Show me your potential [Iero]

[Edda Rose]

Starlingstar

Starlingstar got up at dawn and stretched, he was glad that he got all the apprentices mentors. Though he wouldn't have usually taken on an apprentice himself he had to. There weren't very many warriors in the clan and the amount of kits being made into apprentices was just too high to give to only warriors. Now only did his clan have to do their warrior duties but all of them had to train young ones as well. Some of these young cats would be easier to train than others. He thought of Sandpaw and Mottlepaw. The two loud kits from Swanface's litter. But she also had some shier kits that needed the more experienced warriors to take on. But they all needed experienced warriors and Starlingstar at the moment didn't have that. It was a struggle that he had to face as a leader. But he knew that once these apprentices were trained Windclan would be at its strongest. He saw the potential in all the young cats.

Starlingstar had chosen Basilpaw a skittish young cat that seemed to shy away from anything. Starlingstar figured he would have no problem toughing up the young cat. He had experience training other cats and he was the leader of course. If anyone could mold this young cat into a warrior it would be him. Thats what he planned to do. Flicking his tail he had told the cat last night that he would meet him out on the moors a little past dawn. Starlingstar was already there but he was slightly early do to the fact he wanted to think through his plan before the young cat came.

Sitting down on the moor he looked across his territory. Windclan's territory and he knew that in three more lives he would have to leave this land. He would walk among the other leaders in Starclan. But he knew that now wasn't his time. He was a strong leader and the oldest one among the four clans. He had heard rumors that Thunderclan's leader had died and their deputy had stepped up. He wouldn't know for sure until the next gathering of course was still some time away.

The wind picked up slightly. Carrying scents across the moor. His thick pelt tugged slightly against the wind but he caught the scent of someone approaching and he knew that it was time to get his day started.

iero

[iero]

windclan ❀ basilpaw ❀ apprentice

it was very important to basilpaw that he woke up early this morning. he was terrible at waking up early, as the young tom liked to sleep in and chase rabbits in his dreams, the grass of the moor soft beneath his pads. he made sure that he went to sleep as early as possible so that he would wake up in time for training with his mentor at dawn. it was a little bit of pressure, to the young apprentice - his mentor was starlingstar, the leader of windclan! and he was just a mere apprentice, nothing special. in fact, he often thought of himself as more of a problem to windclan than anything. he was troubled by his hearing and ever so clumsy. maybe that's why starlingstar chose to train him - because nobody else would want to deal with him? he pushed the thought away. don't think like that! he told himself, scolding himself inwardly as he tread across the moor, out of camp. you're a great cat! you're not a problem! you're unique!

the white tom could see his mentor in the distance, his black figure a silhouette against the horizon. he began to sprint - only to find himself face-first in the dirt. heat bloomed underneath his pelt, and he began to walk over with shame burning in his cheeks. he approached starlingstar timidly, feeling much smaller now that he was actually up in front of the black leader. after all, he was only six moons old - and he didn't even know how old starlingstar was! his fur prickled as he felt a wave of anxiety rush through him, replacing the embarrassment that formerly took place when he covered his face with dust and dirt. his bright green eyes stared up at starlingstar eagerly.


"good - good morning, starlingstar!" he meowed, pricking his ears, straining to listen for the tom's answer. "what are we going to be - to be learning today?"


ooc: /
tag: Edda Rose

[Edda Rose]

Starlingstar

Starlingstar nosed was just as strong as when he was a young warrior. He knew the scent of all his clanmates. The breeze picked up and pushed the scent of the approaching cat towards him. It was Basilpaw his apprentice. Starlingstar was happy that the young white tom made it on time. That was good because usually new apprentices slept in. But life wasn't that easy on the moor. Starlingstar was about to get up when he heard the crash. He didn't even look back he knew what had happened to his apprentice. He just groaned on the inside. He didn't expect Basilpaw to be perfect but he had hoped that he was able to keep track his own two paws. Starlingstar was going to start some hunting and tracking training today. 

Thats when his young pupil was right next to him. He looked down and looked at the small tom. It just reminded him on how tall he actually was. He was a typical Windclan cat an almost perfect representation. Long, lean built for speed and swiftness thats what his clan was all about. He needed to teach this to his apprentice. But with him falling all over his paws that wasn't going to happen naturally, but Basilpaw has the blood of Windclan warriors. He just then notice the dirt all over Basilpaw's white pelt. He just narrowed his pale yellow eyes. 

This cat did have respect though, Starlingstar just flicked his ears slightly in greeting and he just then listened to the cat ask about what he was learning today. The leader was glad that this cat was ready to learn. That was a good sign. So thats when Starlingstar stood up and shook out his pelt. Padding forward slightly before saying. "We are going to learn some tracking techniques." The black tom opened his mouth letting the scents off the of breeze enter his nose. He could smell a rabbit nearby and also a sparrow. Thats when he said, "Basilpaw I want you to take in the scents around you and tell me what you smell."

iero

[iero]

windclan ❀ basilpaw ❀ apprentice

as basilpaw eagerly awaited the black tom's response, he suddenly felt as though the leader was giving him a very disapproving look. sinking back into his pelt, his nose twitched as he felt a familiar phantom pain in his scar. he looked down at his paws shyly, the blood endlessly burning underneath his skin. he mustered up the courage to look back up at starlingstar. he's not a bad tom! he's nice! he's just been around for many moons, of course he's going to judge you for being such a klutz, he told himself. 

he finally felt a more positive vibe radiating off the other tom. basilpaw shook his fur out, some of the more loose dirt falling out, making himself look just a little cleaner. he felt a wave of relief when his mentor informed him that they would be tracking today, and not doing sprints across the never-ending moor. he wouldn't be able to keep up with a fully grown cat, let alone a cat who was likely quick on their feet and not a clumsy kit like himself. he sat up a little straighter, pushing a bright smile on his face to show his happiness with the leader's decision.

he heard the faint instructions from starlingstar, and decided to close his eyes, allowing himself to submerge himself in one of his senses - smell. with a weakened sense of hearing, he already had stronger smell than most other cats would, as well as sharper eyesight. he took a deep breath, parting his jaws, and allowing the tastes to flood in. the scent of rabbit was strong in his nose, almost so overwhelming that it nearly took over the scent of something else.

