Apprentice and Mentor

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Fennelspring traipsed through MossClan's camp, a puzzled look on his face. He had told Ferretpaw to expect their first lesson to start today; so where was he? The apprentice den was empty of any cat, and he wasn't out by the fresh kill pile, either- the other logical place. His intense green gaze scanned the camp, but found no sign of his caramel colored apprentice. He let out a frustrated huff. Was it normal for new apprentices to be so difficult to find? 

Grumbling to himself, he decided to check the warrior den next; maybe by some strange happenstance, the little apprentice was looking for him in there. He doubted it, but... well, it couldn't hurt, could it?

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

Avoiding work? Ferretpaw? Nononoon. He was simply... observing and learning through means of.. avoiding his mentor and watching what places he checks first. Obvious places it seems- but he's sure those will change over time- oh shit he's coming this way--  

The small apprentice's head whips up from where he was crouched and watching, quickly turning to try and find an excuse to be in here. Neither of his parents were anywhere to be seen- there goes that excuse. A quick glance proves Fennelspring to be much closer. Ah. Running out of options, Ferretpaw digs his way under one of the nests. A lovely hiding spot, if he wasn't a visible bump.

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Fennelspring padded silently into the warrior's den, blinking a few times in an attempt to have his eyes adjust to the dimmer light faster. The scent of his clanmates made it hard to pick anythinv distinct out by smell, and he practically walked right past Ferretpaw's hiding spot.  Maybe if it had been a bit more of a sunny day, or the nest was just a touch bulkier, Ferretpaw would have gone unnoticed.  Instead, Fennelspring noticed the lump first, and his tail tip poking out from the moss second. 

"Ahh- there you are, Ferretpaw. What are you doing under there?"

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

Well. Busted. Pulling himself backwards from under the nest, he shakes loose moss and dust from his fur. 

"Hiding, of course!" At least he's honest. Bright eyes shift to meet Fennelspring's, a warm expression meeting his mentors. "Ok now it's your turn, I had all morning to find this spot- so I'll be fair about this.. you have until sunhigh...!" Fully intending to nap until then, Ferretpaw gives an expectant look. There's nothing bossy about his demeanor, in fact he looks completely relaxed. Sorry kid, this is about to be the first day of a long uphill battle.

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Fennelspring's expression soured at his apprentice's answer. ....hiding. From training? He sighed. Ferretpaw was a brand new apprentice; Fennelspring was sure he still retained some kit-like qualities, of course, but... surely someone in the nursery had spoken to him about apprentice duties? ...well, no matter. He'd set this straight. 

"We're not playing hide-and-seek, Ferretpaw. It's time to begin your first lesson," Fennelspring said expectantly.

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

The sour expression was certainly a first. Maybe he'd given himself too long? Or- The thought track cut itself off with his mentors blunt words. His first crafting lesson... and they couldn't even start it off with a game? His parents would make it into a game...

 With his ears falling flat, Ferretpaw scuffs the ground and pulls himself to his paws. He could at least give it a shot, right? Maybe it was more fun than he thought...?  

"Can we play after?" He meets Fennelspring's expectant tone with a hopeful one, even if this got a 'no'- he'd find someone else afterwards.

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

There was a tiny pang of... -what was that, guilt?- as Ferretpaw seemed to deflate. It wasn't his fault the little apprentice didn't know what was expected of an apprentice. Sure, their den mother left mysteriously in the night during Ferretpaw's time in the nursery, and sure, MossClan wasn't known for its abundance of perm-queens... but Ferretpaw's parents had been present enough, hadn't they? 

....he actually wasn't sure. Fennelspring had never felt compelled to check in on the nursery any more than his job demanded him to, and even when he did, he focused more on his work than the kits. Maybe it was this short coming that had Fennel's next reply be a bit softer than his previous words: maybe. 

"Once the lesson is over, you can play with the other apprentices, yes. Now, come along."

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

He seems to perk up a little, not being outright shot down. But it is still a little disappointing he can't play with Fennelspring specifically. Pacing over to stand behind his mentor, he lets his tail sway in thought.  

