[Phoenix]

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brighteyes! rainclan.warrior.18 moons credits: Good Life - OneRepublic // Cat: here

[CS=2] when you're happy like a fool Unlike the average RainClan cat, Brighteyes had the affinity for hunting land creatures. Well, it wasn't as much an affinity as an ability gained through practice and hard work. Even then, her skills were sub par to another clan's skill level, for example, TreeClan, who lived in the forest; their apprentices were trained to hunt land animals, while she had picked up what she could and adapted it to fit her needs. Brighteyes was rather proud of her ability. It not only set her apart from most of the warriors in her clan but also allowed her to stay away from the water. Due to her long fur, the warrior had made it a habit to avoid getting wet as much as she could; while she could fish, she chose not to when she could hunt land prey instead. In her mind, prey was prey, regardless of what it was, and if a cat didn't like it, there were always more fish on the pile anyway. But that did not matter right now, to Brighteyes, for the long-haired she-cat was busy tracking a water vole. She had followed the creature from pool, watching as it wandered obliviously off into the small, surrounding woods. Moving as quietly as she could and avoiding stepping on fallen twigs and dried leaves, Brighteyes waited for the thing to stop moving and stay in one spot. The pool lay behind her, and bright blue eyes were fixed forward. Claws unsheathed, the warrior watched as her prey paused to sniff something. In a flash, she lunged forward, slashing at it with practiced ease. A single bite broke its neck, and it flopped to the ground, lifeless. Sheathing her claws, Brighteyes picked up the vole, a decent sized one, and trotted back to the pool. Something was off, different from when she had left it. Hesitating as she neared the shore, the she-cat set her catch down and scented the air. It was a familiar scent, obviously RainClan, and Brighteyes relaxed, a smile now on her face. A moment passed as she tried to place it. Finally, "Redpaw?" She called into the silence, looking around. Despite her complete confidence in the identity of her new companion, Brighteyes sincerely hoped that she was not wrong; it would make for an awkward situation. let it take you over Words: 392 Notes: Here we go! this could really be a good life

[ash]

"You caught me." He shrugged, and leapt out of the river, shaking his pelt out as he did so. "I didn't mean to interrupt your hunting. I just wanted to practice getting past someone without them realizing. It almost worked, too." He sighed, and shrugged again. "How did you recognise me? I thought I looked a lot different when I'm in the water. My fur goes...well," He sat quietly for a moment, brushing his fur in the right direction and trying to organize himself. "I guess my fur isn't that thick, but it goes darker. Apparently. I never notice the difference, myself."

He knew he sounded like a kitten babbling on, but it was an awkward position. What was he thinking, trying to play a trick on a warrior? He hadn't know who was at the water, he'd just known it was a Rainclaw cat and, well, who wouldn't take the chance to try and impress their mentor? But oh no, he was caught now. Caught like a fish between two claws, and no amount of wriggling was going to get him out of it.

[Phoenix]

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brighteyes! rainclan.warrior.18 moons credits: Good Life - OneRepublic // Cat: here

