《 across the seasons ❖ name the apprentice 》

♘ iii :: coniferpaw :: closed ♘

╔═══*.·❀✧ ♞ ✧❀·.*═══╗

〚 cisgender. she / her. 〛

〚 fawn ticked tabby with large ears and faded green eyes. 〛

〚 diffident. spiteful. cynical. fierce. rude. resentful. capricious. defiant. acts rashly in weakness. craves approval. pessimistic. usually mistrustful. responsible. 〛

〚 no unusable names. 〛

【 remember not to get too close to stars; they're never gonna give you love like ours. 】

╚═══*.·❀✧ ♞ ✧❀·.*═══╝

❝ story ❞

"again, coniferpaw!"

coniferpaw crouched low to the ground, frustration pulling her lips back in a snarl. opposite the training field, mackerelpaw copied her stance, his expression calm. coniferpaw was certain that he was already calculating her next move. at the edge of the clearing stood galepelt and minkpath, the latter of whom shot windpaw a quick, exasperated glare.

"you need to be more agile to make up for your size. you can't become a warrior if you can't even win a one-on-one battle!"

"i'm sure that coniferpaw is trying her best," minkpath murmured mildly, trying to placate galepelt. but his blue eyes were fixed on his own apprentice. coniferpaw couldn't mistake the pride that glittered there. it was a feeling that her own mentor never expressed, and something that she'd been trying to glean from him for the past four moons, but never had she succeeded.

galepelt had always been harsh to her. perhaps it was just his personality... still, coniferpaw worried that there was another reason why galepelt always seemed dissatisfied. in fact, it probably wasn't him; hornetstar would never have chosen him as her mentor if she thought he wasn't ready for an apprentice.

growling, coniferpaw launched herself at mackerelpaw. the tom easily dodged her lunge, and coniferpaw almost crashed into the ground, thrusting out her forepaws to stop herself from planting her muzzle into the soft earth. mackerelpaw quickly landed a soft blow on coniferpaw's flank and darted away.

"i've seen enough!" galepelt's yowl stopped the two apprentices, and the two stared at him with their eyes wide. "coniferpaw, you should try to be more like your brother. don't act so rashly, and try to think of how your opponent will move!" galepelt looked sideways at minkpath, a scowl darkening his expression.

minkpath shot galepelt a glare and waved his feathery tail to dismiss the apprentices. "the two of you can take the rest of the day off."

but coniferpaw didn't move. instead, her sour frown stayed on galepelt as the tom turned his back, automatically expecting her to follow. because why shouldn't i follow him? he's my mentor, and it's not like he's been very harsh or strict or overall just a happiness leech.

"yo, coniferpaw."

mackerelpaw nudged coniferpaw with a huge blue forepaw. "you'd better follow us before they come back and scold you for sulking here."

"i'm not sulking. i'm just sick of galepelt." coniferpaw scowled deeper at her brother. "wow, my apprentice is such a hopeless bee-brain! why don't i bully her for it?"