(Larkpaw & Willowpaw) make light work

Lavenderpaw met Willowpaw’s approach with a small smile. “Hi Willowpaw,” he answered the other apprentice’s polite greeting. Like each of her littermates, and his mentor, Perchstar, Willowpaw had strikingly clear blue eyes. Lavenderpaw followed her gaze across the little island after a simple shake of his head.

In the wake of the next question, Lavenderpaw floundered. He spluttered for a minute. “Not yet,” he answered eventually, honestly. Lavenderpaw was abashed an older apprentice with all her skill and grace would ask him about being named a warrior. If the senior apprentices had more to learn, he expected he did, too. Lavenderpaw wanted to be helpful to RiverClan and wouldn’t be ready until he was sure of that.

Lavenderpaw realised he had only answered half of Willowpaw’s question.  “But, um, good.” Lavenderpaw hadn’t said anything interesting. But to avoid dragging out his answer any more, he asked genuinely, “How about you?”

Larkpaw’s irritated voice cut across the island as he approached. “Hi Larkpaw,” Lavenderpaw greeted the other apprentice exactly as he had Willowpaw. He closed his eyes peacefully in a brief blink.

Lavenderpaw wasn’t unused to brushing bristling shoulders with Larkpaw. His dark-furred, dark-tempered denmate was brother to Rookpaw and also kind to Cinderpaw. Lavenderpaw shared a mentor with both, so he had seen Larkpaw like this almost as often as he had seen him happier.

Three apprentices gathering moss was a first for Lavenderpaw. He shrugged sympathetically to Larkpaw’s complaint. He supposed with the colder weather the nests needed three times the moss. But he suspected Larkpaw wasn’t really asking. Willowpaw saved it with an answer.

She rose to her paws and looked to Lavenderpaw. To his embarrassment, his first reaction was to look behind him. “Ah, of course. This way.” Lavenderpaw kept up a determinedly quick pace. He knew the land closest to the island well and so could hurry this way without unknowingly injuring his numb hind legs.

Close to the island, the green dew-glistened meadow held clusters of a few moss-covered old trees. Rocks around the edges of clear blue strands making a watery web had been exposed by the low waters of green-leaf and were soft with moss. “Here,” he told the other two apprentices, not even puffing from the trip.

( OOC: that's okay ^^ <3 )

Lavenderpaw was happy his moss-gathering spot and his speed arriving there was good for the other apprentices. His eyes quietly shone a little brighter at Willowpaw’s approving words. The way she naturally took the lead reminded him so much of Perchstar. While he didn’t grumble like Larkpaw, the confirmation of knowledge was echoed in a quick nod from Lavenderpaw, “Got it.” Willowpaw’s organisation of the work between the three of them was very efficient. His response to Larkpaw’s growl was to meet his eyes with an earnest nod. Lavenderpaw worked conscientiously to squeeze all the water out of the moss and lay it out to dry. He looked up at Willowpaw when she asked him a question, blinking at her curiosity. “Usually, yeah.” Adding after a moment’s pause, “Sometimes Perchstar teaches me fishing or Sandyshell teaches me herbs,” he really enjoys that. “Usually it’s nests and dens.” Lavenderpaw would like to think RiverClan has the cosiest, tidiest, prettiest camp with how often and with how much care he does those duties. “I practice fishing from our island,” Lavenderpaw said, hoping he will feed his clanmates in the coming colder moons. His light yellow eyes looked between Willowpaw and Larkpaw, “How about you? You both must be very advanced in your training and learning things not every apprentice learns.”

Although happy, Lavenderpaw felt embarrassed as Willowpaw listened patiently. It was kit stuff compared to her training!

Lavenderpaw felt a confusing conflict between shame and pride as his paws worked to squeeze water out of moss. He fished in the shallows, but every minnow counted! Not medicine-cat or warrior, but he learned the herbs and made a shield of himself. Even if he wanted to, Lavenderpaw wouldn't complain.

"Sorry-" he began to apologise to Larkpaw, before Willowpaw replied. He listened, pale yellow eyes lit with interest. "I thought your mentor must see a lot of potential!" It was a privilege to be taught, the more the better, in Lavenderpaw's eyes. All he could see was how lucky he was that Perchstar and Poppyshine, Sandyshell and Wrenpaw, had seen the same potential to be taught in him.

"Do you feel ready for your full name?" he asked with obvious excitement, hoping to include Larkpaw. Everyone was excited for these apprentices' well-earned ceremonies.

Though it was still early in his own training, Lavenderpaw could one day earn his full name. "Do you think I'll ever earn it, too?" He blurted before he felt drowned in a wave of embarrassment.  "I'm lucky to be in the one clan that hunts sitting down..." he laughed.