Stagheart was watching her intently, his sharp blue eyes picking up on all the subtle and not-so-subtle ways her body viscerally reacted to the crash of the nearby river, the exhaustion in her limbs, the worry and fear crossing her gaze... even with her cutesy comment about being fine and getting patched up, he knew there was more, more to it... she had been nearly drowned, after all. One or two more mistakes, and he wouldn't be looking her in the eye now...
Stagheart shook his head. "No way, we ain't tryin' again. I can see what it's done to ya — you're gonna come over here 'n rest up, alright?" He used his tail to guide her to an open, flat rock near the riverbank — perfect for sunning. The midday sun was peering down through the trees, bathing the rock in warmth. He did his best to coax her up, helping carry her a bit by the scruff if needed, until she could be right in the warmth. He shook his head again at the notion of her request.
"Maybe later or tomorrow we could think about it... but right now you need to rest," he huffed to try to quell her pushback, making sure she sat down. The warmth felt good on his own sodden pelt, but he was too focused on Willowpaw to really mind it.
Willowpaw gave a tiny pout and followed. Accepting being led with a stubborn look. "I'm fine.... I promise." Willowpaw whined. Willowpaw tried to scramble up the rock, her legs still shaky, purring gratefully as Stagheart grabbed her scruff to help her get onto the warm rock. Sitting down in the sunny spot, her eyes the lit up with some gratitude and she sprawled out on her back, "Ok.... maybe this does feel good." Willowpaw mewed gently, her tail twitching. Willowpaw's eyes were half shut with exhaustion, her short fur pretty much dried already. Puffing up her cheeks at the denial of swimming once more, Willowpaw joked. "If you don't let me get over it I'll be the first Riverclan cat scared of water..... or the second." Willowpaw meowed. Flipping onto her stomach, Willowpaw rested her head on her tiny paws. Looking at her mentor she mewed in a tiny voice, "I'm not to much am I? You can be honest..."
__________________
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever" - Park Seonghwa
@/Beanz is haunting my profile :sniffles"
lio lurked here
hope dropped a bundle of chocolates here
Rose littered this profile with flowers
]@/Beanz@/mars@/Merp Machine@/CrimsionOaks@/WCUEhoneyfur@/Hollyheart of thunder@/MaplestrikeWCUE@/PINTO BEAN@/AriaTheFiremaiden@/Mike29@/constellation@/Snowyfeathr@/KestrelPaw@/Eucalyptuspaw @/rubberRatroom - "It's so preppy in here"
Willowpaw gave a tiny pout and followed. Accepting being led with a stubborn look. "I'm fine.... I promise." Willowpaw whined. Willowpaw tried to scramble up the rock, her legs still shaky, purring gratefully as Stagheart grabbed her scruff to help her get onto the warm rock. Sitting down in the sunny spot, her eyes the lit up with some gratitude and she sprawled out on her back, "Ok.... maybe this does feel good." Willowpaw mewed gently, her tail twitching. Willowpaw's eyes were half shut with exhaustion, her short fur pretty much dried already. Puffing up her cheeks at the denial of swimming once more, Willowpaw joked. "If you don't let me get over it I'll be the first Riverclan cat scared of water..... or the second." Willowpaw meowed. Flipping onto her stomach, Willowpaw rested her head on her tiny paws. Looking at her mentor she mewed in a tiny voice, "I'm not to much am I? You can be honest..."
Stagheart grunted with satisfaction when Willowpaw finally relented, sprawling herself out on the rock. Thankfully, her fur was drying quickly, making quick work of the cold that might still be clinging to her bones. Thank StarClan it wasn't leaf-fall or leaf-bare right now... she'd be freezing.
His tail twitched in amusement as Willowpaw mentioned being the first RiverClanner to be scared of water. "I doubt you'd be the first," he huffed. "I had a friend that somehow became a warrior without ever learnin' how to swim... I wouldn't let him forget it, though," he added with a dry chuckle, briefly remembering how much he'd tease his friend.
At her last words he shook his head, eyes softening a bit at the fact she thought she was too much."Too much? Nah... I've handled a lot worse than fiery little 'paws who wanna hop back in the water right after nearly drownin'," he responded a bit cheekily, eyes glinting in amusement.
