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It had been half a moon since he had been assigned Glacierpaw as an apprentice, and Pumafang had found himself wanting to expect more out of this young tom than any of his past apprentices, though he held it back. It was true, Glacierpaw had a big name to fill, and being Pumafang's apprentice was not to be taken lightly, but the deputy felt his heart tighten ever so slightly as he recalled his own apprenticeship. It was the massive, black tom's own history that stayed the pressure he put on his apprentices, though part of him wanted to push Glacierpaw. He wanted to make him better than all the others, maybe even better than himself, with a little more time instead of abuse of course. The TreeClan deputy had earned his rank through a life of discipline, loyalty, and prowess. His altruism and ideals were merciless, though effective at serving and protecting his clan.

Perhaps Glacierpaw could master the compassion Pumafang tried so hard to grasp. Perhaps he could be faster, smarter, and kinder.

The sky was ashen grey, an impending storm making the air heavy and hard to breath. The stolid, panther-like tom moved through the dimly lit forest, brushing through the undergrowth carefully. The sun was sinking, tinting the clouds with a muted, burnt orange, though there was some light left in the day, some still before the storm. Thunder sounded in the distance, a warning growl of the coming tempest, though the deputy's stride didn't falter. Glacierpaw had done well the past half-moon, though he was still far short of achieving excellence. But that hasn't been his fault. Pumafang thought dully, still lumbering towards an untold destination.

A question had been creeping over Pumafang's shoulders for the past several days, and he'd find out the answer sometime tonight.

"Glacierpaw," Pumafang rumbled emptily. "How have you been managing?"

Pumafang's vague words broke the silence like chest-rattling thunder. He wondered how the young tom would respond, in regards to the entire apprenticeship, today, or even in the current moment - there was no wrong answer.

Or was there?

"I'm curious how you feel about your current knowledge and skills, if there is anything that you feel is...lacking." Pumafang suggested carefully, testing the waters. Was he eager? Was he willing? Was he driven?

Contrary to Glacierpaw's title, Pumafang had noticed that the tall, light grey youth was incredibly fast. This kind of speed wasn't something TreeClan possessed often, and perhaps with some fine-tuning, the light colored tom could be more an asset than Pumafang had originally anticipated. He could offer the young tom methods for success and a form of encouragement, though stepping into excellence would have to come from Glacierpaw.

Pumafang exhaled calmly, hiding behind a mask of indifference. Was that what Glacierpaw wanted, or would Pumafang just be selfishly imposing his own desires? The chocolate-black deputy continued walking.

Was Glacierpaw a simpleton like his last apprentices? Was he just another cat who wanted the protection and fulfillment of clan life, or was there more behind the light tom's contemplative gaze than what met the eye?

KARAZHAL

[KARAZHAL]

