A Second Chance {Closed}

Scorchclaw inhaled a mouthful of humid air. A blanket of gray clouds had spread over the sky. Through the rips in the covering, streams of pale morning light shone through. In the midst of the camp that had been rendered dreary and dim, the RiverClan deputy was waiting for his apprentice to wake up. To be more precise, he was waiting for Aspenpaw. It was the day after the young tom's apprentice ceremony. Training officially started today. Although that was what he had intended, the weather certainly did not seem to be cooperating. Rain was a possibility. Narrowing his pupils, the brown tabby tom glared at the sky as if he could somehow evaporate the clouds with his laser-beam gaze. Right now, the weather still didn't look too bad. Even if it eventually did rain, it probably would not happen until late morning or noon. They still had a few hours before then. Or so Scorchclaw thought, trying to be optimistic.

At his paws lay one silver fish, its dull scales reflecting a minimal amount of light. He had not picked it out with the intention of eating it; rather, it was for Aspenpaw. If he was going to train today, he would need to eat in order to have the strength to do so. Scorchclaw had already shaken him awake a short while ago. Any moment now, the apprentice would emerge from his den. Unlike the time when he had been training Blackpaw, Scorchclaw had not wakened him very early. For some reason, when he had thought about doing so, he had ended up letting Aspenpaw sleep a while longer. He had always been rather strict on Blackpaw. Then the black-and-white tom had died. When he thought about it, he actually knew next to nothing about his own apprentice. What was the name for the suffocating emotion in his chest? Oh... perhaps regret was the word for it.

Aspenpaw wasn't his only apprentice. He was also mentoring Peatpaw, Shade's former apprentice. However, things were a little different between Aspenpaw and Peatpaw. The latter was almost at the end of his apprenticeship. With how things currently were with Shade, the fluffy warrior also couldn't help feeling wary around Peatpaw. Things were just too awkward between the two of them. Aspenpaw, on the other paw, was his apprentice from the start. This time, he would do things differently.

Aspenpaw was snoring lightly when his mentor came in to shake him awake. When this happened, he opened his eyes in a flash. Where am I! Oh.. right. I'm in the Apprentice's Den.. He thought this because when he looked up he had not seen the familiar nests of the nursery, he had seen many different apprentices sleeping in their nests. He looked over to where his brother was sleeping peacefully. His mentor must not have gotten him up yet. Aspenpaw frowned at the humid weather, his long pelt wouldn't be helping him today. He finally got to his paws and stretched, moving towards the entrance of the den.

As he left the den Aspenpaw scanned the clearing for his mentor. He quickly spotted him, and the fish that rested at his paws. He padded over to his mentor quickly, not wanting to keep him waiting. Aspenpaw liked his mentor, although he hadn't really talked to him that much. From what Aspenpaw could assume, he was at least going to train him well. He was the deputy he had done this before! He finally padded up to his mentor, shaking his pelt to try and free himself from some of the heat. "Is the fish for me?" Of course Aspenpaw had to ask, he didn't want to just take it if his mentor wanted it. He could easily pull another fish from the pile. Or even better.. He could catch one himself!

At his apprentice's voice, Scorchclaw turned to face the younger tom. "Yeah." He said, with a simple nod of his head. An unspoken 'good morning' passed between the two. Using one paw, he pushed the fish towards Aspenpaw. Of course, he could have always let the apprentice choose a piece of prey on his own. In his opinion, this just saved more time. The deputy's belly was still empty, not having eaten yet. That could wait until they had returned later. That morning, the fresh-kill pile was a rather unimpressive sight. There might not be enough prey to go around if he ate as well. The queens, kits, and elders were prioritized.

By this time, most of his clanmates had already risen. As Aspenpaw dug into the fish, Scorchclaw went about organizing the first patrols of the day. Ever since Shade's last victim Cinderfall, the tension had only gotten worse. It seemed to permeate the air, dissolving in the deputy's bloodstream and charging him with nervous energy. Later that day, Jaystar would also be leaving RiverClan territory to hunt for the bloodthirsty tom. The whole camp was on edge, and all because of one single cat. It was almost maddening. Before long, the fluffy tabby finished his task and returned to Aspenpaw. "Depending on what the weather's like, it'll limit what we can do today. For now, I'll take you to the river. I'll teach you how to swim, and we'll do a bit of fishing." StarClan forbid another apprentice of his ever drown. "Are you ready to leave?"

