[BlooRey DVD]

The large white tom moved through the familiar territory on surprisingly agile paws. He had been awake for a while already, but he had a feeling the apprentices trailing behind him had not. It was still somewhat early in the morning, as recent weather made wandering about at sunhigh unbearable. Thus, many mentors took their apprentices out earlier in the morning, or later in the evening. By that point, the suffocating heat of midday had mostly dissipated, and the air was no longer extraordinarily uncomfortable. The white senior warrior gave his mid-length coat a slight shake.

Greenleaf always made him thankful his coat wasn't any longer than it was. He couldn't imagine how some of the longer-furred felines survived in these blistering moons. Then again, he envied the same cats during the harsh cold of Leafbare. Bi-colored eyes scanned his surroundings for any sign of a silver pelt. He and Feathercloud had agreed to take their apprentices out this morning for a bit of training. It was important apprentices understood the different methods involved in fighting opponents of various sizes. Skyfall was larger than Feathercloud was, and would provide Sparrowpaw with different insight than she might gain training against Feathercloud. The same was true in regards to Duskpaw.

He did have to keep in mind Sparrowpaw was younger than his own apprentice. It would prove an educational exercise for all those involved, he was certain. His tail flicked behind him, eyes flashing up to the tree branches sprawling above them. It was here that something caught his eye; high above, a feathery, silver tail hung down between branches. It flicked twice, before retreating back into the hiding spot from which it had originated. Without alerting the two apprentices to the sight, the white tom slowed to a halt at the base of the Great Maple.

All matter of scents flooded his nostrils. From the promise of hot weather to come, to the lingering aroma of mice and squirrels, the area had much to offer for this first mini test. And among them all, masked by the delicate scent of lavender was the scent of a certain silver feline who'd passed by not long before. Of course, the remnant scents of several TreeClan members tended to hang about this area. After all, it was a frequent place for mentors to bring their apprentices. Just another TreeClan scent might go unnoticed by the apprentices; only time would tell.

After turning to face the two she-cats, the white tom let his hindquarters fold in a sit beneath him. He regarded them momentarily, allowing them to catch their breaths, before flicking an ear and continuing. "Sparrowpaw, Duskpaw, I assume both of you know that we are at the Great Maple. This is a common meeting place for mentors seeking to teach their apprentices to climb trees. Today, however, we are not here for that purpose. Instead, I would like both of you to use whatever senses you think most useful, and tell me what you can make out. Duskpaw, seeing as you've been an apprentice longer than Sparrowpaw, I'd like you to withhold your responses until Sparrowpaw has spoken, and then add to what she senses."

His bi-colored gaze drifted from his apprentice to the younger of the two. Offering her a slight smile, he nodded his head encouragingly. "Take however much time you need, Sparrowpaw."

Hellion @sparrow

[Deleted]

Sparrowpaw

I'll give you something to believe in
Put out the basement full of demons
Realize you're a slave to your mind, break free
Now give me something to believe in

---

Small, white-socked paws treaded behind Skyfall, maintaining a quick pace to keep up with the larger and more confident white tom leading them through TreeClan's territory. Sparrowpaw could count on her paws the number of times she had gone out of TreeClan's main camp and hoped she would not lose her way trying to keep up with the tom. Getting lost was fairly high on Sparrowpaw's list of things she never wanted to have happen to her -- mostly because of the residual embarrassment she was sure would last her a lifetime if she did get lost, rather than the danger

The apprentice was quite nervous to be out training with the three  other cats -- so much so that she had had a fitful night of sleep and had woken up much earlier than she would have liked. Sparrowpaw could not recall having had much of a say in going to train with the three cats, and couldn't place if she had been asked if that was ok or not. Given how inexperienced she was compared to her current company, Sparrowpaw could not decide who she was most embarrassed about training with. Her fellow apprentice, Duskpaw who could make sure all the other apprentices knew what she had done and never let her live it down, or Skyfall, a tom who she looked up to for his senior warrior status and overall know-how. Or, her mentor, who would be embarrassed with Sparrowpaw when she embarrassed herself. Wait ... where is Feathercloud?

"Sparrowpaw, Duskpaw, I assume both of you know that we are at the Great Maple. This is a common meeting place for mentors seeking to teach their apprentices to climb trees."

