ShadowClan Clearing

[Rose]

Starrypaw poked her head out of the apprentice's den and into the clearing, curiously surveying the cats who sat there.

[xavier.]

Dogskull sat by the entrance of the camp guarding it and making sure that kits or apprentices weren't trying to sneak out or stop any intruders from sneaking in.

Spiralkit spun around in circles letting out giggles.

[ CLOSED - ACTIVITY ]

[Shade.]

Frigidmist paced back and fourth, contemplating her life as she often did. She felt like she was going nowhere and wondered if all the things she got told about ShadowClan's greatness were exaggerations.

[Pitou]

After giving Moomoo her greatest news of the day, she hurried out of the warrior's den and started heading for Papa Elmshadow's den. She couldn't wait to tell everybody! She was no longer Sunsetpaw, nope nope. She was a new she-cat! She was her own. She nearly collided with one cat but dodged quickly, rolling over her back and popping back up but in doing so she did collide with another. She backed up quickly, her eyes travelling up the dark gray shape. But then her muscles relaxed and she smiled, "Papa Elmshadow! It's you! Guess what guess what!" She bounced slightly, impatiently waiting for him to say something.

Elmshadow moved from his den, planning to slip into the nursery for a quick check, when his leg was stopped. He looked down stonily and recognized Sunsetpaw's energy immediately. His eyebrow cocked in response to her enthusiasm for some sort of news. "Take a breath. You are an apprentice now and have no business tripping up everybody in the clearing."

The young apprentice bowed her head slightly, attempting to show some form of contriteness but her paws were still shifting giddily. "Yes, Papa Elmshadow, I'll be more careful, I promise. But!" Her pale blue eyes darted up again, her face bright with excitement, "But guess what!" She tried to wait but this time moved on before he had time to say anything further, "Miss Star changed my name! She did she did. I am not Sunsetpaw anymore, nope nope nope! I am now named Risingpaw, yep yep. Isn't it the best? Miss Star is the best! I asked her because she does the giving of names and she said yes, that I could be Risingpaw instead of having somebody else's name, yep yep yep!"

The information made its way through Elmshadow slowly. He'd never particularly liked everybody calling his granddaughter by his daughter's name but he'd also accepted his own role in that having been the outcome of his own oversight in ever giving her a true name. But there was something else there, something a little heavy about the young she-cat wanting so badly to not have her mother's name that she had approached Dawnstar about changing it. It was almost as though there was something of Sunsetthorn hanging onto the name of her daughter and now even that was gone with a simple request. But instead of bringing any of this up, he simply responded by saying, "Risingpaw."

The apprentice waited eagerly for any sort of response from Papa Elmshadow and when it finally came she bounced in a tight circle. It seemed she didn't usually hear Papa Elmshadow actually say her name but she liked it better now that it was Risingpaw he was saying and not Sunsetpaw. But then she stopped as he continued.

"Sunsetthorn, I'm sure, would have approved. But, now that you're an apprentice, and have been for some time, it's time you grow into this new name you've chosen. I don't know how your mentors have allowed this to go on but it's time we address it. You must learn when to speak and when to be silent. Some emotions and feelings should be kept to yourself."

Risingpaw felt a flush of excitement at the notion that maybe now Papa Elmshadow would tell her about Sunsetthorn, but then the subject changed and turned directly to herself and her own excitement. "Oh... Oh! Are we going to do a lesson?!"

Elmshadow watched for a moment then began, "Sit. Close your eyes. Breathe in. Then breathe out. Now answer this question with only the necessarywords, no extras. Was that question necessary?"

She stared at Papa Elmshadow a moment, attempting to read his point. Her head cocked but the energy was buzzing through her, it was another lesson with Papa Elmshadow! Those were the best! "Well...I was just..." But she cut her words short at the hard look in Papa Elmshadow's green eyes. She nodded once and then sat herself down, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, she met Papa Elmshadow's gaze and answered somewhat uncertainly, "No?"

"You're not sure, why?"

Risingpaw hesitated, unsure how much she could say. Necessary... She swallowed, her mind attempting to zone in and focus, "I didn't know if we were having a lesson or not."

Elmshadow nodded once. "Correct. But do you think you would have found out whether you asked the question or not?"

Risingpaw blinked, her mind swirling and suddenly Papa Elmshadow's point was coming into focus. Her head cocked, "Well, I guess..." Her eyes met his again and she stopped, refocused her thoughts and answered, "Yeah."

"And that is decorum. Smart questions are beneficial and necessary but sometimes silence gives you the most answers of all, and often the answers that would not have been shared otherwise."

Risingpaw nodded, thoughtfully keeping her lips pursed together.

Elmshadow rose and walked around his granddaughter. She was growing larger, and though she was still only nearly pushing 7 moons old she looked big enough to pass as a seasoned apprentice, it was high time she began acting it. "Stay seated, chin up, chest out." He placed a broad paw beneath her chin, lifting it enough to straighten her back and push her chest forward. "Your eyes and ears should work more than your maw. Listen, observe. Ask questions only when you have a productive question. Learn when to ask those questions and when to wait for them to come to you. You will not learn if you are always the one speaking and you cannot sit still long enough to perfect a lesson. Patience is the heart of being a formidable warrior." He moved around behind her and placed a paw on her swishing tail. "Channel that energy into your mind. Focus on keeping everything in control."

