[Silver]

Warrior of StoneClan

The scent of warmer days to come lifted off the gentle breeze and lit blue eyes with happiness and the knowledge that once again she was in a place she could call home. Since returning back to StoneClan over three moons ago, she'd felt much lighter and happier than she'd been before. It was as if a great weight had been lifted off her and she knew it had. Her beloved had offered his blessing to her new life and the lift their son led, and she had begun anew. It was still...sometimes remarkable to the young she-cat just how much her life had changed since those  horrible days.

Taking a final deep breath, Silverglade moved out into the sunshine and she was quick to find the scent of the Apprentice that was so dear to her. She hadn't been certain about being this young one's Mentor at first, but it hadn't been all bad to have company on the difficult journey she'd taken. "Kestrelpaw, it's time for training." She was clear and to the point as always as she moved away from the younger tom to begin moving towards her destination.

She knew he would be quick to follow and he was so close to being done with his training she had to smile. He was so dear, and he was going to be a fine Warrior.

You're my favourite part of me. With you standing next to me. I've got nothing to fear.

Tags | Fawn

[Fawn]

Kestrelpaw

18 Moons - Tom - StoneClan

Kestrelpaw and Silverglade had been back a full season. Life, as usual, continued on. Sootpaw's blindness had been a shock to him, but Kestrelpaw had loyally refused to leave his best friend's side since finding out. He was called away often to train or patrol -- but whenever he returned, he was seeking her out, stubbornly refusing to give Sootpaw the impression that she had to somehow navigate this world alone.

"Anyone seen Meadowpaw or Sootpaw?" Kestrelpaw projected his voice throughout the whole apprentices' den, watching the three warriors-in-training fidget in their nests. A dark gray tom with a missing foot lay with his back to everyone, and, apart from an ear-flick, did nothing to acknowledge his question at all.

His distant kin, Palepaw and Ashpaw, were much more forthcoming with information.

"Sootpaw went on patrol." Said Ashpaw between grooming licks.

"And I think I saw Meadowpaw sneaking off with Waspwing." Palepaw's eyes glittered with mischief, purring loudly at the look of astonishment on the older apprentice's face.

"Waspwing?" Kestrelpaw sputtered. "But he's--"

"--really handsome," Palepaw cut in with a dreamy sigh. Beetlepaw scoffed somewhere in the background, but was ignored.

Kestrelpaw's ears twitched, burning. He didn't know why, but this conversation made him uncomfortable. He didn't want his sister hanging out with warriors - especially not ones like Waspwing; the older tom was popular, but not in the way his father was. He was popular like Vipertail -- in that others found him handsome and charming. Concern for Meadowpaw's well-being clouded Kestrelpaw's thoughts.

Maybe he'd talk to Waspwing later. Make sure they were... just friends. Or something.

They were both nearly warriors themselves, but that didn't dislodge the sense of unease and overprotectiveness building up under Kestrelpaw's pelt.

"Kestrelpaw, it's time for training."

Silverglade's call was a mercy from these worries, and with quick goodbyes to Palepaw and Ashpaw, Kestrelpaw charged into the sunlight. He greeted his mentor with a friendly wave of his tail, as fond of her as he was his own family. She felt like another aunt, just like Darkfrost and Dawnblossom. Sandblaze, a cousin.

"Hunting? Battle?" Kestrelpaw asked, eager for the latter despite knowing it wasn't his mentor's strong suit. Surely he had learned all there was to learn about hunting. Somehow, he'd become 18 moons - and twelve of that had been spent learning the ways of warriorhood.

Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can.

389 Words || Silver || Notes

@kahani (Meadowpaw mention!)
@calico (Waspwing mention!)
Taxx (Mistcloud's kits!)

[Silver]

Warrior of StoneClan

Silverglade smiled to herself as she watched the approach of her Apprentice, even as she also took note of his body language and knew something was bothering him. Hoping to take his mind off whatever it was, she decided to get started on the lesson once they'd reached their destination. "We will be working on our battle techniques today. Part of being a good Warrior is learning when you must stand and fight and when it's better for the safety of your clan to step back and retreat until a better opportunity presents itself."

