warriors 🏮 feather-soft

three | talk of tunnels

The day was much hotter than the last three had been, Softpaw noticed, as she leapt away from the outstretched paws of Sunpaw. The ginger and gray tomcat before her snarled, tail lashing, as he lunged forward again. Softpaw jumped back once more, and it was when Sunpaw's feet hit the peaty earth did she lash out at last, battering at Sunpaw's face and sending the tom's head reeling. Just on the outskirts of the makeshift battlefield upon a hilltop used for battle-training sat Heatherleaf and Sunpaw's mentor: the dark ginger warrior, Thistlewish.

"Excellent work Softpaw!" called out Heatherleaf, the striped warrior being especially watchful of their brown and white apprentice. "Keep it up- light on your paws!"

The breezes that day were particularly lighter, giving way for the sun to beat down rather harshly over WindClan's territory. The soil underfoot was growing dryer, and while the warm weather was energizing to many, Softpaw could already feel the effects of being under the ever-so heating up sunlight. Her movements were sluggish, though she persevered in an attempt to at least stand up to her much older and more experienced battle partner. The fighting session was merely her second time being exposed to any battle-training, thus Softpaw was glad she was at least putting up somewhat of a fight. The two apprentices had been at one another since nearing early sunhigh, and at that point in time the sun was now positioned past its highest point in the sky.

Softpaw's perseverance ended fairly quickly, when Sunpaw managed to catch the somewhat smaller feline off-guard and barrel into her. With a yowl of surprise, Softpaw's world spun around her, and with a resounding thud she found herself pinned down against the springy earth. Softpaw thrashed about, batting at Sunpaw's belly with sheathed back legs, however her efforts were fruitless.

"Alright, this session is over," announced Thistlewish with a sweep of his fluffy tail and an agreeing nod from Heatherleaf. "Sunpaw, that was excellent work as usual. Softpaw, I'm impressed by how much of a fight you put up with what little experience you have."

Sunpaw released Softpaw and stepped away, giving his pelt a quick shake. "Thank you Thistlewish," the tomcat meowed, eyeing Softpaw as she got up and shook her pelt as well. The brown and white tabby dipped her head and gave thanks to the ginger warrior.

Heatherleaf rose to their paws and approached Softpaw, dipping their head to the older warrior present. "We'll return to camp so you can get something to eat," the warrior then informed Softpaw. "Afterwards, you can take care of some in-camp duties."

Knowing those words directly translated to that of tending to the elders, Softpaw had to bite back a small groan. While the feline didn't loathe the elders in the slightest, she simply wasn't a fan of getting anywhere near the mouse bile needed to clean their pelts of stray ticks. With the season of greenleaf going strong as well, Softpaw could only imagine how many of the little bugs would be clinging to the Clan elders. Still, the brown and white tabby nodded defeatedly, trying not to show her disappointment too much and ignoring the discreet, amused smirk Sunpaw was shooting in her direction. "Yes Heatherleaf."

"And as for you Sunpaw," Thistlewish spoke to his own apprentice, "we'll be discussing when your upcoming warrior assessment will be. It's about time you and Tansypaw are given your full warrior names."

Softpaw pouted as she and Heatherleaf departed from the training hilltop, heading back towards camp and strolling in a comfortable silence. The weak wind lightly brushed Softpaw's pelt, allowing her to exhale and relax her body. The feline gave her pelt yet another shake, watching with a slightly-curled lip at the way stray hairs fluttered into the air. With the warmer weather and the feline's slightly long pelt, Softpaw was clearly shedding at a horrendous rate.

Heatherleaf glanced down at their apprentice before looking ahead once more. "I'm impressed with your progress," praised the white warrior, a hint of a smile growing upon their face. "I'll talk to Rainstar about letting you attend the Gathering next full moon."