keep my attention

[foxpaw]

teeth and jaw bones left to bleach

♥

Being an apprentice was boring.

Hunting, fighting, cleaning after the elders…day after day Foxpaw went through the paces. Could he try a little harder at his training? Sure, but what was the point? Prey was running well, and he caught more than he let slip away. There hadn’t been a proper battle in moons, beyond simple border skirmishes that were more bluster than bite. He supposed competition with Harepaw should have motivated him to try harder, but there was only so much he could do when she was bigger and fatter than he was.

When he’d been a kit, nobody paid much mind to Foxpaw. He could slip around unnoticed, listening in to conversations and learning. Once or twice he’d even poked his head out of camp…and he’d only been caught half the times he’d done it. But now…if he wasn’t training, he was cleaning out the nursery, or picking over the elders for ticks. Harekit was always going on and on about how great it was being an apprentice…Foxpaw could do without.

Though, he had to relent, as mentors went he could have done a lot worse than Thrushcloud.

“Sorry, uh…what was that?” he piped up, realizing that he’d not been paying attention to what the warrior had been telling him again.

ooc: Thrushcloud

aeron at GS

[/quote]

[Thrushcloud]

[attr="class","reason"]

[attr="class","reasonbg"]

[attr="class","reasonbod"]“Sorry, uh.. what was that?”

Thrushcloud sighed, his cranium shifting to and fro with a shake. “Foxpaw, I know you're full of potential, but you can't keep only halfheartedly doing things.”

The somewhat older tom glanced forward as they traversed the verdant woods, his mind trying to calculate a way to communicate with Foxpaw. To inspire him. Foxpaw did show promise, he was an intelligent teen and took to things quickly – but Thrushcloud thought perhaps that was part of the reason he didn't give it his all, because it wasn't necessary when you could manage without full effort.

Most apprentices were motivated purely by wanting to become the best, but the more intellectual cats did seem to struggle more with that. Not that Thrushcloud could blame them; sometimes things were too easy. Thrushcloud had been blessed with both motive and intellect, but it was because his heart was deeply involved with the Clan. Where was Foxpaw's heart? What could give him that extra umph to push him to do his best, for the sake of everyone?

“Tell me Foxpaw, what do you think is the importance to being a Warrior? Or, even, being a cat within a clan? You know some cats don't have clans, right? Do you think they enjoy their lives more or less than we do? Do you think their lives are easier, or harder?” As he spoke, the fluffy tom lead the way to their usual patrol route; his scent glands casually tasting the air for either prey or intruder.

[attr="class","reasontag"]foxpaw - time to dissect fox's mind. also i appreciate that they are the same color hahah, NERDY FATHER SON TIME

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[foxpaw]

teeth and jaw bones left to bleach

♥

Foxpaw gave an expressionless blink as Thrushcloud sighed at him. He didn’t really care if Thrushcloud was disappointed in him…but the warrior rarely expressed dissatisfaction. Foxpaw supposed he felt a little guilty. A little.

At Thrushcloud’s question, Foxpaw frowned. He was quiet for a long moment before answering, musing on the question. Of course he knew that cats existed without clans, kittypets and rouges perhaps. He certainly never wanted the life of a kittypet, but he’d occasionally day dream about the freedom of a rouge, being able to explore to the ends of the earth without anyone there to say ‘no’.

“A warrior’s job is to take care of one another, I suppose,” he finally answered, “And to feed and protect the elders and kits who can’t do it themselves.” He glanced at Thrushcloud to gauge his answer.

“Have you ever considered having a life outside the clans?” he asked, turning the questions around on his mentor as he often did, “With no rules to tell you when to eat or who you can or can’t mate with?”

aeron at GS

[/quote]

[Thrushcloud]

[attr="class","reason"]

[attr="class","reasonbg"]

[attr="class","reasonbod"]Through Foxpaw's answer, Thrushcloud absently nodded in agreement. In the technical sense, Foxpaw was correct. But the young tom hadn't delved into the more heartfelt sense of it all. Which, to the dual-toned cat, was what really mattered.

With the pursuing question, Thrush paused a moment; his eyes drifting toward the ground and resting upon a large beetle that was slowly walking across his path. He let it go by, as he measured his response.

“No. I haven't considered it per se, but I have thought of what their lives may be like.” He turned his amber gaze away from the adventuring beetle, as it disappeared into taller foliage. “I think that those outside of clan life are likely very lonely and purposeless. So, probably, only the truly self-centered would enjoy their lifestyle. After all, when your entire life is engineered around your own singular survival, there isn't really meaning there. If I had to fend for myself and only for myself, the point would only be my own continued existence. But what good is that continuance if I am without loyal family and friends?”