Stagheart grunted with satisfaction when Willowpaw finally relented, sprawling herself out on the rock. Thankfully, her fur was drying quickly, making quick work of the cold that might still be clinging to her bones. Thank StarClan it wasn't leaf-fall or leaf-bare right now... she'd be freezing.
His tail twitched in amusement as Willowpaw mentioned being the first RiverClanner to be scared of water. "I doubt you'd be the first," he huffed. "I had a friend that somehow became a warrior without ever learnin' how to swim... I wouldn't let him forget it, though," he added with a dry chuckle, briefly remembering how much he'd tease his friend.
At her last words he shook his head, eyes softening a bit at the fact she thought she was too much."Too much? Nah... I've handled a lot worse than fiery little 'paws who wanna hop back in the water right after nearly drownin'," he responded a bit cheekily, eyes glinting in amusement.
Willowpaw gave a tiny teasing pout as her mentor poked fun. "You have a friend?" Willowpaw asked, it sounded genuine but her eyes gleamed with mischif. "Oh? What's worse than that?" Willowpaw wondered, the comment about little paws made Willowpaw gently knead the rock below her. It just looks cute as she was sprawled out. Willowpaw scooted a tiny bit closer to her mentor and pressed her head against his leg while looking up at him for his answer.
__________________
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever" - Park Seonghwa
@/Beanz is haunting my profile :sniffles"
lio lurked here
hope dropped a bundle of chocolates here
Rose littered this profile with flowers
]@/Beanz@/mars@/Merp Machine@/CrimsionOaks@/WCUEhoneyfur@/Hollyheart of thunder@/MaplestrikeWCUE@/PINTO BEAN@/AriaTheFiremaiden@/Mike29@/constellation@/Snowyfeathr@/KestrelPaw@/Eucalyptuspaw @/rubberRatroom - "It's so preppy in here"
Willowpaw gave a tiny teasing pout as her mentor poked fun. "You have a friend?" Willowpaw asked, it sounded genuine but her eyes gleamed with mischif. "Oh? What's worse than that?" Willowpaw wondered, the comment about little paws made Willowpaw gently knead the rock below her. It just looks cute as she was sprawled out. Willowpaw scooted a tiny bit closer to her mentor and pressed her head against his leg while looking up at him for his answer.
Stagheart let out a sound like a chuckle at her initial question; he had a friend? Crazy, huh?
"Yeah... hard to believe, I know. Been awhile since I've seen 'im, though," he mused thoughtfully, eyes glazing over a bit in thought before returning to Willowpaw.
To her second question, his eyes flicked to her, endeared and amused by the way she shuffled her little paws and sprawled out on the rock like a sunning kit. His whiskers twitched as she stretched, her head bonking his leg and looking up at him with those round, blue eyes.
"A whole lotta things... facin' a big ol' badger on my own, for one. Those things are nasty... smell as gross as they taste," he recalled, wrinkling his nose as he remembered himself sinking his jaws into the oily fur of the creature. "I'd say that's a bit worse. At least, I can't forget it," he added with dry amusement, tipping up his chin as if displaying the pinkened scars across his flesh that were deep enough to never regrow his fur there.
Stagheart let out a sound like a chuckle at her initial question; he had a friend? Crazy, huh?
"Yeah... hard to believe, I know. Been awhile since I've seen 'im, though," he mused thoughtfully, eyes glazing over a bit in thought before returning to Willowpaw.
To her second question, his eyes flicked to her, endeared and amused by the way she shuffled her little paws and sprawled out on the rock like a sunning kit. His whiskers twitched as she stretched, her head bonking his leg and looking up at him with those round, blue eyes.
"A whole lotta things... facin' a big ol' badger on my own, for one. Those things are nasty... smell as gross as they taste," he recalled, wrinkling his nose as he remembered himself sinking his jaws into the oily fur of the creature. "I'd say that's a bit worse. At least, I can't forget it," he added with dry amusement, tipping up his chin as if displaying the pinkened scars across his flesh that were deep enough to never regrow his fur there.
Willowpaw- listened carefully, her eyes round and curious. She gave a gentle lick to his scar. "That must've taken forever to heal...... and wow! An entire badger by yourself?! It must have been so hard!! That's so cool..... but scay" Willowpaw meowed in awe. Kneedling her little paws in the air for a moment, Willowpaw wondered, "How old are you? You know i'm almost 10 moons. I just call you an old cat for giggles but how old are you really?" Willowpaw asked, eyes lighting up at the questions, "Oh! And who was your mentor? They must've been so cool!"
