Early Morning Shakes [closed]

The unpleasantly humid early morning air was permeated with an unusual stillness, the usual all-consuming chatter of the river-dwelling creatures effectively concealed beneath a dark smear of clouds that gave the lingering allusion of the threat of late afternoon rain. It was a bit early in the season for heavy rains, even despite the sudden increase of temperature and humidity that had been plaguing the forest lately, yet the river seemed prone to rising rapidly- and the taste of southern rains on the wind seemed as close to an omen as he had ever seen. However, this close to the river, nearly everything was lost to the terribly unpleasant scent of conflicting scents- the overwhelming musk of aggression and decaying undergrowth associated with ThunderClan, and the much more comforting scents laid down by RiverClan in response. It wasn't difficult to tell that both Clans had been methodically keeping tabs on their neighbors movements, despite this newfound ridiculous alliance.

Brushing through the prickly and sharp-smelling grasses that congregated together in soft throngs of fresh-growth, Nettlesplash made certain to keep several tail-lengths of distance between himself and the sharp slope of the riverbank, unfortunately aware of the risk of slipping on uneven mud. The last way he was hoping to spend his morning was by having to fish an Apprentice or two out of the rapids of the river, the speed of the waters made all the worse by the seasonal rains and melting snow.

Carefully edging his way down the treacherous little slope reduced to nothing but a slick slope of mud, Nettlesplash paused for a moment to make sure that both Whitepaw and Crakepaw could easily see the safer way down and follow close in his pawsteps. "Watch where you put your paws," He warned, partially twisting around to eye the two young toms, "The mud makes it difficult for you to spot any stones or debris that might be in your way." It would also be preferable to not have to help an Apprentice all the way back to camp because they slip up on a branch or stone that was hidden by the muddy mess that ran alongside the river.

There was an aura of excitement that followed the tom, something that to his shock and surprise outweighed his disdain toward his mentor and the weather brewing on the horizon. Cool wind moved through his fur and with it came relief he wasn't dealing with the humidity of the past few weeks, an unfortunate side effect of living in marshes and oh-so-close to water in warmer weather. His tail-tip twitched in annoyance at the onslaught of ThunderClan scent, something he had become far too familiar with for a RiverClan cat due to their alliance. He'd only heard the tail-end of his fathers rant about it to Swallowtail one night, how it was frustrating that we no longer felt like our own clan, just a subdivision of ThunderClan and a group for Lightningstar to trample over.

However his excitement still outweighed all the aforementioned issues, getting to train with Whitepaw was destined to be a good time - even if they had to do it with Nettlesplash of all cats. The unfriendliness he had displayed while the apprentice's were kits had definitely left an impression, and while he was desperate to show his maturity and move on, he still found scorn and embarrassment wreathe through him when recalling the events. Shaking his head to clear the thoughts - how did he get so distracted? - he decided today would be the wrong day to disobey instructions, and kept golden eyes trained on his paws, inwardly wincing at the alabaster bottoms of his paws turning a muddy brown. That's going to be a pain in the tail to clean, Crakepaw thought, though he didn't dare verbalise it lest he look too image conscious.

"So, old tom." A wry smile crossed his angular features, and he relented his staring at his paws to lift his head and allow his voice to carry over the rush of the river. "What are we up to today? ThunderClan's reek is starting to become... overpowering, and it would be lovely to get as far away from it as possible." He had hesitated, weighing up whether or not it was worth it looking like a spoiled brat - a real first for him - before he asked his query, figuring he could take the lecture that would accompany any words Nettlesplash agreed with. Although, judging by the way his mentor's demeanour changes quite rapidly when the alliances are brought up, Crakepaw was rather optimistic he'd get away with this jab.

To say that he enjoyed crisp mornings like these would be an understatement. The constant chilly breeze that was ruffling his snowy white pelt soothed his mind and his nerves. It made him want to sit and appreciate the surrounding nature. He very much preferred this over the stuffy humidity that they had been experiencing lately. The dark clouds that were slowly spreading like a blanket in the sky seemed to bring warning that rain might be just around the bend. Secretly, he wouldn't mind that. Being a RiverClanner meant that water wouldn't bother him nearly as much as it would any other clan's cats. However, he liked it even more than normal. It reminded him of his troublesome but excitable brother, Waterpaw. For him, water was something that brought him happiness and great memories.

As the tom breathed in heavily through his nose, he caught a particular scent that made his nose wrinkle. Ah. This was certainly ThunderClan's smell. A little too pungent in Whitepaw's opinion but he knew there was a reason for that. He wasn't sure how to quite feel about the RiverClan-ThunderClan alliance to be honest. Most of his clanmates had and still seem rather annoyed or reluctant but he never really thought about it much. The only times it did cross his mind was when it was brought up in a conversation or he heard it muttered under the breath of a passing warrior. He isn't one to form an opinion solely based on second-hand comments or information. He'd only judge from his own experiences. He hasn't really met any ThunderClanners so he isn't quite sure about their attitudes toward RiverClan or their mannerisms in general. He'd most likely have to wait a while for that. Though, for now, he'll keep an open mind regarding the affair.