He side stepped then, purposely bumping his pelt into the smaller tom. “Clan life, despite it's many chores, is truly meaningful. We live to protect and serve one another. To entertain each other, to comfort one another. And ultimately, we know we all have each other's backs, don't we? So not only do we get to survive better, because of our literal combined strength, but we also get to be there for each other on an emotional and mental plane that I doubt loners or rogues have much of.”

“I have your back, anyways,” he tapped the orange tabby upon the back with his squirrel-like tail, “In fact, I would die for you, Foxpaw, because without you around, my life would ultimately have less meaning. So I'm selfish enough to not want to see you die, yet also fulfilled because you're here and therefore serve as someone I can support. Sounds a bit like the best of both worlds, doesn't it?”

As usual, when Foxpaw turned his questions around on him, he was ready to respond in such a way that satisfied both needs: the need to reply and the need to teach. There was rarely a time Thrushcloud found the apprentice's turnarounds as unteachable, for the tom was full of many words and concepts, all of which he was more than happy to ramble on about.

[attr="class","reasontag"]foxpaw - you have officially met chatty thrush

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[foxpaw]

teeth and jaw bones left to bleach

♥

As Thrushcloud began to speak, Foxpaw’s frown deepened. A purposeless life…a selfish life. Those were perspectives he hadn’t really considered. He thought about Harepaw, and his mother and father, reaching out to dab a paw at the beetle that Thrushcloud had let scuttle by. His interruption flipped the beetle onto his back, and Foxpaw watched it for a moment, legs struggling in the air, before guiltily helping it back onto its feet again. It carried on, a little faster, but other than that not betraying that the ordeal had taken place.

“I don’t want you to die for me,” Foxpaw frowned, disturbed by the thought. He doubted anyone in the clan would think it much of a fair trade, Thrushclouds life for his own. He hoped the situation never arose that called for it. As for him…well he certainly would die for Harepaw, but who else? What a terrible path of thought to walk down…

Still…Foxpaw was grateful that Thrushcloud was his mentor. There were few cats that would have entertained him like this, instead of scolding or punishing him for questioning the code. He gave a sigh, glancing at his mentor out the corner of his eye.

“I guess I see your point,” he said with a shrug, “I’ll try harder to pay attention.”

ooc:

aeron at GS

[/quote]

[Thrushcloud]

[attr="class","reason"]

[attr="class","reasonbg"]

[attr="class","reasonbod"]'I don't want you to die for me.'

If the opportunity ever came to be, he would absolutely sacrifice himself for the sake of Foxpaw; just as he would for anyone else within ThunderClan. “No? That's why it's so important to do your very best. If you're doing all that you can do, then there is less likely a chance that someone else will have to die for you. Or vice versa.”

He purred, pleased to have the chance to say something along those lines. It made for a bigger impact, didn't it? When someone else's life was on the line due to your own action or inaction, precision or fault?

When the young tom spoke again, Thrush picked up his pace, excitement ticking the inside of his paws. “Let's play a game then! A game called 'Intruder, Intruder!' It'll test just how well you can pay attention, but to your environment instead.”

[attr="class","reasontag"]foxpaw - xoxo

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[foxpaw]

teeth and jaw bones left to bleach

♥

“No? That's why it's so important to do your very best. If you're doing all that you can do, then there is less likely a chance that someone else will have to die for you. Or vice versa.”

Foxpaw had to laugh at Thrushcloud’s retort, shaking his head at himself.

“I guess you got me again,” he teased, admitting defeat in this latest bout of their verbal chess games they often played together, “I’ll work hard to learn to protect himself, so no one will have to get hurt doing it for me.”

For once, Foxpaw actually felt inspired by those words of encouragement. He couldn’t imagine Harepaw getting hurt due to her being worried for him, and his sister was so headstrong she surely would do it if he wasn’t careful. Committed now, he turned his gaze to his mentor, brightening up a little at the mention of a game. Though he was well into his apprenticeship and liked to act more mature than he was, he couldn’t help being excited by the idea Thrushcloud offered him.

“Okay…How do we play?” he asked, stretching out his paws and trying to wake up his lazy bones.


ooc:

aeron at GS

[/quote]

[Thrushcloud]

[attr="class","reason"]

[attr="class","reasonbg"]

[attr="class","reasonbod"]“I’ll work hard to learn to protect myself, so no one will have to get hurt doing it for me.” The warrior felt a swelling in his heart at that statement, yet only his eyes would speak of that. But he could not deny the affection and joy that danced through his chest at the newfound dedication in the young tom's eyes. Hopefully it would stick!

But for now.. onto more lessons! And fun! He'd just came up with the idea, so Foxpaw would be his test subject apprentice – and perhaps it'd be a 'game' he could play with his future apprentices, too. “Well! You count to one-hundred and I'll leave toward the border and began stalking along it, somewhere. I'll keep as hidden as I can be and it'll be your job to spot my “intruding.” You must pretend that my scent is that of another Clan's and react appropriately!”

