its the children that make history (c)

Sorting herbs and tidying up the medicine cat den had become second nature to Littlepaw. There was something soothing about having his own den, one that had been forged over the years specifically to house the sick and injured. Everything had a place, and the bank of the river just outside of the mouth of the den would freeze and thaw intermittently with the weather, allowing access to water at all times... even if it meant having to lap at the icy surface.

Overall, he found himself to be rather contented with the circumstance, easing back into the life of a true Riverclanner despite not having experienced it before. He enjoyed keeping his mind busy and off the unpleasant events of the recent moon. Cindersky's tail had been a lost cause from the moment it was ripped away, not even Starclan could have healed that wound. No matter what he tried the injury was so severe that the healing process was arduous and long. A frown worried it's way onto his maw as he thought about it once again.

Cindersky's voice drew him from the cascading thoughts. Littlepaw quickly recognized the emotion there and it caused his tongue to go limp. There wasn't anything quite right to say in response so he nodded in agreement and abandoned his work to pad silently after her. Regardless of the dark cloud that hung in the air, her presence was a natural calm that had developed in kithood. He leaned into the warmth, keeping close enough their pelts brushed gingerly.

He appreciated the guidance away from the den, noting the way she prevented him from turning around. It was difficult to look at her tail, finding it to be a constant reminder of what was lost. Cindersky seemed to mind much less than he did. Somehow. The medicine cat swallowed at the thought and instead focused on the familiar comfort of her fur. After they had strayed a short distance from camp, swaying in time with each other's steps the whole way, she finally broke the silence.

Littlepaw peered up at her with wide eyes. His green eye glistened curiously, while the grey one lacked such a sparkle. The warrior had made him a promise all those moons ago and intended to keep it. He couldn't help the overwhelming gratitude, coupled with crashing waves of pure love for the she-cat who had guided him since kithood. Squeezing his eyes shut, the medicine cat pressed into her shoulder. It was the sound of the river that made him look up. A soft cadence of rushing waters, babbling on in an endless pursuit, had become a blissful background to life on the territory.

Patches of ice reminded him of why fishing had been such a foreign concept. Between that and the haze of his vision, Littlepaw worried how challenging the flickering surface would be to navigate, but he trusted Cindersky's guidance. Flickering shadows told the tale of slippery creatures that swam blissfully unaware in the comfort of the river's flow. His pad reached forward to touch a delicate patch of ice perched on the edge just to see how much he could press it down. She called him back with another utterance of words and he abandoned the endeavor as his gaze darkened.

"I never thought you did," He confessed softly, "but that didn't stop me from feeling like I failed you... I'm supposed to be a medicine cat. I'm supposed to be hope. Not the cat who lost his best friend's tail and just watched." Littlepaw shuffled his paws uncomfortably, welcoming the chilling mud as it squished between his pads. There was a brief pause before he added, without looking up to meet her gaze, still focused on the soft earth, "Sometimes I wish I had the heart of a warrior. Like you."

You did not fail me. Littlepaw couldn't swallow as his throat tightened at the response. All this time he'd been carrying around that weight, blaming himself, and Cindersky didn't even hesitate in her reply. The reassurance of her speech had carried him through kithood. Once having been all alone tumbling about the nursery in a sleepless haze, searching for a purpose, the warrior had become his guiding light. He subconsciously leaned closer to the pale-furred molly, relishing in the closeness of their coats. His eyes didn't move away from the flickering surface of the water as tears pricked at the edge of his gaze.

As her instruction continued, the medicine cat sat upwards and straightened up to move his shadow off of the dancing surface. Littlepaw shook his coat without a sound. One forepaw raise and he unsheathed his claws, studying them for a moment. He'd mostly used them for cutting away at herbs while leaving the warriors to catching prey. It was good to know such a skill. Seeking out the fish that she had recommended, Littlepaw's tail tip flicked with immense concentration. He wanted to catch one just for her.

The slender form of the fish as it slipped through the churning waters grew closer and closer. He tried not to twitched or learn forward no matter how hard it was. Finally, deciding it was close enough, his claws tore through the air and cleanly broke the surface of the river. With one swoop, the fish was scooped onto the bank. It flopped around for a few seconds as it longed for the familiar comfort of the water once again. Littlepaw looked up at Cindersky with shining eyes, "I did it! I caught a fish! All thanks to you, Cindersky." A purr broke from his chest as the unhappy feelings melted away in the wake of such a warm moment.

"You overcame your goose eventually," Littlepaw meowed as he placed a paw on the fish, pressing it into the soft mud, "so I think I can too."

Littlepaw tried to catch a fish. [-5sp] It is.... a success!!

The member 'Ripped' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

Her praise filled his ears and an erratic, rumbling purr came from the tom's chest. Cindersky was quick to finish off the fish. He looked down at it, ignoring the slight fuzziness of his gaze and focusing on the great accomplishment at his pads. In that moment, Littlepaw felt like a true Riverclanner. Generations of Riverclan blood flowed through his veins and as if life ordained it, his paws had taken a fish from the river. Briefly, he contemplated if his parents were proud and watching from the unseen stars above. Glancing up, his gaze settled on the pelt of the grey warrior next to him. It didn't matter if his parents were watching, Cindersky was.

Leaning into the warmth of her fur and the reassurance of a purr that was filled with both familiarity and love, Littlepaw sighed. The tension in his shoulders seemed to relax as he found his place underneath her chin. Endless gratitude blossomed in the young tom, far more than he could ever express. Without pulling away, he looked up into the fur that threatened to engulf him in the best way. With a twitch of his whiskers, the apprentice meowed softly, "I'll fill your whole nest with goose feathers someday, okay? I want to take this back to camp to show everyone. I... thank you, Cindersky."