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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 0:38:24 GMT -5
you will never be alone againlove will make it all right-------------------------------------- He woke up with a start, disoriented as the dream world separated itself from reality. Another jolt sent him to the fire at his flank, and he licked his mate softly on the head to calm whatever dream danced in her head. Picking his way among the sleeping cats carefully, the senior warrior exited the den he shared with his Clanmates to a bright morning of new-leaf. His fur drank in the sun's warmth, grateful to leave the chill of leaf-bare behind. A trot to the fresh-kill pile revealed a plump squirrel, and he knew exactly who to share this breakfast with.
Thornstrike didn't know much of anything about his new apprentice. Oakpaw seemed like just another kit at the ceremony, a tiny ball of nervous energy anxious about this next chapter in life. The mentor thought to alleviate such nerves with a good breakfast and a tour of the Clan's territory as a nice, simple introduction to the life of a warrior. Jumping straight into battle or hunting training would be pointless as the young tom wouldn't be able to function.
He ran over his plan for the coming moons in his mind, hoping to use the day to familiarize Oakpaw with what was expected of an apprentice and the generalities of Clan life. The first moon or so would be dedicated to learning the territory: the different locations, where the prey ran best, the locations of moss and water, and the scent markers. Then, he would be sure to instill a love of climbing into his apprentice. Climbing formed the basis of everything else: hunting, battling, even moving around the territory. Thornstrike had every intention to give Oakpaw a desire to live in the trees, forgoing the ground completely. After climbing would come hunting, and after hunting, battle training.
"Oakpaw!" he called from outside the apprentice's den. A breeze blew, carrying the warm scent of the squirrel into the dark den. "It's time for your training to begin!"
-------------------------------------- thornstrike | warrior | treeclan@zef | tagged330 | wordcountthe first day of training ; not official thread! | notesthanks rick from RPGD |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 1:06:30 GMT -5
Oakpaw
The morning began unlike many in the previous season had. The young tabby Oakpaw was still getting used to his new title and new den in the TreeClan encampment. To be honest, he had slept very little from the previous night. He had gotten his new name and was assigned a mentor! Oakpaw's excitement ran hundreds of thoughts through his head as he tried to force himself to sleep. It took him many an hour to finally drift off into the dream world.
Oakpaw's slumber was interrupted by a short call of his name. At first, his brain didn't register that Oakpaw was actually him; he still thought of himself as Oak-kit. However, after processing it for a while and taking in the scent of Thornstrike with each slow, measured breath, Oakpaw came back to consciousness. He was glad that he had gotten at least some sleep, because he sure was beat this morning.
He sleepily looked around him before lifting his body from his bedding that he shared with his sister. The other apprentices were sleeping soundly, though a few were missing, no doubt either awakened by their mentors or hunger. Speaking of food...
The scent of fresh-kill wafted into the den. Oakpaw drank in the smell with delight, acknowledging that this was a squirrel, and a fresh one at that. His eyes lit up, gleaming in excitement, wondering who it was that called him and had brought a squirrel to the den. The same voice mewed out something about training. All signs of weariness wore away as excitement racked his entire body. It was difficult to control himself; to not immediately bound out of the den, no doubt stepping on or awakening some other apprentice.
After stretching out a bit, Oakpaw carefully padded out of the den, as to not disturb a single soul. The sight of his assigned mentor, Thornstrike, carrying a particularly plump squirrel greeted him as he came into view of the rest of the TreeClan camp, as did the warmth and light of the sun. The tabby stretched again, basking in the new warmth of New-Leaf. When Oakpaw was a kit in Leaf-bare, he found it particularly hard to stay warm because of his leaner frame. This morning was truly a blessing from StarClan, whom Oakpaw made sure to silently thank before bowing his head in respect to his mentor.
"Hey! he jubilantly exclaimed after the dues were paid. He was still young and would learn, but for now, his excitement bubbled out of him akin to a geyser. "What are we doing today?" In his excitement, he completely forgot about the meal laying in front of him. His full attention was on Thornstrike.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 1:32:44 GMT -5
you will never be alone againlove will make it all right-------------------------------------- Thornstrike couldn't help but chuckle at his new apprentice's enthusiasm. Like Emberstorm was. She was never far from his thoughts. The fact that he finally had her as mate still amazed him, as he had told himself for the longest time that it just wouldn't be possible. Now, however, she was his and he was hers, and Thornstrike finally felt content within his Clan.
