Territory Water never stays where it is put // Swimming lesson?

[Russetfall]

FALLING FOR THE PROMISE OF THE

EMPTINESS MACHINE

She sits dutifully at the bank of the river, green eyes staring wordlessly at the surface for a moment before looking at the apprentice beside her. She'd had some...misgivings about being assigned Thunderpaw as her apprentice. A lot of misgivings actually. Russetfall was not good with adults on a good day, even less so with kits. And now she was expected to have this kit trailing in her pawsteps everywhere she went? Iciclepaw following her around and pestering her already felt like too much and the boy wasn't even hers in any sense of the word. She was expected to do this with Thunderpaw now.

Where to even begin?

She clears her throat finally, head turning once more to the water. "...This is the calmest- and most shallow for our needs- part of the river that I've been able to find." The words are slow, gauging the response of the other before she continues, rising to wade into the water. "I'm not saying you have to swim like a fish or anything like that, but I want to be sure there won't be any...accidents."

The Life Guard finds herself grimacing at her own choice of words before shaking her head. She makes a sweeping gesture with her tail, trying to coax Thunderpaw closer to the water's edge. "Don't worry about slipping or anything like that, I'll catch you. I'm right here."

ITS BEEN DECIDED HOW WE LOSE

RUSSETFALL

— Life Guard of Riverclan
— She/Her
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— A Green-eyed Chocolate Mackerel Tabby With Low White
#8a2c55

Ooc: @Thunderpaw

 

[Thunderpaw Thunderpaw]

——————————————————— You who bares all your teeth in every smile. ✦

She remembered how maybe a moon or so ago, she was so excited to meet her mentor, to begin training, and to become a warrior at the side of her siblings. Now? Well, she felt like she was wading through mud every single day. Her stomach churned every time she heard Russetfall's call for training. This time was no different; she just expected another border patrol or maybe training to hunt, but her blood ran cold seeing the tabby stop at the river's edge, looking over like the water wasn't some cruel, careless thing.

Russetfall looked to her, motioning her towards the water. Hesitantly, she walked ahead, the water seemed shallow like her mentor promised, though the apprentice's throat tightened, mouth going dry with her mention of accidents. She had to look away, head spinning a little with the sound of the rushing water, wincing as she recalled the panic that gripped her slipping underneath. The tightness in her chest... The sight of-

"No-" She managed to wheeze, stumbling back a little. Even with Russetfall's reassurance that she would catch her, fear clung to the apprentice's chest like how the water logged her fur that day. "I can't I..." Thunderpaw blinked hard. She was meant to be brave and strong. Just like her mama always told her to be, but how could she when she wasn't here anymore. She looked up at Russetfall with watery eyes, wrapping her long, feathery tail around her paws, trying to comfort herself. "I-I'm scared I'll..."

Shame burned in her chest. She had tried so much these last couple moons to be brave, but nothing was going right; she had found comfort in the idea of things going a certain way. The predictability of events was all she could cling to, but now with everything changing so fast, she felt like she was floundering. Guilt writhed in her chest too as she stared up at her mentor, sitting at the bank of the river, waiting expectantly. Now Russetfall was stuck with a scaredy little drypaw apprentice rather than one who would be able to do everything they were asked. Her paws felt far more interesting to stare at now, expecting to be shamed for her cowardice, how else would she react to an apprentice refusing to even try and swim?

——— Take a swim in the water

Dear Arkansas daughter. ————

• 
  Thunderpaw
  ✦—Riverclan apprentice | 7 moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A stocky, fluffy cinnamon sealpoint kitten with long curled ears and soft blue eyes.
  #DE966C

 

[Russetfall]

FALLING FOR THE PROMISE OF THE

EMPTINESS MACHINE

She expects some amount of resistance, of course. Russetfall had been there when it all happened so she wasn't so blind as to expect Thunderpaw to throw herself headlong into the water at her beck and call. Still... She had underestimated just how much it had affected the other.

She finds herself all but gliding forward to stand before the distraught apprentice, barely making a ripple in the current from where she once stood. Something foreign-instinct, maybe- compels her to place a quick lick between those curled ears. "I know," She murmurs, voice low. Steady. The life guard cranes her neck low in an attempt to meet Thunderpaw's eye. "I know, Thunderpaw. It's hard, but it's something I want you to be able to do."