"Lead the way then, Fennelspring..!" He gives a little lighter of a smile, becoming a little more eager to see if training will be as rough as he thinks it will be.

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Well, that went smoother than expected, all things considered. Fennelspring nodded, leading the apprentice out of the den. With that hiccup over with, he decided to start his first lesson as they walked.  

"We'll start with something simple today- nest building. I'm sure the warrior whose nest you hid under would like theirs a bit spruced up." He said; not cruelly, but his voice was always as pleasant as his naturally grumpy face.

"What are some things that you can think of that would make a good nest?"

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

Following along behind Fennelspring, Ferretpaw glanced in between other cats around the area. Where were his parents, anyway? Blegh.... ah. His ears shoot up as he processes he was spacing out. Especially hearing a question be asked. 

"Uh- M...moss?" This felt like a copout. This was moss clan. Everything was moss. Pretty sure one day he'd wake up and the cats would be too.  "Or.. maybe sticks for support.. or .. something. I just prefer Minkrunners tail..."

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Fennelspring listened to his apprentice offer some suggestions, overall happy with the answer.

"Moss is a one of the main components to a nest, correct. Sticks are not typically used, but-" he stopped himself, not wanting to outright discourage the apprentice so soon. "You're right in that sticks can help the structural integrity of what we craft. You'll want to hang onto that knowledge for later. As for a tail... did you know you can collect down and old fur for a nest, as well?" 

He gave Ferretpaw a brief moment for those words to sink in, before adding, "Today we'll focus on gathering materials for a nest, and combining them to make something soft and comfortable. There are tried and true materials that we'll be looking for, but always keep your mind open for new possibilities. You never know what you might come up with."

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

With a tired blink of the eyes, Ferretpaw shakes away sleep trying to take him by the paws. He really was looking forward to that nap... Ahg. Sticks were useful it seemed then, in some ways.. and he feels his tail raise slightly in content that fur was an aspect as well. 

 "Do you make nests every day? Why not just reuse old ones...?" He picks up his pacing a little, moving to walk alongside his mentor rather than lag behind in a drowsy fashion. He did promise himself to at least try this once. "Where do we get everything from too...?"

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

"Mostly, no- but when they get disturbed or destroyed we must replenish them," he did not mention that they would be fixing up the nest that Ferretpaw had hid under, despite the tiny bits of moss that still clung to the apprentice's pelt.  

"As for where we get it from... that's what I'm going to show you today. It'll be a nice first outing for you, and help you get acquainted with MossClan's territory, as well." Fennelspring's paws hit the exit to camp with those words, wondering how his apprentice would see the outside world. He remembered his own first time as one of quiet wonderment.

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

Ferretpaw doesn't know whether or not to note the 'no response' to the nest re-usage. He doesn't mention it, shaking out his fur a little as they walk. There's a slow blink up at the camps exit, half expecting this to be where they stop.  As his paws cross out into the actual forest, the apprentices head twists back to see if his parents were anywhere in camp. No luck... his next look to the surrounding area is calm, taking it all in as if he'll have to recount it later. He'd been more eager to see his parents than the territory.  

"Will we be going through the whole area?"

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Fennelspring gave the apprentice a moment to appreciate the workd outside the walls of camp (he might have been projecting onto Ferretpaw a bit here), but shook his head as Ferretpaw asked about the whole territory. 

"Not today- but don't worry, you'll have a chance to see the whole of MossClan soon," Fennelspring said. His apprentice must doubtless be excited to explore (or so he thought), but he didn't want to throw too much at Ferretpaw at once. 

"We'll be going by the river, though- moss likes to grow in damp, dark areas. If you ever need to find it in a pinch- look for water. It shouldn't be far off. If we're lucky, perhaps we'll find some other things there, as well." 

Fennelspring was curious to see what would grab Ferretpaw's attention while they were out. Crafters were naturally resourceful- always trying to find out what everything out there can be used for. He hoped Ferretpaw had that natural instinct- that drive to put things together to see what would happen.