The large apprentice was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Nettlesplash's voice. He gave a quick nod to show that he was heeding the warrior's warnings. As they continued on, he made sure to pay extra attention to where he stepped, mindful to look out for any debris that may be in his path. The three walked in silence for a bit more before Crakepaw spoke. He asked about what they'd be doing today but also if they could move away from the ThunderClan scent. The older apprentice couldn't help but snort at the "old tom" comment but he was also secretly hoping their mentor would oblige to lead them elsewhere since the other clan's smell was overbearing. It was honestly going to cause him a headache. He just didn't understand why it had to be this strong.

Nettlesplash merely rolled his eyes at Crakepaw's thinly veiled inquiry at the day's agenda, unable to resist the soft twitch that slowly crept through his being at the younger tom's blatantly obvious attempt at redirecting their little party to any other possible location. Although any creature with a half-functioning brain was certainly adept enough to uncover his raging distaste for ThunderClan, where was the fun in simply rolling over and revealing his belly? Dark amber gaze briefly shifting towards the loose scattering of stones protruding from the earth atop the opposite riverbank, the red-furred tom's pristine teeth flashed in an amused little smirk, the urge to further ruffle and probe any visible fault-lines in Crakepaw finally crumbling the little bit of resolve he usually attempted to adhere to.

"What? Don't tell me you'd let yourself get run off by a few strong scent-markers, Crakepaw." Nettlesplash, pausing in brief respite from his unpleasant slog through the mud, fixed his youngest Apprentice with a lopsided grin that matched the sugary amusement in his voice.

The soft earth, laden with a soft dusting of faintly blossoming greenery, before the little traipsing party fell away sharply, one of the many runoff tributaries that curled across RiverClan's territory like a bodily system of veins crawling before them. Unfortunately, this little runoff stream was exactly like the main river itself- raised up from its usual steady trickle of slow-moving water, to instead find itself a rushing current that easily rose to most cats' bellies. Halting and allowing Whitepaw and Crakepaw to both catch up alongside him, Nettlesplash turned to carefully nudge both toms across the muddy overflow tributary. It was hardly an issue if an experienced Warrior slipped and lost their footing in a runoff stream like this; they were strong and well-trained swimmers who easily took on the Newleaf floods. It was another thing to drop an Apprentice who was hardly heavy enough to stay on their paws in the regular, slow-moving currents of the river. Especially whenever they were lacking a Medicine Cat.

"Don't worry, it seems as though luck might finally be showing some kindness to you." He mewed after easily wading through the debris-littered waters of the tributary, flicking both Whitepaw and Crakepaw as he resumed his place at the head of their little pack, "We'll be working on your hunting skills today, but the better place to practice is further downstream where the waters slow. Unfortunately, we have to pass by ThunderClan's favorite marking section to get there." They were quickly approaching a portion of the river that was relatively clear of the rocks and water-bound foliage that caused disruptions and made the riverwaters choppy, which made it the more ideal place for fish of all kinds to relax and idle.

He scowled in response to his mentor's quip, although he couldn't deny he was pleasantly surprised that the older tom was buying into his words and playful demeanour more and more as they spent more time together. Flattening his ears in a show of defeat - though the truth was he was preoccupied finding his footing in the muddy slop they were currently crossing on - he resumed his silent observation of the world around him. Trudging onward, Crakepaw came to an abrupt halt as his mentor looked to be planning out the best way to move forward through the river, before he felt himself being nudged ever slowly towards it.

"Wh- Hey!" the apprentice cried out at first, wishing he had some warning at the very least, although the caramel tom quickly regained his composure and unsteadily made his way across churning water. A strange pang of happiness coursed through Crakepaw as the water met his fur, paws being briefly cleaned of the mud that had begun to cake them in the journey over-- not a call for celebration, as it was sure to only get worse. Reaching the bank at the other end, he flashed a very grateful glance at Nettlesplash, poking his tongue out at the older tom as he was granted a flick of the tail on his ear.

"Oh, great, more ThunderClan!" he snorted, but there was a lot more humour and less accusation in his voice. He didn't particularly want another comment about being afraid of the self righteous pains in the tail they shared a border and alliance with because he wasn't! They were just the worst of the five clans, always sticking their noses in where they didn't belong, and someday he knew he was going to give them the scratch they deserved that would teach them to keep to themselves. It wasn't that he disliked peace or knowing they had allies lest it be needed, but ThunderClan? Eugh! And it unfortunately meant that if the clan so known for peeving off the others did something to antagonise ShadowClan or WindClan, he'd be dragged in to defend their sorry tails. Go figure.

Shaking his head to clear the wandering thoughts, he really goes off on tangents when the mouse-catchers were involved, Crakepaw took in a deep breath of air that exuded the delightful scents of rain. "I can't wait," his voice betrayed his genuine excitement, and no matter how sarcastic that sentence came off it wasn't hard to miss the spark of eagerness that glimmered in golden depths, or his quivering whiskers. "Our territory is very... beautiful. And muddy, can't forget muddy," he added, quickly chasing away the soft note in his voice as he hadn't meant to vocalise his thoughts, it just sorta slipped out. Guess that's the effect Newleaf has on the head!

