Warrior Cat Clans 2 (WCC2 aka Classic) is a roleplay site inspired by the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Whether you are a fan of the books or new to the Warrior cats world, WCC2 offers a diverse environment with over a decade’s worth of lore for you - and your characters - to explore. Join us today and become a part of our ongoing story!
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Okapishadow waited outside her apprentice's den, with enough distance it wouldn't feel too close. She had asked Swallowingpaw to be ready by the time the sun shone directly down on them. Since it was his first day as an apprentice, Okapishadow didn't want to overwhelm him by making him wake up at the first rays of sunrise. After waiting a few moments, she felt the eyes of someone glaring at her. Turning, she met Dartfrog's gaze. Her brother sneers at her with anger behind his eyes before he stands and walks away, tail tip flicking with irritation. The movements sent a chill down her spine. Quickly, Okapishadow gets to her feet and pokes her head to where Swallowingpaw resided.
"swallowingpaw?" Okapishadow clears her throat. "It's time to begin your training. Please meet me just outside." The dark brown she-cat dips out and settles down once again. Dear Starclan, she hoped she was cut out for this. Glowstar's words played through her head. Her leader had faith in her. Now she just had to find it for herself.
There was no reply from the den, but the sounds of motion grew steadily louder until the apprentice was finished with his work. Then he ducked out of the den and shook out his long black-and-white coat, feeling the sun's warmth already beginning to soak into him. "I'm ready now," he announced, seemingly unconcerned that he was nearly late on his first day, but when he met her eyes he smiled.
The she-cat releases a soft sigh of relief when she sees the young cat come from his den. "Hello, Swallowingpaw. I'm Okapishadow." She returns the tom's smile, making a mental note she might have to ask him to be ready earlier than she intended.
"I think today we'll start simple. Are you ready to explore the outside of camp?" The feline remembered her first day as an apprentice fondly, finally getting a taste of what the world around her had to offer. She had a route planned in her head, including places the tom shouldn't travel to alone.
His ears flicked back as he bowed his head, showing her only the most grudging respect. His parents had taught him manners, and he had listened, however reluctantly. He knew the punishment for being overtly rude wasn't worth the defiance, but he didn't have to be happy about it.
"Absolutely," Swallowingpaw declared, his head shooting back up, and there was an excited gleam in his eyes. She had his attention now. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Oh dear, this was going to be an... interesting match. Okapishadow looks at the clear blue sky for a moment, closing amber eyes and sending prayers to Starclan that the two would get through this. And Swallowingpaw would someday become a wonderful warrior.
She nods and smiles politely, flicking her tail-tip towards the entrance of the camp. When they made their way just outside, she sits down. "Okay, Swallowingpaw. This is your first apprentice task. Please, make yourself comfortable." She wraps her tail around her paws. "I want you to give me five things you can hear, five things you can see, and five things you can smell. Feel free to close your eyes to listen. I really want you to expand your senses. That's the first step in becoming a good warrior. You must always be aware of your surroundings."
Swallowingpaw strode toward the camp entrance at her side, his tail waving high like a flag, but once they were out the exit he couldn't contain himself any longer. He shot off at full speed, the wind rushing through his fur, the ground rough and uneven beneath his paws, and he couldn't believe how alive the world was. His father had brought him out here as a kit to look around, but it was different now, he was so much bigger and smarter.
Then his mentor spoke, and he slammed to a halt as if he'd reached the end of a chain. Swallowingpaw turned and glared back at her over his shoulder, the tip of his tail twitching restlessly. He wanted to keep going. He didn't want to play some stupid game.
"I can hear you nagging me, I can see you wasting my time, and I can smell some stink that's rotting like prey, which I think is you."
Ah. So this was the route they were going to take. Okay. Okapishadow could play this game. “Mmm. I can see an apprentice who’s so excited to see the world that he’s forgotten that his mentor can make him do some pretty horrid jobs. Your first job instead could be cleaning the dirt pile, or getting ticks off the elders. So, young Swallowingpaw. It’s your choice. Ticks, or take five minutes out of your very busy day to listen.” Okapishadow wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t in her nature, and dammit, she would make this piece of work listen and respect her. “Also, the rotting prey you’re smelling? The dirt pile. Just so you know.” She gives a smile, staying exactly where she was.
His claws dug into the earth. Petty defiance wasn't worth having to clean ticks or the dirt pile. Swallowingpaw hadn't tried either of those duties yet, but he didn't need to: just the words were enough to make him cringle and wrinkle his muzzle. Still, he hated to give in so easily. He could just turn and run away now, run and not look back, and see where he ended up . . .
But in the end, he would have to come home, and she would be waiting. His tail slumped as he regretfully stepped back toward her and sat down, keeping a healthy distance between them.