She turned to face him then, stance easy but ready. He'd been with her long enough to know that just because she looked relaxed didn't mean she actually was so. "Now then, take your best defensive stance so I can see it. If that looks strong, I'll let you have a go at taking me off my feet." She knew his inexperience would mean he wouldn't be able to, but that was part of what learning was about. Because she'd had to take care of everyone for her entire life, this was something she actually excelled at; especially since she was such a small cat. She was small, so she had to be able to pack a bunch into all her attacks. She'd just have to see what Kestrelpaw took from the lessons she'd give him today.

You're my favourite part of me. With you standing next to me. I've got nothing to fear.

Tags | Fawn

[Fawn]

Kestrelpaw

18 Moons - Tom - StoneClan

After their journey together, Silverglade had very quickly become a cat Kestrelpaw looked up to. She was smart, savvy about things not even most StoneClan warriors knew; she could fight, though he didn't consider that Silverglade's defining characteristic. It wasn't a huge part of who she was, like for Eagletalon and some of the other famous brawlers in the forest.

That didn't mean she was weak though.

Kestrelpaw, despite the word 'retreat' rubbing his fur the wrong way, eagerly adopted a battle stance he had learned from his father. Not as tall as Eagletalon, he was denser of bone and body mass, resembling the Clan's namesake as he hunkered down, tail kept low and twitching to help with balance. It left him open to be pounced on, but anyone trying it might find themselves in for a surprise.

He was not as fast as his sister or the other apprentices, but he was strong. Sturdy, as some would say. And he was no pushover - at least not physically.

"How's that?" He'd practiced enough with his father to know what a proper stance looked and felt like. But Silverglade, as she'd proved time and time again, had a keen eye and a knowledge base that some cats just didn't have. He was open to tips. I don't want to knock her off her paws, though. It was necessary, but the tom had a gentle heart, and he couldn't help but see Silverglade's slender frame and incredibly slim legs as something to worry about.

Kestrelpaw mentally cringed. Hi Sandblaze, can you help? I accidentally sat on your mom's leg and snapped it like a twig. That would go over so well.

Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can.

#287 Words || Silver || Notes

[Silver]

Silverglade moved around her young Apprentice as he took his stance and nudged him here and there as she tested his stance that she realized was much like his father's. She also noticed his expression over the word retreat and quickly disavowed him of the notion it was wrong. "There is nothing cowardly or wrong with knowing when you are beaten and having to retreat to save your own life. Sometimes you cannot face down an enemy and win alone; that's what your clan is for. Like if you met Demon, for example. Retreat would be the only thing that would keep you alive. Never be afraid or ashamed to admit you can't win against an enemy when the alternative is depriving your parents of their son."

She walked around him on quiet paws then, considering his stance again before nudging him more than once before nodding to herself and giving him her opinion. "It's a strong stance overall, but it's also not very flexible. For your father, the stance is the same but it's also fluid so he can move around and dart away from an enemy if needed. You look ready to hold your ground against all comers, not something that's conductive to dodging. You'll only hurt yourself if you don't learn to relax a bit and be more flexible." She nodded to herself again then moved away from him, taking her own stance that was much different from his own. Her feet were a bit further apart, her weight was centered evenly between all four paws, and her body was lower to the ground to protect her vulnerable neck and stomach.

"Alright then, go ahead and have a go at knocking me down. I promise I'm not going to break." Her words were serious but also said with a hint of humor to them. She knew how toms thought, the larger ones always worried about hurting their smaller she-cat counterparts. That would be a weakness that others would use against Kestrelpaw, so it was best to force him to face it now. Because there would be she-cats that were better fighters than him; even ones smaller than she was, and he had to know how to deal with that.

--

Tags | Fawn