Hemlockleaf had finished his waking up routine and looked around the camp clearing for Mintpaw. He assumed she'd be awake by now chatting with her denmates. He trotted over to where the apprentices were hanging out and called her. "Mintpaw! It's time!" He called.
Mintpaw leapt from her spot and sprinted towards her mentor. “YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYA TRAINING!!!” She shouted, flinging herself at her mentor.
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I HAVE LEFT WCO
Last edited by constellation; August 16th, 2024 at 05:20 PM.
Hemlockleaf should have anticipated Mintpaw’s response to be so…energetic. But he blinked in surprise. He had half a heartbeat to decide if he wanted to dodge his apprentice, and let her land on the ground and possibly hurt herself, or just take the blow. Mentally groaning, he knew he’d have to brace himself against his apprentice’s pounce.
Hemlockleaf braced his muscles, turning his body in hopes he could better take the blow and dug him claws in. He grunted as Mintpaw landed squarely on his shoulders. “Oof!” He grunted, looking over his shoulder at Mintpaw with an amused glint in his eyes. “Well good morning to you too.” He meowed, his voice gruff but he couldn’t hide his chuckle.
He gently shook his pelt to shake Mintpaw off him, turning to her with a flick of his ears. “Today we’ll start with a tour.” He meowed calmly. “Have you eaten?” He asked, tilting his head slightly and angling his ears towards the fresh kill pile. They’d want to eat before setting off.
Mintpaw nodded vigorously. She’d devoured a mouse whole, and then bounced around for a few minutes before going to act cool with the other apprentices. “Yup yup yup yup” she smiled.
Hemlockleaf chuckled and nodded. "Alright then, let's head out!" He turned and headed for the camp entrance, glancing over his shoulder briefly to ensure that Mintpaw was following. "Stay close okay? Don't wander out of sight." He warned, his eyes narrowing briefly to convey that he was being serious. Although he was conscious of how his torn ear and other facial scars might make him look more menacing that he would usually want to, he wouldn't mind it if it meant Mintpaw would be safe and stay near him.
Mintpaw grinned and followed her mentor happily. “Okay! Where are we going? How long will it take? Did you eat? What’s your favorite prey? Who was your mentor? Where they nice?”
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I HAVE LEFT WCO
Last edited by constellation; August 28th, 2024 at 05:33 PM.
Hemlockleaf did not break or slow his pace as Mintpaw followed. His tail tip flicked back and forth thoughtfully as he pondered his apprentice’s questions. “We’re going to start with the closest border and work our way out.” He explained. He had selected this route intentionally, figuring they could throw in a hunting lesson midway and take a break. But he didn’t want to tell Mintpaw that just yet…he didn’t want her to just bolt off to StarClan knows where. “This will likely take most of the day.” He confirmed. He hoped they’d make it back before sundown, factoring in time for Mintpaw’s questions at each border and his plans for tossing in a hunting lesson and a break, they’d just have enough time.
“Yes, I did eat.” He answered with an amused smile. “Thank you for asking. I don’t actually have a particular favorite.” He meowed, staring straight ahead. Only a twitch of his ear betrayed his lie.
His mentor? A slight frown came to Hemlockleaf’s maw. He didn’t like thinking about his time as an apprentice…. “My mentor was a great warrior.” He responded nonchalantly, although now he was a little more despondent that he had been a heartbeat ago. He flicked both ears as though shooing away bugs. He wasn’t upset with his apprentice, he just didn’t like talking about his young moons. Then he ended up thinking of his sister… He flashed Mintpaw a quick, warm smile, wanting her to know he wasn’t upset. Especially not with her. In his eyes, so far anyway, Mintpaw seemed to be such a pure and innocent soul. She reminds me a lot of Magpiepaw…
Hemlockleaf stopped short, sticking his tail out to stop Mintpaw, and looked up. He nodded his head at a large creek that cut through a forest of pines. “This is our border with ThunderClan.” He mewed. “Herondive Hollow. Be mindful not to cross.” He meowed his warning with narrowed eyes. “Dawnstar’s punishment for crossing another clan’s border would be light compared to me. It could create a lot of trouble for your clanmates. You must learn this scent well.” Hemlockleaf flicked Mintpaw’s ear with his tail-tip hoping to break any tension his warning created. He wanted her to be mindful and almost fearful of crossing the borders, but he didn’t want her to be perpetually afraid of him.
This was the part he figured would take a while. He thoroughly anticipated Mintpaw would explore and ask questions, he’d just have to keep an eye on her. Questions and a curious mind were good qualities in an apprentice, he had high hopes for Mintpaw’s training.
Mintpaw jogged alongside her mentor—How did he walk so fast?!— and listened carefully to all his words. She wasn’t sure if she liked it better when another cat talked—or sir she talked. At least when other cats talked they didn’t have that weird droopy grimace that most people have when Mintpaw talked. OOH A BUTTERFLY! Mintpaw froze, and stared up at the fluttering bug. It looked so yummy…more words from her mentor broke Mintpaw’s trance.