He motioned for Oakpaw to pick up the squirrel and turned, leading the way out of camp. "Today," he mewed over his shoulder, "We will be learning about TreeClan and exactly what an apprentice is. But first, as a celebration, we feast on squirrel." Stopping under a low-hanging bush, Thornstrike knelt next to his apprentice and tore into the delicious flesh of the kill. He thanked StarClan for a relief from the bitter leaf-bare, and his heart ached for a moment for those lost to the illnesses the season brought. As he ate, he shared with Oakpaw exactly what would happen on today's excursion.
"We will be touring the territory since this is your first time out of camp," he explained, pausing to clean his jaw. "We'll start with the brook and make our way around the territory to circle back here. You'll see the brook, the Great Maple, our border with NightClan, the marshes, the thicket, LightningClan's border, and the wildflower clearing before we head back to camp."
Thornstrike stood and stretched luxuriously before burying the bones of their breakfast. He set out at a leisurely pace for the nearby brook. As they walked, a scent of prey drifted into the path of the pair. "Oakpaw, do you know what prey this scent belongs to?" He figured it would be a good idea to teach as they walked, making the most of the time that they would spend traveling between the different landmarks of TreeClan's home.
Thornstrike was very, very glad he was once again a mentor. -------------------------------------- thornstrike | warrior | treeclanZef: Oakpaw| tagged322| wordcountany animal scent will do ^^| notesthanks rick from RPGD |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 16:45:21 GMT -5
Oakpaw
Oakpaw could only look at his mentor with excited, expecting eyes as he chuckled at the young tabby. He didn't have to wait long to get Thornstrike's response. The senior TreeClan warrior nodded towards the juicy-looking squirrel on the ground and then turned to head out of camp. Bewildered but getting the hint, Oakpaw lowered his head and bit down slightly on the squirrel, lifting it up in his jaws but being careful not to sink his teeth into it too much, then hopped after his mentor.
Catching up in only a few moments, Oakpaw listened to his next words, "Today, we will be learning about TreeClan and exactly what an apprentice is. But first, as a celebration, we feast on squirrel." Oakpaw's eyes lit up as he found the two shady area beneath a bush. He quickly dropped the soon-to-be meal and waited a few painful moments in respect for his elder to take a few bites into the squirrel before he joined in. The slim tabby's first bite into the squirrel satisfied him in more ways than hunger. It's so real now, he thought to himself. I'm an apprentice! In what could have been seen as perhaps greed but was really excitement, Oakpaw wolfed down his small portion of the squirrel. Though he wasn't really that hungry - one benefit of not being so big, but it was majorly just his excitement keeping his mind away from the thought of food - he still enjoyed the savory, juicy meat of the squirrel. His mentor sure knew how to pick a good meal.
Oakpaw looked up at his mentor as he began to speak. "We will be touring the territory since this is your first time out of camp," Thornstrike told his apprentice as they ate, pausing just a moment to pick his teeth clean. "We'll start with the brook and make our way around the territory to circle back here. You'll see the brook, the Great Maple, our border with NightClan, the marshes, the thicket, LightningClan's border, and the wildflower clearing before we head back to camp." Oakpaw nearly exploded in excitement as his mentor explained their tasks for the day.
"Wow, that seems like a lot! But I want to see it all!" the young tabby, barely older than a kit, exclaimed in joy. He gave his pelt a few licks of cleaning while his mentor stretched out a bit. The sun was still high, so Oakpaw was hopeful that he could get all of it in. The apprentice gave a short mew of excitement and bounced around a bit as Thornstrike quickly buried the bones of their meal. Seeing him start to walk off in a certain direction, Oakpaw quickly bounced up to him with his shorter legs and tried to keep pace with him. Luckily for him, his mentor seemed to not be in a hurry and was padding away at a pace Oakpaw could easily keep up with if he tried.
After a short while of walking, a scent of another animal crossed their paths. Oakpaw wrinkled his nose at it. It seemed oddly familiar, though the stench of squirrel still laid on his tongue from the meal the two shared a little bit ago. Thornstrike asked his apprentice, "Oakpaw, do you know what prey this scent belongs to?"
Oakpaw opened his mouth and took the scent in, trying to overpower the squirrel. He couldn't really say for certain, but it gave off this distinct odor. The young tabby had tasted it before, perhaps a vole? They were common more around water and small plants, which were abundant around them, and a small brook lay far ahead of them.
"Umm... Vole, I think?" Oakpaw mewed out, tilting his head and looking at his mentor hopefully. He really didn't want to fail his first question!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 22:11:38 GMT -5
you will never be alone againlove will make it all right-------------------------------------- "Umm... Vole, I think?"
Thornstrike purred, realizing now that he had a very sharp cat under his proverbial wing. "Very good, Oakpaw! We won't bother with hunting now, but it's very important that you begin to distinguish different scents." He continued their journey in relative silence, but pointed out other scents as they walked. They encountered another squirrel and some mice, but soon the familiar sound of the brook filled his ears.
