A Welcome Back [C]

Poppykit boredly plays with an old wad of moss, hitting it with one paw, scooching forward on her lowered legs, and batting it again. She wanted to play with her denmates, but they were tired and wanted to nap. She'd foolishly taken a nap earlier while most of them were out playing together, so she missed it entirely. Now she wasn't tired enough to sleep again, but it wasn't as if any of the apprentices wanted to play with a young kit like her. She was too little, and they were learning how to actually fight.

Her ears pricked as she heard the approaching steps of someone from outside the camp. She sat up and watched as Mallowpaw herself returned. She had left on a solo hunting mission before Poppykit had laid down for her nap, so the kit was happy to be awake for her return. Poppykit brightened immediately and her paws carried her over to the apprentice.

"Welcome back!" Poppykit meowed enthusiastically as she bounded up to Mallowpaw. "How was the hunt today?"

Mallowpaw had finished her hunt, and pranced into camp feeling rather proud. A fish had been brought pack within her maw, and she was on her way to drop it off at the fresh-kill pile upon Poppykit's greeting. "Goomf," the apprentice said through her kill. Signaling for the kit to follow her with her tail, Mallowpaw finished putting the fish down at the pile. It was rather scarce due to the weather, but thankfully, there was enough that almost everyone would be able to be fed. Even if they weren't quite living in the life of luxury in being able to have fat, full stomachs every day, they would survive. That was what mattered.

"It was a good hunt... As good as it can be for this leafbare weather." She said, her mouth finally free to be able to properly talk. While she stood just a head taller than the kit, Mallowpaw still took the time to lay down on her stomach so she wouldn't have to gaze down at the calico. "I saw your siblings out earlier. Did you guys have a good time?" She prompted. Mallowpaw certainly never minded Poppykit's companionship, and was actually rather interested to see how the kit would do once she became an apprentice.

Poppykit let herself fall flat on the ground too, though far clumsier than Mallowpaw, as her legs splayed out. She meowed, "I think they did. I was tired so I took a nap. And now they're all sleeping."

She glanced towards the nursery and her ears drooped a bit before they perked up again. Her attention returned to Mallowpaw and she continued with an eagerness only a kit could muster, "How was the river? I bet it was cold! I can't even stand the wind out here for long with all of the snow. I think I'd turn into snow myself if I stepped in the river." Her body shivered simply at the thought, but her tail still swished over the ground happily.

"Is it fun being an apprentice?" Poppykit added in a softer, more awed voice.

She was going to be an apprentice one day. She wasn't sure if she would be good at it, but the apprentices and warriors were so cool. It was cool to even imagine that she would be one in the future too.

"I see," the apprentice responded to the note that Poppykit had opted for rest instead of playing with her siblings. It wasn't all that long ago that she herself had been only a kit, with boundless energy and constantly attempting to pester the older cats with questions and a thirst for knowledge.

Her blue gaze couldn't help but focus upon the kit's tail swishing on the snow-kissed ground, a smile forming upon her maw. She playfully cuffed Poppykit's ear, her paw gently brushing over the kit's head as a sign of friendliness. "Oh, it is quite chilly." Mallowpaw commented. Small tufts of ice had formed around the leg that had dipped into the river, and it currently remained tucked under her chest in an attempt to dethaw. "But you never go all the way into the river in leafbare. So I only have one leg that's a bit chilly." She purred cheerfully.

Upon being asked the age-old question if apprenticeship was fun, her whiskers twitched with reflection. "Being an apprentice is fun. But it's also hard work. Tinypool is teaching me everything she knows, and I don't want to disappoint her! So you gotta work hard." With a firm nod, the molly continued. "I think you'll make a great apprentice, Poppykit. You'll make a great warrior too!" She encouraged. After all, what would the Clan be without the youth to keep it going?

Poppykit purred warmly at the affectionate gesture and her tail quivered with happiness. When Mallowpaw offered her the thought of being a good apprentice, her ears eagerly stood tall.

"You really think so?" Poppykit meowed softly. Being an apprentice felt so out of reach, and being a good one felt nigh impossible. But if Mallowpaw thought that she could be of help to their clan, then surely it was true. "I wonder who my mentor would be..."

There were so many good choices available to be her mentor. Poppykit wasn't sure who would be best for her specifically, but there was no doubt in her mind that she would be happy with whatever mentor was assigned to her by their leader.

"Can you tell me about the warriors?" Poppykit asked curiously. "Or the ones you know well? Like Tinypool!"

It did Mallowpaw's heart good to see the eagerness that her compliment seemed to bring the young kit. There were days that Mallowpaw would certainly do anything to have that level of energy again.

"I know so." She purred, watching as the kit seemed to drift off with wonder as to who her mentor would be. A gentle chuckle came from the apprentice, remembering when not too long ago her mind was also filled with such wishful thoughts. Upon being prompted about her knowledge as to who exactly resided within the Clan, her own gaze seemed to drift somewhat upwards as she took some time to think.

"Well... all of our warriors are amazing. They're all loyal, smart, and strong." She began. It was true - their Clan was made up of amazing warriors. "Tinypool, while she might be smaller than your average cat, is fearless and strong. She helped me fight off a whole fox on our first day of training!" She boasted, reflecting back upon that battle. "Jaystar, our leader, is interesting. He's a bit... rough around the edges. But he's really, really wise." Mallowpaw praised. All she wanted to do was to make him proud, and was working her tail off to do so. "Perchfall, our deputy... I haven't interacted with her much. But she's a good cat. A great heart."

Beyond those cats, Mallowpaw had to take some time to think about the others. Sometimes, their names and faces blurred within her head, until they were right in front of her. "Bearspirit is really great, too. His nose is amazing. If you need to find something, you could ask him. I bet he could find it." Her tail fluttered across the ground, and a smile pricked the corners of her maw upwards. "I think you'll have an amazing mentor, no matter what. And the mighty Poppykit will be an amazing warrior too!"

Poppykit watched Mallowpaw with steady eyes as she explained. Poppykit did her best to think up the faces of each of the warriors that Mallowpaw brought up, but she really only knew their leader Jaystar and the deputy Perchfall by sight. She would do her best to learn the others, though! She needed to learn all she could to be the best she could be for her clan.

A purr rumbled in her throat again at Mallowpaw's generous compliments. She rolled over onto her back and her tail continued to whip eagerly on the ground.

"I don't know how great I can be really be. I'm not vicious," she laughed. "But I'll do my best. I want to find all the prey I can so everyone doesn't have to go hungry anymore!" She'd been told about greenleaf, and how there was prey at every turn, unlike the cold, harsh leafbare they've been living through. It excited her to be able to bring back food for everyone--even if the though of chasing down prey didn't sound very fun. She then added, "And you'll be an amazing warrior too, Mallowpaw! The best one around, I bet!"