Aspenpaw would quietly eat the fish. He wondered if his brother was up yet, surely he was by now. He hadn't seen him around the camp yet. Aspenpaw was sure he wouldn't have missed the pure white pelt, but maybe he had. Regardless he finished up the fish a buried the bones. His tail flicked as he watched his mentor dole out patrols, he found it fascinating. The only thing he was worried about was the cat Shade. He had heard about him before, he had left camp to become a rogue before Aspenpaw was even born. Yet he had been causing horrific wounds and deaths since he had left. It was a bit scary. Queens had told kits to never leave camp, or even try leaving camp, because of Shade. He saw how everyone was on edge, how scared everyone must be of him. He put this to the back of his mind when he saw his mentor padding back over to him.

He'd nod his head to his mentor and began to follow him as he headed out near the river. He was excited to learn the staple Riverclan skills of fishing and swimming. Just he was a bit nervous about swimming. He didn't want to drown and die. He was too young for that. Nevertheless he approached the river with his mentor. As he looked up at the sky he could see the clouds and he could scent a little of the rain that would come soon.

Satisfied that they were ready to set out, Scorchclaw headed for the camp exit. Unlike those of the other clans, RiverClan camp was established on an island. The surrounding stream was a good deterrent to invasion, as the other clan cats didn't enjoy getting their paws wet. Now as he approached the water, the large tabby tom glanced back at his apprentice to ensure that he was following. "The water here isn't very deep, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem for you." He informed the younger tom. Padding forward, he was soon up to his chest in the water. The muddy bottom of the stream was just barely visible through the murky depths. He continued onward, and soon reached the opposing bank. As soon as he had stepped unto dry land, he shook out his thick pelt in an attempt to dry it. When Aspenpaw crossed the river in turn, his green eyes did not move from the apprentice until he was safely across as well.

Mentor and apprentice then moved into the plains of RiverClan territory. The fluffy deputy made sure to regulate his strides so as not to leave his apprentice behind. Occasionally, he would shoulder his way through a patch of tall grass. As it was Aspenpaw's first time out of camp, Scorchclaw did not plan on wandering too far out that day. They had only walked for a while when he came to a stop. "We've arrived." Although not the main river, the water here was much deeper than the in the stream that surrounded their camp. It would definitely be a challenge for Aspenpaw. With a serious expression, Scorchclaw turned to face his apprentice. "As a RiverClan cat, being able to swim is an essential skill. It is one of the many traits that make us what we are. Nevertheless," Here he paused slightly, "that doesn't mean we are immune to the dangers of the waters. You will need to pay attention when I give you instructions." He was aware that the queens would occasionally take the kits to the broken pools. At the very least, Aspenpaw should be used to the sensation of being in the water. He didn't know that for sure, however.

"We'll start by simply entering the river." So saying, Scorchclaw waded out into the shallow depths. With a flick of his tail, he beckoned for Aspenpaw to join him.

Aspenpaw padded to the camp exit alongside his mentor. He looked at the swiftly moving river as a flicker of nervousness danced across his face. Aspenpaw didn't know the river moved that fast. Nevertheless even if it did somehow carry him away, Scorchclaw would save him. At least he hoped he would. He nodded to the older tom as he said it would be shallow enough for him. He hoped it was, he wasn't the tallest cat in the world. He padded into the river, the water coming up to his shoulders. Thankfully he wasn't being swept away. He reached dry land soon after and shook out his long pelt. One of the downsides of long fur he supposed.

Aspenpaw followed his mentor through the plains not too far from camp. He tried to keep up with the much larger tom as they padded through the territory. Soon he saw a larger river that they were coming up on and soon after his mentor halted. He nodded to his mentor when he said be careful in the water. Aspenpaw wasn't planning on not being careful anyway, he'd prefer not the be swept away. He followed his mentor into the shallow end of the river. The water was cold and unpleasant but he had to learn to swim eventually.