She caught up to Hemlockleaf and bounced excitedly at his side. WOW. How many borders are there? A lot? All the clans? Ooh! Even WindClan?” she’d heard only weird stories about the cats who lived up on the big hills. “YOU DON’T HAVE A FAVORITE?!” she screeched. Mintpaw stared in horror at her mentor. “My favorite is probably frogs. Or mice.” she grinned. ”ooh! Like you! Will you make me into a great warrior?” she asked hopefully. ”I wanna be a leader! Or at least a…uh…uh…those cats who…Enforcers!” she bounced up and down.
When they reached the smelly line, Mintpaw stared at it. It smelled like mice. And leaves. And kind of like pine trees…but different. ”Ooh! ThunderClan. ThunderCLAN. THUNDERClan. ThunderClan!” she cheered, bouncing along the line—border—happily. “Fun! Fun! Do you know anyone in ThunderClan?? she asked.
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I HAVE LEFT WCO
Last edited by constellation; September 7th, 2024 at 05:41 PM.
Mintpaw jogged alongside her mentor—How did he walk so fast?!— and listened carefully to all his words. She wasn’t sure if she liked it better when another cat talked—or sir she talked. At least when other cats talked they didn’t have that weird droopy grimace that most people have when Mintpaw talked. OOH A BUTTERFLY! Mintpaw froze, and stared up at the fluttering bug. It looked so yummy…more words from her mentor broke Mintpaw’s trance.
She caught up to Hemlockleaf and bounced excitedly at his side. WOW. How many borders are there? A lot? All the clans? Ooh! Even WindClan?” she’d heard only weird stories about the cats who lived up on the big hills. “YOU DON’T HAVE A FAVORITE?!” she screeched. Mintpaw stared in horror at her mentor. “My favorite is probably frogs. Or mice.” she grinned. ”ooh! Like you! Will you make me into a great warrior?” she asked hopefully. ”I wanna be a leader! Or at least a…uh…uh…those cats who…Enforcers!” she bounced up and down.
When they reached the smelly line, Mintpaw stared at it. It smelled like mice. And leaves. And kind of like pine trees…but different. ”Ooh! ThunderClan. ThunderCLAN. THUNDERClan. ThunderClan!” she cheered, bouncing along the line—border—happily. “Fun! Fun! Do you know anyone in ThunderClan?? she asked.
Hemlockleaf periodically glanced over his shoulder as they walked, amused by her bouncing and effort to keep up. "We have 3 border areas." He meowed. Aside from Herondive Hollow, there's the Saltmeadow Marsh, our border with RiverClan, and the Whispering Wetlands, our border with WindClan. We'll be visiting each one." His whiskers twitched with amusement as he paused to let Mintpaw explore and learn the scent. "Each will have it's own unique scent. You must commit these scents to memory, and never cross it." He flicked her ear with his tail-tip to make sure she was paying attention.
He blinked at her surprised screeching, he hadn't expected that response. "I tend to just take what is left once I feed my clan." He mewed with a gentle shrug. "Mice are always good." He meowed with an amused chuckle. Noooot too sure about those frogs though... Hemlockleaf will eat them of course, you can't survive being picky. But they wouldn't be his first choice either, the texture of the skin was...off putting. Hemlockleaf held himself straighter and with pride at Mintpaw question about making her into a great warrior. Puffing his chest out. "I will certainly work my hardest to help you be the best warrior you can be." He meowed with conviction. "You have a lot of potential, and I will help you to hone that." He added, touching his nose to his apprentice's head.
He turned and padded a way off, rubbing his cheeks against the branches of a tree on their side of the border. "This is one way you can leave your scent on a border marker." He explained. Then he demonstrated other methods for marking the border. "Part of a border patrol's job is to ensure the borders are freshly marked. Especially in the rainy season when the scents get washed away." He instructed, flicking his tail at Mintpaw. "Now you try."
MINTPAW
[ 11/100 ]
| she/her | apprentice | 6 moons | shc |
| Lyrebird’s Lullaby ; Mind Reader ; Trick of the Eye |
fluffy long-hair Thai she-cat; gray face, paws and tail, rest of body white. green eyes
@Luna16
Mintpaw bounded to the smelly line and buried her nose in a pile of leaves. She pulled her nose out in disgust. “ThunderClan smell weird.” she said, surprise filling her voice. She glared at the leaves like they had offended her greatly, then bounced back to her mentor’s side. “Really? D’you think I might be an enforcer one day?” Mintpaw asked excitedly. As Hemlockleaf began to speak again, she tried to listen carefully. Then he started to rub his face on a tree. Looks easy enough. Mintpaw padded up to the tree and smushed her face on the bark, rubbing it up and down. She looked hopefully at her mentor. “Did I do it right?”
“Woah. I though border patrols were just walking up and down the border until the other Clan comes out and is like ‘GET OFF OUR LAND’ and we’re like ‘WE AREN’T IN YOUR LAND’ and then we go pow! bam! and they run a way in fear!” Mintpaw said, waving her paws around excitedly, imagining herself attacking a ThunderClan Tom and WINNING.
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I HAVE LEFT WCO
Last edited by constellation; September 7th, 2024 at 05:50 PM.
Let the games begin [P]
