[Deleted]

It was cold. It seemed like it was constantly cold, actually. And not just a little cold, like... REALLY cold. Colder than Robinpaw had ever been in her entire short life. It left the fiery tabby apprentice in something of a predicament. On the one paw, her nest in the apprentices' den was so warm and cozy, even lifting her head from where she lay curled up within it allowed the cold to seep in, a chill wind constantly finding its way into the den. On the other paw... she was bored. It was only dawn, but Robinpaw was well awake and raring to go, more than ready to start the day, despite the cold.

She had lifted her head, hoping to detect the slightest rise in temperature as the sun rose further above the horizon, many times already, as eager to leave her nest as she was to stay within its warm embrace. Nothing had changed, however, it was still exceptionally cold. At long last, she grew tired of waiting and leaped to her paws, her flame colored fur bushed out against the cold, and raced from the den, bursting out into camp where she found it to be even colder than she had originally thought.

She quivered from nose to tail tip before charging across the camp to the warriors' den, sliding inside without a second thought and clambering over the warriors still asleep inside in search of her mentor, “Palescreech? I'm ready for training!” A number of warriors grunted or growled at her to get out and quit stepping on their tails, but none of them sounded like Palescreech. Maybe she was already awake? Perhaps she should have checked the camp first. Oh well.

Leaf-bare 19
Insidious

[Insidious]

She was, in fact, already awake, and the commotion coming from inside of the warriors' den could only mean one thing. With a sigh, though the smile on the corner of her lip was nothing short of humoured, she ducked inside, making flat apologies to the warriors who had been sleeping as she made towards the back. Sure, it was a little early, but which of them hadn't woken up at this hour before? There was such a thing as the dawn patrol, and just because they weren't on it didn't necessarily mean they got to have a few extra hours of sleep.

Blue eyes fell on Robinpaw, and she morphed her expression into one of displeasure. "Next time, you're to wait outside. Do you understand me?" Palescreech glanced around her, catching a couple of approving nods from the surrounding warriors before they either went back to sleep or left the den to start their mornings; she bit her lip, holding back the chuckle that threatened to bubble up her throat. She gestured curtly for Robinpaw to follow her, heading outside without allowing her apprentice so much as a word.

Once they were out of a camp, it was an entirely different story.

"Sorry about that." She purred, a glint of mischief in her eye. "I hope you didn't take it too seriously. You have to put on a show for that bunch sometimes." Coming to a stop, she pivoted gracefully, assessing her apprentice with sparkling eyes. "I have high hopes for you, Robinpaw. You have spirit. You have fire. I like that." The lithe she-cat leaned closer, tipping her head in a show of curiousity. "Tell me what you're most looking forward to. What are you eager to learn? To see?"

@zen

[Deleted]

Oh watch me go, I'm a happy girl, and I've come to know...

---

The scent of Palescreech reached her a moment before her mentor spoke. Turning, Robinpaw settled her green gaze on the other she-cat as she scolded her. She actually wasn't aware immediately that her mentor was acting, but either way, scoldings never got Robinpaw down. With a flick of her tail, she purred in agreement, “Okay!” She bounced after Palescreech as the older she-cat led the way from the den, and out of camp. Her ears pricked as her mentor spoke again, and she purred once more at the explanation she received. She was really glad Palescreech was her mentor.

Blinking up at the older she-cat as she expressed her own pleasure for her apprentice, Robinpaw couldn't help but purr again at the praise. She shifted from one paw to the other, her excitement for the possibilities of the day too much to contain. “I don't think there's anything I'm not excited about right now!” Without realizing it she began pacing around her mentor, her excitement for now keeping the cold at bay, “I can't wait for my first battle. I wanna be the best fighter ever!” She swiped her paw through the snow, flinging white powder through the air.

She paused suddenly, turning back to Palescreech with wide, eager eyes, “And my first Gathering! I can't wait to meet all the other Clans. Some of the other apprentices said they smell really bad. Especially RainClan. Is that true? Does NightClan really eat frogs? Tallpaw said Lionstar is the biggest cat in the whole valley, as big as a real lion. How big is a real lion? Do lions live in the valley?” Her pacing was collecting more and more snow in her fur, seeping cold through her pelt, and she finally began to feel it, “Great StarClan it's COLD!” She shook herself violently, fur bushing up comically.

---

...that the world won't change just 'cuz I complain, let the axis twirl, I'm a happy girl~

[Insidious]

The questions kept coming. There was no rhyme or reason, and the pale she-cat felt herself begin to laugh, a fitting response, more becoming of the mentor she thought herself to be, momentarily escaping her. The effort of keeping Robinpaw in her line of vision proved dizzying, and so she stretched out a paw, placing it firmly on the young she-cat's shoulders to keep her from pacing; it was at this moment that she shook out her fur, complaining about the cold, and Palescreech wrinkled her nose against the snowflakes that her apprentice expelled. Amused, she rasped her tongue behind her apprentice's ear and then did the same along the side of her neck, hoping to provide some warmth. "If you keep pacing, you'll only get colder. Try to sit still, hm? I can answer a few of your questions."

Palescreech straightened, then, pondering where to begin. There was no place quite like the beginning. "RainClan smells a little fishy, but I'm not one to judge - not out loud, at least. Each is entitled to their own opinion, but be mindful of what you say. You wouldn't want to offend the wrong cat. As for NightClan, yes, they're known to eat amphibians because its common to their territory. A cat cannot be picky about what it eats, especially in these months." Palescreech subconsciously shivered, fighting the cold. At mention of Lionstar, she quirked a brow, eying her apprentice curiously. "I've no idea how large an actual lion is, but Lionstar, himself, is by no means a small cat. Perhaps you will see for yourself someday when I take you to a Gathering." At this, she pressed her nose against Robinpaw's cheek, offering an encouraging nuzzle before she rose from her seat with wraithlike grace.

"Come," she coaxed, "and pay attention to what you smell. Hunting in this weather is not an easy task, but it's doable." If neither of them could pinpoint a prey scent, she would have to settle for teaching her apprentice the basics of the hunter's crouch, or perhaps tail movements. She would not get her hopes up, either, for if they had been lucky enough to cross the path of a rabbit, chances were it had heard Robinpaw long before they had so much as gotten in range of its scent.

@zen