Risingpaw took another deep breath, jumping mildly as Papa Elmshadow's broad paw squished her tail she hadn't even realized was moving. She tried to hold the posture he'd placed her into and held her gaze on a faraway rock embedded in the camp's wall. She nodded once then focused on trying to get her chin back to where Papa Elmshadow had placed it. Chin up, chest out, back straight, be still... It was another hurdle of her mind to remember to keep the thoughts in her head and not spoken aloud as she was used to. "Papa Elmshadow..." She mewed as she attempted to keep her posture. She felt his eyes turn on her but she didn't turn her head to check. "What if I have to go to the dirt place?"

Elmshadow's eyes narrowed slightly, "You must learn to hold it, train yourself to go when it is a most convenient time for you. But for now, go."

Risingpaw's posture broke and she stood up, ready to bound off but she was stopped again by Papa Elmshadow, "Walk!" He moved up beside her to keep her still a moment longer. "You'll show some restraint and decorum in all aspects from here on out. That includes showing some respect for your clanmates by controlling your movements. There is no excuse for you to still be running around acting a kit, you're an apprentice now, show the clan you deserve it."

Risingpaw swallowed and nodded eagerly then shook herself and took off more slowly, more in control, towards the dirtplace and away from Papa Elmshadow. An apprentice now, yes, she should be acting like an apprentice. Her face scrunched determinedly. She'd be the most apprentice-acting apprentice in all the apprentice den, she would! Calm, cool, collected, nothing would phase her, not anymore. A shiver of excitement ran through her just before she disappeared through the tunnel.

[Dust]

[ @Spider-in-the-corner ]

Rushingpaw allowed himself to be pushed and pulled through the motion, until finally Stormeyes managed to maneuver him into a workable stance. Awww, but his had been so much better. A small flicker of anxiety rumbled in his tummy, though he kept an inquisitive gaze on her. As his mentor instructed him to jump - or rather pounce - Rushing wiggled slightly, feeling the power of his hind leg muscles as they pushed off from the ground. Outsretched claws scattered up loose soil behind him. The motion sent adrenaline surged through his veins and his breath hitched in his throat as the leap sent him a good tail-length away from where he had taken off. Landing heavy on his paws, Rushingpaw immediately whipped around to face Stormeyes. Green eyes shone bright, a mixture of excitement, pride, and adrenaline plastered across his expression,

"That was awesome!!" The apprentice chirped loudly, "How did you learn how to do that?! Did your mentor teach you Stormeyes? Show me more! I want to learn more! Can you pounce further than that?! Can other cats jump farther?!"

[lio]

Nighthound was perched in his usual spot, guarding the camp.

Cloudpaw was grooming her pelt.

[Spartan-117]

((closed))

Cobwebpaw sighs and lays down, sore again.

Charredkit snoozes.

Dreamkit huffs, glaing at the cats around her with disgust.

[Spider-in-the-corner]

Originally Posted by Dust

[ @Spider-in-the-corner ]

Rushingpaw allowed himself to be pushed and pulled through the motion, until finally Stormeyes managed to maneuver him into a workable stance. Awww, but his had been so much better. A small flicker of anxiety rumbled in his tummy, though he kept an inquisitive gaze on her. As his mentor instructed him to jump - or rather pounce - Rushing wiggled slightly, feeling the power of his hind leg muscles as they pushed off from the ground. Outsretched claws scattered up loose soil behind him. The motion sent adrenaline surged through his veins and his breath hitched in his throat as the leap sent him a good tail-length away from where he had taken off. Landing heavy on his paws, Rushingpaw immediately whipped around to face Stormeyes. Green eyes shone bright, a mixture of excitement, pride, and adrenaline plastered across his expression,

"That was awesome!!" The apprentice chirped loudly, "How did you learn how to do that?! Did your mentor teach you Stormeyes? Show me more! I want to learn more! Can you pounce further than that?! Can other cats jump farther?!"

storm eyes she smiled proud of her apprentice as he did a good pounce for his first time just before he started asking questions "well yes my mentor adder strike did teach me, and sure i can show you more, and sure ill show you my pounce but yes some can." she answerd her app smiling "but first try again"

[roo!]

Originally Posted by TheShoomy

Yellowpaw
Well how was he supposed to use that? Sniffing leaves? what sort of cat does that? Wait- I know that type of leaf! One time he had been on a patrol, then broke a leaf that looked just like the one ruepaw was Sniffing! " The leaf she's smelling stinks when you break it, so you might want to block that smell somehow."

Sprucekit - he/him - 2 moons
Sliver Tongue - ACTIVE

---

Sprucekit let out an evil chuckle (not really, it was more like myeheheh) and stood up gracefully.

"Say no more" he put a paw against Yellowpaws mouth "Its Spruce time."

He lept up and began to stalk Ruepaw. If all went according to plan, he'd crush the leaf and sprint out before he could get caught or get a whiff of the leaf itself

@Demini

[Dust]

[ @Spider-in-the-corner ]

Some can? Well who?! Rushingpaw wanted to know so he could ask them about their super cool jumping skills! But... he would wait until his training with Stormeyes was over to go running around like a madcat for answers. As he heard the words 'try again' Rushing paw groaned. He had just did it perfectly! Was that not good enough?! Certainly. He knew exactly how to do it. He would show his mentor!

"Ok, ok.." He trailed off, his focus now entirely centered on perfecting this move. Chest slightly up, Rump slightly down, bunch the legs back, tail... wait where should he put his tail? Uhh... As he wound up to perform the jump, he last minute lashed his tail against the ground. He ended up wobbling on the take off - tail weighing down his momentum, before landing ungracefully. Though, stumbling over himself, Rushingpaw flopped over onto his side with a loud grunt,

"Owww.. Ow Ow."