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

There's a gentle nod of the smaller cats head as he listens along. They weren't going too far today... thank god. With a breath of relief, Ferretpaw perks his ears up a little and starts to pace ahead with his tail held high. 

"That's fine..! Which way is the river?" Hardly waiting for an answer, he's already turned it into a game. His ears strain upwards, swiveling as if trying to listen for a loud crashing in the distance. That's what rivers sound like, right? He'd heard stories of crashing waves, endless water... that was a river in his mind. So needless to say, he looks a little confused at the muffled animal noises echoing through the moss covered trees. 

"....is it far?"

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

A more adept mentor might have told Ferretpaw to listen intently for the rush of water, and see if he could sense when they got close. Fennelspring, regrettably, had a long way to go, and so simply told Ferretpaw, "The river is to the north, close to the border of HawthornClan."  

Fennelspring was light on his feet as he moved through the forest, as if he had done this a hundred thousand times before. 

"Mmm, it's a bit out there, but you'll see some important things along the way. The gathering place, for example. Even so, what we see today is only a small portion of MossClan's vast territory. We must consider ourselves fortunate that we live in such a prosperous place, and not the barren moors or- StarClan forbid- the salt-soaked marshes."

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

'This river is north' Which way was north? Was he supposed to know this already? The apprentice tilts his head in thought, looking around him as if there was some kind of indication that he missed. Alas, nothing. He'd ask his parents about it later. Ah-- watching Fennelspring start to pace ahead, Ferretpaw makes a small dash to catch up. 

"What's wrong with either of those? Do cats not live there?" 

What does salt soaked even mean. He can imagine that the barren moors would be a struggle... but why not just leave them and come back?  hm.. even that thought gets a grimace from him. That's too much work. Nah, he gets it now. It's easier to stay in a vibrant forest with lots of food than wander out into nothingness in hopes there's something there, right? Blegh. This was too much thought for the young cat. Head preferably empty.

"Actually don't answer that. What's the gathering place like? 

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

While Ferretpaw mulled over whether or not he should know the lay of the land, Fennelspring had already moved on, as if he were being crystal clear. He had, in fact, opened his mouth to educate his apprentice on the.... lesser Clans, before the topic changed yet again. His face soured at that, but at least Ferretpaw seemed eager to learn, so he let it go... for now, at least. 

"The Gathering Place is a ravine just past the river to the west; large enough for all three Clans and then some," he explained. "In the center, there's a large stone where the leaders gather and address the Clans. It looks quite plain in the daytime, but there's a certain... I suppose you could say charm, during the full moon, when all the Clans have gathered." 

You know, if you thought harmony and fraternizing with the enemy was charming. 

"We can take a look, if you'd like. You'll have to know where it is in the future, after all." 

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

"Right..." Man.. a ravine? That sounds hard to get up and down. A quick shake of his head. Ferretpaw wants to be interested in all of this, he truthfully does. But god does it all sound so strenuous. 

"I'll have to see whenever the next full moon is!" Please dont be soon. "I'd uh... Yeah. We can see it, sure!" 

He raises his tail in a friendly manner, trotting along at Fennelsprings heels.  "What was the first thing you learned as a crafter? Can I learn that too?"

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

"Likely not the next full moon- even the most promising apprentices rarely go to gatherings so soon into their apprenticeship," Fennelspring said- Ferretpaw would likely disappointed at the news (or so Fennelspring thought), but it was better to tell him now than have him wait with baited breath as Lycanstar chose the Gathering party.  

"The first thing I learned as a crafter..." Fennelspring mused as he dredged up old memories. The forest was starting to grow thinner now, especially to their left. 

"Hmm... my mentor had me go around and ask how each of my Clanmates liked their bedding. I'm sure you'll learn that as time goes on, but... well, the training method could have used some work, in hindsight. I won't be making you interview the whole Clan, nor expect you to memorize all of that on your first day, rest assured."

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

Ferretpaw gives a sigh of relief at the news in all honesty, day one and he's already exhausted. At least this meant he'd have more time before he'd have to try and interact with apprentices from other clans. He'd heard from apprentices of his own that apprenticeship is... fun. That it's hard work but worth the effort-- he just wasn't like that.  

