Good Apprentices Don't Wander (Open)

[mystic]

Ruggedpaw
^{Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.}

Ruggedpaw pulled himself out of the apprentice's den. The large tom had a bit of moss stuck to his fur. Looking over his shoulder he saw it and sat down to bat it off. "Mmm.. that's better." he purred, smiling. "Much better." His ears flicked around and he looked up at the sky. It was a good day. Soon, he knew that he would be a warrior soon. Any sun now the leader would call his name and he would stand before the gathered clans to be given a new name. A proper warrior name. The very thought filled the tom with pride. He flicked his tongue over a paw then stood and padded over to the fresh kill pile.

His nose wrinkled, it seemed a bit empty. The tom wanted to go hunting, however he knew that he had to be a good apprentice. And of course he had to be a good example to the kits of the clan. Show them how an apprentice was supposed to behave. And apprentices were not supposed to go running out into the clan territory. He looked around, trying to figure out where in starclan's name his mentor was. However he couldn't quite tell. So with a little huff he let his ears droop and lay down with a loud sigh.

[Deleted]

There was a uncomfortably bright light that would shine in the face of Snowkit every morning, as he rolled over onto his side and stared towards the entrance of the nursery. His mother left Snowkit and his siblings early every day, it seemed - she was currently nowhere to be found, and he took this as an opportunity to stand up on his wobbly paws and bounce over towards the entrance of the den.

His eyes narrowed as the sunlight harshly struck his face as he emerged from shadows. He was soon to be free, wandering the camp, perhaps taking a trek outside the camp into SkyClan territory. He always wanted to know why it was called "SkyClan," and what kind of sky did they live in, and why did they live close by but never come around? And that MarshClan! Snowkit had heard from passing warriors that MarshClan's leader was no good. Snowkit wanted to prove how warrior-like he was by teaching that MarshClan cat that doing good was what warriors are supposed to do.

Taking a furtive glance behind him, Snowkit hoped that his siblings weren't around, either, hopefully sleeping so they wouldn't follow him. He wanted to do this alone so he could brag about it later, to his father.

Plodding foward on uncertain steps, the tiny tom strutted foward with his skinny tail up in the air, his gait full of confidence, and his head high. There didn't seem to be any other cats around to notice his arrival, which both gladdened and disappointed Snowkit. He didn't want to be stopped, after all. As he wandered he veered away from the medicine cat's den, which he recognized right away by the horrible stench coming from it. He would never forget that smell, one of the first memories he had. He didn't know why, but he didn't like the medicine den very much.

As he turned and headed in the opposite direction, he saw the biggest tom ever throw himself into the dust. The enormous vibrations this tom sent made Snowkit's paws tremble and he almost lost his balance. Staring down at the ground for a brief moment, he made sure that the earth underneath him hadn't cracked open. When he saw it was okay, Snowkit lifted his head and stared at the profile of the large tom, who had such silky, long fur. Was this cat the scary MarshClan leader? Snowkit fearlessly arched his back and let out a furious hiss, ready to defend MistClan.

"Mouse-brain!" he cursed at the cat, using the term he once heard his mother say. Didn't quite understand it much, though.

[mystic]

Ruggedpaw
^{Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.}

Ruggedpaw had been moping for a few seconds, letting his boredom swam over him before he heard a kit's hiss. Then he heard a cry of "Mouse-Brain." The apprentice gave a sigh and slowly rolled over so that he was laying on his back. Then he turned his head and gazed at the kit, blinking slowly. "Oh, hello there." he said, his voice gentle and even. The tom gave a chuckle and rolled onto his belly, then faced the small tom. "My, don't you look like a fierce warrior. I'm sure you could take on an army of foxes." He told Snowkit. "But you don't need to be puffing up and hissing at me." He added. Then he paused and frowned slightly. "And Mouse-brain really isn't a nice word to use. Do you think I'm stupid?" His mews were gentle and very paitent. "Because that's what it means." He added, blinking a little. The tom yawned and lay his head down on his paws.

"You know." He said. "In only a moon I won't have to sit in the camp and wait for a warrior to escort me about the territory. Or wait for premission, or a hunting exerise." he chuckled a little. "So, little one. What's your name. I'm Ruggedpaw by the way. I'm sorry if I scared you. But don't worry. I'm a friend." He paused. "Of course I try to be friends with everybody. Friends are much better to have about than enemies after all." He smiled at Snowkit and waited from him to answer.

[Deleted]

The voice of this big tomcat was rumbly and deep, almost comforting for Snowkit as he let his fur lie flat and began to sit back on his rump. It resonated through the kit's whole body like the purr of his queen as he nursed.

This cat must not have been an intruder, but what Snowkit hadn't anticipated what this cat being a mere apprentice. He was so big that Snowkit wouldn't have doubted him being Clan leader. The white-pelted kit immediately took a liking to such a strange idea. An apprentice, being larger than the lions of Clanlore. Ruggedpaw was his new hero.

"I am Snowkit and I don't like to wait for permission," Snowkit announced stubbornly. His blue eyes, which were starting to turn a vivid green around the edges (and would likely be taken over by green some day), were blazing with a warrior's passion. "Warriors are supposed to work hard, not sit around waiting for permissions."

He made a great leap into the air and slashed at an imaginary foe, landing not-so-graciously back on all fours.

"I learned that from watching other apprentices," he explained, looking mighty proud of his first warrior "skill." "But I can't believe you're only an apprentice, cause you're huge!"

Again he sat back on his rump and began to stare thoughtfully at Ruggedpaw, quiet as a mouse.

