PAFP Territory TC lay of the land // territory assessment

[Copperstorm]

You walk along the edge of danger
AND IT WILL CHANGE YOU

.

Copperstorm padded through the forest with the measured steps of someone who knew every twist of the trail by heart. The morning air was crisp, leaf-fall creeping closer to leaf-bare with every breath he took and the golden light of sunrise filtered through thinning branches above. His apprentice followed close behind, paws crunching softly against the leaf-littered ground. Thistlepaw was growing stronger. More confident. There was a certain steadiness to the young tom's stride now, a surety that made Copperstorm's chest swell, even if he hid it beneath his usual composed exterior. Today wasn't a normal patrol, it was an assessment of sorts. He wanted to see just how well Thistlepaw had learned the lay of ThunderClan's territory... Where each border stood, what prey thrived where, what dangers lurked unseen.

He'd also offered to take along a few of the younger apprentices, so they could learn by example. It never hurt to have extra ears listening. And by doing so, help some of the other mentors with teaching the apprentices a few things that would be deemed vital in the knowledge of ThunderClan.

After a while, the brown warrior came to a halt, nostrils flaring as he lifted his muzzle to test the air. The forest here carried faint traces of the Thunderpath, the sour tang of monsters in the far distance. Satisfied, he turned and seated himself neatly, his plume-like tail curling around his paws. " Alright, Thistlepaw... " His voice was calm but firm, golden eyes fixed steadily on his apprentice. " Tell me from this spot, which direction would I take to reach the Thunderpath? "

He waited patiently for the answer before his gaze swept toward the others, eyes narrowing just slightly in expectation. " And the rest of you. " he added, his tone deepening. " Remind me. What's the most important thing to remember about the Thunderpath? " His ear flicked as a faint rumble echoed in the distance, the growl of a passing monster. " Think carefully before you answer. It's not just a path. It's a danger that's taken more lives than any enemy clan ever has. "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

33 MOONS

𖧧

THUNDERCLAN

𖧧

SONG

𖧧

bio

ooc: pls wait for thistle to post first! Then other apprentices are welcome to join too!

 

[thistlepaw thistlepaw]

leaf litter crunches beneath hardy paws, weathered now from moons of apprenticehood. hardened. hardened just as their heart is, thrumming tightly in their chest as grief holds skeletal hands around the organ that once loved freely and deeply. thistlepaw focuses on their training - on making copperstorm proud as he is all the blue rosetted tabby has left. parents beyond the living veil, siblings busied with their own loneliness and lives.

bright blue eyes catch the filtered sunlight as the large brown tom halts and tests the air. thistlepaw slows and seats themself before copperstorm, a gentle flick of their tail suggesting that the younger apprentices do the same. all eyes on the warrior; all attention on the knowledge that was to be shared here and now. first and foremost is a test of the apprentice's own knowledge. thistlepaw straightens their back and lifts their chin to scent the air.

the acrid tang of the thunderpath is faint, but present. tall ears swivel to catch the sound of distant rumbling, the massive monsters that kick up pebbles and dust as they roar by. a gentle breeze tugs at the tufts of their cheeks, of their broad chest, and thistlepaw angles their head towards that direction. "the scent of the thunderpath is being carried on the wind," they explain as they gaze steadily into golden gaze, "i would face the breeze and walk against it, knowing it will bring me closer to the thunderpath." for extra measure, the large apprentice points a paw in the direction they believe the thunderpath to be. "but be mindful to not walk too far, lest you cross into shadowclan's territory."