Scorchclaw noted the mild discomfort on his apprentice's face when he entered the river. "Try to relax." He instructed in a mild tone. "Once you get used to it, the water's not too bad." They were RiverClan cats. The river was practically a part of them. The current swirled around his body, tugging gently at his long pelt. He could still stand in this depth of water. His paws felt the countless rocks and pebbles that studded the riverbed, as well as the slick mud that coated everything. It was something that he gotten used to a long time ago, but that probably wasn't the case with the younger tom. "In fact," He added, "You might even find it relaxing after a while." Whenever he was in a bad mood, the river usually calmed him down. He wasn't sure how it was for the rest of his clanmates, but they probably felt the same way too.

"To swim, we use our legs. That much should be obvious." Edging farther out into the river, Scorchclaw headed for deeper water. "Breath in a calm, regulated manner. The coordination of your legs is extremely important. I'll demonstrate a couple times for you. If you can do it, put your head in the water and open your eyes. This will enable you to see my technique more clearly." He pushed off from the shallow end. As he lost the sensation of being on sturdy ground, his legs automatically began to move, keeping him afloat. After swimming back and forth a few times, he returned to Aspenpaw's side. "Try your best to replicate what I just showed you. Stay calm no matter what happens. If your head dips beneath the water, don't inhale until you resurface. Got it?" He asked carefully, gaze meeting his apprentice's.

Aspenpaw heeded his mentor's words and attempted relaxing. He let the water swirl around him and he took a deep breath. It wasn't so bad now. He felt the mud squish between his toes, it wasn't the most comfortable feeling but he'd deal with it. He listened to his mentor lecture him on how to swim. He breathed in, and pushed his head below the water. He opened his eyes, seeing the foggy water below. He also saw his mentor's legs. He knew that was how he had to swim as well. Aspenpaw saw the mud swirl up from where his mentor occasionally brushed it. As he saw his mentor approaching him he put his head back above water.

He shook his head vigorously and blinked the water out of his eyes. After he quickly took a fresh breath of air. He felt his mentor's eyes on him as he spoke. He quickly gazed back at him with a spark of determination gleaming in his eyes. "I-i understand!" He said this with a slight tremble to his tone. He was honestly a bit scared, but was determined to learn. He wanted to be a proper Riverclan cat and swim.

Scorchclaw gave Aspenpaw a nod of approval. "Good. Go ahead, then." The apprentice's attitude pleased him; he was eager to learn. It was only their first day of training, and the RiverClan deputy was already seeing the big difference between Blackpaw and Aspenpaw. If he had to be honest, the latter seemed easier to handle. There really were all sorts of cats with all sorts of personalities. Part of being a mentor was being flexible enough to deal with the different kinds of apprentices. He allowed a small smile to appear on his maw. In what he hoped was an encouraging tone, he said, "I'm right here, so you don't need to worry about anything happening."

Aspenpaw took a deep breath, and propelled himself with his hind legs into the deeper water. He moved his legs like he was walking. Just like his mentor showed him. And just like that he was swimming. Maybe not nearly as graceful as his mentor had been, but he was doing it! He swam in circles a couple of times. He faltered for a moment though, he had hit his paw on a rock at the bottom.

Since the movement had stopped, so had his swimming. He went under the water. It was like in slow motion for the apprentice, thankfully the current thankfully wasn't swift enough to carry him off. Once Aspenpaw was submirged, he remembered what his mentor had said. He tried swimming in the motion again upwards and he got his head back above water. Aspenpaw sputtered a bit and quickly swam back to the shallower end. He sneezed a little as and looked up at his mentor. "I'll get the hang of it, I p-promise!" Aspenpaw was determined to learn how to swim. He was ready to go back in.

As Scorchclaw watched, Aspenpaw moved out into the deeper water. He began to kick his legs, his paws churning the water. It was a rather clumsy imitation of the tabby deputy's earlier display, but at least it worked. The younger tom managed to stay afloat and keep his head well out of the water. For an apprentice who was just learning to swim, he did fairly well. Just when such a thought was crossing Scorchclaw's mind, Aspenpaw's head suddenly dropped beneath the river's surface.

Alarmed, he was about to swim over. However, before he could do that, his apprentice resurfaced. Water droplets streamed off his dark fur, running back down into the river. Scorchclaw sighed internally with relief at the sight. It seemed that Aspenpaw had remembered his instructions after all. He hadn't been sure that the other tom would. It would be quite understandable for an apprentice to panic if something like that happened. Speedily, Aspenpaw paddled back to the shallower end. Upon hearing his apprentice's words, Scorchclaw regarded him with a softer look. "You didn't do too badly for your first time. Just keep that up. You'll get the hang of it in no time. After all, you're RiverClan like I am." Mentally, he made a note to teach Aspenpaw the pride of being a RiverClanner some time soon. As his mentor, he probably had a lot of influence over the young tom.