• Glacierpaw and two other apprentices took turns rolling out soiled moss and bringing in new bedding for the elders. As the tallest, Glacierpaw filled in cracks in the bark walls and ceilings. The elder Whiteclaw praised the boy with a gentle lick between the ears. They made sure to give the old cats the freshest prey from the pile. On the way there, Glacierpaw spotted the hulking form of his mentor, Pumafang, and nodded at the tom's indication to follow. Giving the prey in his mouth to Mosspaw, he lifted his tail and kicked off, bounding to the deputy's side obediently. There were no words shared between them immediately, but Glacierpaw was used to that, being a rather stoic creature himself. He knew that Pumafang was hardly the sort for idle nonsense and chitchat; he didn't want his mentor to think poorly of him, and Mistylight would chew him out if he came across as incompetent. He tried his best to obey the orders the older warriors gave him and to improve his skills for the sake of TreeClan. Being an apprentice was fun. Most of his tasks kept him away from his sisters, who still wanted to boss him around despite being out of the nursery for half a moon, and he'd made friends in the apprentices' den. He tried to be friendly to the older warriors, too; some entertained him but most were too busy making themselves look impressive for their peers. Glacierpaw didn't get that at all. Maybe he was just too young. His whiskers twitched incessantly at the strange pressure in the air. He craned his head to stare at the waving branches above and the dark clouds driving across the sky. His tailtip made jerky movements, betraying his uneasiness where his facial features did not. Glacierpaw soon noticed that Pumafang had walked far ahead of him in the dim forest. He scrambled after his mentor, paws crunching noisily on fallen maple leaves the size of his head. The tom's huge ears swiveled in Pumafang's direction at the sound of his name. "Good?" he said, clearly hoping that was the answer Pumafang wanted to hear. "Being an apprentice is actually fun. All of the training Timberfrost had me do was tough, but it feels good at the same time. It's a lot to memorize at once but I am getting the hang of it." Now that he was making friends in the apprentices' den, it seemed easier to retain information. The other apprentices were teachers just as much as Timberfrost and Pumafang, breaking down their own mentors' lessons into pointers for Glacierpaw to take in. After Pumafang continued, Glacierpaw replied with a soft "Oh... Fighting, I suppose.". If he explained Mistylight to Pumafang, how would the deputy react? Timberfrost had not held back her opinion of the senior queen who raised Glacierpaw to be her precious she-kits' personal valet. "Sheathing my claws is a hard habit to break." He looked down ashamed, unable to look Pumafang in the eye. Glacierpaw wanted to learn how to fight, but he felt silly admitting his inadequacies to a tom who was practically the strongest in the Clan. The apprentice could take a hit, especially in defense of his sisters, but fighting back was another story entirely. He seemed tethered down, and this had affected his hunting as well, since he often headbutted instead of bit down or dug his claws into his prey for purchase. current calendar Leaf-fall 14: The sky is still bleak and gray, heavy clouds hang low all day and a cold breeze blows in through the night. Distant sounds of thunder grow closer throughout the day.

GLACIERPAW of TREECLAN • apprentice • 6 moons • #4a6c92 out-of-character remarks -chanting- battle practice battle practice! @jet

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Glacierpaw's words bit at Pumafang with icy veracity, though the massive tom nodded approvingly nonetheless. The deputy had been absent most of Glacierpaw's initial training, something he had undoubtedly come to regret, though his actions today will remain consistent. It was about time he played a more influential role in Glacierpaw's apprenticehood rather than his mending mate. Timberfrost was only second to TreeClan itself. She was one of the few entities who had established itself resistant to Pumafang's blood-curdling emptiness. Like a black hole face to face with some mysterious, comparable power, TreeClan's deputy existed in the valley with Timberfrost as his mate.

Though Glacierpaw was his responsibility, and leadership was absolutely no excuse for negligence.

As Pumafang listened to Glacierpaw admit his inadequacies, the deputy thought it fair to assume that Glacierpaw's habit was evidence the young tom was still innocent from fate's wrath, and nothing other than real battle could permanently change that. Could that have been Goldenflame's reasoning for an antagonistic approach? Pumafang felt those means were unnecessarily barbaric, though in that savage way, his mentor had turned him into a titan of war: he was no doubt an asset to TreeClan. Arguably more than he would ever have been without Goldenflame. Perhaps he did have the beastly tom to thank for his successes after all?

Pumafang continued walking with his usually glacial gait. Although slow, his stride was encompassing and powerful. The colossal, dense tom digested Glacierpaw's words carefully.

"Is it the agility and strength in fighting you have the most trouble with, or is it the reason?" Pumafang questioned.

Recognizing either a physical or mental handicap had never been easy on any cat, and it never will be. Pumafang's encumbrance, throughout almost his entire apprenticehood, was fear. For Pumafang, fear was a chaotic distraction, an explosion of insanity that he had only been able to control by changing into an environment that the fires of cowardice couldn't survive: absent, merciless, and cold space. He suffocated anxiety before it had a chance to breed more hue and cry. Something told him that the innocuous Glacierpaw would need a different approach.