Sparkling water gently ran over pebbles, creating a relaxing gurgle. New-leaf sun filtered between the budding trees cast speckled shadows over the shoreline. Thornstrike led his apprentice up to the water's edge and drank deeply, enjoying the cool water. "This is the Sparkling Brook. Normally, we get water from it much closer to camp, but I wanted to lead you upstream. The name comes from the way sunlight filters through the treetops. When it hits the water, it creates a sparkling effect."
He drank one more time from the brook before turning. "Do you remember where we're going next?"
-------------------------------------- thornstrike | warrior | treeclanZef: Oakpaw | tagged171 | wordcount shorter post :/| notesthanks rick from RPGD |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2014 0:58:38 GMT -5
Oakpaw nearly jumped out of his fur in joy after learning that he was correct. He couldn't wait to follow his mentor, quickly jumping in line beside Thornstrike as he rattled off the names of the scents the two came across. He was learning so much! It was a little confusing and overwhelming, but he was determined to get it all down. The tabby wanted to serve his clan well, truly, all the while knowing he had a long road before becoming a warrior. Many a moon lay before that time.
It didn't take too long to reach the Sparkling Brook - and it sure lived up to its name. Oakpaw's eyes lit up as he saw the water shimmer in the sunlight. It was a beautiful sight, nothing like he'd ever seen in his short life. The apprentice slowly padded up to it alongside his mentor, who took a short drink. Oakpaw took his own laps of the cool, refreshing liquid as Thornstrike explained all about this place. This was so cool! Why were kits never allowed out of camp to see stuff like this? Probably because they'd try to jump in it and drown themselves, Oakpaw thought to himself amusingly. Not too many moons ago he'd have splashed head-first in it, trying to figure out what it was.
The tabby's attention was brought back to reality by his mentor speaking again. He asked him where they were going to next. Oakpaw clenched his eyes shut and tried to remember what he had said. The squirrel, the brook, the border with Nightclan... No, something was before the Nightclan border. The great... Great what?
Bashful that he had already forgotten in all of his excitement and awe of what Thornstrike had already taught him in just one day, Oakpaw sheepishly replied, "Uhm... Sorry. I don't! The great something? I'm really sorry I forgot..." The apprentice looked shamefully at his paws. He knew it wasn't that big of a deal, but it was his first time out! He had wanted to impress his mentor, and now he'd just made a fool of himself. The tabby awaited his mentor's rebuttal with worry. He didn't want to displease Thornstrike.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2014 13:50:52 GMT -5
you will never be alone againlove will make it all right-------------------------------------- "TreeClan territory is large, Oakpaw, and you have never stepped foot into these woods. Your world has expanded from the confines of camp to the vast expanse of the valley. You will learn it in time. We're going to the Great Maple."
Apprenticeship was a long time ago for Thornstrike. He led Oakpaw off in silence, thinking of his own moons as Thornpaw. His mentor had drilled him on the landmarks of TreeClan's home, enforcing the importance of being able to run to a location with his eyes closed. Identifying a path by scent trails was just as important as landmark knowledge, because with scents came situational information that could mean the difference between life and death.
His mentor has certainly taught him a lot. As they walked the territory within that first moon, he had been bursting with questions about the warrior code. Once he learned its words, he committed it to memory and held it sacred in his heart. Without these rules, we would be nothing more than rogues, the warrior mused, turning to look over his apprentice.
"Oakpaw," he mewed, gaining the attention of the young tom beside him. "What makes a Clan cat different than a rogue or a loner?" It was a question posed to him many moons ago, and the answer was a complex one. In his moons as a warrior, Thornstrike has seen things that changed his answer. Ravenstar and NightClan has stolen prey. A group of loners and rogues named MountainClan helped restore StoneClan to their home.
The warrior code guided his life. He hoped he could pass on such enlightening knowledge to his apprentice, and train him up to be a noble warrior of TreeClan. It was another way he could give back to his Clanmates.
-------------------------------------- thornstrike | warrior | treeclanzef: oakpaw | tagged306 | wordcount can't claim a right or wrong here, either. just let oakpaw answer this question | notesthanks rick from RPGD |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2014 23:07:29 GMT -5
Oakpaw gave a small mew of surprise as his mentor did not reprimand him, but calmly explained the correct answer. He seemed wise, even for an older cat. He wasn't near the elders in age, but he was getting up there with the warriors. The tabby knew he was truly lucky that he had gotten such a great senior warrior as a mentor.
He bounded along, keeping up with Thornstrike, who seemed a little lost in thought. Oakpaw had questions flying through his head, but didn't want to bother him. The young tabby knew when he was supposed to talk and not, though it was hard for him to actually follow through with what he was supposed to do. He just had so much energy!
