Backwritten Territory WC mud between our claws // eclipsepaw

[Swiftwatcher]

'Cause you are loved, you are loved more than you know
I hereby pledge all of my days to prove it so
Though your heart is far too young to realize
The unimaginable light you hold inside

.

Swiftwatcher gave his fur a quick shake, droplets scattering from his long black coat as he surveyed the soaked moor around them. The rain had turned everything into a slick patchwork of mud and puddles, but the old warrior only seemed to find more reason to grin. Adversity, after all, made for the best lessons. " Ah, this'll build character, if nothing else! " he joked, voice rumbling with that familiar good humor as his tail flicked behind him. " A WindClanner who can run in this weather can run in anything, I tell you. "

His gaze softened as he turned back to Eclipsepaw, reading every nervous twitch, every flicker of hesitation the young tom might try to hide. " You've got strong legs, and a sharper mind than you think. " he added gently, tone shifting from playful to earnest. " The trick is to trust both. The ground might slip under you, but if your heart's steady, your paws will follow. " He stepped back a few paces, motioning with his tail toward the rolling field. " Go on then. Give it a try. Feel the pull of the wind, but don't fight it, run with it. "

And after a heartbeat, his whiskers twitched with a grin. " Or... " he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. " If you'd rather not get your paws muddy, we can turn this into a hunt instead. See if an old cat like me still remembers how to stalk proper prey. Your choice, Eclipsepaw, you lead the way this time. " he offered with a grin, knowing that he wasn't that old, but one could joke about, couldn't they?

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

64 MOONS

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WINDCLANNER

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bio

@Eclipsepaw

 

[Eclipseshade]

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ECLIPSEPAW

WINDCLAN

APPRENTICE

HE/THEY

11 MOONS

DINGO

Eclipsepaw seemed to flinch when his mentor shook his fur free of water droplets, he actively avoided every bit of mud and every single puddle he possibly could too on the way here. If he had wanted to be wet and soggy all the time he would have joined Jingle and Twinkle in RiverClan! What had happened to their usual sun soaked moors? His whiskers drooped hearing Swiftwatcher joke that this would build character-- He had plenty of character already! He preferred his current, not soaked character. He was also sure that Cometpaw would probably run through this kind of weather with little issue and his ear tips burned with a jealousy he wasn't even fully aware he had yet.

The apprentice would straighten up proudly when he realized Swiftwatcher was looking at him, trying to hide his hesitation towards the weather behind a bravado of long tortoiseshell fur. "Thank you~" Dipping his head in thanks and feeling quite chuffed after the older cat mentioned his strong legs and sharp mind. Except Swiftwatcher was trying to teach him something, not feed his ego. He was pretty sure he already trusted his mind and his legs-- Though likely not in the way his mentor was meaning. Eclipsepaw would look out to the muddy field when motioned towards it but he would take a step back instead, his ears flattening backwards. He'd like to show off a bit and show Swiftwatcher how he could run! He truly would, but the mud...

As soon as an alternative option to the muddy fields was given Eclipsepaw would pounce on it like he was already in the hunt! "I would much prefer that I think, mud and I aren't really the best of friends you see" Plus a hunt sounded fun, the feeling of biting down on fresh prey was unparalleled! Swiftwatcher referring to himself as an 'old cat' made Eclipsepaw's tail twitch as he tilted his head to one side. He had forgotten how many moons his mentor was until now, he remembered being rather sour when first assigned to Swiftwatcher as his apprentice partly because of it, thinking someone younger and closer to his own moons in age would better understand him and train him in the ways he wanted most. He wasn't so sure he still felt the same way now...

"You might be an old timer, but you are not old" He hadn't thought of himself as the compliment type to others and maybe Swiftwatcher didn't mind that he was older-- Or perhaps he was joking entirely but still, Eclipse didn't see him as old, he was wise and thoughtful but not old! The young tom seemed almost starry eyed when his mentor offered for him to lead the way this time. Leading, now wouldn't that be a dream? "A hunt sounds like a delightful plan to me, let's go with that" He tried to scent the air for prey, his ears swiveling to catch any hints for where any small critters might be hiding. "When it gets so damp and soggy like it is now, how does one smell the prey over all of the rain and water? It seems to mask their scent quite well and washes away their trails" Useful if you were trying to cover up your own tracks though but not so much for hunting.

You gotta step on up 'til the spotlight finds your face

A scruffy long-furred tortoiseshell tom with low white, large ears and sky blue and soft yellow heterochromia eyes. A young cat with a bit of an attitude, self-important, sometimes snarky but is also fascinated with the stars.

Littermate to COMETPAW and TWINKLEPAW
Son of NEBULA and ASTRO / Nephew of JINGLEMOON
Mentored by SWIFTWATCHER
"speech" // "thoughts" // #ff9e42

 

[Swiftwatcher]

'Cause you are loved, you are loved more than you know
I hereby pledge all of my days to prove it so
Though your heart is far too young to realize
The unimaginable light you hold inside

.

Swiftwatcher let out a deep, rumbling laugh, warm and good-natured, carrying a hint of sunshine even on a rainy day. He gave his long fur a shake, sending a few stray droplets flying ( much to Eclipsepaw's horror probably ). " Ah, you'd think after a few moons under my watch you'd have grown fond of a little rain. " he teased, yellow eyes glinting with amusement. " But I suppose even a WindClan cat can have his preferences. Still, you can't really call yourself one of us until you've had mud in your whiskers at least once. " he commented, aiming a tiny bit of mud to the other.

After that, he gave his apprentice a playful nudge before stretching, his movements calm and easy despite the damp. His thick coat clung to him from the earlier downpour, but he didn't seem to mind. Watching Eclipsepaw pick his way carefully around puddles had made him grin. The young tom had such spirit, proud, curious, and still learning. It reminded him of his own kits when they were just starting to grow up. " Fair enough. " he said with a dramatic sigh, flicking his tail. " We'll skip the mud today and go for a hunt instead. You might've just saved me from slipping, these old bones wouldn't like that much. " He winked, amused.

When Eclipsepaw told him he wasn't old, only wise, Swiftwatcher paused. His whiskers twitched, and a soft purr rose in his chest. " Careful now, young one. Flattery like that might earn you extra duties. " he joked, eyes bright. " But thank you. You've got a good heart under all that pride. Keep it, it'll serve you better than sharp claws ever could. " He followed as Eclipsepaw took the lead, tail swishing lightly behind him. The apprentice's question about hunting in the rain made his ears perk.

" Good question. " he said with approval. " Rain washes away scent, yes, but it also makes everything quieter. Prey feels safer when it can't hear us. So instead of scent, use your eyes and ears, watch for grass shifting where it shouldn't, a flick of fur, a sound that doesn't fit the wind. The land always tells a story if you listen close enough. " He leaned closer, voice lowering like he was sharing a secret. " And remember, a soaked WindClan cat still runs faster than any dry ThunderClan one. " He flicked his apprentice's shoulder with his tail, eyes twinkling.

" Now then, let's see what those strong legs and that sharp mind can do, hm? Show me how a proper WindClan hunter works in the rain. "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

67 MOONS

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WINDCLANNER

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