Willowpaw's Training! [p]

[ChromeSilver_Hwaa]

Originally Posted by squidz

 

Stagheart hesitated at her last words, sympathy tugging in his chest. He wanted to tell her it'd get better, that she'd soon have nothing to worry about, but... it just simply wasn't true. At least, not that he could predict.

He let out a long sigh, shifting his weight on his haunches for a moment as he stalled replying. After a pause, he glanced down at her, his voice low and rumbly. "I... can't promise that, kid," he admitted ruefully. "Cats can be mean for no good reason, no matter how old or capable you are... but what I can promise, or at least believe, is that you'll just get tougher 'n stronger," he explained, attempting to convey some hope in his gruff tones.

"You'll keep growin' 'n learnin', 'n someday, the things they say might bother you less. Or not at all. You just gotta keep goin', keep pushin'... 'n not let it get to ya too much. That's 'bout all we can do..."

(sobs because she's literally friends with Dusklion now)

Willowpaw looked down for a moment as her mentor was unable to promise her, though her ears twitched and she looked up as she was promised she'd get through it. "I'll do it.. with you and Berry....... and Weeping." Willowpaw mewed, half assuring herself half just blabbing from stress

[squidz]

 

Originally Posted by ChromeSilver_Hwaa

(sobs because she's literally friends with Dusklion now)

Willowpaw looked down for a moment as her mentor was unable to promise her, though her ears twitched and she looked up as she was promised she'd get through it. "I'll do it.. with you and Berry....... and Weeping." Willowpaw mewed, half assuring herself half just blabbing from stress

( RAHH my heart )

"Yeah... with all of us. We ain't leavin' your side — you can count on it," he added with the faintest hint of a rumbly purr behind his tone, grateful to see her at least responding well to his encouragements. "I know it ain't always easy, but you'll always have cats to fall back on. 'N don't be afraid to let me know if somecat's botherin' you too much," he added with a huff, knowing he'd gladly swipe at the ears of a Clanmate who was bullying his apprentice — especially for things she couldn't control, like her WindClan heritage, saying it made her less 'RiverClan'... just the reminder of it made a bit of anger flare up, but he kept his gruff yet soothing demeanor towards her, knowing she just needed comfort at the moment.

"Now... you tell me what you're feelin'. You wanna try just gettin' used to standin' in where the water's just at your paws? You wanna try fishin' for minnows where you're on the shore 'n just swipin' at the water? We'll take it as nice 'n easy as you'd like," he assured calmly, not wanting to stress her out. "Or, we can go off huntin' 'n do somethin' else. I ain't here to push ya too far — just to guide ya. You tell me," he meowed gently.

[ChromeSilver_Hwaa]

Originally Posted by squidz

 

( RAHH my heart )

"Yeah... with all of us. We ain't leavin' your side — you can count on it," he added with the faintest hint of a rumbly purr behind his tone, grateful to see her at least responding well to his encouragements. "I know it ain't always easy, but you'll always have cats to fall back on. 'N don't be afraid to let me know if somecat's botherin' you too much," he added with a huff, knowing he'd gladly swipe at the ears of a Clanmate who was bullying his apprentice — especially for things she couldn't control, like her WindClan heritage, saying it made her less 'RiverClan'... just the reminder of it made a bit of anger flare up, but he kept his gruff yet soothing demeanor towards her, knowing she just needed comfort at the moment.

"Now... you tell me what you're feelin'. You wanna try just gettin' used to standin' in where the water's just at your paws? You wanna try fishin' for minnows where you're on the shore 'n just swipin' at the water? We'll take it as nice 'n easy as you'd like," he assured calmly, not wanting to stress her out. "Or, we can go off huntin' 'n do somethin' else. I ain't here to push ya too far — just to guide ya. You tell me," he meowed gently.

