The Art of Asking Favors (closed)

If there was one silver lining to being forced out of their camp and into this scary two-leg smelling place, it was the fact that Yarrowkit could talk to the older cats more easily. The makeshift Nursery they had here wasn’t as separated like the one at camp. It made wanting to talk to Willowpaw much easier. Unfortunately, the actual talking part was proving to be more challenging. 

Yarrowkit tried to channel of some of the confidence that had come over her when she’d decided on this crazy endeavor. It helped to have the source of that confidence in front of her. Willowpaw was nice enough to have helped her before, so she would probably be find with her asking for further help. Of course, she also felt bad about that. She felt a little guilty just talking to Willowpaw like this, knowing she was probably really busy with far more important tasks than helping a silly kit like her.

“S-Sorry for t-taking up y-your time, Willowpaw.” Yarrowkit started, wondering if it was bad luck to be starting this with an apology. But she felt guilty enough she knew she needed to say something about it. “I k-know you must be r-really busy.. so if y-you need to go, p-please do! T-this isn’t that i-important.”

Well, that wasn’t exactly true. It was important to Yarrowkit. But Yarrowkit was far less important than the clan and Willowpaw’s time, obviously. Still, this was undeniably important to the kit, which was why she was able to summon up all her courage to continue with her request. “I-if you do have the time though, I wanted to ask for some help with talking to Sagelight... Um, I d-don’t really know him that w-well, so maybe you h-have some advice? Like, uh, what he’s like, and how to talk to her—I mean, you t-talk to him a lot, right?” 

Part of Yarrowkit wanted to ask Willowpaw if she could just talk to Sagelight for her entirely, but she knew that was asking for too much. Although... No, she couldn’t. Yarrowkit felt bad enough about asking for this. She knew she’d feel far too guilty if she asked Willowpaw for a favor like that.

When Yarrowkit approached her, Willowpaw's head snapped up from where she was fiddling with the dirt. She had taken it upon herself to investigate every bit of dirt in the current camp for fun. Not exactly every bit, but something like that.

When Yarrowkit mentioned what Willowpaw was doing must be important, the Apprentice had to fight back a purr of laughter. Important? Investigating dirt was nowhere near important. She was mostly doing this to pass time. Swansong had mentioned they may go on a hunting patrol later, to make up for the previous attempt that was screwed up by an owl. Yarrowkit was much more important than such a silly pastime. Willowpaw could hear how nervous Yarrowkit was, however, and so kept her mouth shut.

Yarrowkit then gave the request. She wanted Willowpaw to help her with what Sagelight was like and how to talk to him. Willowpaw nodded along, quickly assessing the request mentally. It was certainly very important to Yarrowkit, that was for sure.

"You aren't bothering me, I happen to have a lot of free time anyways." Willowpaw started out by reassuring Yarrowkit. "And as for what Sagelight is like...He's a really friendly cat. Much like me, actually, but much more responsible. He probably wouldn't scold you if you went up to her directly." Willowpaw admittedly didn't know Sagelight as well as she should.

Yarrowkit widened her eyes at Willowpaw's response, looking surprised, and then doubtful. Was the older cat just saying that to make her feel better? She was probably nice enough to do just that, Yarrowkit decided, so she said, "Y-you don't need to l-lie to me to me feel b-better. I know a w-warriow apprentice like you must have a t-ton to do!"

Certainly far more than a kit like her, who couldn't stray far or do much of anything at all. While she knew some of the other kits yearned for the day of their Apprentice Ceremony just so they wouldn't be so trapped, and Yarrowkit had to admit she did wish she could be more helpful, she wasn't excited for that day so much as nervous. Doing nothing was a lot safer than doing something, especially when it was important tasks for the good of the clan.

Mentally shaking her head, she tried to focus on Willowpaw's description of Sagelight, ears perked up to hear every word with a level of attention that might've been a little too much. Like Willowpaw but more responsible? Yarrowkit tried to imagine what that was like. "B-but you're already so responsible, Willowpaw!"

He probably wouldn't scold you if you went up to her directly. Somehow out of the entirely sentence, Yarrowkit managed to focus on the word "probably". Looking rather worried now, Yarrowkit  couldn't help saying, "S-so, there i-is a c-chance he’ll s-scold m-me!"

The chance, however small, of that happening, had Yarrowkit's stomach in knots. That would be horrible! Turning wide pleading eyes to the older cat, she asked, "W-What to I d-do?"

Willowpaw smiled as reassuringly as possible. "Actually, Swansong said there would be a hunting patrol later, but it won't be for a while. I'm sure it'll be at least tomorrow before we can actually go." She explained about the responsibilities she currently had. "So no, I'm not too busy at the moment."

As Yarrowkit asked about Sagelight scolding her, Willowpaw winced internally. She could have phrased that a little better.

"I'm positive he wouldn't scold you, don't worry. After all, it's better to have more healers." Willowpaw quickly amended. "He'll be fine with you asking him!"

