ShadowClan Territory

[BEAR.]

Unfortunately for Bumblebelly, Falconpaw was not stupid. He knew the smell of RiverClan and the amount seeping from the warrior was only slightly fainter than a real RiverClan cat. "Hygiene may be important, but so is being in our territory. If a RiverClan cat tells our dear leader you were fooling around in their territory, she will allow herself to once again be consumed by her She-Catly Emotions." That was the only logical conclusion to this, as far as he was concerned-- why else would Bumblebelly be so inclined to clean the stench from his pelt?

But he had little concern for the actions of the older male. It was not his problem if Bumblebelly pissed that stupid, ignorant she-cat off-- he would love to watch that, actually. Perhaps he would not be the only cat to continuously draw her ire.

At Bumblebelly's attempt to call him over, Falconpaw's first instinct was a combination of hesitation and distrust. There were very few cats who just wanted to 'talk' to him, and it seemed whenever he went near something he was left hurt in some manner.

So, he did not budge at first. Not yet. He was.. tired, of being a scratching post for most of the Clan. "I have had nothing but an amazing time." It was hollow sounding, even to him. "Nothing like half the Clan jumping on my case about telling an exile the Truth, being publicly berated by the deputy because StarClan Forbid I defend myself, then a silver.. loop rips my tail away and my parents poison themselves.. and me." His ears flattened back, doing his best to remain a strong composure despite the pain that tugged at his heart. "Hailstorm found me. I wish she had not."

As dramatic as that might have sound, it was true. The world was against Falconpaw and he was alone.. in a sea of evil in which the only true way out was being released into StarClan's paws. At least, that was what his parents believed, and he wished they were here with him. He was .. so exhausted, of not being heard.

[ @Bumblebelly ]

[teddy.]

The old tom listened to the cat, letting him say what needed to be said. He lap at his soggy coat, desperate to dry as much of the chilly water from it as possible. The last thing he needed right now was to get sick. "You have a keen nose, I see." Bumblebelly sighed his words, but a small sliver of him trusted the apprentice not to tell their dear Icestar; Falconpaw had no reason to do so.

His green eyes settled on the Tom that made no attempt to approach. If he wasn't going to move, Bumblebelly decided to do so instead. He shifted up the small sloping bank to sit besides Falconpaw on the moss covered ground, he put a foot or so between them, sparing Falconpaw from the puddle that would no doubt form his pelt drip drying. "My heart weeps on your behalf, dear apprentice. Starclan has not be kind to you," He desperately wanted to pull the tiny thing into a hug.

"I bet you are expecting a lecture on how thats just life, but no doubt you'll hear that from everyone else," He mumbled in between cleaning himself up, "But it shouldn't be. We aren't born into this world expected to face the hardships we do. Tell me, Falconpaw. How are you feeling?" He looked up from the grooming, sympathetic with the boy. Falconpaw needs a hug.

@BILL.

[Ever]

Tawny paused thoughtfully for a moment, wondering where she aught to take the apprentice. In the deep woods some of the best prey would be the songbirds that had just begun to move in for new leaf. They would be tired from their long journeys and the colorful males made easy pickings. Her ears perked decidedly and she turned to the young cat.

"Well let's try something new! The songbirds have started arriving to make nests in the pine trees, why dont we hunt them. The best way I've ever found it to creep quietly until you spot one and then let it flit close enough to pounce on. They don't hold still for very long though, so don't be discouraged if you miss on your first try. Want to try or for me to demonstrate first? Oh- and don't forget to whisper now." Her voice was so soft she hoped it was loud enough to hear.
@Okapi

[Arie]

Originally Posted by Ever

The tabby slowly got to her paws when prompted by the tom, he was right. If she continued to sit and look at the stars in wonder, she would surely freeze to the top of the cliff. It was nice to see him at ease on the way back, picking his path independently. She kept herself from shying away from the feel of his tail and butted her head reassuringly into his shoulder. She could move past her own issues if it would bring him comfort on the way back to camp. Her pelt prickled with quick unease as he asked why she did not like being touched, not close to others. Her eyes, which were now red in the darkness, clouded with memories. There were so many reasons for distancing herself, for not trusting the paws of her clanmates when she had started off her life seeing what terrible things that they could do. Her body physically shiverred and she had to keep herself from moving away. He was obviously just trying to be respectful and understand her better. Just as she had done earlier by asking him about his own experiences. Her ears tilted back and she glanced at his face, though it was turned to the path ahead with blind eyes.

"I've just seen some things that make it harder for me to... open up..." She said quietly, eyes scanning the blackening forest. The strong scent of pine as a frost began to settle in soothed her nerves a little. Her voice dipped into a quiet whisper. "Don't you know who my parents are?"

