'Mentor' [and] /apprentice/

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt padded through the undergrowth, tail flicking irritatedly from side to side. The day was clear, birds were chirping and there was a cool breeze weaving its way through the trees. Everything would be perfect, if it wasn't for her fly-on-her-windshield apprentice, Corbynpaw. She turned to him, rolling her eyes as she did so. 'Okay, Corbynpaw, I'm going to play to your strengths here. We're going to do a little bit of battle training. There's a clearing just ahead...' she said, and padded on a bit until she got to the mentioned clearing. 'Hows about it? She asked, taking a new angle with the apprentice.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw sauntered after Fernpelt, ears high and tail erect. The smoky apprentice did not hurry; he made his steps deliberately slow. Corbynpaw stopped and listened to Fernpelt's first words, though he did not acknowledge that he had heard her at all. The tom then padded on, pale eyes narrow. As Fernpelt spoke again, Corbynpaw halted. "Whatever," he mewed. "It's your call, mentor."

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt almost laughed. 'You know, I'm not dumb. I did hear when Amethyststar named me your mentor. You don't have to remind me. Call me Fernpelt.' she said, whiskers twitching. Then she padded into the middle of the clearing, facing Corbynpaw. 'Okay, attack me.' she said simply. Then, in case he didn't get the message, she said, 'Claws sheathed'

[(aurora) of the problematique]

|L o t u s|

Reflective kiwi-green eyes gazed ponderingly at the two cats, a she-cat and a tom apprentice. The tabby's head tilted to the right, making the M marking on her head a Sigma mark instead. The long-legged she-cat was hidden among a couplet of ferns, shielding her black-banded form from the cats and the sun. A bright-green mask outlined her slitted eyes. Her ears swiveled forward at the sound of their voices. By the sound of it, the apprentice seemed to be a completely disparaging mousebrain. Lotus saw no promise in him whatsoever.

Her tail whipped side to side, her whiskers quivering at each scent and change in the wind. She watched them some more, trying to gaze at her former Clanmembers. Lotus--formerly Lotusgaze--was the estranged blade that had been crafted in EclipseClan, honed in the rogue TearClan, and wielded in the rogue BellClan. Her long body was a stunning sight to see, that was true, and her need to protect made her an admirable candidate for a leader's queen or deputy.

However, today was an observing day. It was a time Lotus sat out each week to visit the Clan territories in complete and utter silence to learn the traps, memorize the weaker sentries, and map out the next two hundred moves for her attacks if she ever decided to mount such a thing. Though EclipseClan was an exception. She still liked her former Clan to an extent, unless she was needed to attack them.

[/blockquote][/left]

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw sank his claws into the ground, though he did not disobey Fernpelt. So far, he had not actually disobeyed her at all. "Whatever," he mewed. "Fernpelt." The smoky black apprentice sheathed his claws again and glared up into Fernpelt's face. She was Amethyststar's deputy.. One of the cats his wretched mother was closest to. Corbynpaw could not stop a spasm of hatred passing across his face as he thought of Amethyststar. Corbynpaw lifted his muzzle, and that was when he smelt it.
"If you quite dare to believe me, Fernpelt," Corbynpaw said, softly and coldly. "There's someone else here."

[(aurora) of the problematique]

Oh, so he did sense her? How amusing...

Lotus smiled faintly, and the eyes behind the mask of ferns vanished. They traveled to a thin but tall rock that was littered with cracks. The kiwi irises resumed their task as the sun glittered briefly on her brown and black fur. Thank goodness for that, for her tuberculosis would be cranking up otherwise. She could chase them, but it wouldn't be fun in her opinion. She was just a spectator, after all, and the apprentice was still an ingrate.

She paused for a moment and her muscled, long, banded legs lifted her onto the rock in one lunge. She landed on it gracefully, no longer hiding her smiling visage as her shadow was cast down upon the two from her place at the boulder's pinnacle. She yawned for a moment before returning her gaze. Lotus did not speak, letting nature announce her presence.

[/color][/blockquote]

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt nodded, she had sensed the other cat too. Then she looked up at the new cat, eyes narrowed. 'Who are you?' she asked. Then, 'And what are you doing on EclipseClan territory?' she padded closer to the boulder the cat was sitting on, and raised her chin defiantly.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Lotus' eyebrows rose at the question as she glanced down the she-cat. "I am called Lotus," she replied in a surprisingly deep husky voice considering what she looked like. Moons of her illness had crafted that toned steel in her speech. She ignored the she-cat's audacity with an airy flick of her tail.

"And as for your territory, I am scaling out its weaknesses, boundaries, strengths, traps, places where sentries go and do not go, and all in all, revisiting my home," she said briskly. Her next expression seemed to null her previous statement into a joking tone of sarcasm as her face cracked into a smile when she nuzzled her long foreleg. "Why do you ask?"</sub>

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw raised an eyebrow as Lotus revealed herself. What did he care about some stupid loner wandering onto their territory? He would have voiced this thought, but Fernpelt spoke first. Corbynpaw could not help quivering with dislike as the tortoiseshell spoke defiantly. The smoky black tom lifted his tail and fixed Lotus with a cold, expressionless stare. "She's the deputy, you know," he said frostily. "If you don't respect her, there'll be some pretty ugly consequences." Corbynpaw put a lot of emphasis on the word 'pretty', rolling his pale irises as he did so.

