RiverClan Clearing

[SpiritedWarrior]

Originally Posted by Cherry~

Slatestripe nodded in agreement. “You’ve certainly learned the ways of a warrior,” he observed. “Some cats see having an apprentice as a burden, or a task to take lightly.”

He rolled on his side, suddenly feeling rather bloated after all the food he ate. StarClan, he needed to remember to not do that again any time soon. “How close are you to your final assessment?” he asked. “Has your mentor mentioned anything about it yet?” He knew a final assessment was both a nerve-wracking and exciting time for an apprentice. Their future could be decided in just a moment. If they failed, there was always a chance there position in the Clan would be revoked.

Littlepaw smiled at the warrior. If he said she learned the ways of a warrior, then it must be so! The apprentice purred and slightly kneaded her paws in contentment before noticing the tom had rolled onto his side. Concern flashed in her eyes, was Slatestripe okay? She'd have to ask, but first: answering the tom's question. What kind of a Clanmate (and future denmate) would she be if she ignored Slatestripe's question?

"I think I just need one... maybe two more lessons. And I have to wait until I'm twelve moons. But I don't have to wait long!" she lifted her chin with a rare bit of confidence. "I'm going to be eleven moons in two days!"

Oh, please let Slatestripe be alright, StarClan! Her confidence fizzling out, she looked at Slatestripe again with concern, "Are you alright? Do you need to go to the medicine den? I can help you get there if needed!"

[occultation]

Originally Posted by SpiritedWarrior

Littlepaw smiled at the warrior. If he said she learned the ways of a warrior, then it must be so! The apprentice purred and slightly kneaded her paws in contentment before noticing the tom had rolled onto his side. Concern flashed in her eyes, was Slatestripe okay? She'd have to ask, but first: answering the tom's question. What kind of a Clanmate (and future denmate) would she be if she ignored Slatestripe's question?

"I think I just need one... maybe two more lessons. And I have to wait until I'm twelve moons. But I don't have to wait long!" she lifted her chin with a rare bit of confidence. "I'm going to be eleven moons in two days!"

Oh, please let Slatestripe be alright, StarClan! Her confidence fizzling out, she looked at Slatestripe again with concern, "Are you alright? Do you need to go to the medicine den? I can help you get there if needed!"

Slatestripe appreciated Littlepaw’s concern. “I just ate a bit too much,” he confessed. “You don’t need to worry about me. I need to lie still for some time, and I should feel better.”

Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely sure if lying still for a while would necessarily fix the issue. He’d never had an issue with overeating before. He’d gotten stomach aches before, but that came from eating odd prey or trying random things he found in the woods. Slatestripe tried to think of something to change the subject; if his mind lingered on his twisted stomach too long, he was liable to subconsciously make it worse.

“Have you been shown what deathberries are yet?” he questioned. Perhaps a melancholy change of subject, but at least it was something. Besides, being able to recognize the deadly berries was an important part of any warrior apprentice’s training. It was important that they knew to recognize the fruit, so they never unknowingly consumed it.

[SpiritedWarrior]

Originally Posted by Cherry~

Slatestripe appreciated Littlepaw’s concern. “I just ate a bit too much,” he confessed. “You don’t need to worry about me. I need to lie still for some time, and I should feel better.”

Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely sure if lying still for a while would necessarily fix the issue. He’d never had an issue with overeating before. He’d gotten stomach aches before, but that came from eating odd prey or trying random things he found in the woods. Slatestripe tried to think of something to change the subject; if his mind lingered on his twisted stomach too long, he was liable to subconsciously make it worse.

“Have you been shown what deathberries are yet?” he questioned. Perhaps a melancholy change of subject, but at least it was something. Besides, being able to recognize the deadly berries was an important part of any warrior apprentice’s training. It was important that they knew to recognize the fruit, so they never unknowingly consumed it.

Breathing with a sigh of relief at Slatestripe's confession, Littlepaw continued to pay attention to the warrior and his belly just in case he needed to get Fawnpaw. She may not have much experience but she'd probably know what to do with cats who have a stomach ache. Casting a glance every so often at the warrior's stomach, Littlepaw shuffled, pushing the duck away once she had finished. It was... feathery, not something she'd prefer. She liked fish much more! I could go for a fish right now... but I don't want to get a bellyache like him.

"Yes, well- no... yes and no. I- I know what deathberries are because of what we call 'em, but I don't know what they look like," Littlepaw answered the tom with a startled expression. It was out of the blue, why did Slatestripe want to know what she knew about deathberries? "Why... may I ask w-why you want to know what I know about deathberries?"

It was certainly odd and unexpected during a conversation. It went from training to a stomach ache to a berry. Does Slatestripe find it odd? I do... Littlepaw shuffled again, unsure of what else to say. What was there to say? Weren't deathberries dangerous? The berry's name literally has death in it!

