let it stay this way (c)

Newleaf had come in full swing to the forest. Every willow, aspen and beech tree on the territory was covered in bright green leaves that rustled and swayed in the breeze. Birds had returned to the forest, and their chirps filled the early morning air when Perchstar stepped out into the territory. As the sun slowly rose, its light warmed the earth, seeping into her thin pelt and brightening the ground on which she walked. It seemed almost symbolic that the season had truly flourished when she had returned to RiverClan... almost as if it had been waiting for her arrival to thrive. Of course, that was not how seasons worked. But on a morning as nice as this, she could almost believe it was so.

But not everything that came with her sudden departure to Twolegplace had been bad. Perchstar glanced once more at the apprentice accompanying her. Wrenpaw--one of her kits; the second-oldest; one of the two who had inherited her father's pelt color. The loudest and most vibrant personality among her kits, whom Poppyshine was currently mentoring. They were a good fit together. However, the deputy was currently busy with other duties, and so Perchstar had taken her own daughter out on this hunting patrol. It had been a while since they'd been alone together. Wrenpaw was an apprentice now, far larger than her kit self, but still as enthusiastic as always. Hopefully she could learn how to subdue her excitement and move carefully so as to not disturb the fish in the river. For now, though, it was okay that half of her steps found some kind of stick or twig to snap. "How has your training been going?" Perchstar asked. She trusted that Poppyshine would be a wonderful mentor, but Wrenpaw was not the calico's only apprentice. And besides, this question was the best way to lead into anything else that Wrenpaw might like to tell her about.

It was good to see that everything was going well for Wrenpaw--or, at least seemed to be. Perchstar didn't know if her daughter had the prescience to pretend to be happy with her training, but if she had learned to fake emotions, she was doing it very well. It would be easier to take her word at face value. Her laugh certainly sounded delighted, anyway. Wrenpaw's closeness was not unpleasant. She was much bigger than she had been as a kit, and seemed only to be growing further. "I'm glad you and Poppyshine work well together," the leader said, satisfied. "I hope that you will have no need of fighting anytime soon, but it is a valuable skill to have. What sort of things have you learned? Has Poppyshine taught you yet how to use the water against your enemies?"

No, there was no guile in Wrenpaw. Not an ounce. Only pure joy radiated from the black and white she-cat as she leapt forward, tackling a patch of reeds in an excited but tactical manner. Though the movements were hasty and still had yet to be refined, the energy behind them would serve her well in hunting and fighting alike. Perchstar found her facial expression relaxing further. She was so much like Poppyshine when she was younger. Though she loved all her kits equally, she couldn't help but be glad that at least one had escaped her legacy of being unable to show emotions. Warmth followed her as she walked. It glowed even brighter when Wrenpaw complimented her. "Mama" was still not a moniker she was used to, but coming with such love and happiness from a cat who gave all of herself to the motion... it helped. It helped a lot.

"A very impressive tackle," she said, feeling her mouth move into the semblance of a smile as she did so. It was easier for the lip to curl higher when she was speaking. "I'm sure Poppyshine would be glad to hear you say so. I can't recall if I've ever been called 'cool' before, in the way that you seem to mean it." Cool-headed, perhaps. Or that she spoke too coolly to some. Or that the cool of her eyes chilled like ice. But not... cool. Not the approving term of an apprentice who found one awe-inspiring or otherwise worthy of praise. Another moniker Perchstar supposed she would just have to accept. "I don't doubt that Poppyshine will teach you many good things. Would you like me to teach you something?"

Perchstar felt her whiskers twitch at Wrenpaw's enthusiasm. "All right then. I'll teach you a fighting move that only RiverClan cats get to know." A curve of the river was nearby, so the leader began walking towards it, motioning with her tail for the apprentice to follow. She knew that Poppyshine would have gotten to this move eventually... but the idea of teaching her own daughter something sounded very appealing right now. Besides, Wrenpaw was happy to learn anything, and she wanted to extend their time together.

It didn't take long to get to the river. Perchstar made sure that she was downstream of Wrenpaw, then turned to look at her. "Here. This move can be dangerous, so I will use a reed to demonstrate." Gracefully, she reared up on her hind legs, then used two white forepaws to grab the very top of a cattail reed and shove its tip under the rushing water. She held it there for one moment--two moments--three moments, until she finally released it. It looked waterlogged and droopy. "It's called an underwater cinch," she explained, meeting Wrenpaw's gaze. "It's a move that must be used carefully. We do not intend to drown other cats, ever. Instead, we simply use the water--which they are not used to--to temporarily stun them, allowing us to gain the upper paw in battle. If you ever use this move on others, then you must be sure to use it sparingly, and not hold your opponent under the water for too long." Once more, Perchstar demonstrated, pushing the reed under the river's current for a few seconds before letting it back up, this time batting at it with her paw when it emerged. "Here, you try it."