Show Me A Sign (c)

Sageroot was deep in thought as she sat near the medicine den, drawing in the dirt with a claw. She drew out all the different ways one could move a paw, ear, or tail and sighed in frustration. How could she make this work?

Hopepaw couldn't find her friends. They must be out. The apprentice huffed in annoyance, batting an old moss ball around the camp out of boredom. Maybe it was pure luck that she accidentally knocked it close to She Who Plays. Oh! She hadn't seen her! Hopepaw bounded over; tail held high in the sky. Perhaps they could play today! Unknowingly, she stepped through the other cat's drawings on the dust floor and touched noses with her friend. Let's play!

Sageroot startled when someone stepped on her drawings. “Oh, Hopepaw! Hi,” she purred, knowing the other cat couldn’t hear but would understand that she wasn’t upset. Hmm… maybe this was a chance to test something. She ran over to the prey pile and grabbed a mouse. The deputy stared at it for a moment, aware she probably looked silly, before taking a paw and brushing it twice over her nose like a mouse grooming itself. Mouse. Sageroot pointed to the prey with her paw and made the motion again.

OOC: I actually know some ASL so there will be similarities!

Hopepaw paused, bewildered when She Who Plays immediately dashed away from her. At first, she felt dejected, until She Who Plays returned with a mouse from the pile. Food! Well, she could eat. Except, She Who Plays made an odd motion with her paws over her nose. Hopepaw tilted her head and leaned forward to observe her friend's nose. It looked fine. Maybe slightly dry? The pointing to the mouse caused her to blink and then lean down to inspect the mouse's nose. It seemed alright. Was it her nose? Hopepaw crossed her eyes to inspect her own nose. It was still there!

She sat back on her haunches and silently observed She Who Plays. Was that motion intended to mean mouse? Just like other cats nodding their head in another direction means to follow them? A long few minutes passed as Hopepaw silently assessed the meaning, then, lashing her tail, copied the motion, brushing twice over her nose. 'Mouse.'

She’d understood. Hopepaw got it! Purring, she put the mouse back and grabbed a bird. This time, the idea came easier. She tapped her nose against the back of her paw like a bird pecking the ground. Bird. Hmm, if Hopepaw understood the purpose of this for sure maybe she would create her own signs next! Hopepaw was a part of ThunderClan whether she could communicate or not, but communication could make a huge difference.

She Who Plays seemed pleased that Hopepaw copied her. Hopepaw herself was glad that she could understand what her friend was saying! Tilting her head, Hopepaw observed once more. 'Bird.' Had that worked? The apprentice paused before trying again, making her movements more purposeful. 'Bird.' Blue eyes blinked up at She Who Plays, searching her face for a reaction.

Sageroot had the biggest smile on her face as Hopepaw signed. A thought came to her and she pointed to the white apprentice with a questioning look on her face. What would she call herself, given the chance?

They were naming her now? Hopepaw frowned in thought. How to refer to herself? Well, probably just: The apprentice put her paw pad to her chest. 'Me.' She is only herself. Me is me. Hopepaw is me. That made sense, right? If she was going to refer to herself, she would refer to herself as me...? The apprentice tilted her head uncertainly.

That was fair, she supposed. Names were a difficult concept to explain. Hopepaw was herself. But what about Sageroot? Sageroot motioned to herself, head tilted questioningly. How did Hopepaw see her?

Hopepaw's frown deepened, uncertain. Really, she only knew Mouse, Bird, and...me? How could she assign a sign to someone if she didn't know the other words? If she would put a sign to a cat, did she want to know all the signs first? Or was it a bit more simple? Hopepaw pointed at She Who Plays with her paw. 'You.'

The apprentice hesitated then spun around, kicking up dust as she dashed into the empty herb den, collecting a ball of moss in her paws. Similar to one she would play with as a kit. Bounding back with it in her mouth, she put the ball on the ground and signed a gentle tapping of one paw on top of the other. Then, she pointed to the ball of moss. 'Moss.' If she was giving signs to everything, then she could really explore! The apprentice waited momentarily to ensure She Who Plays was watching.

After the moment passed, the apprentices began to bat the ball around, chasing after it, lobbing it in the air, and then throwing it back towards her friend. Nodding at She Who Plays, she shook her paw twice. 'Play.' Hopepaw then mirrored a pretend fight, showcasing the move her friend had shown her before in the forest. Then again, she signed 'Play.'.

Then, she pointed at She Who Plays, combining a vague form of 'you' and 'play,' tapping her chin in the middle, trying to indicate that she was not asking her to play but assigning a name instead. 'She Who Play.'