Having spent so much of the walk to the Great Maple in deep thought, Sparrowpaw came to an abrupt halt, stumbling over her paws and hoping no one had noticed.

"Today, however, we are not here for that purpose. Instead, I would like both of you to use whatever senses you think most useful, and tell me what you can make out. Duskpaw, seeing as you've been an apprentice longer than Sparrowpaw, I'd like you to withhold your responses until Sparrowpaw has spoken, and then add to what she senses."

The apprentice stiffened slightly as her name was called, glancing over at her fellow apprentice with some jealousy. You have nothing to worry about, you've done this before. Why can't I just follow your lead? She thought, gazing at Dukepaw before turning to the task at hand. Scenting was something very innate to warrior cats. Kits were born with the ability to discern differing scents, and quickly learned the scent of those they were close with. Sparrowpaw was no different from any other TreeClanner in this fact -- but, when faced with the overwhelming number of scents and sounds in the open forest, the apprentice could not make heads or tails of any of it.

"Take however much time you need, Sparrowpaw."

"Where's Feathercloud?" Sparrowpaw blurted out -- thinking it at the same time as it parted her lips.

---

I'm a songbird with a brand new track

[BlooRey DVD]

With the successful delivery of his question, the white warrior had been prepared to settle back and allow both apprentices the time to test out their surroundings. His bi-colored eyes flicked over both she-cats before him, and at first glance, they appeared to be firmly set on the task at paw. His tail wrapped around his paws as the senior warrior gathered himself in a more comfortable position. Before he could begin to ponder the possibility that the apprentices would pick up on the scent of a particular silver TreeClan feline, a voice broke through his concentration.

One green and one blue eye blinked in the slightest bit of surprise as the youngest of the apprentices piped up once more. His white ear tips rotated forward instinctively, as though straining to hear her words despite their current proximity. In truth, it was more a gesture of politeness; it showed that he was focused on what it was Sparrowpaw had to say, and not busy listening in on some far off conversation taking place elsewhere. His mildly startled silence lasted but a moment, for Skyfall was soon chuckling at the question posed by Feathercloud's apprentice.

Truthfully, he was surprised the question had not come earlier. The silver warrioress had been with them as they exited the TreeClan camp. It wasn't long after their departure, however, that she took her leave, disappearing among the bushes with a call over her shoulder that she would meet them all there. Of course, the exact location of 'there' was not known to the two younger she-cats on the patrol. Still, no questions had been raised; not that they would have received very satisfying answers if they had come up. With a slight grin to Sparrowpaw, Skyfall let his head tilt just so. "Where indeed, Sparrowpaw."

His gaze moved to his own apprentice, considering her briefly before continuing. "Duskpaw, any ideas?"

@sparrow Hellion

[Hellion]

When it came to training Duskpaw was always eager to go. She didn't mind if she came back home with her body sore or covered in dirt, it was all in an effort to earn her warrior name. Duskpaw had a legacy to uphold, both of her parents were great warriors in TreeClan. She wanted them to be proud of her!

Her altercation with Lionstar about the warrior code had put a 'stain' on her record. At least in her eyes. It drove her to work harder and longer to ensure it would be forgiven by everyone. Granted very few even knew what happened.

This day was no different for the dark orange tabby she-cat. She met up with her mentor when he told her and didn't hesitate to follow after him. The addition of Sparrowpaw for her training was a good sign. It normally meant battle training, something Dunepaw wanted more of. She had a decent understanding of hunting and was quite good, but her battle skills were lacking.

It was with her well pratcied hutning skills that Duskpaw developed a habit to always be aware of the scents around her. She tasted the air often and as they arrived at the maple tree she paused for a moment. There was the tantlizing scent of squirrels wit hthe dusty scent of mice. Her stomach rumbled but she forced herself to ignore it.

Mimcking her mentor, Duskpaw sat and let her tail curl over her paws. In her usual fashion, Duskpaw avoided taking noticeble breathes. She didn't want to seem like she was tired despite still growing and not at her full height.

Skyfall spoke to them both. The very tip of her tail flicked clearly excited to start training. She tired not to seem hurt being told to wait to answer. Duskpaw wasn't a 'know-it-all' on purpose she just liked proving she paid attention.