He lowered his voice suddenly, a tease kissing his tongue, “You'll even get to attack me and scare me off.”

The tom gleamed at that concept, utterly enlivened by the idea, as if he were still an apprentice in training himself and excited by a impromptu spar. Then, without any further explanation, he turned. His floofy tail disappearing into the woods as he took off, heading toward the woods edging the thunderpath. All the while travelling upwind from where he left Foxpaw. When the time came, he would be sure to slow his stride to something more measured, to avoid terrain disruption and hide among some bushes, his scent glands tasting the air for his apprentice's approach before he'd decide where to go next.

[attr="class","reasontag"]foxpaw - when ur mentor takes you out and you end up playing hide and seek

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[foxpaw]

teeth and jaw bones left to bleach

♥

Foxpaw’s tail gave an eager whip, his eyes sharpening as Thrushcloud described his game.

“Alright…I’ll try it,” he said, still putting up a ‘too cool for school’ front despite how excited he clearly was. It was a bit like games he and Harepaw used to play together, though he would never admit to apprentice training being anything like his old kit games.

“One…” he announced, sitting down and beginning to count, “Two…”

Thrushcloud bounced off, making Foxpaw purr as his mentor’s tail went bobbing into the bushes. It would be easy, Foxpaw thought, to hunt down his mostly white and bright pelted mentor.

Soon enough, Foxpaw had finished his count (maaaaybe skipping a number here or there), and he leapt eagerly to his feet and gave chase. At first it was easy, Thrushcloud’s scent strong and the path through the undergrowth easily spotted. After some time, however, Foxpaw realized he was growing less sure of his path, and he paused to open his mouth and taste the air.

‘Let’s see…Let’s think like Thrushcloud…” he mused, glancing around to try and get his bearings as to where he was. They were still deep in the forest, near the sandy hollow where apprentices often trained.

‘Not there…the sand would be too easily disturbed,’ he decided, spotting a place in a bush that looked like might be parted unnaturally. Trotting over, he breathed in the scent, and was pleased to smell Thrushcloud.

Doing his best to adopt his own attitude of subterfuge, Foxpaw pressed his stomach close to the ground, keeping his tail hovering and his steps light the way that Thrushcloud had taught him.


ooc:

aeron at GS

[/quote]

[Thrushcloud]

[attr="class","reason"]

[attr="class","reasonbg"]

[attr="class","reasonbod"]He'd intentionally remained upwind, so that he could scent Foxpaw as he neared or strayed further away. But, as expected, Foxpaw maintained his direction in following his own aroma, so it wasn't too long before Foxpaw caught up to him. When he scented the young tom nearing, Thrushcloud moved from the bush, trying to circle the terrain to instead end up behind Foxpaw's trajectory rather than ahead of it.

He timed it well enough, too. By time Foxpaw had stuffed his face into the brush and began to stalk through it, Thrushcloud had already positioned himself in foliage where he could witness the young apprentice's actions. If he waited too long, Foxpaw would no doubt end up following his scent to where he was now.. so that begged the question.. what to do now?

The young tom had managed to find the “intruder,” or – would – so.. the next lesson was..

A fight?!

Thrushcloud felt as his amused purr began to excite his whiskers. As Foxpaw disappeared into the bush he'd just been in, Thrush would suddenly pound of his new hiding spot, to shoot after Foxpaw and attempt to surprise tackle him, a pretend hiss viciously echoing out.

[attr="class","reasontag"]foxpaw - heuheu, all a low-key excuse for thrushcloud to spar ofc

[googlefont=Fjalla One][newclass=.reason]width:400px;padding:5px;border:5px #f5a742 solid;[/newclass][newclass=.reasonbod]padding:20px;font-family:Arial;font-size:11px;line-height:14px;text-align:justify;[/newclass][newclass=.reasonbod b]color:#f5a742;[/newclass][newclass=.reasontag]background-color:#fac175;padding:10px;font-family:verdana;font-size:9px;line-height:12px;text-align:center;color:#fff;letter-spacing:1px;border:2px #f5a742 solid;[/newclass]

[foxpaw]

teeth and jaw bones left to bleach

♥

Feeling rather smug, Foxpaw crept further into the bush, glancing through the undergrouth for a hint of Thrushcloud. Unfortunatley, he was completely oblivious, and was tackled fully by the much larger Thrushcloud as the tom came galloping over. He gave an undignified yowl, orange fur puffing up in alarm, before his pelt heated with embarrassment.

‘I won’t give in that easily,’ he vowed stubbornly, doing his best to twist onto his back. He tried to sink his jaws into Thrushcloud’s thick pelt, looking for purchase so he could pummel his back feet upward against his mentor’s stomach.


ooc: short post but it FIGHTing

aeron at GS

[/quote]