[CS=2] when you're happy like a fool Without commenting on it, Brighteyes subtly shifted slightly to the side to avoid the flying water from Redpaw's fur. Habit caused her actions more than fear, and occasionally, Brighteyes thought them ridiculous. Not want to fall into the river, she could understand, but what damage would a few water droplets do? Still, the habit was just that, and she did not think it worth the effort to change it. After all, she was most certainly not hurting someone by stepping to the side a little. An ear flicked at the long stream of the apprentice's words, as he immediately started babbling after leaping out of the water, and it took Brighteyes a moment to replay and comprehend what he had said. Redpaw seemed under the impression that he would be in trouble, and thus, had started to give a hasty explanation. Wanting to reassure the tom that she was not annoyed, a small purr started in her throat, and her tail flicked lightly. "Don't worry about interrupting my hunting, Redpaw," She soothed, a smile on her face. "Sometimes there are more important things than hunting, and right now, one of those things is training apprentices. Besides, this is a welcome break." Brighteyes decided not to tell him that she had basically just started when he'd arrived, having only caught the water vole and a skinny mouse before that. "Now, to answer your question, you have to remember that a warrior does not rely only on his sight," The she-cat had unconsciously turned into teacher mode. "He uses his other senses to help with his observations. Sight is important, yes, but sometimes not as important as listening or smelling." She flicked her tail, gesturing at him, "In this case, I smelled you." Brighteyes paused, then added, "And your fur does get slightly darker when it's wet, but it's not extremely noticeable. It doesn't look bad, so don't worry about that." Clear blue eyes studied Redpaw. Something in the apprentice reminded Brighteyes of herself, especially at that age. He seemed to have the same natural, restless energy that she did, and the warrior distinctly remembered babbling on multiple times when that energy had no other outlet. She also recognized and acknowledged his willingness to train and learn. Things like that were always good in apprentices; they made training considerably easier for the warrior, for sure. Brighteyes never remembered her own mentor, Cinderfoot, complaining about her, though of course the older warrior would not have done it within earshot. let it take you over Words: 439 Notes: -- this could really be a good life

[ash]

Redpaw watched her with interest, listening with complete concentration as he nodded along to what she said.
"Mother taught me something, once. She said that sometimes, if a cat is disturbed from hunting, then fish move away from the shadow because...well, because they can see you right?" He cocked his head slightly, then turned to lean over the water. "And then she would tell me to do it, and the fish would swim over to the bank she stood on, and she would bring back many fish for the clan."

He frowned, lost in the memory. "I must have been barely an apprentice. It was the only thing she taught me, apart from swimming. Probably the last time I saw her move from camp. The next time I saw her, she was being helpful with the medicine cat. Then... she was gone." He shrugged, brushing away the thread of sadness at her passing. She had meant little to him; just someone who kept him alive and believed in tough love. Too much tough, not enough love, his father had said. Now they were both gone, and - well, there was no point worrying about it any more.

He spotted a fish dart between where his two paws rested, and stumbled forwards in a hasty attempt to catch it. The fish evaded his paws easily, and he tumbled into the water. Normally, he would have found it funny. Today, he did not.

Cursing, he kicked a stone under water and waded forwards, the cold water refreshing to his tense paws. He felt every stone, every twig down to the tiniest pebble. His muscles were locked and strained, and his teeth grinded together. No, today was not a good day at all.

[Phoenix]

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brighteyes! rainclan.warrior.18 moons credits: Good Life - OneRepublic // Cat: here

[CS=2] when you're happy like a fool A fondness filled Brighteyes as her thoughts turned to her former mentor. She and Cinderfoot had grown close, and the she-cat occasionally hunted or patrolled with the older warrior. She genuinely enjoyed Cinderfoot's company and hoped that if Deadstar gave her an apprentice, they would form the same bond. However, she could not journey far into her memories before a voice of the present pulled her back. Ears flicking, Brighteyes listened curiously to Redpaw's words, nodding occasionally. It sounded like his mother, whoever she was, had the right idea. However, she could see a big flaw in the plan and briefly considered pointing it out to Redpaw, just in case he hadn't figured it out already. "That is a smart tactic," The warrior agreed, voice light, "I believe that it may not be a very reliable way of catching fish. After all, you can't control which way the fish swims to avoid the shadow; what if it swam farther downstream and out of reach?" Her tail flicked as the apprentice continued, sounding as though he was drifting into his own memories Brighteye's heart filled with empathy for the young tom before as he spoke his thoughts outloud. Vaguely, she remembered some mention of a she-cat passing when she was younger, but she had been an apprentice at the time, completely focused on her training. Though she had learned to relax since then, the lesson was taught from experience; Brighteyes had worked herself ot exhaustion, trying to compensate for both her and Graykit, her late brother who had never had a chance to train. Both time and her training habits eroded at her memories of that time... Opening her mouth, she intended to speak some comforting words, but as she did so, Redpaw lost his balance and tumbled into the water. Paws carried her forward anxiously, but relief flowed through her when she saw him unscathed, though considerably more irritated. "You seem tense, Redpaw," Brighteyes commented, tail flicking as she sat down. "Is something wrong? Would it help to talk about it?" let it take you over Words: 358 Notes: -- this could really be a good life