Whitepaw raised a brow when Crakepaw appeared to quiet down after their mentor's last comment but not before shooting Nettlesplash a scowl. Had he accepted defeat that easily? Probably not but the other suddenly seems to be a bit preoccupied with surveying the area around them. He supposes he should do start to do the same. They were heading off to train or, at least, do something similar and being vigilant of your surroundings is a real good idea. Now is really not the time to goof off. Still, he couldn't help but pout at the silence displayed by the two other toms. The older apprentice had been thoroughly amused as he observed the little banter they displayed just a bit ago. He was thankful for the brief distraction they provided from the pungency of ThunderClan's scent-markers.

They didn't trek for much longer when the warrior had stopped them. Both apprentices shuffled forward so they stood beside their mentor, the larger of the two attempting to observe what lay ahead, just like he saw Nettlesplash doing. His thoughts were suddenly disrupted by a nudge directing him, and presumably Crakepaw too, toward the stream of cool water before them. It had caught him off and he let out a soft yelp when he felt his body touch the rushing liquid. He huffed and took a bit of time to steady himself as he stood in place before he began awkwardly wading across. Just before he reached the bank, he looked over his shoulder to squint at his mentor. "Give us a warning next time eh?" he said with no real heat. The young tom quickly turned back to face land and walked to stand by Crakepaw, who had made it there first, as they waited for Nettlesplash.

Once their mentor arrived, he instantly began to explain what training they'd be doing for the day. Whitepaw playfully stuck out his tongue at Nettlesplash as a response to the flick but quickly began to groom his chest as if he hadn't just done what he did. 'Hunting huh? This'll be interesting...' thought Whitepaw as he shook off his pelt, a somewhat futile attempt at drying himself off. He decided to take the time to stretch while he continued to listen to the warrior speak. His mood was dampened just a bit when they were told they'd have to pass by ThunderClan's "favorite marking section" in order to get to their destination. He let out a sigh. Well, hopefully they could just speed up their pace to avoid lingering in that area for too long.

"Beautiful and muddy are definitely ways of describing it. Although, in some cases, you gotta really emphasize that muddy part..." Whitepaw said with a snort as somewhat of a reply to Crakepaw's sudden comment. All joking aside, RiverClan was truly beautiful. He just couldn't see himself living anywhere else. He can't get enough of the soothing atmosphere his clan's territory provided. Once he's able to go out by himself without the possibility of getting lost, he'll surly be taking daily strolls. Maybe his brother or sisters would like to join him once in a while. Crakepaw could even accompany him if he'd like! It'd be up to him though.

"Warning?" Nettlesplash echoed, a brief flash of vibrant pink as his scar-dusted lips curled up into a crooked grin that had his starkly colored teeth glinting prominently in the pale morning light, rough voice equal parts disbelief and amusement, "it's just a little bit of water, ain't nothing worth warning over." The ground below their paws gradually began to slope upwards once again, continuing at a slow incline for several tail-lengths before finally evening out to a relatively flat and even surface. Now that they were closer to breaking free from the lowerlands that encompassed the river, it was noticeably less muddy- blessedly, the slopes often ensured that most rainwater was sent running directly into the countless tributaries and runoff creeks.

"It's not the best feeling in the forest, but take comfort in knowing that it's marginally better than Leaf-Fall." Nettlesplash warned after shouldering his way through an overgrown fern that had crept across the usually well-maintained trail that directly mirrored the river, "Just wait until you have to slog through the freezing rains, and then spend the evening trying to clean yourself of mostly-frozen mud." There was an undercurrent of dismay evident in his words, the unfortunate recollection of having to clean half-frozen mud from his bleeding paws nearly as bad as the actual event itself.

The little trio was approaching a wide bend in the quick-moving river, the absence of rocks and debris allowing the deeper waters to slow down significantly. This specific section of the river was much wider, several fox-lengths at the farthest stretch, and deep enough that it took a considerable amount of effort to reach the rocky bottom of the river. The riverbank on ThunderClan's side was a steep bank that rose up about a tail-length or two, a precarious shelf comprised of loose sands- a single pawstep would likely send even the lightest cat tumbling head first into the deep waters below. It was the preferable training spot for these exact reasons- it offered a perfect place for teaching young Apprentice's all of the skills necessary to becoming a skilled Warrior, but also kept them safe from any lingering ThunderClan patrols.

They were also much less likely to get washed away if they proved to be a weak swimmer.

Eventually pausing several paces away from the soft slope into the lazily moving of the river, Nettlesplash easily pulled himself atop a small stone that protruded above the soft earth of the riverbank- it was so flat and well-worn that it was hardly discernible upon first glance, but it offered a pleasant place to sit and was often somewhat warm. Turning a pensive stare upon the two muddied young toms, the red-furred Warrior allowed the pair a moment to glance around before finally speaking once again, "I know that some Queens teach basic hunting skills with minnows whenever they take their litters to the Flooded Banks. Did either of your mothers do such things?"