"How did you manage to do it at all..?" The apprentice tilts his head, pacing to try and match the larger warriors stride. "That sounds like it was brutal- I'm sorry you had to do that first thing...!"

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Fennelspring seemed perplexed at Ferretpaw's inquiry, furrowing his brow. "I investigated each nest before gathering supplies for them- a good crafter doesn't need others to tell him how to craft," he said, either unaware or indifferent to the level of snobbery that one sentence had. "Don't be. It made me a better crafter, in the end- as I'm sure my training will do for you." 

As he spoke, he noticed the trees beginning to thin and the land beiginning to dip. The gathering place was just to their left: so Fennelspring took a mild detour. 

"Speaking of gatherings... you'll want to watch your step, Ferretpaw, the rocks can be unsteady here. But down below is where we gather under the full moon." 

The ravine was large, easily able to accomodate fifty cats, maybe more. Large boulders were situated in the center, and the dip dropped off a tree length below. It looked.... empty, without all the cats, and perhaps not nearly as impressive as Fennelspring might think.

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

The smaller cats head seems to sink at the snobbish sentence, shifting his gaze away as if being scolded. Guess he wasn't gonna be a very good crafter.. The young cat sighs and shakes himself out. A good crafter might not need others to tell him how to craft, sure.. but a good clanmate takes advice and assistance when it benefits the group. Even he knows that...  At the mention of rocks though, Ferretpaw starts paying further attention to his step. The rocks get a tilt of his head as he steps across them, all of them seem rather unstable.. and his sloppy footing proves that. 

"Er... why was this the location chosen for gatherings? Isn't it dangerous?" His attention shifts to the large ravine- "What would happen if it collapsed...? Or is that the job of crafters as well?" 

He starts to search the area for any structures or miscellaneous things that cats may have crafted-- though besides the occasional abandoned trinket or décor piece.. he doesn't see much.

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Completely unaware of the effect his words were having on his newly appointed apprentice, Fennelspring paused at the edge of the ravine, peering downwards with vibrant green eyes. 

"It's large enough to accommodate all the clans, and is roughly in the center of the territories." 

He... honestly hadn't put thought into it besides that. It was large, wasn't that enough? As he thought about it, however, the advantages of slippery terrain came to the forefront of his mind. 

"I suppose the slope makes it difficult for an ambush to appear. It wouldn't collapse, of course, but it could flood.... not that I've ever seen it happen." Ferretpaw wouldn't find much by way of crafting- the ravine was mostly barren, just well trodden by moons and moons of paws before them. "Come. The river isn't far from here."

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

It could FLOOD? The Ferretpaw snaps his head up, sputtering something out before grimacing and following along behind his mentor. That conversation left him nothing but more questions, truthfully. A dangerous, steep ravine- capable of flooding- was every clans choice of gathering location? They'd all gone mad, that's for sure.  

Dragging a rock along with his paw, he frowns and tries to ditch the feeling. It had to be safe enough, with them having used it for so long. "R-right.." The river. Starclan knows once they get there that somehow- in some way, the river would be much less interesting than he'd hoped. Shaking out his fur while he walks, he tries.. so desperately to keep his mood a little higher. "Um..! What's your favourite thing to do as a crafter?"

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

For better or for worse, Fennelspring didn't seem to realize his apprentice's horror at the thought. To him, it was hardly a thing worth worrying about; the elders never mentioned such an event, and surely they would know better. So how much of a threat really was it?  Once Ferretpaw was back in step with him, Fennelspring moved on. He skulked through the undergrowth like a wraith, each step silent and calculated. He looked behind him when his apprentice asked a... admittedly curious question. His favorite thing? Why did that matter? It offered the apprentice no useful knowledge. The question baffled him, but his father had told him to be patient, and humor any questions his new apprentice might have, and so he did.  

