First Apprentice, First Mentor (CLOSED)

Hailsong flinched right before stepping into the apprentice den. Why did her father give her apprentice? She lacked social abilities and was a mess making friends for her usual serious and analytic personality. An apprentice needed an understanding mentor, not someone like her. The calico she-cat sighed and, resigned to her duty, she walked in the den she left moons ago. "Goosepaw... ehm... we're going on a training lesson. Come with me to the entrance of the camp." She mewed once her green eyes found her.

With a flick of her long tail, the warrior left the den and waited for the apprentice, moving her paws nervously.

Goosepaw was already awake, excited for her day. Her amber eyes shone out at her mentor from the darkness of the den and she jumped to her paws, breaking into a big smile. She really hoped she didn't mess anything up today! She had a tendency to be kind of clumsy and mouse-brained, but of course not intentionally. Her mother said that she would grow into her large paddle paws and rather chubby body but the new apprentice wasn't so sure. That was alright though, as long as she could still get around.

"I'm ready, Hailsong!" she meowed, earning a quietening hiss from a few of her denmates. She forgot that most of them were still asleep. "Oops, sorry everyone...!" This time she made sure to lower her voice, and was extra careful about not stepping on any tails as she made her way out of the den. Finally she joined Hailsong at her side, watching her expectantly. "What are we doing today?"

"Well... I think I should teach you how to swim properly first... and then we can practice some fishing skills." She mewed at the eager apprentice. The she-cat wasn't sure how to deal with younger cats. She had similar issues when she first met Torrentpaw. So she just stood up and flicked her long tail to announce they were leaving, not saying another word.

Hailsong crossed the entrance of the camp and she let her body sink into the stream that surrounded their home. It wasn't so deep so she was sure that Goosepaw would cross it without much trouble. Once she left the water, her sleek, glossy fur soon started to dry up under the newleaf sun so she didn't worry about getting sick. The young warrior waited for her apprentice to reach her side and then she walked with her to the river.

The young apprentice bounded after her mentor, splashing into the water that ran through the stream. She was trying to cross it as gracefully as Hailsong did but only managed to splash around, flinging water every which way. Her large paws were just able to touch the bottom of the stream, allowing her to leap through after a few moments. Finally she landed on the other side, long fur dripping wet. She wasn't bothered by it though, pausing only for a moment to shake the water off her face and tail before joining back up at Hailsong's side. Goosepaw stayed quiet, waiting for the older she-cat to say something else. Her eyes watched the river, however, captivated by the water. She couldn't contain herself any longer. "You're going to keep me safe, right, Hailsong? I like being in the water, it feels good, so I think swimming for real will be fun, but I just wanted to make sure."

The she-cat flicked her tail and nodded her head, quietly. It was obvious that she had to look after her. She was Goospaw's mentor. This apprentice was her responsibility. She couldn't let her down. "Stay with me. I'll guide you." She mewed before entering the calm water of the river, as it was welcoming an old friend. Hailsong smiled slightly, relaxed by the feeling but then she remembered she wasn't here to enjoy but to train Goosepaw.

"Swimming is mainly about coordination and strength. Your best helpers are your legs. You must do long but strong moves and keep your head over the surface of the water always. Your nostrils must never touch the water and if they do, you must throw all the liquid that entered your body as fast as you can. Try to copy me." The small she-cat started swimming, giving the apprentice a proper demonstration of the basic skill.