[Silver]

"There’s a lot of things you need
to get across this universe.
You know the thing
you need most of all?"

A lot was going on this leaf-fall, and none knew that more than Foxfern. Since becoming Deputy, she'd had one thing after another that had required her attention to settle and help to sort out. Pinestar was even busier, and it made the russet she-cat much easier to know the work was divided. Today there was another thing she needed to take care of. She'd meant to check on how the newest Apprentices were doing.

This meant speaking to their Mentors; a task she'd been forgetting for some time now. Today though, she had made certain to have the time to spend to speak with her clanmates. Of the ones she was looking for, it was Briarthroat she found first. She lifted her tail in a warm greeting and moved towards the larger tom. "Briarthroat, if you've got a moment I'd like to speak with you."

Amber eyes were focused on the tom before her and she looked him over subtly as if to access him for damage. She knew how Apprentices could be sometimes, but he looked none the worse for ware for his troubles. Hopefully things were going well. In any case, she'd find out soon enough.

"You need a hand to hold."

Tags | williams

[williams]

» BRIARTHROAT

His world felt heavy, yet full of light at the same time. Briarthroat had been given an apprentice later in his life. It wasn't a bad thing for the tom to deal with, but he did feel his sleep take a hit. He wanted Scrap-paw to grow and flourish, which required more thought than he probably thought it needed. She was true to her name, scrappy and ready to defend her own self before sharing. His day was spent deep in thought, barely tasting the prey he ate in favor of coming up with more solutions to help Scrap-paw feel useful while teaching her Nightclan's way of life.

Perhaps if we have her and Snakepaw train together? Honeywhisker says he's soaring in his training, I'm sure he can teach Scrap-paw a few manners- and tricks. "Briarthroat," A voice caught his ears. The large tom turned his eyes towards Foxfern with curiosity. Was he in trouble? "if you've got a moment I'd like to speak with you." He nodded, standing to his full height. With a quick shake to make himself more presentable to his deputy, he gave her a gentle smile. "Of course Foxfern, what do you need?" He said.

notes: sorry for the delay!!
words: 210
tag: Silver

[Silver]

Foxfern raised her tail in quiet greeting as the tom she's called out to noticed her presence and acknowledged her in turn. She returned his smile with a small half-smile of her own; unused to doing so she knew she probably looked a bit uncomfortable, but at least she was making an effort. Instead she focused on what she'd come here for. A small, amused purr of sound left her at how worried the large tom looked and she moved forward to reassure her clan-mate before his worry escalated needlessly. "No need to fret, Briarthroat, I merely wanted to see how you were settling in with your new Apprentice. I hear she's been a bit...difficult to say the least." Having had a difficult Apprentice of her own up until recently, Foxfern could sympathize with the tom before her in this situation.

Still, she felt he was more than up to the task given to him. It was why she'd suggested him when she and Pinestar had been discussing Mentors for the unlikely former-loner duo. That still made her unhappy to be truthful, but she had long since gotten used to it and hid her displeasure very well. That was neither here nor there though, and she pushed the troubling thoughts away for another time. For now, she placed the full weight of her gaze on the tom before her; quietly pleased to note that he seemed to be holding his own. 

--

Tags | williams

[williams]

BRIARTHROAT

"No need to fret, Briarthroat, I merely wanted to see how you were settling in with your new Apprentice. I hear she's been a bit...difficult to say the least." Ah. Briarthroat flicked his ears as his first response. How did he explain his apprentice? The taller warrior gently laughed, a soft noise that he wished could explain everything to his concerned deputy.

“Scrap-paw is eager,” He started, fully aware that they were both still in camp to have this discussion. He could never bad mouth another cat, not even his apprentice deserved cruel words. “She will make a fantastic warrior. The hunting skills are there, and she does care. Scrap-paw deserves to have her own side listened to though, which will require longer training sessions. I don't mind taking our time though. The potential is there.” He nodded at the end, deciding that was all he could say on her without sharing how attached he had become. The little she-cat was a pawful, no doubt about that. But her spark was something to admire. She had survived, alone, for so long. She could hunt, and she cared for her brother as fiercely as any clan-born cat cared about their clanmates. Scrap-paw would be amazing. She just had to slow down once and awhile.

Flicking his ears back to Foxfern, Briarthroat cleared his throat self-consciously. What else did one say about their apprentice?

233 | Silver | notes

ulla

[Silver]

Foxfern had to smile at the warmth she could both see and hear in Briarthroat's voice as he spoke of his Apprentice. It was good they were getting along. "That's always good to hear, and I'll be happy to have her among our Warriors some day soon, so feel free to take all the time you need with her." Some Apprentices needed more time, after all, and there was nothing wrong with that. Mentally she gave herself a shake and continued with the conversation. "It's obvious you're very fond of her, that's good since she probably needs to have someone that cares about her instead of her always having to take care of someone else." She purred warmly to the large tom, pleased with him and her choice in assigning him to the fiery Scrap-paw.

She went silent for a long moment, her sharp amber gaze looking out at the territory around her before finally she let out a low sigh and turned her attention back to her companion. "If I may, Briarthroat, I have another question to ask you that's a bit more personal. If you don't mind. It's nothing terrible, I just...need the opinion of another cat about something." Her tail tipped back and forth in ill-ease, but she didn't take back her words. She still wasn't comfortable about some part of being a Deputy, but Foxfern certainly wasn't afraid to ask for help.

--

Tags | williams

[williams]

BRIARTHROAT

Foxfern's compliments made his ears burn and shuffle his paws with quiet pleasure. The older tom had yet to receive an apprentice, and although he wouldn't admit it, he strove to make his first mentoring experience a good one. He hadn't expected to be given quite a challenge, but Briarthroat realized he was enjoying it. It was like having his own kit, except Scrap-paw was more keen on following her own rules and taking care of herself without giving back to the clan. He knew that mindset would be the final straw on her standing with Pinestar, and the rest of Nightclan. If she chose to leave, it could be seen as a waste of resources, but Briarthroat decided he didn't mind if she chose to leave. Scrap-paw would be a valuable asset wherever she went. He wanted her to stay of course. Although it was frustrating to argue every point, she was skilled. And he was starting to enjoy her unique brand of spark.

The silence sat over the pair with a gentle ease, at least for the tom. "If I may, Briarthroat, I have another question to ask you that's a bit more personal. If you don't mind. It's nothing terrible, I just...need the opinion of another cat about something." Briarthroat flicked his ears in question, turning his attention back to his deputy. "Of course Foxfern, how can I help?" He wasn't usually asked, personal questions. His curiosity made his tail move, before it was tacked down by one of his back paws when it coiled around his paws.

267 | Silver | notes

ulla