__________________
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever" - Park Seonghwa
@/Beanz is haunting my profile :sniffles"
lio lurked here
hope dropped a bundle of chocolates here
Rose littered this profile with flowers
]@/Beanz@/mars@/Merp Machine@/CrimsionOaks@/WCUEhoneyfur@/Hollyheart of thunder@/MaplestrikeWCUE@/PINTO BEAN@/AriaTheFiremaiden@/Mike29@/constellation@/Snowyfeathr@/KestrelPaw@/Eucalyptuspaw @/rubberRatroom - "It's so preppy in here"
Willowpaw- listened carefully, her eyes round and curious. She gave a gentle lick to his scar. "That must've taken forever to heal...... and wow! An entire badger by yourself?! It must have been so hard!! That's so cool..... but scay" Willowpaw meowed in awe. Kneedling her little paws in the air for a moment, Willowpaw wondered, "How old are you? You know i'm almost 10 moons. I just call you an old cat for giggles but how old are you really?" Willowpaw asked, eyes lighting up at the questions, "Oh! And who was your mentor? They must've been so cool!"
Stagheart made his low, rumbly purr in response to her comments, trying to brush off how 'cool' it was... although some pride glowed in his chest for it. Yeah... it'd been pretty cool, he had to admit. He'd almost felt like he could've taken on the Dark Forest after that, had he not been bleeding out at the time...
"Yeahhh... it weren't easy," he huffed, looking up thoughtfully for a moment. "Those things ain't meant to be tackled alone. But I survived... somehow," he added in a grunt, still not quite sure how he'd done it.
At Willowpaw's next question, he glanced down at her and tilted his head. "10 moons already, huh? Time flies... but me? Stars... I lost count..." He narrowed his eyes in thought, pausing for several moments, his pupils flicking back and forth as if trying to physically count the moons in his head.
"When you get as old as me, it all stars to blur together..." He grumbled, his whiskers twitching in dry amusement. "Ehh, I think about... fifty or so moons by now... somethin' like that... so you're still right about bein' old, I suppose." He hadn't always been the biggest on birthdays and such. He'd only counted each moon until he'd been old enough to become a warrior, and then... didn't care to keep track after.
His mentor? Stagheart's blue gaze swiveled back to hers, the faintest of smiles on his maw as he recalled. "Heh, my mentor... that ol' fleabag? He was a real smart feller... older, but wise 'n thoughtful. He was skinny 'n a gray muzzle, but could still outwit ya on anythin'... 'n he certainly did to me many times," he added with a faint chuckle behind his words, a fond look crossing his features as he briefly reminisced.
Stagheart made his low, rumbly purr in response to her comments, trying to brush off how 'cool' it was... although some pride glowed in his chest for it. Yeah... it'd been pretty cool, he had to admit. He'd almost felt like he could've taken on the Dark Forest after that, had he not been bleeding out at the time...
"Yeahhh... it weren't easy," he huffed, looking up thoughtfully for a moment. "Those things ain't meant to be tackled alone. But I survived... somehow," he added in a grunt, still not quite sure how he'd done it.
At Willowpaw's next question, he glanced down at her and tilted his head. "10 moons already, huh? Time flies... but me? Stars... I lost count..." He narrowed his eyes in thought, pausing for several moments, his pupils flicking back and forth as if trying to physically count the moons in his head.
"When you get as old as me, it all stars to blur together..." He grumbled, his whiskers twitching in dry amusement. "Ehh, I think about... fifty or so moons by now... somethin' like that... so you're still right about bein' old, I suppose." He hadn't always been the biggest on birthdays and such. He'd only counted each moon until he'd been old enough to become a warrior, and then... didn't care to keep track after.
His mentor? Stagheart's blue gaze swiveled back to hers, the faintest of smiles on his maw as he recalled. "Heh, my mentor... that ol' fleabag? He was a real smart feller... older, but wise 'n thoughtful. He was skinny 'n a gray muzzle, but could still outwit ya on anythin'... 'n he certainly did to me many times," he added with a faint chuckle behind his words, a fond look crossing his features as he briefly reminisced.
