Chores Aren't Boring [Robinmist]

Honeypaw had been tasked with bringing food to the elders, and it wasn't a chore she minded in the slightest. Grabbing a starling from the fresh-kill pile, the fluffy apprentice trotted toward the elder's den. She didn't know the clan elders all that well, but maybe if she was her usual cheerful self she wouldn't get her ears ripped off. Ducking her head into the den, she was relieved to see that the elder was awake. It would have been embarrassing if she'd just barged in while someone was trying to nap.

"Hi Robinmist!" Honeypaw mewed cheerily, "Are you hungry? I brought a bird."

Honeypaw had expected to just be thanked and to move on, but the elder asked her about how her training was going. The fluffy apprentice smiled, happy to answer. "Training's fun! Stoatclaw is teaching me to spar and to hunt... I know I've only been an apprentice a few days but I think I'm already improving." There was pride in that, even if the improvement was still small and she wasn't as skilled as some of the older apprentices. One day she would be, though, and then she'd earn her warrior name. "I haven't had the chance to train with my siblings yet but I'm sure they'll put us on the same patrols eventually... It feels weird to spend less time with them, we've all been busy with our own training. Not that I miss being in the nursery either, of course."

Perhaps the elder was right, and all she would need was to ask. Honeypaw hoped so, though she felt almost... Shy about asking for something so simple, too. "Maybe I will. It would be nice to get to train with them all." She mewed.

"I didn't realize the territory was so big! And it's so much better than being stuck in camp all day, even if I still have to be with my mentor and all." She added, before realizing... Robinmist was probably stuck in camp all day too. "Sorry. But being stuck in camp is just boring."

"And hunting is fun too, I think that's what I was most excited for."

Honeypaw listened to the elder speak, she seemed to really miss being able to do things outside of the den, or camp as a whole. Honeypaw couldn't imagine what it would be like, to have her duties and freedoms (such as they were, still being an apprentice and all) snatched away by age or injury or illness.

"You could still go for walks, right? Get a change in scenery for a bit?" She didn't know the elder well enough to say, much less to know whether or not the question might prod at a sore spot, but Honeypaw couldn't see why she wouldn't be allowed to at least take a breather outside of camp if she wanted to.

"I caught a pretty big squirrel the other day. Being in the trees is something I'm still learning. It's... A little scary, but I think I just need more practice. Some of our clanmates make it look so easy." Wolfstar and Falconmoon seemed like they almost preferred being in the trees to being on the ground at all. She did not yet have that sort of confidence in her own abilities. "You must've been a great hunter!"

Honeypaw's ears slid back as the elder spoke. She couldn't imagine what it was like to be in pain all day, much less pain to the point that the elder couldn't even walk. "Is there anything Thymelight could do to help, maybe?" Of course, she was sure that her mother was already doing what she could to help, but it was worth an ask, right? Or maybe Honeypaw was simply an optimist.

"The potential to fall is scary," She agreed, "I promise I'll be careful." Robinmist continued, and part of Honeypaw wished to tell her not to talk like that. The idea of death was one she wasn't overly familiar with, much less Starclan... But it almost seemed like the thought was a comforting one for the elder. Or the elder trying to find comfort in the idea of it, Honeypaw didn't know her well enough to say either way.

"I'm sure you were a great hunter, Robinmist." She almost wanted to beg for a story... But the elder seemed tired. "Do you need anything else? Fresh moss or something?"