Featherpaw's New Mentor

Unfortunately, Featherpaw had been left without a mentor... Again. The universe seemed to be against the poor apprentice, what with the odd amount of tragedies constantly plaguing her young life. Shaking her head, she tried her best to decide the best way to go about this... There was no need to call a Clan meeting to simply assign her a new mentor, was there? She'd never heard of it, at least. Gazing around camp at the warriors surrounding her, she mused on who would be the best fit for such a position. Honeytongue... She seemed to have a lot going on at the moment, she didn't want to overbear the poor she-cat. The same could be said for Stormbringer, Torrentstar, even Waspburn... Each of her Clanmates seemed to have a lot going on, and she hated to put the weight of another cat's training on their shoulders. With a sigh, the deputy padded up to the apprentice. "I'm sorry about Mudfrost, Featherpaw," Her eyes held a genuine tone of apology, as the she-cat had been a friend of her own. "But you do need a new mentor." Placing her tail on the she-cat's back, she tried her best to speak gently, out of concern for the younger apprentice.

Without company, and with the simple intention of attempting to provide some more prey, she had been planning on departing into RiverClan territory once again. The harshness of Leaf-Bare had proven exhaustingly difficult... not just because of the climate and lack of fresh-kill, but because of the mental damage the shifting of seasons had brought. Her mind seemed blunter than ever, starved and shivering frame exhausted from the stress of it all. Sickness and strain had inflicted another loss to the Clan, and Mudfrost's death was still haunting her mind - a constant clawing reminding her of the inevitable in life.

When Ivybrook approached Featherpaw, she had been startled, wondering as to what the deputy would request. Featherpaw had flinched slightly at the mention of Mudfrost's name, ears flattening in sorrow at the mention of her late mentor's name. She accepted the faint touch of her tail, dumbfoundedness fractured as she finally realised the offer of concern, wide eyes blinking at the she-cat's condolence. The silence was barely brief, but at last the apprentice seemed to have found her voice. "Th... Th-Thank you, Ivybrook," she whispered, her response hindered from the sore hoarseness of disuse, "I... I u-understand." The warrior's gentle tone offered her a fleeting moment of reassurement. Despite the obvious strain in her voice, it still carried hidden gratefulness at the deputy's sympathy. She was able to raise her eyes to meet Ivybrook's at her response - mint meeting emerald, her own eyes dull with a faint hint of anguish. It was pitiful expression, albeit with a taut smile, added in small hopes of providing a light to the atmosphere.

Here she was, again... for the third time.

Mentor-less, and lost. About to be granted the third warrior to help her to find her wings. That feeble, fragile, hopeful voice within her, was shattered by the possibility that tragedy would happen again. Would StarClan curse this cat to death, as well?

Trying her best to comfort the slightly younger she-cat, Ivybrook let her emotions teasingly dance about on her face, as opposed to her normal stone-cold façade. A gentle smile tugged at the corners of her lips, an attempt to show that she wanted the tabby she-cat to try and move on. A certain sense of gratitude and, in a way, concern, swirled in the depths of her emerald green eyes. She was thankful for Featherpaw's constant undertaking of her duties of an apprentice, with such minimal complaint despite how weary she had grown. Soon, she thought, she would earn her warrior name.

Taking a short breath and releasing a long sigh, she looked into Featherpaw's eyes for a moment before continuing to speak. "I'd like to offer my apologies, you've had to deal with so many changes, especially here recently." A slight nod of her head and flick of her long, feathery tail accompanied her words. "Anyway, I was thinking that I could be your new mentor. I could never replace Mudfrost, of course... I'd try my best, though?" Her tone held the distinct notes of a question... Like she wasn't quite sure, or as if she was asking permission.
"Unless you had someone else in mind, of course." She quickly pushed her last few words, tacking them awkwardly onto the end of her previous statement... er, question. Maintaining eye contact with Featherpaw, she waited for her response.

The flurry of emotions that had flickered on Ivybrook's face, however indistinct the motions may have been, were caught by her observant gaze. A fleeting moment of surprise fluttered on her own features; knowing how the deputy usually kept her thoughts reserved, how Featherpaw often found it a challenge to read her expressions. She distinguished the twinkle of what she thought was empathy, whirling in the deputy's eyes. With only a brief moment of uncertainty, she realized her frame had released their tension... just momentarily. The gentleness that she otherwise would have seen as uncharacteristic, the faint rising of Ivybrook's maw into a smile... it somehow allowed her a moment of security. A slight glisten was present in her eyes as she, without nearly as much hesitance as usual, offered of own smile. This time, barely any strain and false genuinity could be found in the shifting of her features.

The apprentice listened intently to the deputy's following words, eyes softening at her words. Ivybrook.. was offering herself as he mentor! The ember in Featherpaw's eyes blazed a little brighter, trusting the warrior's ability to guide her well. She caught the pitch at the end of her statement, the indication of reluctance, and gently shook her head. It was without any hesitation that she gave words of reassurement, "I'd l-love that.. I'd love to b-be your apprentice, Ivybrook." Featherpaw's response was accompanied with a rasping rumble; a sound that would have been a purr if not for the dryness in her throat. "I... I'll try my b..b-best. I promise. A..A-And I know you'll do great." The gratitude in her expression was undeniable. "Thank you."

Ivybrook was persistent, and capable, and loyal. The worry that had initially plagued her, seemed to have subdued into a mere buzz at the back of her mind. Featherpaw knew that she had been placed into safe paws.