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt almost smiled at Corbynpaw. Then she turned her gaze back to Lotus. 'I am asking so I know whether to attack you or not.' she said simply. 'And if EclipseClan is your old home, it is not your territory. It would be better if you left because you could bump into another patrol that won't be as nice.' she said, sitting down on the sandy ground.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"Why should I care?" Lotus asked, completely ignoring Corbynpaw. Her tail curled around her long banded legs. "I doubt you would want to attack me. I don't feel like getting into a killing contest. I shall continue my walk."

The she-cat pranced to her feet and turned away, heading towards the EclipseClan Camp to see the places to hide and to enter for her observing days. Her rounded ears tilted as she padded around, sniffing without a care for the two cats.</sub>

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt tilted her head in confusion. Was this cat openly looking for places to attack the camp from? She had no idea. 'Corbynpaw, I'd like you to report what happened here once we get back from our training session. We'll have to cut it a bit short, Amethyststar will no doubt want to send out a patrol to look for this cat. I must admit that I don't have a clue what that cat was here for, so it'll be best just to report her.' she said, half to herself.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw stared after the loner, frowning at her arrogance. The blsck tom opened his mouth to speak, then his face contorted with rage and hatred. "Don't talk to me about her," he hissed, voice soft and dangerous. "I'm not going anywhere near her." The black apprentice glared up at his mentor a moment longer, pale eyes hot, before he looked away.

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt looked at him calmly. 'What can't you stand about her?' she asked, standing up and padding across the clearing once more.

[SHADE. :D]

A black cloud of hate enfolded his heart in its midst, and Corbynpaw's eyes became colder than ice. He played back to his kithood, watching himself as a tiny kitten, sprawled on the earth beside his helpless sister. Neither could move very far alone, yet their nmother sat feet away, no warmth in her eyes. She did not care for the kits she had given life to. Corbynpaw's mind flashed through moons, the shadows still curling around his mind. There he was, a small kitten, lost in the river. But his mother was nowhere to be seen. Only cunning had saved his life, and Corbynpaw had enough of that himself. He recalled returning to camp, wet, bedraggled, exhausted, but his mother had turned a blind eye. Corbynpaw's heart seared like an open wound as he remembered losing Selenekit, the only cat he had ever held affection for. "I hate her," his voice was thin, yet loaded with moons and moon of hatred. "Because she doesn't care. She never gave me what a mother should, she never helped me when I stumbled, she hoped that I would disappear if she pretended I wasn't there, she..." Corbynpaw swallowed, before adding, voice loud and anguished. "And she killed my sister!"

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt gasped. 'Corbynpaw...' she whispered quietly. 'Look, I know you really don't like me, but I can be your friend, if you let me. I could even asked your mum what happened to Selenekit, find out what really happened. But I can't do that if you don't try. And you know what? I think-- I know that you can become a great warrior one day, so if you just stopped moping about what happened, make a life of your own, you'll really get somewhere.' Fernpelt sighed, thinking of something else to say. 'And I'll talk to Amethyststar, she's just going through a bad time at the moment. I'll help you as best I can, to get the mum that you want. That is, if you still want her.' she said, drawing herself up so Corbynpaw didn't think she was just feeling sorry for him.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw pricked up his ears, eyes wide. He listened to the she-cat's friendly words, and was almost tempted to accept her help. But the smoky apprentice turned away, spitting angrily into the grass. His eerie, pale gaze bored once again into Fernpelt's face, cold and fueled by dislike. "I don't need your help," he mewed softly. "Or your pity. I don't want her, either." Corbynpaw unsheathed his claws. "Believe me, she knew what she was doing. She killed my sister; I know she did." The apprentice glared at Fernpelt speechlessly for several moments, before adding; "I came here for a training session, not a social meeting."

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt bowed her head in defeat. 'Fine, fine.' she said, then looked up. 'I wasn't pitying you. In fact I think you're the one pitying yourself, and need to get a grip, but I thought I wouldn't say that because it sounded a little harsh. Too bad. If you're going to have that attitude with me then fine, go for it, I'll just focus on the mentoring bit. But if you every decide that it's time to stop wallowing in self-pity, feel free to talk to me.' she said, eyes warm for a second. Then they faded, and she became the warrioress deputy she was again, indtead of the queen like attitude she had been showing. She padded further away from him and stopped, then took a deep breath and turned around. 'Okay, run and attack me, claws sheathed.' she said, standing square.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw's gaze, cold and expressionless slid over Fernpelt's face. She was such an idiot. Her head was high in the clouds. She thought she could read him, like a book, when in fact he was one doing the reading. "Fine." Corbynpaw crouched, watchinf Fernpelt with pale, narrow eyes. The black tom flicked his tail before running headlong at the tortoiseshell. For a second, he was filled withy wild intent to just carry on running, but he knew she would be expecting that. Corbynpaw jumped aside the moment before he touched Fernpelt, rolling onto his back. He dodged beneath her belly and struck out with all four paws, hoping his manouver would work.