"I... haven't thought about it much," he said with a low hum. "I suppose.... the satisfaction of bringing something to completion. Everything I make, I know will benefit the Clan. A cat can hunt, and feed someone's belly, and a cat can use it's claws to defend... but only the work of a crafter can keep another cat safe while you're on the other side of the territory. Only the work of a crafter can protect the Clan from nature itself."

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

While his mentor stepped through the undergrowths in silence, Ferretpaw was not as quick witted on his paws. The bushes rustle rather relentlessly as he gets his fur caught in half of the branches- tail twisted in more. Eventually, about halfway through a bush, he stops and aggressively shakes his fur out. The noise does startle a couple birds, though they weren't here to hunt anyway so he sees no issue as the birds flutter off.  It was nice though, to hear his mentor answer the question rather than derail it. Those large round ears lift a little as he listens along. Satisfaction of completing something, huh... The rest followed suit and made perfect sense. A crafter was something taught, not naturally known... Though it did leave a small sour note that he of all kits had to be the one to learn it all. Perhaps he could be satisfied with something he makes one day too?  

"That makes sense, yeah..!" Having some kind of positivity spark back into him, Ferretpaw bumps up against Fennelspring while they walk. Of course he didn't have any comparable experiences to bounce off, but he tries anyway. "There was once this time that Minkrunner and Snowtail wanted to both stay in the nursery- but the bed was too small for all three of us... so I helped them bring another nest in and patched them up together..! I was proud of that... does that count?"

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

The sound of rustling branches and, eventually, a large creak, caused Fennelspring to pause. What on earth...? He turned around to see Ferretpaw shaking debris from his pelt, looking on in disapproval. True, they were not hunters, but they shared the same forest as them. He wasn't keen on having him or his apprentice looked down upon for causing a racket. 

"The whole forest will hear if you're not careful," he said disapprovingly. 

Fennelspring's eyes, however, widened slightly in surprise as Ferretpaw tried to liken his own experiences to that of a crafter. "...yes, actually. That's precisely what we do: we see a problem that needs fixing, and then use our creativity to fashion a solution out of bits and pieces. That pride is something you should hold onto- you'll find that as a crafter, you'll feel it many times through the course of your life." 

In the distance, the sound of rushing water could be heard amongst the din of the forest. Fennelspring's ears flicked silently in recognition of the sound, but made no other indication of acknowledging it, instead wondering how long it would take Ferretpaw to notice.

--

Ferretpaw | MossClan Apprentice

Ferretpaw blinks quickly at the scolding, opening his mouth but thinking twice about it. He'd practice getting through the bushes properly later.. besides early morning hunts had already come and gone or- something. It didn't bother him, truly. At least the conversation didn't stay on that for long.  The feeling of shame lasted about as long as the scolding did, eyes lighting up just a little at the praise that followed suit. He said something right!! He did! Ferretpaw said something to get an actual conversation from the older cat! 

With his tail held high up, that information was tucked away to recall later. Maybe he would get something out of this. With a small purr in his throat, the apprentice kneads at the ground for a moment. He does note that Fennelspring isn't moving anymore, and his ears aren't trained to pick up on the waters noise.  

"The river was this way right?" His paws carry him without needing a response, having the most energy he's had in this entire outing. Of course he's not sure the river is that way, nor can he hear it, but hey! Fennelspring was leading them in this direction for a reason, right?

--

Fennelspring | MossClan Crafter

Luck was on Ferretpaw's side; the river was indeed the way he was trotting, and a small flicker of emotion passed across Fennel's eyes- was he impressed? 

"It is," he said, trailing behind his apprentice. He was curious to see where the little one's senses took him, and how much guidance he might need from Fennelspring. Maybe he'd even find the moss without any help- although Fennelspring wouldn't blame him if that wasn't the case. It grew in damp places, true, but this was still leafbare- it wasn't as abundant this time of year as it was in, say, newleaf.

 They would have to look in between rocks, on trees- in many a place to find an ample supply. The sound of the river was growing louder now, a constant trickle that seeped into the rest of music of the forest. If he sniffed the air, he might even notice the extra dampness hanging on the air. He watched Ferretpaw curiously, wondering what he would do next.