Yarrowkit relaxed at Willowpaw’s explanation, feeling better knowing she wasn’t keeping her away from something important. Of course, she did still feel a little bad knowing that she was disturbing her free time, but well, hopefully this would not take to long. Hopefully. “T-that’s good. I’ll s-still try to keep this quick so you can r-rest though.”

The quick reassurance should’ve made Yarrowkit feel better. And it did, a little, but she couldn’t help but think Willowpaw was just being too optimistic. With a furrow in her brow, she asked, “You r-really think so? B-but... I’m still not s-sure how to ask!”

Now that she thought about it, that seemed to be the real problem here. Looking plaintively at the other cat, she plead, “H-how would y-you say it, Willowpaw? You’re good with words!” It was true. Talking with the older cat had managed to bring about a rare confidence in her, after all. That was basically a miracle.

Oh. It seemed that Yarrowkit's biggest problem right now was that she was much too scared to talk to Sagelight, maybe it was the element of unknown? Willowpaw didn't do the best job at understanding shyness, she herself having never experienced it. However, she guessed telling Yarrowkit to just do it wouldn't be helpful.

"If I were to say it...I would go up to Sagelight and ask if he had some free time. Then I would just...Straight up ask." Willowpaw said awkwardly. "Doesn't sound like that's helpful with you though..." She couldn't talk from Yarrowkit's point of view well enough. She ducked her head, embarrassed. "Sorry I can't help you with that."

Yarrowkit’s eyes grew to several sizes in quick succession throughout Willowpaw’s explanation. Just... ask? Willowpaw made it sound so easy! Well, maybe it was easy for the older cat, but Yarrowkit was clearly not half as capable as her. Clearly. “I... I don’t think I c-could j-just a-a-ask!!”

It was like asking her to go fight an owl. Yarrowkit was simply not capable of such an incredible feat right now. As she was busy moaning to herself about this though, she realized she may have made Willowpaw feel bad. “No, no! I-It’s o-okay! Y-You’ve been r-really helpful!” She had. Well, maybe not quite so much this time but, it wasn’t like there was much else Willowpaw could do to help her.

...Or, maybe she could? Slowly, hesitantly, Yarrowkit asked, “W-Well, maybe I c-could try it on y-you, first? The, um, just asking, t-thing?” Willowpaw wasn’t as scary as Sagelight, she thought, so she could probably do it. Probably.

Willowpaw winced slightly. She was unsure of how to help, in this situation. Surely she couldn't just go and talk to Sagelight for Yarrowkit? Yarrowkit has to learn to speak for herself...But how else could Willowpaw help?

The answer came when Yarrowkit asked the question herself. Of course! Willowpaw could help by helping her to simulate the situation!

"Of course I can help with that!" Willowpaw exclaimed with a bright grin. "I'd be happy to help in any way possible!"

Yarrowkit nearly melted with relief at Willowpaw's positive response, before she realized what the positive response meant and she stiffened up all over again. Trying to take some confidence from the cat in front of her, she said, "R-right. T-thank y-you, Willowpaw!"

So... how was she going to do this? Yarrowkit paused for a moment, thinking of how she would do this if it were Sagelight in front of her and not Willowpaw. The thought was enough to make her nervous again, but being able to look and see Willowpaw in front of her did make it easier.

Pretending to have just walked up to the other cat, she slowly managed to stutter out, after a few deep breaths, "...Uhhmm, e-e-excuse m-me....?"

Willowpaw nodded and sat down, fiddling with the ground in front of her with a concentrated look on her face, as if sorting herbs. She waited patiently for Yarrowkit to get ready to talk to her.

Then, Yarrowkit began to talk. Willowpaw paused in her paw movements and turned towards Yarrowkit. "Yes, what is it?" She asked, doing her best impression of Sagelight's voice, tone, and facial expression, which only made she herself want to laugh. She managed to suppress the laughter though.

It was hard to gather even more courage for what came next. Yarrowkit was beginning to realize she was going to need to do that a lot of times through this conversation—and this wasn’t even the real thing. Trying not to panic as she realized this, Yarrowkit slowly breathed in and out, intensely aware of the silence stretching on between them.

With a loud gulp, Yarrowkit managed to gasp out, not very coherently, “Y-you.... me.... help... talk!!”

...Right, that came out all wrong. How did it come out so wrong?? What Yarrowkit meant to ask was, I was talking to Willowpaw about how I could help, and she suggested maybe I could learn about being a medicine cat from you.

In hindsight, that was probably too long and too hard a sentence to say in only one go.

Willowpaw blinked her eyes quizzically at Yarrowkit’s expression. She looked like she was about to choke. “It’s okay! I promise I won’t be upset at whatever you say!” She whispered, nudging Yarrowkit with a paw gently. And probably breaking character in the process, but Willowpaw was not letting someone descend into full-on panic without trying to help.

Then, Yarrowkit spoke up. Willowpaw tilted her head and thought hard. “You want to talk to be because I can help you with something? Sure, just tell me what you need help with.” Willowpaw added, smiling at Yarrowkit as comfortingly as she could.