knowledgeable company [C]

There was a certain chill to the air as the pair of she-cats stalked through the territory. The day was overcast, the clouds a yellow tinge that promised snow later on. The weather made what should have been a hopeful day rather dreary. It was Quailprowler's and Silverpaw's first lesson on real ThunderClan territory after moons away. Silverpaw was excited to see the territory, the nursery all that they had been familiar with before StarClan had forced the clans to depart. Dead leaves crunched underfoot as they pressed deeper into the territory, and the apprentice couldn't help but hope that the warmer seasons would hurry up. Green eyes flickered to their mentor's own, waiting for the comfortable silence between them to be broken. Many things were different now. For one, keeping step with Quailprowler was no longer a challenge, long limbs matched the stride of their mentor's massive frame with ease, and it made training all the more pleasant. The second difference being they had hardly talked since the the younger of the two had been struck down with illness. Quailprowler amongst the healthiest in the forest had been constantly disposed.  There had never been a chance in the lake territories for either one to really talk with the other. In truth there was nothing to be said about that period that wasn't already obvious. Trying to find where they had left off was the hard part.

Instead the silver she-cat mulled over her time before the lakes, namely their conversation with Vinecrawler. One of the most interesting conversations she had experienced. There was much outside of the forest, and much outside of the clan way of life. Devout worship of long dead cats, and a code that discriminated against cats for being more than a puppet to StarClan were not Silverpaw's first pick off the fresh-kill pile. Nor were they Vinecrawler's it seemed. The large warrior was quite open of his own beliefs, and heritage - a heritage that he shared with their mentor. He'd encouraged her to ask Quailprowler about their heritage, and mocked Quailprowler for not being the one to initiate the apprentice into learning about their lineage.

"Vinecrawler has taught me about your heritage." meowed Silverpaw finally breaking the silence, "Gekala, your language... I can even speak some of it, but I would like to know more, and he is not my mentor. Would you teach me?" There was a hint of eagerness to Silverpaw's request, hoping to show their mentor what they had learnt of their heritage.

She had hardly walked this forest as a warrior herself. Only once. A tang of guilt struck her heart as she realized that while they were at the lake, she had been a neglectful mentor. But, Silverpaw had been sick and Quailprowler had been one of the very few cats that seemed to evade the illness - maybe due to being feral - and had to work overtime to compensate. Silverpaw could not have kept up, she reminded herself. Now, though, her apprentice could. Memory of when she was granted the gift of an apprentice came flooding back to her. The grey cat had been so small then, so scared. But the cat that strode next to her was tall, strong, and strode with confidence. Quailprowler hoped that had been due to her training and wondered if Silverpaw would have remained meek under a lesser warrior than herself.

At the mention of Vinecrawler, Quailprowler's ears twitched. The tension between the two of them had kept them orbiting each other in a weird game or dance. At night, she reviewed their battle and her heart still sung with the adrenaline of meeting an equal. The difference between them, however, was that Quailprowler wanted to keep her heritage close to the chest - not from Silverpaw, of course - but from the world. To her, that was their own advantage. The tom, however, shared it openly and freely. He believed so rigidly in it too, whereas Quailprowler believed both the forest's religion and Gekala was correct. So, she stiffled only a little at the mention that Vinecrawler had taken the leap without her permission but quickly forced her pelt to smooth and relaxed as they continued walking.

"Of course I can teach you. It is our greatest benefit, especially between us. I imagine that even once you receive your name, I can rely on you as a partner on any battlefield. If we can speak without giving away our plans, all the better." Her voice was low and quiet, and she shifted her eyes from side to side. "I only did not tell you - yet - due to your illness. I did not want to overwhelm you. I had every plan to." Clearing her throat, she straightened up once more after habitually leaning down to speak to Silverpaw. It wasn't needed as much anymore. "What do you know so far?"

The slight bristle to Quailprowler's pelt did not go unnoticed by Silverpaw, but it was quickly disregarded by the praise she recieved. "You will always be able to rely on me - on and off the battlefield, Quailprowler." replied the apprentice with a dip of her head. Friends were few and far between for the young molly, and the ones they maintained she valued greatly. The massive she-cat that had served as Silverpaw's mentor for the past moons, she held in the highest esteem. There was no one really that came close to Quailprowler for them, Wiggleowrm perhaps, but that was different. Even if Silverpaw was not the best at showing how they felt, her conviction was unyielding. Quailprowler was their greatest ally and friend.

There had been no ill intent when Silverpaw had accepted vinecrawler's offer, knowledge was power... and power was respect, and a means to protect those you care for. They knew Quailprowler would understand. "It is okay, I understand. If you had tried to teach me while I was sick it would have been a waste of both our energies." meowed Silverpaw lightly, dismissing her mentor's worries. "Vinecrawler did not teach me much anyways so do not be too upset - only the basics of Gekala and your language... Just greetings, and your names for the other creatures that dwell in the forest." They paused tilting their head before adding "He only spoke to me in your language as he assumed you had already taught me, but he did insist that I continue learning it with you. I would prefer learning with you, Vinecrawler is nice, but... he is brash and forthcoming I find."