Ravenvine nodded and at her last words they reached the path that would take them directly the last few steps back to the camp. At those words he did nod, "I do know. But what is important for me, is not to judge anyone's reason based on who their parents are and what they did. You're your own cat Tawny, you shape your own destiny, you chose the paths you walk down and therefore your parentage might define your genetics but nothing more and nothing less. It should not be who you are, you're so much more. You're magnificent, you're caring. You're everything your parents were not and you will prove anyone who thinks otherwise so." He hoped that his voice was going to be one of reason. Because those very same words, though in a different context and circumstance had been said to Ravenvine himself as the tom was learning to hunt again. That his injury did not define who he was. And neither did Tawnyflame's heritage. Jumping down and heading through the entrance to camp, he gave her a soft lick over the ear. "If you need any comfort or anything, you know where to find me. I am usually lost in the forest or snoozing my life away. Dreamland is good," the black tom stopped speaking and just about then fell asleep on his paws while his face headed for the ground. Landing with a tud he just laid there. He was going to have a not so nice sleep this time around.

[Ever]

Originally Posted by Arie

Ravenvine nodded and at her last words they reached the path that would take them directly the last few steps back to the camp. At those words he did nod, "I do know. But what is important for me, is not to judge anyone's reason based on who their parents are and what they did. You're your own cat Tawny, you shape your own destiny, you chose the paths you walk down and therefore your parentage might define your genetics but nothing more and nothing less. It should not be who you are, you're so much more. You're magnificent, you're caring. You're everything your parents were not and you will prove anyone who thinks otherwise so." He hoped that his voice was going to be one of reason. Because those very same words, though in a different context and circumstance had been said to Ravenvine himself as the tom was learning to hunt again. That his injury did not define who he was. And neither did Tawnyflame's heritage. Jumping down and heading through the entrance to camp, he gave her a soft lick over the ear. "If you need any comfort or anything, you know where to find me. I am usually lost in the forest or snoozing my life away. Dreamland is good," the black tom stopped speaking and just about then fell asleep on his paws while his face headed for the ground. Landing with a tud he just laid there. He was going to have a not so nice sleep this time around.

Tawny listened quietly but she wasn't very convinced by his words. She sighed softly in defeat, quiet enough to hope he wouldnt hear as he left to dip into the warrior's den. His last words sent a chill through her. He said Dreamland is good.... To her, she was afraid to go to sleep again. Would her mother want to talk to her again? Push her for more information? She shivered at the thought and veered away from the warm den to sit in a quiet spot and stare at the stars. She wondered if her father was with Starclan or somewhere in the territory. Some day she would find out.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Ever

Tawny paused thoughtfully for a moment, wondering where she aught to take the apprentice. In the deep woods some of the best prey would be the songbirds that had just begun to move in for new leaf. They would be tired from their long journeys and the colorful males made easy pickings. Her ears perked decidedly and she turned to the young cat.

"Well let's try something new! The songbirds have started arriving to make nests in the pine trees, why dont we hunt them. The best way I've ever found it to creep quietly until you spot one and then let it flit close enough to pounce on. They don't hold still for very long though, so don't be discouraged if you miss on your first try. Want to try or for me to demonstrate first? Oh- and don't forget to whisper now." Her voice was so soft she hoped it was loud enough to hear.
@Okapi

Lichenpaw paused,” Could you demonstrate?” They whispered,” I’ve never caught a bird before, only voles and squirrels and frogs.” They confessed hoping that Tawnyflame wouldn’t judge them for their lack of skill.

[BEAR.]

"Well, it would be hard to miss the scent observations when you are trying to mask the fish-reek, like you have something to hide." Falconpaw beckoned toward the river with his paw. [b]" Still, not his problem-- though he was mildly amused by the attempts of the warrior to clean up.

When Bumblebelly made the move to close the distance between him, Falconpaw moved away-- erring on the side of caution when many of his close interactions had not been positive. "The Dark Forest has not been kind, the Stars have nothing to do with the damage Evil has done."

"Yes, I have had enough.. lecturing." The word left a sour taste in his mouth, a bitterness that seeped from frequently being yelled at or scolded. Only his parents had done him the honor of being teachers, and there was a gentleness to Bumblebelly that faintly reminded him of that. A kindness, but Falconpaw was not desperate enough to blindly throw his trust into a small familiarity.

Here was a cat, though-- that he hardly knew beyond his name, that was already treating him more fairly than his mentor ever did. That thought alone, that realization, made Falconpaw's pelt burn with anger. Of course a she-cat, blinded by her She-catly Emotions, would treat him so unkindly. She was a fool that Falconpaw would not forgive anytime soon.

"Alone." And angry. Wishing he was with his parents, with their almighty Ancestors-- but that was out of his reach for now. "It appears there are not many cats who are willing to listen to me, though. Too many are.. they have their ears closed to everything but what they want to hear."