Instead her bronze colored eyes turned from Skyfall to settle on Sparrowpaw as she waited. She didn't want Sparrowpaw to fail and once the she-cat answered the question a sense of pride made her smile. Trying to encourage the younger apprentice, Duskpaw gave a soft purr. It wasn't always easy to notice missing scents considering the area they were in. So many cats passed through and often mingled with the overall scent of the forestt.

Then his attention landed on her. Duskpaw's eyes went from Sparrowpaw to match back up with Skyfall. She suddenly felt that she was showing off. Which wasn't a goal. Duskpaw wanted to answer correctly but didn't want to make Sparrowpaw feel bad for not knowing where Feathercloud was. Duskpaw had a few guesses, some more probable than others.

"I think Feathercloud is hiding from us," She answered, choosing her words carefuly.



_{@sparrow BlooRey DVD}

[Deleted]

Sparrowpaw

I'll give you something to believe in
Put out the basement full of demons
Realize you're a slave to your mind, break free
Now give me something to believe in

---

The tortoiseshell she-cat, having stood upon questioning the location of her mentor, could feel the soft dirt sinking around her paws. Despite the days past since the last good rain, the shade TreeClan territory's trees provided left the dirt wet and malleable most days. Every moment Sparrowpaw awaited Skyfall's response felt like ages. Why are we even doing this, again? Skyfall's not my mentor. This is like ... my first training session. This shouldn't be happening, the apprentice thought to herself, cursing the two TreeClan warriors' names as means of dispelling some of her building anxiety about the day ahead. Sparrowpaw, already unsure of herself to begin with, felt warrior training an insurmountable, overwhelming task that she was not capable of completing.

"Where indeed, Sparrowpaw. Duskpaw, any ideas?"

Upon hearing Skyfall's vague and slightly ominous response, the apprentice twitched her tail once, and crinkled her nose. Why would he say it like that ... unless ... Sparrowpaw's mind began racing suddenly, realizing the game. She must be hiding from us! But where? the apprentice had realized, her greenish eyes moving fast to reflect her bounding thoughts, unsure of how exactly to locate her silver mentor.

As her eyes moved, Sparrowpaw heard Duskpaw's response to Skyfall's question, but tuned its meaning out entirely. Duskpaw's calm and patient voice was nothing more than a stream of sound interrupting the apprentice's train of thought before puffing away.

Suddenly, her olive eyes snapped to Skyfall, her pupils adjusting as she focused on his beaming white frame. Certainly Skyfall would know where Feathercloud is hiding. Did he give it away? Did he spy her before we began today? She must be nearby, the apprentice thought, her thoughts becoming more still and logical with every passing second. Sparrowpaw's focus now was on thinking back to the moments before -- to any turn, glance, or movement that would give away Feathercloud's location but otherwise go unnoticed.

"Is she somewhere in the tree above us?" The apprentice blurted out, realizing suddenly that the only place big enough to hide a warrior would be in the Great Maple that Skyfall had introduced them to. Sparrowpaw hadn't seen Feathercloud in the trees -- she couldn't put down more than a strand of confidence on the guess she made. But, for this otherwise capable TreeClan apprentice, having the confidence to have a guess at something at all was half of the battle.

---

I'm a songbird with a brand new track

[BlooRey DVD]