[Maplefur]

@Fox_Void

Ducknose finished the last bite of his meal and quickly licked at his paws to clean them of, making sure to wipe at his maw as well. It had been a long day; they had stayed out hunting almost twice as long as a typical day, and his legs were aching from crouching for so long. Ducknose needed a relaxing end to his day, but the tom didn't want to be alone for that.

Scanning the clearing to take note of who didn't seem to be busy, he decided to approach the first cat who looked available--Mapledawn. They hadn't spent much time with this cat, but he was more than happy to make a new friend. "Hey Mapledawn!" He swished his tail in greeting. "I was just thinking of heading to Haven Springs to relax, and I was wondering if you'd maybe like to join me?" A brief look of uncertainty crossed the their eyes as they asked his clanmate; what if they rejected his invite? Ducknose would feel like a real loser, but he'd try not to take it personally. Blinking away the uncertainty, he tried to put a pleasant look back on his face while awaiting Mapledawn's reply.

[occultation]

Originally Posted by SpiritedWarrior

Breathing with a sigh of relief at Slatestripe's confession, Littlepaw continued to pay attention to the warrior and his belly just in case he needed to get Fawnpaw. She may not have much experience but she'd probably know what to do with cats who have a stomach ache. Casting a glance every so often at the warrior's stomach, Littlepaw shuffled, pushing the duck away once she had finished. It was... feathery, not something she'd prefer. She liked fish much more! I could go for a fish right now... but I don't want to get a bellyache like him.

"Yes, well- no... yes and no. I- I know what deathberries are because of what we call 'em, but I don't know what they look like," Littlepaw answered the tom with a startled expression. It was out of the blue, why did Slatestripe want to know what she knew about deathberries? "Why... may I ask w-why you want to know what I know about deathberries?"

It was certainly odd and unexpected during a conversation. It went from training to a stomach ache to a berry. Does Slatestripe find it odd? I do... Littlepaw shuffled again, unsure of what else to say. What was there to say? Weren't deathberries dangerous? The berry's name literally has death in it!

Slatestripe’s whiskers twitched. “One day, you may find yourself in a situation where you encounter them. You should be able to recognize them on sight, so that you know to avoid them. I’ve never personally seen a cat die after eating deathberries, but I’ve heard it’s quite awful.”

He shifted so that he was lying up instead of flat on the ground. “You ought to make sure someone shows you what they look like before you become a warrior. Some mentors only think about hunting and fighting, but it’s important to see training from all angles.” He pawed at the remains of the duck. “Can you tell me why a cat might chew on a duck’s foot?”

[SpiritedWarrior]

Originally Posted by Cherry~

Slatestripe’s whiskers twitched. “One day, you may find yourself in a situation where you encounter them. You should be able to recognize them on sight, so that you know to avoid them. I’ve never personally seen a cat die after eating deathberries, but I’ve heard it’s quite awful.”

He shifted so that he was lying up instead of flat on the ground. “You ought to make sure someone shows you what they look like before you become a warrior. Some mentors only think about hunting and fighting, but it’s important to see training from all angles.” He pawed at the remains of the duck. “Can you tell me why a cat might chew on a duck’s foot?”

//100TH POST WITH LITTLEPAW!!!

Nodding her head in understanding of Slatestripe's statement, she listened intently to whatever else he had to say. The she-cat didn't really eat berries unless they were given by the medicine cat, mainly because medicine cats know exactly what the herb's use was. In Fawnpaw's case, she had to learn each herb and its use on her own. No other cat in the Clan had the knowledge of herbs like Snakeheart and Reedpaw did. At least he's never seen a cat die to deathberries... that's a little comforting.

"I'd have to ask Gingerfrost about them then, thanks for bringing that to my attention, Slatestripe," she thanked the warrior with a dip of her head. It was always nice to learn more about the Clans and the herbs. It wouldn't serve Littlepaw well if she was just utterly clueless now, would it? When Slatestripe continued to speak, Littlepaw ended up confused. Again. Why was the warrior asking about a duck's foot? That was a very odd question. "Uh... n-no... I've never talked about a duck's foot with anyone..."

[perseus.]

Mapledawn

any

Mapledawn was stretching out, having been trying to help more around the camp with all the deaths that have been happening, she had taken up more tasks to keep themselves busy. Once he heard his name being called their ears perked up as they turned towards the voice seeing Ducknose walking over to them. They waved their tail at them in greeting after they had finished stretching out.

"Hello Ducknose!" Mapledawn nodded their head, "I would love to go! I feel like being able to relax will help me out greatly." They said with a soft purr at the thought of being able to relax after all the extra work they had been doing. They started to follow Ducknose, "How has your day been Ducknose?"

@Maplefur

[Maplefur]

Originally Posted by Fox_Void

Mapledawn

any

Mapledawn was stretching out, having been trying to help more around the camp with all the deaths that have been happening, she had taken up more tasks to keep themselves busy. Once he heard his name being called their ears perked up as they turned towards the voice seeing Ducknose walking over to them. They waved their tail at them in greeting after they had finished stretching out.