Lucky for Pumafang, Glacierpaw's inefficacy in battle seemed rather curable with some guided and centered assiduousness.

"Focus is the zenith of sentience." Pumafang's deep voice resonated through the subdued forest. "There truly is nothing more accomplishing than concentration and commitment."

That, Pumafang had no doubt.


Ghost the Undead Goddess (Timberfrost mention) KARAZHAL

[KARAZHAL]

• Though he may have strayed behind to look at the bleak, gray sky, once caught up, Glacierpaw never once strode ahead of Pumafang. The young tom walked like a heron wading through the marshes, one leg swinging up to match with the deputy and the rest of his body moving accordion-like to maintain the same speed. He walked as Mistylight would've expected him to, attending at the right and slightly behind to not seem impertinent. Pumafang's question rumbled much like the thunder that'd been present throughout the morning. Glacierpaw swallowed audibly. If only the deputy could read minds, for the event that caused such reservation popped clearly into the boy's brain, and he was suddenly thrown back in time to be beaten and batted to the ground with Mistylight's yowls drowning out every other sound. All because he and Rosekit had been playing and his claws had come out. In fact, both of them had their claws out, but Glacierkit had been the one to get in trouble because Rosekit was allowed to use her claws to defend herself. His sister had yelped because he'd caught her ear, and the next thing he knew, he was being walloped by an overprotective mama cat. "You are not to lay a paw on my kit, boy! A warrior doesn't kill!" she screamed. And it was true, the Warrior Code called for no killing if a warrior could help it. Glacierkit had taken it to heart, and he play-fought with claws sheathed from then on out. "Orders, sir. I've never been allowed to use them," he said finally. "Taking blows for my sis--clanmates is what I know best." Glacierpaw's brows had furrowed almost in confusion while he considered his response. He didn't know the limits of his agility or strength, whether it be the starting point or his maximum potential. That left the reason, but with TreeClan currently at peace, the naive tom didn't have the foresight to be afraid of inter-clan war. Instead, his mind turned to the fierce predators TreeClan faced. Timberfrost had showed him old dens and scat for identifying the other forest beasts. "One of my friends thanked me for going easy on them, and I didn't get it. The others told me I never have my claws out when we're playing." Glacierpaw shook his head. "I never even noticed." Pumafang's voice was husky and deep in his ears. It made him want to obey orders even before they were given. Glacierpaw's body tensed, and his pupils dilated as he focused on unsheathing his claws and keeping them out. Concentration... and commitment... he repeated in his mind. Their lesson was beginning. He should get to work. Concentration... Glacierpaw's wedge-like head swiveled up, then on a nearby fallen branch. He sprang at it with flowy tail upright, and his claws forced against the bark. And commitment. His muzzle wrinkled in pain; his tendons and toes jarred at the harsh texture. One of his claw-tips cracked immediately and shed its outermost layer. "Then I'll start practicing it over and over, sir.... concentration and commitment," Glacierpaw croaked, and his paws took turns striking at the birch branch with claws out. current calendar Leaf-fall 14: The sky is still bleak and gray, heavy clouds hang low all day and a cold breeze blows in through the night. Distant sounds of thunder grow closer throughout the day.

GLACIERPAW of TREECLAN • apprentice • 6 moons • #4a6c92 out-of-character remarks @jet mental image of glacierpaw the karate kid and pumafang as mister miyagi

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Pumafang digested Glacierpaw's words carefully, watching as the young tom took matters in his own hands. As Glacierpaw spent time focusing on his claws, the deputy mulled over how he was going to retrain the tom to fight. The possibility seemed distant with what he had just heard, but his apprentice was hardworking and the effort was there. He was a peculiar tom, Glacierpaw was, but there was an element that the light colored apprentice had that none of Pumafang's other apprentices exhibited. What exactly distinguished Glacierpaw, he could not yet put his paw on.