She'd done all she could to remain immobile in the tree above. When she did move, little shifts here and there to keep out of sight of the cats down below, she made sure not to let too much of her stark silver-and-gray pelt glisten in the sun streaming in from the thick canopy above. Each time she shuffled out of sight, she aimed to get a little lower, to pull the three cats into earshot; as it was, their voices were dull murmurs amongst a sea of chirping birds and chattering squirrels. Luckily, it wasn't long before Skyfall's familiar voice greeted her ears. Stopping in her spot, the ice-blue eyed warrior peeked down from one of her branches, just barely making out the three shapes down below. Interest glittered in her eyes as she listened to each of the apprentices pipe up in turn. She felt a little... Well bad that this was Sparrowpaw's first real training session, and the she-cat was stuck with a mentor that wasn't her own. But it would be alright, right? A constant nagging in Feathercloud's mind reminded her just how worried she was of not being a good mentor. She'd waited what felt like forever to be able to show Lionstar he'd taught her well. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin that chance. Her ears flashed forward suddenly as Sparrowpaw blurted out an answer. A grin immediately lit up the silver feline's face, and she freed herself from her hiding spot. "Well thought, Sparrowpaw!" The new mentor called out from above as she stepped into view on a sturdy tree bough. Balancing with ease on the bark-covered surface, Feathercloud's impressive tail swished behind her, acting as a counterweight so she would not fall off the branch in front of the two younger she-cats. As Skyfall's voice picked up again, the she-cat began her descent, doing her best to split her attention between the tom's words and her current passage back to solid ground. "Well done, both of you. Although size and natural instinct can play a part in hindering one's climbing ability, most TreeClan cats are able to climb trees more confidently than the other Clans. Again, exceptions do exist, but trees can be our greatest advantage when it comes to counter-ambush attacks. We know these trees far better than any Clan, and we learn to quickly assess the stability and climbability of various trees." Her movements through the tree branches came naturally to the silver she-cat; it always had. She was lucky in that sense. Twisting her body this way and that, she maneuvered each branch with the care it needed, aiming to land on branches nearest to the trunk to avoid weak spots frequently located on the thinner portions of the trees. Soon enough, her white paws made contact with the soft grass below, the Tree-Clan warrioress trotting forward to meet the small group of cats. Reaching out, she touched the top of Sparrowpaw's head and gave her what she could only hope would be a reassuring purr. At the very least, it was a purr. Just out of the the silver she-cat and her apprentice's line of sight, the white TreeClan tom gave his ginger apprentice an appreciative flick of his tail to draw her attention. When his apprentice met his bi-colored gaze, he dipped his head just so, a silent 'Well done' to the clever way with which she had helped guide the younger apprentice. Stepping away from the ginger feline, the white tom cleared his throat, pulling Feathercloud's attention back to him. "Now then, how about we touch on some battle training. As every warrior learns, not all battle fields provide terrain perfectly equipped for fighting." Feathercloud nodded her head to the white senior warrior's words, singling her agreement to the statement. Picking her spot carefully, she piped in without interrupting Skyfall. "The Hidden Thicket provides a great place to learn some basics, but it is important to also practice on ground that is not exactly in prime fighting condition." She waved her feathery tail, indicating the surrounding undergrowth. She let Skyfall continue from there. "We are going to run through some practice moves and sequences, for both solo and partner battling. Sparrowpaw, Duskpaw, for the partner portion of the training, would you prefer to battle along side your mentors, or against them? Do not worry; both of you will have time to spend one on one with your partner to walk through moves and sequences before applying them in a sparring scenario." Featuring

Hellion @sparrow

[Hellion]

Duskpaw's ears perked at what Sparrowpaw had blurted out. Almost instantly her head looked up to scour the limbs of the tree above them to see the silver coated she-cat. From upon a sturdy branch Feathercloud greeted them. Praise was given to Sparrow.

"She deserves it, she figured it out where she was before I did," Duskpaw thought, doing her best not to show the disappoint for herself on her face. She couldn't be great at everything and it was okay to be bad at some things. Those things would just be focus point for future trainings.

Taking her attention away from Feathercloud and returning it to Skyfall. The little praise hidden in his words aided the sore feeling she had about the situation. Learning a little more about how important climbing was, Duskpaw found an eagerness building within her.

If she was anything like her mother Duskpaw would likely have her natural born ability to leap gracefully from limb to limb. The orange and white apprentice hadn't yet grown into her full height, so it was still a little hard to tell if she had her mother's strong legs. Glancing for a moment toward Feathercloud and how it was almost effortless the way she came down the tree. Duskpaw wondered if she'd ever be like her, judging by the thinness of her tail it wouldn't be possible.

Skyfall caught her attention with the flick of his tail. Her mother's eyes met his bi-colored one and for a moment she caught another glimpse of praise.

Her ears perked and all concerns about her earlier small mistake was pushed aside once Skyfall confirmed they would be battle training. When given the choice between partnering with her mentor or with Sparrowpaw, Duskpaw felt it was a tactical choice.

Skyfall was bigger than the apprentices and learning to partner battle with a large ally was important. However, from Duskpaw's general knowledge of partner battling it was always better to partner with a cat similar in size.

"I'd like to battle along side Sparrowpaw please," She replied, looking toward her fellow apprentice to see if she'd agree.

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