Finally, Thronstrike spoke. He asked his apprentice what separated rogues from clan cats. Oakpaw tilted his head in confusion. What kind of question was that? The answer was simple!
"The warrior code, of course! We follow a specific set of rules that keep us loyal to our clan and friends, and follow the guidance of StarClan. Rogues care about themselves, maybe some of their friends. They hunt and kill for themselves. We hunt for the good of our Clan, right? That's why we feed the elders first." The tabby stopped to lick a patch of fur that stuck out then bumbled along to get back beside his mentor. This forest was huge! It seemed as if it went on forever. He turned to Thornstrike and waited for a response.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2014 13:08:21 GMT -5
you will never be alone againlove will make it all right-------------------------------------- Thornstrike smiled to himself. It was not often that an apprentice spoke about the warrior code on his first day. It had taken him a few moons to learn the code, but once he did, it became his compass. "Oakpaw, you mention the warrior code. That is absolutely correct. The code is the thing that separates us from loners and rogues."
He paused, judging the distance from their current location to the Great Maple. If he had enough time, Thornstrike planned on at least explaining the full tenants of the code, but he wasn't sure if would be wise to go into that now. The code itself, while basic enough, sometimes needed explaining. He was also convinced that his apprentice would know the code forwards and backwards.
"Once we reach the Great Maple, Oakpaw, we will continue discussing the warrior code," he mewed, reaching a decision. "For now, I want to give you a chance to talk. I'm sure you have questions for me, and I will do my best to answer them." He touched the apprentice lightly on the shoulder with his tail and added on one last thought.
"Before you begin pelting me with questions, remember this: there are no such thing as stupid questions." Although the beginning of his comment sounded mean, a playful glint in his eyes softened the statement. Apprentices are naturally curious; it only makes sense for their heads to overflowing with questions.
-------------------------------------- thornstrike | warrior | treeclanzef: oakpaw | tagged239 | wordcounti finally did it | notesthanks rick from RPGD |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2014 20:01:27 GMT -5
Oakpaw jumped up in excitement as his mentor confirmed his correct answer. He started off running around his mentor in circles, his youthful energy propelling his little legs around and around until he quickly tired and fell back in line with Thornstrike, face now lit up. When his mentor spoke again, the slim tabby tilted his head, now staring at him.
"I... I had questions. I don't really know right now..." he mewed sheepishly. Oakpaw quickly gathered his thoughts, almost sleepwalking as he racked his brain for an idea.
One came to him in a few more moments of silence and he responded, "Oh! I know! What's it like being a warrior? The kits and apprentices know kinda what you do but... Only in stories. I want to know everything! And how do you get any time for fun? It seems like you guys are always busy. You gotta have fun somehow." Oakpaw stared at his mentor with gleaming, questioning eyes. That was the biggest one, he believed. He had wanted to be a warrior ever since he was a little kit, and even though he had just been made an apprentice, the six-moons-old tabby still had the same dream. He just wanted to know more about what he was getting into.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2014 0:53:18 GMT -5
you will never be alone againlove will make it all right-------------------------------------- "What's it like being a warrior? The kits and apprentices know kinda what you do but... Only in stories. I want to know everything! And how do you get any time for fun? It seems like you guys are always busy. You gotta have fun somehow."
Thornstrike mrowled in laughter. The question was a funny one, and Emberstorm had even asked something similar. However, she had asked it after he had taken her through training and taught her the rigors of warriorhood, and she was ready for a change. So, he had taken her out on a hunting patrol with then Sprucepaw and Nightmaple. The two mentors created a game out of the hunt, pair against pair, and Emberpaw had admitted afterwards that it actually was fun.
Purring from his memory, Thornstrike relayed the story to Oakpaw, adding on a few more thoughts. "You can make anything fun. Hunting patrols are the easiest for this. See who catches the most or the biggest squirrel or what-have-you. Border patrols are more serious in nature due to the security threat, but otherwise it's easy to enjoy oneself." He padded along the trees carefully, leading Oakpaw around a fallen log.
"Warriorhood isn't just about patrols, though. We often have time to share tongues after we eat, spend spare time with our family and friends, and just talk with our Clanmates. As busy as we seem, there's a lot more downtime involved than you'd expect. Life cycles between patrols and camp, and while at camp we have the freedom to spend time as we like. Does that answer your question?"
He looked down at the similarly-colored tom and waited to see what Oakpaw would say next. -------------------------------------- thornstrike | warrior | treeclanzef: oakpaw | tagged287| wordcountshort on muse tonight | notesthanks rick from RPGD |
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