Pumafang sat down and watched, curling his long, thick tail around his paws.

He had never pushed Glacierpaw much beyond the young tom's comfort zone, but the measure of his apprentice could only be gauged by determining the young tom's breaking point. The mentor and apprentice were like yin and yang. Pumafang's substance versus Glacierpaw's agility was a well balanced match, or would be when the young tom came into his own. Pumafang's job was making that happen.

"Glacierpaw," Pumafang started. "You will do best in an agile workspace. Come down here and face a more worthy opponent."

Pumafang pulled himself to his paws, amber eyes never leaving his apprentice's hide. The deputy lumbered forward, his posture and gait emanating intimidation. His apprentice was tall as he once was, but leaner, quicker. Glacierpaw was faster than he'll ever be. If only his apprentice could realize that he rivaled most of LightningClan in speed and stride. There was passion buried in Glacierpaw's heart, that was evident in the tom's public display of discipline and dedication.

If only there was more self-confidence, more self-recognition.

"You can't hurt me, Glacierpaw." Pumafang released a faint grin, gaze alight with challenge. "Or rather, I'd like to see you try."

He wanted nothing more than to have his apprentice rip and tear at him as if he was a beast trying to break down the hollow tree that cradled his clan. What could a new apprentice do to the deputy of TreeClan, a monster who had spent his whole life in the throes of blood-thirst and war?

We're about to find out. Pumafang thought to himself, adrenaline sending the deputy lurching forward slowly toward's Glacierpaw's thin, light grey form.

He wouldn't break skin, but a few bruises might be enough food for thought.

KARAZHAL

[KARAZHAL]

• At the sound of his name, Glacierpaw stopped clawing the branch. The thin-legged boy painfully sucked in a harsh breath and straightened upright. The thick white ruff around his neck ballooned outward like a bullfrog's sac. He wanted to look the part of a soldier. "I will?" he parroted. He trotted toward Pumafang with a curious tilt of his head. A more worthy opponent. He swallowed and wriggled his toes into the grass. His hindquarters wiggled as he experimented with the posture to spring. Glacierpaw looked down at his claws to reassure himself that he could do this. Mistylight wasn't watching. There was no cat around except him and Pumafang, and the trees and bushes shielded the cats. Claws out, all the time, concentrate. He swung up his head and the amber eyes of a mountain lion met him. They belonged to a creature who could kill and had killed many times, either by crushing insects underpaw or smiting a bird down from the sky. Glacierpaw's facial expression, as always, remained stoic, but his fluffy tail was vibrating like his nerves. However, as Pumafang reassured him that he wouldn't hurt him, the trembling slowed down as Glacierpaw realized he wouldn't get in trouble. Mistylight never grinned if she was going to yell at him, and yelling was what Glacierpaw wanted to avoid the most. "Okay, yes, sir, I will try," he promised. The ticked tabby crouched and charged him head-on. He wanted to keep Pumafang's attention on him at all times; if he was going to protect his sisters and Clan, his enemy could never acknowledge them during the battle. It had to be all eyes on him. He tore up grass in his concentrated efforts at keeping his claws out while running--no, loping, like a sprinting stag galloping in with antlers down at the attacking mountain lion. Glacierpaw's long head lowered so that the flat of it was a battering ram. He flung himself head-first into Pumafang's space. His eyes looked at Pumafang's huge paws, trying to follow his direction and weapons. Glacierpaw snatched at his front legs with his right claws, a leaf stuck on them from when he'd been running. current calendar Leaf-fall 14: The sky is still bleak and gray, heavy clouds hang low all day and a cold breeze blows in through the night. Distant sounds of thunder grow closer throughout the day.

GLACIERPAW of TREECLAN • apprentice • 6 moons • #4a6c92 out-of-character remarks @jet Glacierpaw used HEADBUTT on the opposing Pumafang.