[Deleted]

    Every apprentice was different. This uniqueness tended to present itself in many different ways, some were fast, some were strong, and others were smart. Some were a combination of these traits and tended excel in their warrior training. Others needed help... Some needed a lot of help. To Redstar it was apparent that Thunderpaw was in this category, and as LightningClan's leader he felt it was his duty to get to the bottom of the slump that Thunderpaw clearly found himself in. From there they would fight their way out together, Starclan willing. With this goal in mind Redstar had lured the tom away from camp, Thunderpaw would hopefully be more receptive if the eyes of his clanmates weren't upon him. A relaxed hunt was promised and Redstar would attempt to deliver, weather permitting, however it wasn't long before his motives surfaced with a simple question. "So, how has your training been progressing Thunderpaw?"

Phoenix

[Phoenix]

Frustration was a constant companion these days, though he made a grand show of pointedly not appearing bothered by the fact that he was over twice the age of his den mates and still sleeping in the apprentice’s den. Some might claim it was a consequence of his own poor decision making – that is, his habit of skipping out on patrols (if anyone asked him, which no one did and quite frankly that was a travesty in and of itself, the only threat they had to worry about before the sun rose was frostbite ) or slacking on his chores (they were old, not invalid; they could pick their ticks off themselves) or blatantly ignoring those who tried to put him on the straight and narrow (who did they think they were anyway) – but he liked to think of it more as a sign of the clan’s narrow-mindedness. Strictly speaking, he already knew everything he needed to know to become a warrior. Clearly they just didn’t want to make him one.

When he asked, they’d said something stupid about maturity, but they were lecturing so he’d already stopped listening.

Besides, he liked to think of his behavior not as immature but rather as a learning experience for all of them. They could learn how to have a little fun and rid themselves of the sticks up their butts, and he could learn just how many different ways there were to tell them to shove off because he. Didn’t. Care. What. They. Thought. Or, for that matter, what his father would think. Gustclaw was dead; he didn’t think anymore.

But in the silence of the night that he was still an apprentice ate at him. The shame had a way of sneaking through the cracks in his bravado to hit him where it hurt. His sisters had long since left him for the warrior’s den – left him behind – and he could join them as soon as he shaped up, put some actual effort into growing up. Started listening. Starting doing as he was told. The thought put a sour taste in his mouth. Who were they to tell him what he could and could not do – their positions as warriors and senior warriors and deputy and leader and everyone else did not make them better than him. Why did they always do the telling and he always had to do the obeying?

There had been more telling today – telling from the battle-scarred leader himself. Redstar was going hunting, and he wanted Thunderpaw to join him. He had gone, though he was admittedly somewhat suspicious of the sudden interest and upon hearing the leader’s question nearly rolled his eyes. So it was to be one of those talks. “Well, I’m still Thunderpaw, so how do you think it’s been progressing?” He quipped back before he could help himself. And then a thought struck him: perhaps he could convince the other tom that he was beyond ready to earn his warrior name. Clinging to that thought was the only thing that had him even try for a serious answer: “I’m ready to be a warrior, Redstar. I know how to do everything.”

@poptart

[Deleted]

    Redstar wasn't the least bit surprised when he received a reactionary quip to his first question, and it seemed as if the younger tom had a quick follow up in an attempt to make him forget about the sassy outburst. LightningClan's leader wasn't one to fall victim to such simple misdirection, he was one to let it slide however as he was far more interested in diving into Thunderpaw's second reply. "Well it is apparent that your progress has been slow, but that doesn't necessarily mean it has been bad." Redstar began, "I am sure you know quite a bit, but even I am comfortable admitting I don't know how to do everything." As Redstar saw it the tom was stubborn, not dumb, and it was likely he had spent plenty of time contemplating his predicament. "What exactly do you think the problem has been Thunderpaw? Feel free to be honest."

Phoenix

[Phoenix]

THUNDERPAW

apprentice of lightningclan

At the leader’s words, Thunderpaw scoffed and very nearly rolled his eyes. In what world did slow not mean bad when it came to training? Maybe StarClan had replaced some of Redstar’s brain cells with lives when the other tom had become leader, because in no way, shape, or form was his still being an apprentice nearly a year after his sisters had all become warriors a good thing. He was the oldest cat by far in the apprentice’s den – practically a giant among his smaller and younger den mates – and the novelty had worn off long ago. He wanted to move on, needed to move on. Why could no one, including Redstar, apparently, see that?

His tail flicked behind him, annoyed, as the orange tom continued talking, sounding so much like the placating voice of reason that if Thunderpaw closed his eyes he might have thought boring old Mudpelt was speaking rather than their leader. "Yeah, well, if you know so little, maybe I should be leader instead," He muttered under his breath, but the annoyance he felt immediately flared into something harsher as Redstar asked him the innocent enough question. A jolt – problem, he was a problem – before his defenses rallied around his wounded pride. A short laugh burst forth. "You should make up your mind, Redstar," The striped feline said, tone bordering on cold. "You say slow training isn’t bad, but then you go and say it’s a problem. Which is it?"

He didn’t even wait for a response before stalking away, not caring if it was rude. He should have known he wasn’t going to get what he wanted from this conversation anyway; there was nothing he could have said to change the other tom’s mind when it was clear from the sheer length of his problematic apprenticeship that they were all dead set on keeping him in the apprentice’s den. His tail lashed behind him. What do I think has been the problem? All of you.

background image | @poptart

[Deleted]

    Redstar wasn't at all surprised by the snippy response that Thunderpaw successfully hurled in his direction. In fact the words almost seemed to be purely reactionary, as if they required no thought from the apprentice at all. It was what Redstar and the rest of LightningClan had come to expect from the tom who had perfectly answered the question the leader posed, likely without even realizing it. With Thunderpaw having already physically moved on, perhaps signalling that he was finished with the conversation, Redstar took time to respond to his question. Even though the response was likely to fall upon deaf ears. "Perhaps you've misunderstood." Redstar began, "I said your progress hasn't been bad. Think about how far you've come since you began your training, how much more you know now than you knew then." It would have been nice for Thunderpaw to reflect on those words before replying, sadly Redstar wasn't holding his breath. "Think about how much you've grown, or in some areas how little."

Phoenix