"My friends are Hushkit and Featherkit." Those were Snowkit's brother and sister, and suddenly Snowkit remembered that he had left them behind in the nursery. He was glad to have met an apprentice, they probably hadn't seen him before either.

"And I thought you were the MarshClan leader, so sorry I called you a stupid mouse-brain."

[mystic]

Ruggedpaw
^{Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.}

Ruggedpaw smiled at the little kit. The large tom flicked his tail and closed his eyes a little as the sun beamed down on his brown pelt. It was a soothing feeling. His gaze turned to the young tom before him. This little fellow didn't yet know the chill of leafbare. Yet his fur was white as a leafbare morning. The white tom was indeed well named. Of course he was named at birth. Ruggedpaw wasn't Clanborn. He wondered if he should let that on with the youngster. Then decided against it. After all, his mother had always told him that Maines came from hardy stock and that he should be proud of what he was.

"Well Snowkit." He mewed. "I'm not a warrior yet." He said. "So, I have to sit around and wait because I wouldn't like to get into trouble and have my warrior ceremony delayed." he smiled, his eyes bright. "But I promise, since I'll be a warrior when you're an apprentice. I'll take you out hunting or just walking around the territory any time you want. I'll make sure that you don't languish around camp and be bored, like I'm being right now." Glancing at a rough patch of fur on his paw, he licked it.

He paused again, maybe he should tell Snowkit about his background. "That's very good Snowkit. You're really well on your way." He said. "But jumping exposes your belly. A good attack is batting low, aiming to get your foe's feet out from under them. Or if you do jump. Jump onto the back." He explained. Then he paused. "I'm huge because I'm a Maine." He said, puffing out his chest a little. "I wasn't born into the clan you see. I was born in a two-leg nest. Mother said that we were Maines, and that we were from proud and hardy stock." He grinned. "That our ancestors hunted giant rats on floating nests that crossed the great waters." He paused again. "But when I was going to a new place in a travelling nest it ran into something and I got lost. So now I'm here."

"Are those your siblings?" He said, his face sad. He missed his siblings. He didn't even know where Trick, Missy and Cleaver were any more. "I wish I had family here. They were called Tricky, Missy and Cleaver. Mother said that Cleaver and I were supposed to be pets. But Tricky and Missy were going to stay with her." His ears drooped more. Then they pricked up as the little white kit talked about MarshClan's leader.

"Snowkit." He said, sounding a little taken aback. "Leaders worked hard to get where they are. And we shouldn't call them mouse-brains, even if they are. It's not respectful."

[Deleted]

Snowkit began to consider all of the things Ruggedpaw had to say. The deep rumbly-voiced tom was suddenly full of such wisdom, much like Snowkit's mother and father. Snowkit felt it wise of himself to quiet himself and angle his ears as forward as they would perk.

"I would like that lots," Snowkit agreed to the apprentice's promise of zero-Clan-boredom. Suddenly the prospect of being an apprentice seemed to far away. He was bored now! But before he could object to his kithood, Ruggedpaw continued on with his advisery.

He explained that jumping into the air was an exposure to a weak spot. So Snowkit put that back into his brain and saved it for another time. He knew it was important to remember that, when it came time to get a mentor, Snowkit would already be properly trained!!

"A...Maine.." Snowkit repeated, furrowing his brows. He had no inclination of a Maine, or that cats were all of different Clans and types. "Well, I'd like to hunt giant rats sometime. And you should find your siblings," he began to mew rapidly, jumping up on all fours. "They are probably tired of being lousy kitty-pets! They could hunt giant rats with us."

He wanted to ingored Ruggedpaw's scoldings about Clan leaders, but he felt a little put-out by it, and his ears started to droop.

"Respectful..." he muttered, looking down at his paws. He sured hated feeling stupid and being told what to do!

[mystic]

Ruggedpaw
^{Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.}

The tom smiled sadly at the youngster. "I wish I knew where my siblings are." he mewed quietly. "I really wish I do." The large tom looked down. "But I haven't the slightest inclination where any of them live. I don't know if I could even find my way back to where my parents live. It is so very far away, that's all I really know." He lay down, looking a bit dejected. Then he paused and pricked his ears up a bit. "But one day I will have kin within the clan. All I need to do is win the heart of a pretty lady cat." He smiled, purring slightly.

"And I'm sure that Cleaver is tired of being a kittypet." He paused and flicked an ear back. "Though mother said that Tricky and Missie weren't pets." he added. "What they are, I'm not quite sure." He mewed, flicking one ear back.
The tom bent to lick a paw. Then looked up as Snowkit's ears drooped. "Don't let it get to you." he mewed. "Anyway. From what I've heard, MarshClan's leader is no mousebrain. He is cunning as a snake." The tom paused and flicked his tail. "And false as a fox." He added. "Not to be trusted, respected. Yes, because he is a clan leader. But you can respect someone without trusting them. And he is not a cat to be trusted." He nodded curtly and frowned slightly.

[Bear]

It has been brought to our attention that a member has been PMing people asking if they would want to do a dragon swap and trying to get usernames and passwords.

THIS IS A SCAM. Dragons can not be swapped, this member was only trying to get hold of other members passwords.

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To protect our members any member caught asking for anther members password will receive a permanent ban

[Bear]

It's not even possible for a third party to engage in such a transaction, because it would mean either handing out information, payment through an insecure trade, or by means of an unauthorized script which manipulates the game. Whatever the case may be, everyone should stay clear of them and not take up any such offers.