There's a pause as Russet drags her gaze away from the kit to look to the water flowing lazily around her paws. "We both know water can be dangerous...Better than most." She begins, hesistant. Something tightens in her chest at the memory but Russetfall shakes the feeling away with a frown. "It can be cruel, but it's also what keeps us all alive and what makes us Riverclan. It feeds us with its fish, and acts as a natural border and discourages our drypaw neighbors from trespassing on our land."

Finally she steps fully out of the water, fur around her ankles and elbows dripping, to sit next to her apprentice, tail curled around her smaller form. "I never expected you to swim today. ...Tell you what, can you-" A paw is raised to softly slap the surface of the water's very edge, a small splash of water coming up from the impact. Emerald green eyes rise to study the other, expression unreadable. "Dip ONE paw in the water, just one, for me? After that I can teach you some new fighting moves, would you like that?"

Regardless of whether she did or not, they were going to practice fighting. It was enough water for today.

ITS BEEN DECIDED HOW WE LOSE

RUSSETFALL

— Life Guard of Riverclan
— She/Her
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— A Green-eyed Chocolate Mackerel Tabby With Low White
#8a2c55

 

[Thunderpaw Thunderpaw]

——————————————————— You who bares all your teeth in every smile. ✦

Thunderpaw's gaze flickered down, shameful, she knew Russetfall and expected some sort of reprimanding to come her way. So, of course, she was shocked to realise her mentor glided towards her, a gentle yet reassuring lick atop her head. A knot formed in her throat, listening quietly, realising how absent of affection she had grown in the wake of her mother's death. It was another reason why her heart ached for her sister to take a different path; she loved Galepaw just as much, but he was never the affectionate kind. Rainpaw was always so much like their mother in that way, kind and gentle. Even if it was the reassuring proximity of her sister, it made the absence of their mother a little more bearable...

She looked up to Russetfall, nodding. It was strange to fear the water. She knew it as much. It was terrifying, dangerous. Even her mentor said and knew the same, it could be cruel, but in the same breath it's what gave them food and safety. Even now, the water was not harsh or turbulent, drifting easily around Russetfall's paws, dripping easily and gently as she stepped out of the water and wrapped a reassuring tail around her huddled form. She didn't mean to, but Thunderpaw leant ever so slightly into her mentor, especially as her eyes trained on the river, the water as it leapt up with a tap of the tabby's paw. A droplet landed on her fur, like the first signs of rain.

Russetfall looked to Thunderpaw, but the apprentice looked past her mentor, for just a moment. The wispiest clouds drifted lazily across the sky, bright as the eyes that stared up, unblinking. Her gaze flickered to Russetfall, eyes that once held a fear settling to some kind of resolve. The slightest smile crinkled her eyes. "I can do that." She nodded lightly, her fur ruffling lightly as she did. The apprentice rose to her feet, still a little tentatively.

She shoved the memories to the forefront of her mind. Steadying her breath, remembering Russetfall was right behind her. The water was calm, and so was she. She held her breath, like she was going to dive in, all in preparation for a paw hovering over the water, before darting in beneath the surface. Thunderpaw hesitated. If only for a heartbeat. How cool the water was on her paw against the warmth of the sun. How it reminded her of splashing in the shallows with her siblings, with their mother watching over them with love.

Everything had changed; that wasn't something she could ignore, not anymore. And it wasn't as if Thunderpaw was happy with this new normal, but she could work through it. One paw in the water at a time.

She retracted her paw from the water, staring down at the running stream, her stomach churning again as she stepped back. But even so, she looked up again to Russetfall, her eyes crinkling as a wider smile wandered upon her face, tail swishing. "I actually did it!" Her paw was heavier than the rest, weighted wth cool water that soaked her paw, but it was okay. "I-I was scared, but I still did it..." She was less trying to get Russetfall's attention with the second exclamation, but instead it dawned on her. It was small, just a paw. But she still did it. It wasn't going to be easy, but she felt a little better knowing her mentor had her back, even if it would take a long time.

She couldn't help but beam at Russetfall, her fear had melted away, even if it would be temporary. But a flicker of the cat everyone once knew shone through again, especially as she bound to look up at her mentor with a tail that swayed with the wind. "You said you'd show me how to fight now, right? What are we gonna do first?!"

——— Take a swim in the water

Dear Arkansas daughter. ————

• 
  Thunderpaw
  ✦—Riverclan apprentice | 7 moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A stocky, fluffy cinnamon sealpoint kitten with long curled ears and soft blue eyes.
  #DE966C