[ash]

He seemed to be considering if he should tell the tale or not; he knew Brighteyes was a sort of friend, but would she take offense at him complaining of his so-called mentor? He had no idea who was friends with who, and if he made a mistake... Ruthlessly, he plunged in to the heart of the problem.
"Tideripple is my mentor. So far I've not head anything of him." He muttered. "Every time he suggests a time, he forgets and doesn't bother to turn up at all. " he sighed. "All I ever wanted was someone to show me what to do. To work me hard, like all the other mentors. I swear to Starclan I'll never complain of being too tired if he starts teaching me properly."

The tension went, like an elastic band stretched too far, and he gave in. "When I first saw Deadstar, I saw him as a mighty leader. I thought he wanted the best for us all... Surely he can see how lazy Tideripple is?" Once again, he launched into his concerns. "Either Deadstar want's me to fail my apprentice training and never reach a warrior, or he is too blind to see a good mentor when she is standing in front of him."

[Phoenix]

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brighteyes! rainclan.warrior.18 moons credits: Good Life - OneRepublic // Cat: here

[CS=2] when you're happy like a fool Brighteyes almost regretted asking the question. Almost. But if it helped Redpaw to talk about it, then maybe some good would come out of it. Still, that didn't mean that Brigheyes had to like the answer she was given. And this one put her in a horribly awkward position that she almost wished had just been avoided entirely. Recently, she had befriended Tideripple. She had figured out how to see the good qualities in him when the rest of RainClan, like Redpaw, only saw the bad. Thus she had tried to break the general negative feeling toward him, but she had made no progress. And now Tideripple's very own apprentice was complaining about him. As much as she wanted to see good in the older warrior, Brighteyes found it hard to ignore faults like this, regardless of how much she wanted to ignore it. If she brought it up with Tideripple, he might accuse her of being just like the rest of the warriors and she could lose his friendship, which she discovered she valued. But these were valid complaints... Tail flicking, Brighteyes finally broke the prolonged silence, still trying to organize her thoughts. First, she decided to address the compliment. Keeping her tone as pleasant and light as she could, the warrior started, "Thank you, Redpaw. One day I think perhaps Deadstar will give me an apprentice, but remember that the other warriors have experience and age over me. I'm only 18 moons. Don't let Deadstar's decision cloud your judgement of him either. None of us really understand him, I think, and I am sure that he has his reasons. Perhaps he has an ulterior motive for giving you Tideripple as a mentor, but in the end, I think he believes that it will make you a better cat and a strong warrior. I would not worry about training." She paused here, picking her words carefully. The easy part was over. "Tideripple..." Brighteyes hesitated again, trying to find the right words. "He is a complex cat, I think. Even if the clan calls him lazy, I think that he means well; he's not a bad cat, and he's not the worst warrior out there, regardless of how it may seem now. But... I think that I would just give him a second chance. The responsibility of training an apprentice will catch up to him - he's a sensible cat - and then he will work you just as hard as you want, I'm sure. Try not to let the clan's perceptions of a cat cloud your judgement of them." The she-cat let her voice trail off, knowing that she had given Redpaw a lot to think about. However, a moment later she finished her thought, aiming to bop him on the nose with her tail. "Remember, sometimes you can see things in cats that others can't. Only then will you understand just how blind the rest of them are." let it take you over Words: lazy-- Notes: haha that was awkward for Brighteyes :3 this could really be a good life

[ash]

Redpaw studdied her carefully. "And why would Deadstar ignore an intelligent, pretty she-cat willing and good at teaching. What makes Tideripple better than you? His experiance?" He shook his head. "His looks? No she-cat could find him attractive." Another snort. "His willingness to work? No, Brighteyes. You beat him in every quality he owns."