Willowpaw- watched her mentor intently as he spoke. Nodding as he responded to each of her questions. Tail flicking Willowpaw meowed, "Gosh...... I'm really glad you beat the badger! If not i'd have grumpy Dusklion for a mentor or something awful." Willowpaw laughed gently, "Yep! 10 moons!" Willowpaw meowed with pride, puffing out her little chest as she looked up to her mentor. "Will I forget how old I am one day? Or are you just being silly" Willowpaw asked with genuine confusion. Willowpaw shook her head lightly, her fur brushing her mentors paw as she streched. "Flea-bag? Wouldn't it be rude to call your mentor that....." Willowpaw paused, "Nevermind I just called the deputy grumpy." Willowpaw awkwardly admitted.
__________________
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever" - Park Seonghwa
@/Beanz is haunting my profile :sniffles"
lio lurked here
hope dropped a bundle of chocolates here
Rose littered this profile with flowers
]@/Beanz@/mars@/Merp Machine@/CrimsionOaks@/WCUEhoneyfur@/Hollyheart of thunder@/MaplestrikeWCUE@/PINTO BEAN@/AriaTheFiremaiden@/Mike29@/constellation@/Snowyfeathr@/KestrelPaw@/Eucalyptuspaw @/rubberRatroom - "It's so preppy in here"
Willowpaw- watched her mentor intently as he spoke. Nodding as he responded to each of her questions. Tail flicking Willowpaw meowed, "Gosh...... I'm really glad you beat the badger! If not i'd have grumpy Dusklion for a mentor or something awful." Willowpaw laughed gently, "Yep! 10 moons!" Willowpaw meowed with pride, puffing out her little chest as she looked up to her mentor. "Will I forget how old I am one day? Or are you just being silly" Willowpaw asked with genuine confusion. Willowpaw shook her head lightly, her fur brushing her mentors paw as she streched. "Flea-bag? Wouldn't it be rude to call your mentor that....." Willowpaw paused, "Nevermind I just called the deputy grumpy." Willowpaw awkwardly admitted.
Stagheart chuckled at her comment about Dusklion, shaking his head with a faint, fond smile on his maw. He was glad his distraction seemed to be working; she was looking a little more perky and a little less shaky by the moment.
"Dusklion ain't bad at all... just gotta make sure you don't step on her toes. She's got a fire in her," he remarked lightheartedly, "'n you don't wanna be the one to set it ablaze."
At her comment about the age, his whiskers twitched again, curling his tail over his paws on the warm rock. "I don't reckon someone like you would forget... you care 'bout a lot more than I ever did," he added with a good-natured huff. "And, ah, that's a good thing, by the way..."
He let out a small mrrow of amusement at her last comment, the self-awareness humorous to him as she seemed to realize her mistake. "Mhmm... snarky lil' comments like that are what got me in more trouble than not with my mentor," he chuckled, eyes glinting as a few memories flitted through his mind. "But I won't tell anyone you called the deputy grumpy. Promise."
Besides, he mused to himself, he thought of himself as a tad grumpier than Dusklion — but he supposed Willowpaw didn't really see that side of him as much. He had a soft spot for the apprentice, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
Stagheart chuckled at her comment about Dusklion, shaking his head with a faint, fond smile on his maw. He was glad his distraction seemed to be working; she was looking a little more perky and a little less shaky by the moment.
"Dusklion ain't bad at all... just gotta make sure you don't step on her toes. She's got a fire in her," he remarked lightheartedly, "'n you don't wanna be the one to set it ablaze."
At her comment about the age, his whiskers twitched again, curling his tail over his paws on the warm rock. "I don't reckon someone like you would forget... you care 'bout a lot more than I ever did," he added with a good-natured huff. "And, ah, that's a good thing, by the way..."
He let out a small mrrow of amusement at her last comment, the self-awareness humorous to him as she seemed to realize her mistake. "Mhmm... snarky lil' comments like that are what got me in more trouble than not with my mentor," he chuckled, eyes glinting as a few memories flitted through his mind. "But I won't tell anyone you called the deputy grumpy. Promise."