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt had dodged aside the moment Corbynpaw had, so the manouvre he tried didn't work. He ended up batting at air like a kit. 'Good, you have lots of potential. Next time watch your opponent before you attack.' she said, eyes almost expressionless but for the glint of pride. 'Try it again, and watch what I'm doing just before you strike.' she said, padding over to the other side of the clearing so Corbynpaw didn't have to move.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw gave a snort of anger as his paws batted at thin air. He rolled immediatly back upright, shaking the dust from his thick smoky fur. The black tom bared his teeth, giving his tail a last flick, as he listened to Fernpelt's advice. Inside, he was stung. Secretly, he had practiced his combat tactics since he was four moons old. Corbynpaw was a little surprised that his manouvere hadn't worked. At least Fernpelt looked as though she had not expected such skill from a new apprentice. Corbynpaw gave a curt, sharp nod in acknowledgement of her words, but kept glaring at her all the while. The tom thought for a moment, before running headlong at Fernpelt. He reared up at the last moment, looking as though he were going to bring his forepaws down on his menror's skull. But instead, Corbynpaw darted in the direction of Fernpelt's amber-and-brown spotted back.

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt had thought hard about what she thought Corbynpaw might do. She ducked as he reared up and rolled onto her back at the last minute. Then she pushed up with her hind paws, not as powerful as she would in battle, though it was still effective. She stood up panting, and shook the dust from her pelt. 'Well done! That was really good, and I really had to think about what I was going to do. The counter attack I used? Very good to use if you've been pinned. You'll want to try that too. Let's try it once more, then we'll move on.' she said, motioning with her tail.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw was sure it was going to work. But then Fernpelt rolled onto her back, and he felt her four paws beneath him. And then he was in the air. The apprentice landed heavily, but got up again immediatly. He spat out a mouthful of dust, pale eyes glowing with anger. Seething, the black tom shook his coat clean and turned to face Fernpelt. He ignored her praise, ears flat. This time he would trick her. Corbynpaw ran at his mentor for a third time, this time rolling onto his back at the last moment. The young tom slid under her belly, hesotating only a moment. He hoped that, thinking he was going to kick out at her stomach, Fernpelt would jump to the side. Corbynpaw rolled out from beneath her and jumped to the left, hoping his paws would grasp the fur of her back.

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt was momentarily stopped by Corbynpaw's blatant anger. 'Corbynpaw if you're not going to take my advice like any normal apprentice...' she stopped as he ran again, and this time his manouvre worked. She jumped to the side as he had predicted and then felt his paws at the back of her neck.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw gave a great hiss of triumpth as he landed on Fernpelt's shoulders. He stared down at the tortoiseshell patched back, and felt a sudden urge to bite down, to taste her blood. He struggled with the urge, eyes wild. He felt a roaring in his ears, and-
Leapt off of her back onto the grassy earth. The black tom shook himself, and noticed that his claws were unsheathed. Perhaps he had pricked his mentor's skin slightly with his claws.

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt turned as Corbynpaw landed. She had felt his claws pricking her neck, and she could feel small beads of blood building up from his pin sharp claws. 'I thought I said claws sheathed?' she said, not seeing the wild anger in his eyes. 'Maybe we should try this once more. Unless you're bored.' she said, telling herself not to be surprised if her was bored.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw wiped the blood from his claws, not caring to surpress the prickle of satisfaction as the blood beaded on Fernpelt's shoulders. Serves her right. The black tom turned his cold gaze up to stare at his mentor as she spoke. "I heard what you said," his voice was venomous. "I was born with ears." Corbynpaw dug his claws into the earth, tugging out great clumps of earth and grass. "I don't care," he mewed at her question, and he meant it. "Your the mentor, not me."

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt rolled her eyes. 'Try using them for once then.' she muttered, before padding away again. 'Okay then, try it again.' she said, annoyed that this apprentice was so unwilling to learn.

[SHADE. :D]

Corbynpaw turned his head on one side, frosty gaze still fixed on his mentor. When the tortoiseshell she-cat stopped a few fox lengths away from him, the smoky apprentice thought. How should he go about his attack this time? Corbynpaw thought for a moment more, before charging, eyes fixed on Fernpelt's paws. He leapt up at the last moment, sailing over the she-cat's head. He hoped to land on her back.

[fernie. (:]

Fernpelt watched, and any twoleg that watched this would probably imagine tumbleweeds rolling across the clearing. She crouched down as Corbynpaw got near and as he sprang she twisted in the air and reared up on her hind legs, knocking Corbynpaw off course. 'Keep going.' she panted.