He sat down heavily. "Nothing makes sense, and the more I think about it the more I realize the injustices people suffer. Good people, like you." He met her eyes. "You deserve better than this, Brighteyes."

[Phoenix]

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brighteyes! rainclan.warrior.18 moons credits: Good Life - OneRepublic // Cat: here

[CS=2] when you're happy like a fool Redpaw seemed determined to ignore anything she said about anyone other than herself. Brighteyes resisted the urge to sigh and sharply quelled the frustration she could feel growing in her gut. He was an apprentice, she reminded herself. No doubt she had been similar at that age, only believing her own opinion and driving the older warriors crazy. Her tail flicked as blue eyes watched him, and she saw how earnest he was. That helped calm her temper; he did not mean to spite her. Besides, why was she growing so defensive for Tideripple so quickly? However, that comment on his appearance... "Remember, I do not pretend to know Deadstar's motives." Her voice sounded as patient as ever. "Nor will I ever. I truly believe that he has his reasons for picking Tideripple to mentor you, and you can't know that I would be a good mentor. I have nevor mentored an apprentice before, but thank you for believing in my teaching abilities." She paused, a smile on her face, then continued, "As for Tideripple, he has his good qualities, believe me, just as you do, and I do and every other cat does. It may take a while to find them, but I urge you to do so. He is not as bad as you think he is, as a cat or as a mentor. And don't ask me what those are; they are for me to know and you to find out." Brighteyes spoke earnestly as well, willing Redpaw to see her point. If he did not see that, she hoped that he would realize that she would stand by it and could not be convinced otherwise. His next words, however, confused her slightly. She understood the compliment in them, about her being a good cat, but the rest? "Well, thank you," Brighteyes responded weakly. "But where do you think I could find better? I have everything any cat could want here, in RainClan, as do you and everyone else in our clan. Beautiful kits, hard working apprentices, noble warriors, a talented medicine cat, and strong leaders in Deadstar and Amberblaze. We have it all. We have happiness and grief, pride and hard work, friends and family; what more could I, or anyone, ask for?" let it take you over Words: 390 Notes: -- this could really be a good life

[ash]

Redpaw sank to his paws in defeat, screwing his eyes closed and opening them again.

"I don't know. Perhaps I'm just the problem." He shrugged. "I guess I should go now."

He recognized how difficult he had been, and knew he'd blown it with the older warrior, although he was amazed at how patient she had been. No one else I know would have that calm.

"I'll see you...around." He dipped his head quickly and padded off, tail between two legs and regretting his words already. He knew they would come back to bite him. What if she tells Tideripple...?

He glanced backwards at Brighteyes, then hurried off and away from the river.


Notes: Yeah, closed.

[Phoenix]

[atrb=border,0,true]

brighteyes! rainclan.warrior.18 moons credits: Good Life - OneRepublic // Cat: here

[CS=2] when you're happy like a fool Had it really come off that way? She didn't mean it that way. Opening her mouth, she made to protest that he wasn't the problem he seemed to think he was. It was not purely his fault that he and Tideripple did not get along; admittedly, Tideripple could be lazy sometimes, something she had observed numerous times from a distance. Her annoyance had been due to the fact that Redpaw would not look past what other cats had told him of Tideripple's laziness. However, Redpaw got up and left before she could say a word. Something like guilt pooled in her gut as she watched him leave. Most assuredly, his heart was in the right spot, but he just needed to find it. Brighteyes hoped that this hadn't ruined the prospect of a friendship. Silently, blue eyes stayed glued to the retreating figure, before she pulled them away, turning back around to the forest. She brushed Redpaw from her mind. Now, what had she been doing...? let it take you over Words: --lazy Notes: closed? this could really be a good life