Besides, he mused to himself, he thought of himself as a tad grumpier than Dusklion — but he supposed Willowpaw didn't really see that side of him as much. He had a soft spot for the apprentice, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
Willowpaw listened to her mentor with a gentle purr of agreement. "I guess, I haven't really spoken to Dusklion before, maybe I will one day." Willowpaw meowed with a hint of wonder in her blue hues. Stretching her small grey paws, Willowpaw was getting a bit better, the warm rock and gentle rest helping calm herself. Willowpaw stood gently, testing her walking, it was less shaky but her forepaws were still sore though she made no motion or sound suggesting it.
Willowpaw purred as her mentor noticed her messing up on her words, "You got in trouble? I thought you would've been stoic and the good apprentice." Willowpaw playfully mocked, sitting down the same way her mentor was and keeping an impressive straight face while meowing in a deep voice, "I'm Stagpaw, nice to be your apprentice... oh hunters crouch. I perfected that when I was a moon old!" Willowpaw mocked, her eyes gleaming with mischief."Wait, I think you trained with Sweetsap didn't you? Or at least were apprentices at the same time." Willowpaw meowed, "And that would mean Hawksun and Brightnight as well, no I take it back Brightnight is a litter younger than them." Willowpaw blabbed on with seemingly no end. Once she finally finished she looked at Stagheart. Her big blue eyes filled with excitement and curiosity.
__________________
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever" - Park Seonghwa
@/Beanz is haunting my profile :sniffles"
lio lurked here
hope dropped a bundle of chocolates here
Rose littered this profile with flowers
]@/Beanz@/mars@/Merp Machine@/CrimsionOaks@/WCUEhoneyfur@/Hollyheart of thunder@/MaplestrikeWCUE@/PINTO BEAN@/AriaTheFiremaiden@/Mike29@/constellation@/Snowyfeathr@/KestrelPaw@/Eucalyptuspaw @/rubberRatroom - "It's so preppy in here"
Willowpaw listened to her mentor with a gentle purr of agreement. "I guess, I haven't really spoken to Dusklion before, maybe I will one day." Willowpaw meowed with a hint of wonder in her blue hues. Stretching her small grey paws, Willowpaw was getting a bit better, the warm rock and gentle rest helping calm herself. Willowpaw stood gently, testing her walking, it was less shaky but her forepaws were still sore though she made no motion or sound suggesting it.
Willowpaw purred as her mentor noticed her messing up on her words, "You got in trouble? I thought you would've been stoic and the good apprentice." Willowpaw playfully mocked, sitting down the same way her mentor was and keeping an impressive straight face while meowing in a deep voice, "I'm Stagpaw, nice to be your apprentice... oh hunters crouch. I perfected that when I was a moon old!" Willowpaw mocked, her eyes gleaming with mischief."Wait, I think you trained with Sweetsap didn't you? Or at least were apprentices at the same time." Willowpaw meowed, "And that would mean Hawksun and Brightnight as well, no I take it back Brightnight is a litter younger than them." Willowpaw blabbed on with seemingly no end. Once she finally finished she looked at Stagheart. Her big blue eyes filled with excitement and curiosity.
Stagheart let out an amused huff at her comment about him getting in trouble. "Mmm..." He was just about to comment about how he'd actually been more of a rambunctious kit and apprentice, aggressive and angry over his lot in life, when Willowpaw started to mock him...
He snorted in amusement, taken aback and yet almost impressed by the way she impersonated him. "Ah, you think that's real funny, dontcha?" He huffed indignantly, trying not to let the chuckle behind his voice go through as he playfully reprimanded her. "For one, I was never real good at huntin'. Always was better at fightin'. And for two, I didn't think my own apprentice would be gettin' so mouthy, mockin' her own mentor..." He tried to sound serious but the playful tone seeped through anyway.
As he chuckled softly, he nodded faintly to her last questions, whiskers twitching with her tendency to go on and on. He usually didn't have any tolerance for cats who babbled, but with his soft spot for Willowpaw, he'd just let her.
"Mhmm, that sounds 'bout right... I think. A lot of it's fuzzy for me," he admitted, knowing most of his apprenticeship was a blur. He'd been so focused on himself — proving himself, learning as much as he could, dying to be a warrior just for a chance to throw himself into battle, claw away some of his anger... it was a far cry from the coolheaded cat he was now.
Re: Willowpaw's Training! [p]
Berrypaw is RiverClan's medicine cat apprentice! 