into the woods - closed

Twilight was creeping in, painting streaks of pink and purple across the sky. Leopardstar, Stagpaw’s mentor, had instructed him to meet her at the camp entrance at this time, and to say he was looking forward to it was an understatement.

She had to be one of the coolest cats in the clan! When he was a kit, he remembered playing with Frostpaw and Blackkit and they were talking about who they wanted as a mentor and Stagpaw had said he wanted Leopardstar, the tom didn’t really think it was possible. It’s like he manifested his dreams, and Starclan made it happen.

He didn’t wonder about what she was going to show him, nor did he car about the best hunting spots or secret hiding place, he was more interested in getting to know his mentor - hearing about her own apprenticeship, maybe a fun battle story from when she was his age.

That seemed like loads more fun than just a boring ole patrol.

Stagpaw jumped to his paws and puffed his chest out as he followed her. The tom nodded, his eyes furrowing in concentration and thought. Did he know where the Skyclan border was? "Hmmm," he hummed, "Mama said it was by the...Twoleg path. With the monsters on it." If he stayed quiet he could hear the distant rumbling of the monsters all the way from camp, he flicked his tail in the general direction. "Is that right Mrs. Leopardstar?" he asked, his voice hopeful as he scratched his head. The tom was never the best at remembering things.

Yes! I got it right! he grinned to himself, listening carefully to his mentor. The young apprentice clung to each word, trying his best to commit it to memory. Stay away unless with a bigger patrol, stay away from Carrionplace. Got it.

Fun!

He liked fun. Stagpaw took a second to think about this question. He had always sought out the stories about his own clan, never really making an effort to learn about anyone else. Though he supposed it would be important to know especially if he was to meet them in battle and that was something Stagpaw was truly interested in. "We used to be allies with Windclan, moons and moons and moons ago. And then there was uh..falling out. Windclan is known for being faster, with tall legs. Riverclan have thick fur so they can swim better. Skyclan climb and hunt in the trees." he stated as they walked, while he didn't care to learn about other clans, he did know the basics that everyone else did of course. "Thunderclan...they're...good at climbing too I 'spose." Most of the apprentices knowledge came from war stories, though he was sure Leopardstar knew all of them and more, she was probably in a few of the more famous ones he had heard about. He made a mental note to ask her later.

Stagpaw tilted his head in thought, as he tried hard to recall the stories of Thunderclan warriors of past. He supposed in most of them the elders had always described them as 'stocky' or 'well-built' and those were often synonymous with good warriors. This information was as valuable as a fat hare in the dead of winter. He needed to drink it up as much as possible.

"I think I would like to try my hand at hunting." he mused, My battle strategies are perfect anyhow. he thought to himself as he looked at his surroundings. The tom parted his jaws and scented the air, it was clearly there - mouse. Now just to find it- aha! In the brush hiding from the snow a good few fox lengths away, sat a mouse. Stagpaw's hunters crouch was messy, his big paws getting in the way of a seamless form, yet as a cat after all, the form would due. Now if he could just..get close enough.

Stagpaw held his breath and jumped - BAM! Stagpaw jumped right on top of it, snapping its neck easily with the sheer weight of his body. It was a shocking sight, and Stagpaw was instantly embarrassed at his lack of finesse. The tom picked up the squashed thing and brought it back to Leopardstar with a sheepish smile. He set the bloody mess down and shuffled his paws together, "I-I got it." he meowed, unable to meet her gaze.

Stagpaw is trying to catch a mouse. Success!