A Long-Overdue Tour

Dappleshine had woken long before the sun peeked over the horizon. Her head rested on her white paws as she considered the options as far as what she would start teaching Ospreypaw, her apprentice. Those words were so amazing to think of, she had her own apprentice! Someone that she would train with her own paws, and guide them into the warriorhood. Her tail tip flicked back and forth excitedly at the memory of the ceremony the day before, and she couldn't stop the smile that formed on her face.... Until the uncertainty in the back of her mind and the pit of her stomach piped up. What if she didn't do a good job? What if Ospreypaw got injured, or sick again? What if she let him, and in turn, the clan, down? She shook her head, pushing back against the cruel, mocking tones of the voice. No, she would make sure that he was well-trained, and ready to face anything that came his way. He would be one of the greatest warriors RiverClan had ever seen, she could see the passion behind his gaze during his ceremony. Between his own determination and her guidance, they would be just fine. Grateful that Scorchclaw had chosen her, she realized with a jolt that the sky was turning gray as the sun's rays stretched towards the horizon. She stood quietly, delicately stepping around the other sleeping warriors and out of the den. Pausing for a moment to quickly groom her long fur, she decided what it was she was going to do today. Since they were starting early, she would start simply with a tour of the territory, and maybe do some more in-depth training afterwards, depending on how Ospreypaw felt. He was much older than most new apprentices, and thus had more stamina, and might feel up for it after all.

Once her pelt was free of debris from her nest, she padded quietly to the apprentice den. Poking her head in, she felt a pang of dejection as she recognized Magpiepaw's black and white pelt curled in his nest, his back to her even in his sleep, although that probably wasn't his intention. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she located Ospreypaw's nest at the edge of the den, and with a gentle nudge of her paw and a quiet mew woke him. "Ospreypaw? It's time to wake up. I hope you're ready for a long day." She smiled as the tom stirred and backed out of the den once she saw him sit up, padding over to the fresh kill pile and gathering a fish for the new mentor and apprentice to share. Offering the first bite to him once he emerged from the den and got the sleep from his eyes, she began her first lesson. "Normally, the elders and kits are fed first, and then we can take our share as warriors and apprentices. However, with it being your first day, we'll be taking a tour of the territory so I can show you where you'll be hunting and defending, so you'll need to keep your strength up. So eat what you want, I'll have what's left and we'll be on our way, alright?" She smiled a little nervously, anxious to see his reaction to her plan. Oh stars, She thought, guide my paws as well as his.

Ospreypaw had fallen asleep quickly, his dreams full of what being an apprentice would be like. He was almost disappointed when he woke up, worried he'd be back in the nursery, but being by Dappleshine's face quickly reassured him. Becoming an apprentice hadn't been another dream, this time. The large tom was quick to rise, not bothering to clean his pelt. There was no point, his long fur would get quickly tangled while training, he'd learnt that when the younger kits had started using him as a climbing frame, not long before his apprentice ceremony. The tom padded out of the Apprentice den and joined his mentor.

He listened quietly as Dappleshine spoke, eating as he did. "Sounds good." meowed Ospreykit, reining in his excitement. He'd never left camp aside from when the flood had came, ruining everything. Memories before the flood and his sickness were foggy, but he knew he'd seen Dappleshine before she'd become his mentor, back in the nursery when even she had been a kit. He frowned, even cats younger than him had become warriors before he had even become an apprentice. The frown was quickly gone, as he looked back towards Dappleshine, it wasn't his fault or her fault this had happened, life had just been unkind to him, but things were better now. "I'm ready when you are," he purred, standing up and stretching.

A purr rumbled in her chest as the tom quickly rose, wasting no time in following her out of the apprentice den and to the middle of the camp. His fur was ruffled, but she understood why, the downside of having a long pelt of hair. He ate as she talked, and she found herself appreciating how well he listened, maybe this would be okay after all. Once he ate his fill, she finished it and disposed of the remains before gesturing with her tail to the entrance of the camp. "Let's get moving then, shall we?" She smiled to the tom before turning and leading the way out of camp and waded across the thin stream that separated the island that held the camp from the rest of the territory. Turning back to watch her apprentice as he crossed, she shook the water streaming off of her pelt and waited. Once he had crossed as well, she decided to open it up to him a little. "So then, Ospreypaw, where would you like to see first? The territory is yours to explore and learn. I will simply guide you there and answer any questions you might have. Unless you would like to lead the way?" She wasn't sure what would be better, guiding the tom or letting him guide himself, so she left it open for him to decide what he wanted.