asked, he would be the last cat to take issue with his life as a mentor. As expected, the time commitment to his duties increased exponentially as he figured out how to turn what had become everyday tasks like hunting and patrolling into interesting lessons for Pinkpaw, but he did not mind. At the very least, he figured that they were more opportunities for her to practice what she had already learned or for him to correct any mistakes he saw. He also bore no grudge against her for the relatively unreliable schedule for lessons – their ability to train was often dictated by the brightness of the sun – despite how it might inconvenience him. In his mind, it was Gorsetail’s job to be flexible where he could; in this situation, a rigid determination to train at a certain time every day, regardless of the weather conditions, would be more counterproductive than anything.

Take today, for example. A glance to the sky at the start of the day had him telling Pinkpaw that she could have the day off – he had been planning to anyway, as they had been training particularly hard the past few days, so he was not conflicted over the choice – and the subsequent unrelenting glare of the sun had him convinced even more that he had made the right decision. It had taken him the morning to stop glancing around with a racing heart the moment he noticed that he was alone, but now that his nerves finally seemed to recognize what he had constantly had to remind himself – that Pinkpaw was not missing, that he had given her a day off – he could relax and enjoy the relative freedom that came with merely being another warrior.

Even the taste of what once was barely had him longing for the simplicity of not being a mentor. Gorsetail thought that he simply enjoyed Pinkpaw’s company so much that he viewed their interactions as more of those between friends than a duty he was obligated to perform. However, there were others whom he would also like to consider friends, and he did feel rather guilty for spending such a large amount of time with one cat. He was her mentor; therefore it was right that he spend time training her, right? Still, the combined force of the guilt coiling in his gut and his genuine desire to see the other tom again had him heading off to find Sprucefur at a brisk pace.

It was still relatively early, so the warrior decided to check the den first. Tabby paws carried him across the clearing as he paused outside the entrance. A moment passed before he ducked his head and called in lightly, “Sprucefur? Are you there?”

Gorsetail | TreeClan | Warrior | Better Days - Goo Goo Dolls
Fawn

A CHANCE THAT MAYBE WE'LL FIND BETTER DAYS

[Fawn]

Sprucefur
31 Moons || Tom || TreeClan || Warrior

The symphonic blend of birdsound stirred him from his sleep-warmed nest, a distinctive chirp-chirp of a robin made pale sandy ears swivel forward to catch it, washing as he listened for the forest's response. He enjoyed these blissful mornings punctuated only by stillness and the gentle breathing of his Clanmates, finding he liked them all the best when they weren't talking; when a voice finally broke through a routine bath, it was not the familiar vocal tones of Thunderclaw, the newly appointed deputy, but one of the Clan's newer warriors - and someone Sprucefur considered a friend.

Answering Gorsetail with a physical display rather than with words, the pale-furred warrior stepped forth into the main hollowed out interior of TreeClan's camp, greeting him with a half-raised tail and a warm smile. Yes, he was here. "The dawn patrol? Have we been assigned?" Not to say this couldn't be a social visit, Sprucefur was aware that much of the younger warrior's time otherwise occupied with his first apprentice. Was there any resentment felt towards Gorsetail, for being so new at the warrior lifestyle himself and yet already taking on a pupil, whereas Sprucefur had yet to receive even one? Perhaps in the beginning he had felt a few thorns of jealousy, but Sprucefur was quick to let these go; Gorsetail had not asked for an apprentice, and it was petty to feel any sort of injustice over Lionstar's decision regarding apprentice assigning. His day would come.

It was too early for the sun to radiate any significant warmth, but he felt fully awake with the dawn light touching his pelt, spilling life back into his limbs as he stretched, entering the forested area just outside of the hollow. Neither Lichenfrost nor Appleshade had been roused, so he left them to their nests next to one another, the sisters having a bond he sometimes envied, not to say he wasn't grateful to have the existing ties to them each as it was. Attention settled back upon Gorsetail, he considered inquiring about young Pinkpaw's training - he knew little of albinos, but he had at least grasped hold of the fact that the sunlight hurt her eyes, he had often seen Gorsetail acting as her perpetual shade whenever they were near one another - even if he had no personal experience to compare it to, he could offer some generic sort of advice if Gorsetail had questions or complaints.