Willowpaw nodded gently, her tail flicking in gratitude as she heard the words. "Summerbird won't stop bothering me, I think it's because my father in Windclan killed her mother....... and shes taking it out on me." Willowpaw sighed. Looking up to her mentor, "Well.... I think just standing in water, if I looked down to the minnows I would get scared......" Willowpaw mewed. Shuffling her paws for a moment, "If... If I looked down into the water then... it might... it might scare me... y'know if I fell it'd be face first......" Willowpaw trailed off from her attempted explanation, shaking her pelt to rid of the idea as her blue hues rounded

[squidz]

 

Originally Posted by ChromeSilver_Hwaa

Willowpaw nodded gently, her tail flicking in gratitude as she heard the words. "Summerbird won't stop bothering me, I think it's because my father in Windclan killed her mother....... and shes taking it out on me." Willowpaw sighed. Looking up to her mentor, "Well.... I think just standing in water, if I looked down to the minnows I would get scared......" Willowpaw mewed. Shuffling her paws for a moment, "If... If I looked down into the water then... it might... it might scare me... y'know if I fell it'd be face first......" Willowpaw trailed off from her attempted explanation, shaking her pelt to rid of the idea as her blue hues rounded

Stagheart grunted in annoyance (not towards Willowpaw, of course) when she mentioned Summerbird's consistent poking, his fur prickling a bit.

"...Maybe I'll have a word or two with Summerbird at some point," he muttered mostly to himself. If it wasn't too bad, he'd just tell Willowpaw to get through it.. but with the added personal connection of her father being the murderer of Summerbird's mother, oh stars... that just made things more complicated. But that was no excuse to go take out frustrations on such a nice, innocent apprenitice.

To her points about the water, he sighed a bit and nodded thoughtfully, his mind whirling on what he could try. "Why don't we try just havin' you stand in the water, then? Just lookin' straight ahead, at me or the sky, just where the water tugs at your paws. Think you could handle that?" He asked gently, pointing with his tail to the very shallow part of the river, where the current was almost lazily tugging along.

[ChromeSilver_Hwaa]

Originally Posted by squidz

 

Stagheart grunted in annoyance (not towards Willowpaw, of course) when she mentioned Summerbird's consistent poking, his fur prickling a bit.

"...Maybe I'll have a word or two with Summerbird at some point," he muttered mostly to himself. If it wasn't too bad, he'd just tell Willowpaw to get through it.. but with the added personal connection of her father being the murderer of Summerbird's mother, oh stars... that just made things more complicated. But that was no excuse to go take out frustrations on such a nice, innocent apprenitice.

To her points about the water, he sighed a bit and nodded thoughtfully, his mind whirling on what he could try. "Why don't we try just havin' you stand in the water, then? Just lookin' straight ahead, at me or the sky, just where the water tugs at your paws. Think you could handle that?" He asked gently, pointing with his tail to the very shallow part of the river, where the current was almost lazily tugging along.

Willowpaw gulped gently, nodding softly. She flicked her tail along her mentors shoulder in a grateful gesture at his small murmur about talking to Summerbird. Willowpaw stood, shaking out her pelt as she looked a the water, "I.. I think I'll feel better if you stand a bit deeper than me..... so that if I do fall I'll fall straight into you.... y'know so you can catch me." Willowpaw mewed, her eyes determined and fearful all in one, her usual cheery tone hadn't quite returned, but..... it probably would once she got the hang of standing in the water.

[squidz]

 

Originally Posted by ChromeSilver_Hwaa

Willowpaw gulped gently, nodding softly. She flicked her tail along her mentors shoulder in a grateful gesture at his small murmur about talking to Summerbird. Willowpaw stood, shaking out her pelt as she looked a the water, "I.. I think I'll feel better if you stand a bit deeper than me..... so that if I do fall I'll fall straight into you.... y'know so you can catch me." Willowpaw mewed, her eyes determined and fearful all in one, her usual cheery tone hadn't quite returned, but..... it probably would once she got the hang of standing in the water.

Stagheart nodded, giving her shoulder a quick flick with his tail as he rose to his paws, padded over to the water. "Of course. Don't worry, the current ain't strong at all — but if anythin' happens, I'll catch ya. Promise," he assured, glancing back at her before stepping in. He was just glad she'd agreed to touch it at all — these were baby kit steps, and much better than nothing. He'd take it.

With how shallow the river was here, combined with the bright greenleaf sun glittering off the rippling waters, Stagheart found the temperature rather warm and almost soothing. Walking through the shallow end till it started to get a bit deeper, he paused, angling himself as a large barricade. He wouldn't let her slip by this time, if anything happened... no doubt.

"Alright, kid... whenever you're ready, I'm right here," he meowed, sounding remarkably patient and understanding despite his gravelly voice, offering a small and reassuring half-smile.