"Fine," he muttered. "I hear... your voice." He wasn't being salty this time. "And mine. I can hear the wind around us." He listened harder. There were a lot of sounds, so it wasn't difficult to find them, but piecing them apart was more difficult. He had never tried to find the source of noises before, he had just reacted to their power. "There's some type of bird nearby. And something big walking around." Probably a warrior's heavy steps crunching away, but the fur on his spine rippled uneasily.
Okapishadow breathes out in relief. She knew how excited the young apprentice was, and she understood his frustration. But being aware was so, so important. She listens to the noises around them as well, picking out the sound of of the heavy footsteps as well. She presses her tongue to the top of her mouth, trying to catch a scent.
“Good, Swallowingpaw.” Okapishadow didn’t like the sound of whatever was approaching. Quickly, in one Swift motion, she stands in a protective stance in front of the apprentice, closing the gap he’d put between them. “Please be quiet,” she murmurs, her eyes scanning the clearing around them. Her ears continue to flicker, following the movement. “Swallowingpaw, if I say so, I need you to dart back into camp. Do not fight this. Please” her voice was stern, and fierce. This was his first day. She knew if he had to fight, be might end up dead.
"Does that mean-" he began, looking up at her hopefully, but was cut off when she abruptly moved in front of him. His ears pinned back. Did that mean there was something out there after all? An enemy warrior? Not a cat at all? Swallowingpaw was equally thrilled and terrified by the idea of a fight on his first day of training. His siblings would be so impressed, but what if he wasn't ready? It couldn't be that hard, right?
"Okay-" he started, then stopped and just nodded a few times, reluctant but sufficiently scared into obedience. He stained to stand taller behind her all the same, sniffing the air and trying to figure out what had her so alarmed. If it was the big thing, he was pretty sure it was coming closer, so they were about to find out.
In the end, Okapishadow saw familiar nearly black eyes peek through the brush, a smirk upon her brother’s face. He’d been following them, the ugly brute. The fur along her shoulders bristles in anger. He’d most definitely seen her apprentice’s act of defiance as well. She didn’t understand him. He hated being a clan cat, but he seemed to hate her more. Enough to sabotage her first day as a mentor, apparently. She watches with an icy glare as he slips away, back towards camp. As he’s out of sight, her stance begins to lose stiffness. He didn’t smell like Dayclan. He didn’t smell like the familiar scent of her brother, and that scared her.
“We’re okay.” She takes a step away from her apprentice, though her fur still stood on end. “If he ever gives you trouble Swallowingpaw, please come straight to me.” Her fear was that Dartfrog would use her apprentice to hurt her. The child didn’t deserve that, even if he might be a tad rude. “Come on. We’ll use the walk to see what you can feel. Make sure you’re really getting a grasp of how the land feels beneath your paws as we’re going to different places. We’ll start towards the koi pond.”
Swallowingpaw recognized the familiar face, and he started to relax. He didn't know Dartfrog well, but he had seen him around camp. Other cats weren't dangerous, and if he tried to start a fight, he was certain his mentor would defend him. He sat up straight and licked his chest fur flat, feeling a little silly for how jumpy he had been, though his mentor seemed tense still.
"Okay," he replied, in a tone that suggested he would never tell her anything. Swallowingpaw could deal with his own problems. He rose and trotted after her, making sure to pay extra attention to the ground beneath his paws. "I feel the dirt, mostly. And some grass." He shifted to the side a few steps so he could add, "ow, and a rock."
Okapishadow sighs softly, knowing that the apprentice would do what he wanted. Not only would she have to watch for her tail, she’d really need to keep an eye on him, too. She figured he would despise her for it, but flashbacks of her apprentice hood went back and forth in her brain. The Knick in her ear was due to a “training fight” that her brother had taken out of hand. She closes her eyes and sends a prayer to ancestors, hoping that someone would hear and keep her naive little apprentice safe.
She smiles slightly, listening to her apprentice. “Ah, yes. Rocks can be a pain. If you ever cut yourself the medicine cat can give you herbs to assure you don’t get an infection.” Soon, they came across the farm. “Okay, Swallowingpaw. I took you here first for a reason.” She signals to stay in some bushes near the fencing. “There’s some animals that could take a cat down here without a problem. Like dogs. Usually they’ll leave you alone if you don’t go looking for trouble. There’s some fish in a pond that you should never hunt at. They are calm and the dogs will chase you. If you’re older, and careful, you might be able to sneak a hen out of the two leg hut over there.” She points her nose toward the chicken coop. “I wouldn’t do it now. It’s chick season and they’re vicious protecting their babies,” she gives a quick rundown. “Any questions?”