"i definitely smell hare," he meowed confidently, opening his eyes and looking up to starlingstar, expecting approval. "but there's something i don't really recognize... some kind of bird, i think?"


ooc: /
tag: Edda Rose

[Edda Rose]

Starlingstar

The tall black tom easily knew what was out in the moor. Basilpaw was quite young though any young cat could tell what was out there. The clan brought back many different types of prey to eat and he hoped that the white tom would be able to connect the dots. Which he was quite confident that his apprentice could do. Starlingstar could tell that the tom was a smarter one of the batch but needed more of a shove in the right direction. He watched as the young tom seemed to be happy with his choice of topic to learn about. 

Starlingstar noticed that the tom closed his eyes. He watched as the green eyes of the young tom, Starlingstar just waited. He wouldn't give his apprentice all the time in the world eventually the leader would expect an answer right away but this was their first time on this lesson. Thats when the voice came out of the cats body. Starlingstar just looked out at the grass, he felt the eyes of the young cat land on him. He knew the tom wanted approval but a warrior needed to be confident with his answer. 

The large black tom just then said, "You are correct." Then he just looked down at the white tom and continued. "There is a bird out there. Why don't you go track it down and see what kind of bird it is." Then as not giving anymore tips on how to do so. Starlingstar flicked his tail as to tell Basilpaw to lead the way. He would trail behind the tom and watch how he approached it. It was always good to let the young ones discover on their own what to do. Plus Starlingstar didn't know how close the cat would get considering he face planted on the way up the hill. 

iero

[iero]

windclan ❀ basilpaw ❀ apprentice

"you are correct," starlingstar had meowed. his ears flattened slightly. is he not proud of me? basilpaw tossed the thought around in his head, whiskers twitching. i'll make him proud! i want to make him proud. i don't want to be some apprentice he trained, i want to be good! the white tom then listened as starlingstar instructed for him to track the bird, his ears only flattening further. i don't know how to do that, he realized, his chest tightening. isn't he going to show me? basilpaw's paws kneaded at the ground nervously, and when he realized he wasn't going to get anything more than a confirmation and direction, he glanced back to where he'd scented the bird, tail flicking.

okay, starlingstar. i'll do my best! without another word, basilpaw dropped to his paws. he wasn't doing a hunter's crouch, rather than just lowering himself to the ground and slinking across it. his fur was already tattered and dirtied from his faceplant earlier, so he didn't mind the grass tickling at his belly, dirt sticking to his pelt. the ground was soft under his paws, though, not frozen and hard like it would be in the unforgiving leaf-bare. basilpaw found it easier not to trip this way, being pressed so close against the ground and moving slowly. his nose twitched, letting the smell of the bird drown out any other scents. he was becoming very focused.

basilpaw drew closer to the bush where he knew the bird was, only a few foxlengths away from it. his green eyes sharpened, spying the bird among the branches, sheltered by the leaves and twists of twigs. he glanced over his shoulder at starlingstar, smiling weakly, searching his expression for approval.

ooc: /
tag: Edda Rose

[Edda Rose]

Starlingstar

The leader noticed that Basilpaw wasn't too happy with his reply. He knew that this cat was lacking cofidence and Starlingstar hit that right in the core. He would have to see now if the tom would take that and use it as fuel to do his best or just mess up and curl in a fox den and let it eat him from the inside out. Starlingstar felt slight guilt because he knew that these young cats needed that boost but he couldn't change what he had ordered the young cat to do. He was a tough mentor but the wise black tom knew when to be tough and when to give guidance and praise.

Thats when Basilpaw flattened his ears more. He knew the tom had realized he wasn't given any instruction on how to track the bird down. Which was good, but at the same time left the leader wondering if this tom would actually try. But a look on Basilpaw's face Starlingstar knew that his tom was ready to learn and impress. He watched as the white apprentice crouched down. Getting low to the ground, it was good. Just low enough to be unseen in the grass but not so low that he couldn't move freely. Starlingstar let the young tom head of first and then followed him a few tail lengths behind.

He large black tom himself crouched down. He was known for his hunting and jumping skills as a warrior. But there was nobody left in the clan to remember that. He had been with the Windclan for many many moons as their leader and he would still hope if he left Littleflame in charge he would be known as a great leader. But he had to focus on Basilpaw right now. The young tom was coming in close on the bird. Starlingstar also notice that this tom was much better on his paws when he wasn't distracted which was good as well.

Thats when he came to the bush that the sparrow was in. Starlingstar spotted the bird easily in the bush hopping from branch to branch. Basilpaw had tracked it down quite nicely. He noticed the tom looking back at him with a small smile. Starlingstar nodded his head in approval. Thats when maybe a hunting lesson would come next. Dropping lower Starlingstar started forward. He stalked forward the bird hopped from branch to branch. He made sure his tail was up so it didn't touch the ground. He stopped downwind from the bird his pale yellow eyes were locked on the bird. Thats when he pounced his claws out stretched he landed on the bird and killed it.

He picked it up and padded over to Basilpaw is bones creaking lightly. Then he set down the sparrow and said, "Very well done Basilpaw. You proved to me that you could stay on your paws. Now, you watched as I stalked the bird what did you notice that would be important when your hunting." The black tom waited for his apprentice to answer him.

iero