Aspenpaw smiled at his mentor. He enjoyed the deputy as his mentor. He was teaching him well, he could already kinda swim! He wasn't too strict, but not too soft either. He enjoyed it. He liked how he said that he was Riverclan as well. Of course he was, but still occasionally it didn't feel like it. Sometimes he felt a bit clumsier than his clan mates. "So, whats next?" He asked this with the same determination he had held in his voice. He wasn't ready to go back now! He still had so much to learn!

(sorry kinda short)

Scorchclaw glanced at the sky. What he saw didn't seem too different from what he had seen before. The sky was cloudy and gray, but rain still seemed a while off. They had some time left before they needed to return to camp. It was dangerous to be near the water during a storm. As a kit, he had heard stories of lightning striking the river when a cat was in it. The results were always disastrous. While he had never actually seen the phenomenon occur before, it was better to be safe than sorry. It seemed quite impossible that such stories would be one hundred percent fiction. He returned his gaze to his apprentice. "Try swimming one more time. This time, stretch your legs further out. You'll find that you'll have an easier time keeping your head above water. Try to let the water carry you, so don't be too tense." With a serious expression, the large tabby tom pointed out the areas in Aspenpaw's technique that could be improved. The younger tom almost had it down, so they didn't have to spend too much time on it today. "After this, we'll do some fishing."

Aspenpaw shook his fur as the heat of the day increased. He could smell the rain coming, not too far off now but enough time to get more training in. He hated Green-leaf, too hot for his pelt. He listened to his mentor's advice and hopped back into the river to hopefully correct his technique. This time, he was doing it! He stretched his legs out and relaxed and then it just kinda came to him. The swimming, of course, wasn't perfect but it was much better than before. Also, it was kinda nice not to go underwater. Aspenpaw swam back to the bank and padded out. He proceeded to pad a little ways away from his mentor and shake the water from his thick pelt. He didn't want to splash him. He came back towards him and sat. "So.. How do I fish?" Aspenpaw was ready to learn, he really didn't want the rain to interrupt this.

As Aspenpaw adjusted his technique, his swimming became visibly smoother. Scorchclaw felt a small sense of satisfaction at seeing the improvement. Their swimming practice decidedly over for the day, both cats headed for the shore. Once again, the tabby deputy found himself on dry ground. His thick pelt had become soaked through by the water and now hung like a heavy garment over his large frame. If anyone were to lay eyes on him at this moment, they would see that he had "deflated" from his usual fluff. Vigorously, he shook himself off. Water droplets were sent flying haphazardly in all directions as a result. Having dried himself off as best as he could for the time being, he turned to face Aspenpaw again. "You did better this time." He acknowledged with a small nod. "As for fishing, we'll have to go somewhere else."

Their exercises had no doubt scared off any fish that might have been lurking within the depths of that particular river. Fortunately, Scorchclaw had come to know RiverClan territory like the back of his paw. There was a smaller stream nearby that would do just fine for fishing. When mentor and apprentice had arrived at their new destination, the deputy stopped a few tail lengths away from the water. "With fishing, patience is essential." He said softly, "It usually takes a while before any fish will come close for you to attempt catching them. In that time, you must wait as still and quietly as possible. Watch that your shadow does not fall over the surface of the water. That is one of the easiest ways to alert fish to your presence."

Padding closer to the edge of the steam, he then seated himself. His green eyes narrowed in concentration at the rippling water surface. Just as he had told Aspenpaw to do, he sat as still as a stone, with only the sporadic twitch of his tail tip. Atop the water, glimmers of sunlight danced without a care in the world. There. His sharp gaze did not miss the shadowy form in the depths that was the telltale sign of fish. His paw flashed out. A fish leaped out of the water, its wide mouth gasping for air. However, he had mistimed his strike and the angle was off. He was unable to hook the fish unto the shore, and it soon plopped back into the stream. Scorchclaw uttered a low hiss. Great. Turning to look at his apprentice, he beckoned the younger tom over with a flick of his tail. "You try now."