[ @Bumblebelly ]

[teddy.]

Originally Posted by BILL.

"Well, it would be hard to miss the scent observations when you are trying to mask the fish-reek, like you have something to hide." Falconpaw beckoned toward the river with his paw. [b]" Still, not his problem-- though he was mildly amused by the attempts of the warrior to clean up.

When Bumblebelly made the move to close the distance between him, Falconpaw moved away-- erring on the side of caution when many of his close interactions had not been positive. "The Dark Forest has not been kind, the Stars have nothing to do with the damage Evil has done."

"Yes, I have had enough.. lecturing." The word left a sour taste in his mouth, a bitterness that seeped from frequently being yelled at or scolded. Only his parents had done him the honor of being teachers, and there was a gentleness to Bumblebelly that faintly reminded him of that. A kindness, but Falconpaw was not desperate enough to blindly throw his trust into a small familiarity.

Here was a cat, though-- that he hardly knew beyond his name, that was already treating him more fairly than his mentor ever did. That thought alone, that realization, made Falconpaw's pelt burn with anger. Of course a she-cat, blinded by her She-catly Emotions, would treat him so unkindly. She was a fool that Falconpaw would not forgive anytime soon.

"Alone." And angry. Wishing he was with his parents, with their almighty Ancestors-- but that was out of his reach for now. "It appears there are not many cats who are willing to listen to me, though. Too many are.. they have their ears closed to everything but what they want to hear."

[ @Bumblebelly ]

"Use it as training, Flaconpaw. Remember the smell and remember the scent of it being hidden up," A deep sigh slipped from the tom, his soggy ears flattening back, a small flicker of water falling when he did so. "Don't worry about why I smell the way I do, you don't need to get involved. Keep your nose clean and your loyalties true." I bloody wish I had.

Bumblebelly let his head tilt to the side as the apprentice moved away, almost expecting the poor thing to flinch. A wave of anger began to stir in him, apprentices could be idiots sometimes but that didn't warrant the treatment Falconpaw seemed to be getting. Apprentices were there to grow and learn, not fear and cower. "Lectures Achieve nothing if the teachers don't offer the guidance all the way," His words were almost a growl.

"They may be wet, Falconpaw, but my ears are open for you now. I don't see any cats around that are about to intrude upon us. If you'd like to get something off your chest, now might be a good time to do so," Bumblebelly encouraged him with a low purr. The purr was to mask and soothe his own anger, anger at his clan and his clanmates, who seemed to be failing a misguided apprentice in their care. "I might not be your mentor but that doesn't mean I can't help my clanmate."

[Ever]

Originally Posted by Okapi

Lichenpaw paused,” Could you demonstrate?” They whispered,” I’ve never caught a bird before, only voles and squirrels and frogs.” They confessed hoping that Tawnyflame wouldn’t judge them for their lack of skill.

Tawnyflame nodded, carefully creeping forward with eyes alert for any movement. She nodded for the apprentice to quietly follow her through the woods. A flitting sound made her ears perk after some time and she caught a bright yellow form slittle across the ground in search of food. The goldfinch was not large, but it was something. She crouched, legs bunched with eagerness to spring. Holding perfectly still, she watched as the bird hopped their way. Slowly, it came into range, completely unaware of the cat waiting to catch it. As it paused for a moment, Tawnyflame sprung and easily snagged it in her claws. With a quick snap it was dead and she was scrapping earth over it the next. She turned to the young cat.

"It just takes some tries and patience but it isn't too hard other than that!" She meowed encouragingly.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Ever

Tawnyflame nodded, carefully creeping forward with eyes alert for any movement. She nodded for the apprentice to quietly follow her through the woods. A flitting sound made her ears perk after some time and she caught a bright yellow form slittle across the ground in search of food. The goldfinch was not large, but it was something. She crouched, legs bunched with eagerness to spring. Holding perfectly still, she watched as the bird hopped their way. Slowly, it came into range, completely unaware of the cat waiting to catch it. As it paused for a moment, Tawnyflame sprung and easily snagged it in her claws. With a quick snap it was dead and she was scrapping earth over it the next. She turned to the young cat.

"It just takes some tries and patience but it isn't too hard other than that!" She meowed encouragingly.

Lichenpaw gave a nod,” Looks simple enough,” she meowed, as she heard a bird land nearby she carefully dropped into a low stalk making sure she was down wind and aware of the little branches. She slowly crept forward before holding still, before lunging forward as she put weight on her hind legs. Snaaaaap.a twig broke as the bird started to fly, Lichenpaw shoved herself up hooking its wing dragging it down before quickly biting it,” Not the most clean kill,” she meowed in embarrassment.