Shovel and Bone (Closed)

Nightpaw was quite excited to show his father the hare that he had gotten on his own this time, without wounds on his face and ear and Burningwing to distract from the hefty haul. Nightpaw wasn't particularly close with his dad, being more-so attached to his mother than the other parent, but that was often common amongst siblings it seemed, there was always a favourite. This time though, Nightpaw was hoping that he could spend some time with his dad without his sister, Swiftpaw, clinging to him like a burr. Luckily for Nightpaw that didn't really seem to be the case, his father was off by himself for once, and he wasted no time in heading over. "Dad! Come take a look at the Hare I caught! By myself may I add." Nightpaw chuffed proudly, puffing out his white patched chest.

Mistyfalcon, as much as he loved his daughter (and apprentice) had sent her off to train with one of the warriors for the night. He'd just gotten back from his own hunting excursion, one that was blessedly silent and free of apprentices to keep in check. Admittedly, his reasons for doing so might've been selfish... But it would be good for her to work alongside other clanmates that weren't him. And he'd needed the peace and quiet before he went insane. It was a win-win for everyone... Except maybe for the poor warrior he'd stuck with his own apprentices. Right now he was really, really considering curling up in his nest before they got back.

Still, when Nightpaw bounded over, excited and... carrying a hare? Mistyfalcon grinned. "By yourself?" A glance toward the hare in question showed a cleaner kill than Mistyfalcon's first had been. His son was turning into a fine hunter, it seemed. "Well done, Nightpaw!" Even exhausted, there was no mistaking the pride in his purr.

"Yeah! It didn't go as bad as the first time either, Burningwing says I'm turning out just like you!" Nightpaw purred, "I'm glad that I get to feed Shadowclan well, despite the leaf-bare." Nightpaw cleared his throat before he settled down next to his dad, rasping his tongue over his paw as he tried to calm down his kittish excitement. Just because he was proud to show his kill off to his parent, didn't mean he could become a second Swiftpaw.

Mistyfalcon's whiskers twitched as Nightpaw spoke. "They're difficult." He agreed, "Getting kicked in the chest isn't fun." Spoken from experience, hares had claws and knew what to do with them when they were being hunted. Their legs were powerful, and a kick from them could do more damage than a lot of cats realized.

Burningwing had said that, really? Mistyfalcon didn't know the tom well beyond his simmering dislike of rogues and non-purebloods. "Your training has progressed quickly, you'll be a warrior soon enough. I'm glad Burningwing seems to be teaching you well." A purr rumbled in his chest. Turning into a fine hunter, certainly, maybe Burningwing for a mentor hadn't been entirely a terrible thing. As much as Mistyfalcon didn't like Burningwing personally, the tom was a skilled warrior. He just... Had stupid opinions on a lot of things. He wasn't sure if Nightpaw shared them, and sorely hoped not.

"He's full of good advice certainly! But he's a tough mentor! I wouldn't have it any other way though if it is what it takes to be a fierce, strong warrior that can defend Shadowclan with not just my claws but my smarts? I'll take that over everything." Nightpaw mewed, nodding his head sagely. He picked Burningwing because that's what he'd thought he'd get and that's what he received, the smartest decision he'd ever made as a kit and only one at that. "Under his mentorship, I think I've learned all I've wanted to be so far." Nightpaw praised, though his opinion was tainted with kittish bias, he had been given lots of compliments, so he only really had compliments to give.

"He's a skilled warrior... Your mentor's advice isn't everything just because he's your mentor, though." Stars knew his own mentor, Vinetail, had been a fool more interested in chasing Riverclan tail than actually mentoring... It had been a good thing Ebonysong had stepped in. As far as Mistyfalcon was concerned, the old she-cat had been more of a mentor to him than Vinetail ever had.

Mistyfalcon knew Burningwing's views, and that was not the sort of advice that he would prefer his kits look up to. Much like Ebonysong had stepped in to mentor him, he'd do what he could for Nightpaw. "He cares far too much about the parentage of our warriors rather than who is actually loyal and willing to defend the clan. Blood means little, at the end of the night." Batglow and Emberleap came to mind, though Mistyfalcon didn't name them directly.

"Burningwing... never really spoke to me about the blood stuff in great detail. He basically toots his own horn more than anything." Nightpaw deflected, he didn't want his dad, who dedicated most of his time to Swiftpaw or warrior duties, to really be on his case as much as Frostgaze was. He wanted to have his time as an Apprentice be a nice one, not having to constantly worry about getting into trouble for basically nothing. He didn't want cats to be constantly hounding him about every little thing Burningwing did or does, but here he was...

To put it bluntly, he wasn't quite sure he believed Nightpaw's statement. "Really? Any time I see him it's all he goes on about, and we're his precious purebloods. Though I am friends with Bat, so I suppose I'm not far above that for him." Mistyfalcon muttered, a huff escaping him as he glanced at his son. "Still, my problems with him are my own, and it's not your fault your mentor is a close-minded fool. I won't talk your ears off about it if you don't share those views."

And of course, as expected, his father was telling him about Burningwing, lecturing him about the dangers of Burningwing. Burningwing this- Burningwing that. Nightpaws hackles raised. The willingness and how excited he was to talk to his dad burnt and shriveled like a crispy leaf in flames. Nightpaws anger sparked in his chest as he looked down at his paws with a clenched jaw. "Then don't." He spat, getting to his paws with his tail lashing with frustration. "I'm going to bed." Nightpaw turned and made his way towards the apprentice's den, not caring very much if it was early.