[Insidious]

Crimsonshadow had gotten used to hunting in the shelter of trees. They had been plentiful in his old territory, and made it easier to hunt for someone with a bright, colourful coat like his. In StoneClan, he had learned to work around the lack of shelter; but the Little Woods had become a favourite spot of his, because while there wasn’t many trees, there was something for him to use to his advantage. Wiggling his haunches, and trying to keep himself aligned with the thin outline of a tree, he sprung forward and landed gracefully atop an unsuspecting mouse. After he executed a killing bite, he triumphantly threw a glance over his shoulder and gestured for Honeypaw to approach him.

He had been blown away when Hawkstar gave him the privilege of training an apprentice. He had never gotten the chance to train someone in TreeClan (with good reason) and had, truthfully, expected that he would have to wait far longer than he had before he was entrusted with the tutelage of a StoneClan cat. It pleased him to no foreseeable end to know that his new Clan leader had faith in him. He was slowly working his way into the entire Clan’s good graces, and if he did a good job with Honeypaw, he would be accepted as a fully-fledged StoneClan warrior in no time.

“Someone with red fur like mine has to be extra mindful of their surroundings, and use them to his or her advantage. The Little Woods, for example, is one of StoneClan’s most forested territories, which makes it a prime hunting ground for cats that don’t have neutral colouring.” He would’ve liked to teach her how to hunt in the Barren Scrublands, too, because it was a little more suited to StoneClan cats, but it was too far out of his element. “Now that you’ve had a chance to watch how I use my surroundings to ensure a successful hunt, I’d like to switch places with you. Let’s see what you’ve got, Honeypaw.” With a small smile, he gestured for his apprentice to take the lead.

Date: greenleaf twenty-nine
Words: 351
Tag: Fawn

[Fawn]

Ever since she had been made an apprentice at 7 moons (her struggle with greencough demanded that she rest for an additional moon), Honeypaw had thought up a dozen questions to ask her mentor. Two busy moons had passed for StoneClan, and her questions hadn't diminished in the slightest, even when he could not always take her out hunting, or he was regulated to the Dawn patrols because of his distinctive pelt.

That was one of the things she was most curious about. Are ALL TreeClan cats spotted like LeopardClan? Is Valiantstride a TreeClan cat? The two toms did look a bit similar. She'd mentioned this to Heronpaw & Hazelpaw, but it seemed neither she-cat had any answers for her. Watching Crimsonshadow hunt in the woodsy shelter of the oak trees marking their border with TreeClan, she was only partially paying attention, her imagination running away from her.

I wonder if he misses TreeClan? Do you think he has any siblings there? Honeypaw couldn't imagine making that kind of decision; of course, she'd never been in love, so really... could she even imagine it? Nope, not unless Vipertail was in a different Clan, and Thank StarClan, he's not! And if he was, how would she even know who he was or know what he was like?

You couldn't just like a cat after seeing them once! Or maybe you could? Honeypaw, again, was no expert on the subject matter. Speaking of subject matter...

Soon enough Crimsonshadow was mewing at her, discussing his reasons for choosing the woodland. It was surprisingly unsentimental. Honeypaw's whiskers twitched in amusement, trusting she would have no trouble here with her brown tabby-and-white pelt. Maybe her smallness would give her an advantage?

Though he had clearly given her a sign to go ahead and try her luck at catching a mouse or a shrew (what a weird thing to eat!), Honeypaw couldn't resist asking him one more question, her yellow-green eyes round with curiosity. "If we didn't have these woods anymore, where would you hunt? Would you have to cover youself in mud like Valleyfall?" The warrior she spoke of was ginger and white, which, understandably, made her stick out like a white flower surrounded by gray rock and sandy brown stone. There was plenty of dry moss and tough alpine scrub, but it didn't help Valleyfall much. She was always out hunting late, trying to take advantage of the darker conditions.

It's so easy to make believe,
it seems you're livin' in a dream

Word Count: 406 Words
Tags: Insidious
Notes:

[Insidious]

He fixed an expectant eye upon the surrounding terrain, curious to see what route Honeypaw would take to undergo his instruction. However, before he knew it, the little she-cat was peering up at him with innocent-eyed intrigue to fire a question. With mild surprise etched into his expression, he looked down at her, a soft sigh building in his throat. He had to do a good job with Honeypaw, or else he risked failing his Clan. Soon enough, she would have to focus on the lesson at hand, but there was no harm in answering her questions as long as it was done quietly. "Thankfully, we do have these woods, so I haven't put a lot of thought into it. I suppose the alternative would be to cover myself in mud, yes." His nose wrinkled at the thought. "If that was the price I had to pay to be a StoneClan warrior, though, I would gladly do it."

He wouldn't give his apprentice a reason to doubt his loyalties. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to roll in mud. He was struck by a sudden, unexpected thought as to what his brother and sister would think if they saw him that way, but he buried it in the hopes of avoiding the onset of painful memories. "You have to focus, Honeypaw. I promise if you return to our camp with a piece of prey you caught on your own before our lesson concludes, that I'll answer as many of your questions as you'd like. Does that sound fair?" He almost winced, knowing he'd created a rather large, unbearable window for Honeypaw to crawl through. There were some things best left unsaid between the two of them, but for now, she didn't need to know that.

Tag: Fawn

[Fawn]

Had Honeypaw been the kind of apprentice who saw an opportunity to take advantage of when her mentor gave it to her, she would have been determined to catch multiple pieces of prey, that way she could ask her mentor an almost unlimited amount of questions.

Intrigued and delighted by his proposition, Honeypaw’s soft features lit up into a smile, tail raising high in agreement. ”Okay!” I can catch something, I know I can. It was… a little strange being in these woods; the trees were thin by… tree standards, but Honeypaw honestly couldn’t imagine hunting in a place like TreeClan or NightClan, where the trees were supposed to be huge.