"Hello Ducknose!" Mapledawn nodded their head, "I would love to go! I feel like being able to relax will help me out greatly." They said with a soft purr at the thought of being able to relax after all the extra work they had been doing. They started to follow Ducknose, "How has your day been Ducknose?"

@Maplefur

Relief instantly washed over Ducknose's face when his clanmate agreed, and they gave a soft purr in return. They began to lead Mapledawn out of camp while answering. "It's been good but busy. I was out hunting all day," they exaggerated, giving the cat next to him a smile to show he was still in good humor. "I don't mind hunting, but my muscles are so sore. I could use the warm water to relax them."

They passed through the entrance, glancing over their shoulder at Mapledawn to make sure he wasn't walking too fast for her. "How about you? Busy day as well?" He questioned, assuming the answer was yes due to their previous response to his question. A cat doesn't typically say relaxing would help them if they hadn't had a relaxing day, after all.

(OOC: we can continue in the Springs! )

[occultation]

Originally Posted by SpiritedWarrior

//100TH POST WITH LITTLEPAW!!!

Nodding her head in understanding of Slatestripe's statement, she listened intently to whatever else he had to say. The she-cat didn't really eat berries unless they were given by the medicine cat, mainly because medicine cats know exactly what the herb's use was. In Fawnpaw's case, she had to learn each herb and its use on her own. No other cat in the Clan had the knowledge of herbs like Snakeheart and Reedpaw did. At least he's never seen a cat die to deathberries... that's a little comforting.

"I'd have to ask Gingerfrost about them then, thanks for bringing that to my attention, Slatestripe," she thanked the warrior with a dip of her head. It was always nice to learn more about the Clans and the herbs. It wouldn't serve Littlepaw well if she was just utterly clueless now, would it? When Slatestripe continued to speak, Littlepaw ended up confused. Again. Why was the warrior asking about a duck's foot? That was a very odd question. "Uh... n-no... I've never talked about a duck's foot with anyone..."

Slatestripe purred quietly with amusement at Littlepaw’s confusion. He really should talk to Snowstar and get a training session organized for some of the apprentices with less-than-diligent mentors, he reflected. He supposed the most important thing was that Littlepaw knew how to fish and fight, but this extra knowledge he was going to give her could help her out one day.

“Duck’s feet aren’t soft and tender like duck meat,” he told her. “They’re edible, but it takes a lot more effort than most of the rest of the duck. If you chew on them, the hard exterior of the foot will scrape against your teeth and clean them. When I was a kit, my mother told me a story about how an elder she knew slacked off on taking care of his teeth. When he got old, most of his teeth fell out and he could barely eat. I’m not sure how much truth there is in that, but I’ve never taken the risk.”

Proving his point, he bent down and chewed on one of the duck feet. He had no intention of consuming it, but he did want to clean his teeth.

[SpiritedWarrior]

Originally Posted by Cherry~

Slatestripe purred quietly with amusement at Littlepaw’s confusion. He really should talk to Snowstar and get a training session organized for some of the apprentices with less-than-diligent mentors, he reflected. He supposed the most important thing was that Littlepaw knew how to fish and fight, but this extra knowledge he was going to give her could help her out one day.

“Duck’s feet aren’t soft and tender like duck meat,” he told her. “They’re edible, but it takes a lot more effort than most of the rest of the duck. If you chew on them, the hard exterior of the foot will scrape against your teeth and clean them. When I was a kit, my mother told me a story about how an elder she knew slacked off on taking care of his teeth. When he got old, most of his teeth fell out and he could barely eat. I’m not sure how much truth there is in that, but I’ve never taken the risk.”

Proving his point, he bent down and chewed on one of the duck feet. He had no intention of consuming it, but he did want to clean his teeth.

Littlepaw listened with slight interest about the duck's feet. She understood their tough exterior, but never knew that the tough exterior could actually help her from getting dirty teeth. It was important for her to keep up her health for as long as possible so she could serve RiverClan for as long as possible. With slight hesitation, she took the other duck foot baby her teeth and began to chew. It was... rubbery. No feathers, obviously, but no meat to swallow. Littlepaw definitely didn't prefer to chew something she couldn't swallow. She'd leave that to dogs.

"It's... gross," she admitted with a nervous chuckle and pushed the duck foot away. "But I'll try to do it every so often, I promise!"

Looking at Slatestripe, she smiled when he mentioned his mother. What was she like? Was she still around or in StarClan? What other stories had Slatestripe heard from her? Did he have littermates that he played, trained, and served the Clan with? It definitely brought a number of questions into Littlepaw's mind. She wanted to know more about her future denmate, but first... she had to accomplish a large milestone. For her, anyway.

"And that story your mother told you when you were still in the nursery sounds disgusting. But, um... Slatestripe? I appreciate you teaching me all these things, and I want to find out more," her tone was near a whisper. "Do... do you think we can be friends?"