preparing.for.[disappointment] [Maskpaw//training]

[♫.Starredmyst]

It wasn't too long before Maskpaw took the lead and headed for the river. He seemed to get a bit lost once, but, Aviansun thought, he wasn't too badly off for a new apprentice. Not that he knew the territory half as well as the newest warrior, but that was something that would come with time...and Aviansun had to grant that he was mildly pleased that Maskpaw could find the river at all, when doubtless his only knowledge of it was from a stolen adventure or two.

"Sir, should I get the prey? I think it's a vole."

Aviansun was pulled from his thoughts by the apprentice's voice, and scented the air curiously. "It is," he replied after a moment, considering. He doubted Maskpaw could catch the prey, fresh as he was, but why not let him try? Aviansun would have to gauge his hunting abilities sooner or later, and anyway, it was spring -- it wasn't as though one missed vole would do the Clan any harm.

"Go ahead," he answered finally, jerking his head in the vole's direction. "Just give it a try. Let's see what you can do."

[Flower]

Maskpaw dropped down to a crouch and stalked forward as silently as he could. He thought he was doing well, but his tail brushed against some reeds. The vole scrabbled away. Maskpaw sat up, disappointed, and looked toward his mentor. "I thought I had it." he commented, disappointed.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Aviansun watched his apprentice critically as he stalked the vole. His crouch wasn't bad for being on pure instinct, but he didn't yet have the awareness of surroundings that marked a good hunter. The bengal tom's expression didn't flicker when the vole scampered away; he said only, "You have the right idea where your crouch is concerned, but I'll demonstrate later so you're not looking for shadows in the dark when you want to improve. Pay closer attention to the forest around you whenever you're hunting -- or fishing for that matter.

"Now, there's one more thing I need to show you before we end our little guided tour. Follow me, and keep an eye out for more prey."

The tom padded towards the rushing sound of the river till it could be seen clear throguh the undergrowth; then he padded up along its bank until he came across a log that had fallen across it. Glancing back to make sure Maskpaw still followed, he leapt up onto the log and used it as a bridge to cross to the other side of the river. Once over he continued to follow it northward along the bank.

"I don't suppose you know much of Moonstone?"

[Flower]

Maskpaw struggled to keep up. He was starting to get tired. "I've heard a few stories from the elders, but not very much. Does it really shine as brightly as the moon?" He replied, stumbling a bit on the log bridge. He still managed to get on top of it, but then had to run to catch up with Aviansun. Trotting next to his mentor, he was dying to ask more questions, but knew better than annoying the older cat.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Maskpaw sounded so very excited, but his question was oh, so very ironic. Aviansun laughed softly.

"I wouldn't know. I've never seen it."

He glanced at Maskpaw, casually, and stopped where he was. "You see that mound? Across the river? Look very closely." He pointed his nose through an opening in the trees, toward an island. There was a small hill in the center of it, an opening dark and slim across its bottom. "See the cave? That's Moonstone."

He paused, looking at Maskpaw again, gauging his reaction. "Seasons ago, in my father's time, they used to bring all apprentices there before they became warriors. Back when they still thought StarClan mattered. But it's been a bit since StarClan's spoken louder than the leader, hasn't it? So they stopped moons back, before I was even apprenticed. I don't think it's been required of a single cat in the entire time Patchstar has been leader. You'll probably never enter it."

He watched, casually, waiting for a response. It didn't even occur to him, except distantly, that he might be crushing one of the young cat's more idealistic dreams. Aviansun didn't have a place in his life for fantasies. Instead he looked his apprentice over while he waited, noting a slight unsteadiness in the young tom's limbs. It didn't look like they would get a sparring session in, but Aviansun felt he had a good assessment of the cat in most other areas; it had been a decent day.

"Still," he added, returning to the topic of Moonstone, "it's an important part of Clan history and I want you to remember where it is. Just in case you someday have a reason to enter it."

[Flower]

"Oh... Okay, sir. I'll remember." He tried not to show his disappointment. He stared hungrily at the Moonstone cave, wishing he could enter.
Why shouldn't he? The idea took hold of him. Why not sneak back some night and see if StarClan still would speak to someone willing to listen? He followed his mentor, no longer tired despite the long walk. Glancing quickly back at the Moonstone, he made a silent vow to return sometime tonight.

[♫.Starredmyst]

It was easy for Aviansun to hear the disappointment in Maskpaw's voice as the apprentice spoke. Aviansun glanced at Maskpaw, saw the young tom's gaze fixed on the Moonstone, and ignored it; he turned and padded back towards camp without waiting for Maskpaw to finish his staring. The sooner the kit could get over his silly dreams, the sooner he'd be able to become a decent warrior.

After a moment Maskpaw was following him once more; with his mental 'lesson plan' complete and no more instructions immediately in mind, Aviansun allowed his thoughts to wander idly. He remembered his own apprenticehood, the rigorous instruction both his parents had given him; Maskpaw's lesson, his new training, they were nothing like that. Aviansun remembered the first hunting lesson his queen had ever taught him...he had not been allowed to return to camp until he had caught enough prey for all the elders, even though there was enough freshkill in the pile -- and because he had taken so long, Snakefang hadn't allowed him to eat before retiring to his den. Ah, no, Maskpaw would have a much easier time of it than Aviansun had...

Reflecting on his moons as an apprentice, Aviansun remembered the other lessons his queen had showed him -- the lessons on life. On strategy and manipulation, careful words and false promises. It was a stark view of the world that Snakefang had built for him, but a view that Aviansun treasured; he believed himself to be more clear-sighted than most, and one of few strong enough to accept the bleak viewpoint that was his reality. Idly Aviansun wondered what Maskpaw would do if he were to train the kit as his parents had trained him; would the young tom break under the strain?

Ah, but there was no need to ruin a decent enough future warrior...Aviansun glanced back at his apprentice, slowing as they neared camp. "We're done for the day," he meowed, showing no sign of the thoughts that had passed through his mind. "Do as you like, but eat well, and get to bed early. Think a little on what I've told you today, and see how much of the territory you can remember. I want to see you at the same time tomorrow as I did this morning, unless we're assigned a patrol."

Maskpaw was lucky. No...Snakefang had never given her own son time to eat and sleep, let alone think.

OOc;{No ideas from this end for continuing the thread...unless you've got one, what do you say we end it soon?}

[Flower]

((OOC: Um, I got nothing. Like, so little that I don't think I have anything to say for this post. XP))