Would’ve been nice to see the Great Maple though. It must’ve touched the sky if it was called great.

Wanting to do well not just because of the promise of answers to the multitude of questions buzzing around her brain like bees, Honeypaw gave a tiny determined nod, as if to say ‘okay, let’s get started’. Refocused, the tabby she-cat glanced at her limbs as if asking them to move while she positioned herself into a hunter’s crouch. The trees felt like they were closing in on her, like she was going to bump into them if she had to pursue anything for more than a fox length, but Honeypaw was determined not to get daunted.

Do mice feel extra small when they’re next to trees? Do mice even notice trees? The mountains are so big next to our territory that I kinda don’t notice them… If that made any sense. Honeypaw shook her head, trying to get her buzzing thoughts to settle. Focus, Honeypaw. Focus! Don’t let Crimsonshadow down!

Honeypaw’s jaws parted, scenting for the usual mousy scent of, er, mouse (how else would you describe it?), and her eyes gleamed with triumph as she caught a whiff of something fresh. Wow it must be really close by! Crimsonshadow’s practically standing on--Oh.

Embarrassed, Honeypaw quickly got a few foxlengths away from her mentor, trying to find the scent of something that wasn’t mouse. Encountering a mouse-like scent that was unfamiliar to her, Honeypaw followed her nose, able to pinpoint the little rodent’s exact location with startling accuracy. Her whiskers twitched, haunches wriggled, and she flew at the roots of a birch tree with more enthusiasm than was needed.

Landing on the roots more than the prey, Honeypaw quickly dived down on top of it, half-squishing it. Heart pounding, Honeypaw delivered a swift bite to the back of the mouse’s neck. ”Crimsonshadow I--oh my StarClan, I ruined it!” What’s wrong with it’s nose? Staring in fascinated horror at the little mouse-like creature, she was slow to comprehend that the extended snout, small eyes and little ears meant it was a shrew and not a mouse. Couldn’t blame the kitten, after all; she’d never seen a shrew before.

Dismayed and feeling like the villain, Honeypaw backed away from her kill, tail fluffed and her eyes watering. I’m sorry, mouse! I didn’t mean to!

It's so easy to make believe,
it seems you're livin' in a dream

Word Count: 503 Words
Tags: Insidious
Notes: xD LOL

[Insidious]

It was hard to resist a small smile when he saw the way Honeypaw lit up at his proposition. At first, he hadn't felt very confident about the deal he made, but it started to seem like less of a bad thing when he watched her hunker down and focus. She was... innocent. No harm would come from getting to know his apprentice, and vice versa, a little more personally.

Satisfied to see her in her element—or at least in the making of her element, he mused in quiet amusement as she hurriedly shuffled a few paces away from him and his catch—he stayed as quiet as possible in silent encouragement for her to succeed. She ended up on the scent trail of a shrew, and the tip of his tail twitched in proud anticipation. He nodded along as she made all of the right decisions, but when she pounced, her land atop of the creature had been sloppy, and he refrained from making an audible wince as he stood to his full height and approached. "You have to make sure you're lined up with where you want to land when you—" Crimsonshadow saw the horror in Honeypaw's eyes a second too late, and feeling a little confused, he drew his attention to the shrew at her paws. "Honeypaw..." He began with a small chuckle, "...You didn't ruin anything. This is a shrew. StoneClan cats hunt more than just mice."

It wouldn't be a very pleasant lesson, but he vowed to pay a visit to the freshkill pile when they returned from their hunt so she could get an idea of what all of the different prey animals in StoneClan looked like.

Tilting his head, Crimsonshadow tried to get her attention onto something else so she wouldn't feel embarrassed. "You held up your end of the bargain, so before we work out the kinks in your pounce, why don't you ask me another question."

Tag: Fawn

[Fawn]

Honeypaw's look of horror gave way to confusion, the kitten tilting her head as though the information had gone in one ear and was trying to leak out of the other. "A shrew?" She looked down at the beady-eyed little creature again, and gave it another sniff, her whiskers twitching over the dense gray fur, Honeypaw getting a closer look at the long snout and tiny ears. "O-Oh! Thrushtail always brought me mice and finches, they're my favorite." Her mew was edged with embarrassment, Honeypaw shuffling her paws against the leafy ground, hoping he didn't think her too silly.

Her father had meant well, and probably hadn't realized her prey education would go unfulfilled by always bringing favorites back to the nursery. Eager to get on with the question, however, Honeypaw chattered with innocent delight as she quickly buried her prey, nimble paws digging a little hole in the ground to place the shrew into. Sorry I thought you were a mouse, shrew. It felt silly to apologize, but Honeypaw didn't want any hard feelings between her and her prey.
And thank you StarClan for the catch. I'll do even better next time. Her heart ached with delight as she pictured Kitekit laughing at her from Silverpelt. Her brother would've teased, unable to help himself.

"Do all TreeClan cats look like LeopardClan? And what does a squirrel taste like?" That was two questions, but Honeypaw couldn't help herself. The world was big and there were so many things she just didn't know. Besides, she liked talking to Crimsonshadow. He seemed a little awkward around her, but conversation was supposed to fix that; it's what she did when she and her siblings had first been made apprentices.

She'd met Heronpaw by striking up a conversation, being friendly, and listening as best as she could. Now they were thick as... thick as rocks? Er... Honeypaw would figure out a nicer way to say that some other time. The kitten was liable to get distracted if she chased after that particular side-thought.

It's so easy to make believe,
it seems you're livin' in a dream

Word Count: 339 Words
Tags: Insidious BlooRey DVD (Heronpaw mention~)
Notes: