Underqualified and Underpaid [open]

[Fawn]

An apprentice's work was never done, a thought that echoed in Fawnpaw's mind as he'd been about to slip into the apprentices' den for the evening for a well-deserved, peaceful slumber, unaware of the terrible tragedy that was seconds from unveiling itself:

It'd started with a paw on his back, and he'd turned around questioningly only to see Shiverpetal there with a half-asleep look on his face. The lazy exchange of greetings didn't prepare him for the request that'd follow, "Gonna need some herbs, maybe the shiny ones... yeah, those would do real nice. Shiny ones, flowers, you know the deal." Fawnpaw could hear the task echo in his mind and the barrage of questions that'd received no answer, leaving him where he'd started - namely, with no idea of what he was doing.

But being an obliging cat and a dutiful apprentice, here he was. Under a blanket of stars, scouring near the border for appropriately 'shiny' herbs and flowers even if he was entirely uneducated on the matter with no sense of guidance beyond the descriptors. He tried to avoid thinking about the duty itself with little reminders it was for the greater good of the Clan, yet couldn't help but fall into the pattern of downsizing it to picking flowers for a clanmate who didn't know how to use them.

Fawnpaw was careful to stay within the bounds of RiverClan. However, he did catch his eye wandering over from time to time under the reassurance that he was carrying out a medicine cat's assignment... therefore he could, theoretically, cross it without repercussion.

@|+Tired Rose Child+|

[|+sari+|]

Originally Posted by Dipper

An apprentice's work was never done, a thought that echoed in Fawnpaw's mind as he'd been about to slip into the apprentices' den for the evening for a well-deserved, peaceful slumber, unaware of the terrible tragedy that was seconds from unveiling itself:

It'd started with a paw on his back, and he'd turned around questioningly only to see Shiverpetal there with a half-asleep look on his face. The lazy exchange of greetings didn't prepare him for the request that'd follow, "Gonna need some herbs, maybe the shiny ones... yeah, those would do real nice. Shiny ones, flowers, you know the deal." Fawnpaw could hear the task echo in his mind and the barrage of questions that'd received no answer, leaving him where he'd started - namely, with no idea of what he was doing.

But being an obliging cat and a dutiful apprentice, here he was. Under a blanket of stars, scouring near the border for appropriately 'shiny' herbs and flowoers even if he was entirely uneducated on the matter with no sense of guidance beyond the descriptors. He tried to avoid thinking about the duty itself with little reminders it was for the greater good of the Clan, yet couldn't help but fall into the pattern of downsizing it to picking flowers for a clanmate who didn't know how to use them.

Fawnpaw was careful to stay within the bounds of RiverClan. However, he did catch his eye wandering over from time to time under the reassurance that he was carrying out a medicine cat's assignment... therefore he could, theoretically, cross it without repercussion.

@|+Tired Rose Child+|

It was fairly cooler than it had been for quite a while, a relief from the recent scorching hot days. For the small apprentice walking through the territory, it was the perfect day to go out for a while, to clear his head a bit. He decided to go deeper into the woods than he had ever gone down before, and the thought excited him a little. What would he find? He frowned slightly. He wouldn't find any wild predators, would he? He didn't like that idea, not one bit. He cautiously glanced around, taking a few slow paw steps more. A bee buzzed past, causing him to jump. He shook himself, slapping his face in his mind. He shouldn't have come out so far! He was getting frightened of a silly bee! Sighing, he didn't realize how far he had gone until he saw the border up ahead. He frowned. He really came this far? Scenting a fellow RiverClanner up ahead, Littlepaw heard rustling nearby. As he kept going, he stumbled upon Fawnpaw, who was nosing through the bushes for something. "Hey, Fawnpaw, do you need help looking for something?," came the soft mew from the white fur ball, who gazed at Fawnpaw, question in his blue eyes.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by |+Tired Rose Child+|

It was fairly cooler than it had been for quite a while, a relief from the recent scorching hot days. For the small apprentice walking through the territory, it was the perfect day to go out for a while, to clear his head a bit. He decided to go deeper into the woods than he had ever gone down before, and the thought excited him a little. What would he find? He frowned slightly. He wouldn't find any wild predators, would he? He didn't like that idea, not one bit. He cautiously glanced around, taking a few slow paw steps more. A bee buzzed past, causing him to jump. He shook himself, slapping his face in his mind. He shouldn't have come out so far! He was getting frightened of a silly bee! Sighing, he didn't realize how far he had gone until he saw the border up ahead. He frowned. He really came this far? Scenting a fellow RiverClanner up ahead, Littlepaw heard rustling nearby. As he kept going, he stumbled upon Fawnpaw, who was nosing through the bushes for something. "Hey, Fawnpaw, do you need help looking for something?," came the soft mew from the white fur ball, who gazed at Fawnpaw, question in his blue eyes.

Fawnpaw plucked a... herb? Weed? Flower? He wasn't sure. All he was sure of was that it was now upon the ground for closer inspection, and he squinted at it in an attempt to determine its properties like he might have a clue of what he was searching for. Yeah, shiny - real helpful. Thanks Shiverpetal. Brushing off his annoyance, he still didn't see why this had to be completed at night, or if it was such an emergency, why it hadn't been assigned to someone more capable than himself.

It was during his tromp through the next set of reeds that he was beginning to pick up on a faint scent carried in the wind-- at first, he assumed it was part of a rare midnight patrol, but then it was actually growing nearer. And he waited, stiff albeit alert and with a set of weeds in his mouth, to see who could be approaching at this hour. When he noticed Littlepaw emerging through the undergrowth, Fawnpaw blinked in mild surprise, then remembered to spit out the flowers in a show of distaste, semi-flustered by the unexpected presence witnessing him. "Hey, uh..."

Peering from the 'herbs' to Littlepaw, he shuffled his paws. "I don't know, maybe. I'm just... trying to find flowers, I guess? They're not for me," he added quickly, "it's something that Shiverpetal wanted. Shiny ones, apparently. So... I'm kind of doing that instead of sleeping." However, that raised a question that prompted his eyebrows to hitch, expression turning quizzical. "Why aren't you asleep, anyway?"

[|+sari+|]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Fawnpaw plucked a... herb? Weed? Flower? He wasn't sure. All he was sure of was that it was now upon the ground for closer inspection, and he squinted at it in an attempt to determine its properties like he might have a clue of what he was searching for. Yeah, shiny - real helpful. Thanks Shiverpetal. Brushing off his annoyance, he still didn't see why this had to be completed at night, or if it was such an emergency, why it hadn't been assigned to someone more capable than himself.

It was during his tromp through the next set of reeds that he was beginning to pick up on a faint scent carried in the wind-- at first, he assumed it was part of a rare midnight patrol, but then it was actually growing nearer. And he waited, stiff albeit alert and with a set of weeds in his mouth, to see who could be approaching at this hour. When he noticed Littlepaw emerging through the undergrowth, Fawnpaw blinked in mild surprise, then remembered to spit out the flowers in a show of distaste, semi-flustered by the unexpected presence witnessing him. [b]"Hey, uh..."[/]

Peering from the 'herbs' to Littlepaw, he shuffled his paws. "I don't know, maybe. I'm just... trying to find flowers, I guess? They're not for me," he added quickly, "it's something that Shiverpetal wanted. Shiny ones, apparently. So... I'm kind of doing that instead of sleeping." However, that raised a question that prompted his eyebrows to hitch, expression turning quizzical. "Why aren't you asleep, anyway?"

((Aww, Fawnpaw is so cute! I love him ^^ ))

Littlepaw just shrugged his shoulders shakily, his usual trembling starting up again. This constant shaking was bothersome, but he'd gotten used to it, since he's lived with it his whole life. Every cat in the Clan was aware of his condition, so they treated him differently then some normal cat. He just wanted to be treated like everybody else; he had made it clear multiple times. He hoped Fawnpaw would be the one to treat him normally. A wistful look came into the small apprentice's blue eyes. "I just had to escape the camp for a while... I was feeling claustrophobic in the den, and just thought I'd go for a walk..." he glanced around, then padded a few paw steps to the left, where some shiny, flowery herbs waved in the gentle breeze. "Would this happen to be what you're looking for?," Littlepaw questioned, gently picking some with his teeth and setting it down in front of Fawnpaw, not realising it was the exact herb that was needed.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by |+Tired Rose Child+|

((Aww, Fawnpaw is so cute! I love him ^^ ))

Littlepaw just shrugged his shoulders shakily, his usual trembling starting up again. This constant shaking was bothersome, but he'd gotten used to it, since he's lived with it his whole life. Every cat in the Clan was aware of his condition, so they treated him differently then some normal cat. He just wanted to be treated like everybody else; he had made it clear multiple times. He hoped Fawnpaw would be the one to treat him normally. A wistful look came into the small apprentice's blue eyes. "I just had to escape the camp for a while... I was feeling claustrophobic in the den, and just thought I'd go for a walk..." he glanced around, then padded a few paw steps to the left, where some shiny, flowery herbs waved in the gentle breeze. "Would this happen to be what you're looking for?," Littlepaw questioned, gently picking some with his teeth and setting it down in front of Fawnpaw, not realising it was the exact herb that was needed.

((aw, you're too sweet Littlepaw is lovely as well ! ;u; ))


Although he nodded in sympathy and let out a small hum of contemplation, Fawnpaw wished he could recall a time when he didn't feel safe within the walls of RiverClan. It was better than stretching the limits of the territory in the middle of the night with nobody but the stars as company -- well, he supposed Littlepaw was here now, which was more than what he thought he deserved to ask for.

"Does... that happen a lot?" he asked, genuinely puzzled and curious as he cast a glance over his shoulder at him. "The claustrophobia.. thing, I mean. Because, um, if you're leaving camp often, maybe you should make sure you have someone else-- for safety reasons," he cited, noting his own fears about being alone as an apprentice when they weren't supposed to go without a warrior, "and I could accompany you." His jaw clenched as he suppressed a shudder upon remembering Willowpaw's disappearance, he couldn't stand the loss of another.

Watching Littlepaw, Fawnpaw's head tilted as he indicated the flowers. "Honestly, I don't know. I... Shiverpetal didn't give instructions beyond, like, saying they were supposed to be aesthetic or whatever." Indiscriminate in what he collected, he said, "I guess just put them in the pile with the rest." Frankly, he had doubts they were being used for medicinal purposes regardless, and his strategy had been to collect a variety of items.

[|+sari+|]

Originally Posted by Dipper

((aw, you're too sweet Littlepaw is lovely as well ! ;u; ))


Although he nodded in sympathy and let out a small hum of contemplation, Fawnpaw wished he could recall a time when he didn't feel safe within the walls of RiverClan. It was better than stretching the limits of the territory in the middle of the night with nobody but the stars as company -- well, he supposed Littlepaw was here now, which was more than what he thought he deserved to ask for.

"Does... that happen a lot?" he asked, genuinely puzzled and curious as he cast a glance over his shoulder at him. "The claustrophobia.. thing, I mean. Because, um, if you're leaving camp often, maybe you should make sure you have someone else-- for safety reasons," he cited, noting his own fears about being alone as an apprentice when they weren't supposed to go without a warrior, "and I could accompany you." His jaw clenched as he suppressed a shudder upon remembering Willowpaw's disappearance, he couldn't stand the loss of another.

Watching Littlepaw, Fawnpaw's head tilted as he indicated the flowers. "Honestly, I don't know. I... Shiverpetal didn't give instructions beyond, like, saying they were supposed to be aesthetic or whatever." Indiscriminate in what he collected, he said, "I guess just put them in the pile with the rest." Frankly, he had doubts they were being used for medicinal purposes regardless, and his strategy had been to collect a variety of items.

((Aww, thanks so much! <3 ))

Littlepaw shook his head. "No, it used to, but it's rare now, and it's usually during the day if it does happen..." he blinked slowly. "You'll accompany me? That'll be ... nice. Thank you," the small apprentice mewed genuinely, a small smile on his maw. At Fawnpaw's next words, Littlepaw purred with amusement sparkling in his lupus blue eyes, and set the plants he had found onto the pile, which was rapidly growing. "Since when is Shiverpetal ever specific?," he mewed good-naturedly, humour in his meow. The white apprentice gazed at the pile. "How are we going to get all this back to camp?," he questioned.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by |+Tired Rose Child+|

((Aww, thanks so much! <3 ))

Littlepaw shook his head. "No, it used to, but it's rare now, and it's usually during the day if it does happen..." he blinked slowly. "You'll accompany me? That'll be ... nice. Thank you," the small apprentice mewed genuinely, a small smile on his maw. At Fawnpaw's next words, Littlepaw purred with amusement sparkling in his lupus blue eyes, and set the plants he had found onto the pile, which was rapidly growing. "Since when is Shiverpetal ever specific?," he mewed good-naturedly, humour in his meow. The white apprentice gazed at the pile. "How are we going to get all this back to camp?," he questioned.

"It feels like it's always crowded," Fawnpaw said, a sigh on the tip of his tongue that he swallowed down, "since… SkyClan moved in. I know the expansion was supposed to help, but everything just— it's constantly busy." Maybe it was rose-tinted in hindsight, yet he couldn't help but feel there was no calm anymore with the added Clan. Realizing that might give the wrong impression, he amended, "Not that I'm complaining or anything, I'm glad they're here and that we could help them."

At the question, Fawnpaw nodded his confirmation with a lopsided smile and replied, "Yeah, I know we're not really allowed to, but… it's better than you going alone, y'know?" A warrior's escort would probably be safer, but they had to work with what they could get.

He didn't think they had many options regarding transporting the herbs, and a cursory glimpse of the pile brought Fawnpaw to deduce dryly, "I don't know, maybe enlist a hawk to bring them back for us? … I guess we'll have to carry them." They did have quite a few already, but he was feeling uneasy about the task due to a dutiful nature that wouldn't accept a job half-done. "Maybe just a bit more of searching…" he said, absentmindedly padding toward the river to see if the bed contained anything useful.

[|+sari+|]

Originally Posted by Dipper

"It feels like it's always crowded," Fawnpaw said, a sigh on the tip of his tongue that he swallowed down, "since… SkyClan moved in. I know the expansion was supposed to help, but everything just— it's constantly busy." Maybe it was rose-tinted in hindsight, yet he couldn't help but feel there was no calm anymore with the added Clan. Realizing that might give the wrong impression, he amended, "Not that I'm complaining or anything, I'm glad they're here and that we could help them."

At the question, Fawnpaw nodded his confirmation with a lopsided smile and replied, "Yeah, I know we're not really allowed to, but… it's better than you going alone, y'know?" A warrior's escort would probably be safer, but they had to work with what they could get.

He didn't think they had many options regarding transporting the herbs, and a cursory glimpse of the pile brought Fawnpaw to deduce dryly, "I don't know, maybe enlist a hawk to bring them back for us? … I guess we'll have to carry them." They did have quite a few already, but he was feeling uneasy about the task due to a dutiful nature that wouldn't accept a job half-done. "Maybe just a bit more of searching…" he said, absentmindedly padding toward the river to see if the bed contained anything useful.

Littlepaw blinked his lupus blue eyes. "No, no, it's alright... I have the same thoughts." as Fawnpaw spoke again, Littlepaw shuffled his paws, kneading his claws into the ground. "Y-yeah... thank you, Fawnpaw." he glanced at the pile beside him before following his companion, smiling as he gazed out over the river, watching the sun dapple the surface. He closed his eyes contentedly as the water gently caressed his paws, revelling in the calming sensation of the lapping liquid. Blinking his eyes open, he began moving around, sniffing plants that could possibly be the plant they were searching for, though he was no medicine cat, so he couldn't be sure. Adding to their pile, the white apprentice hummed contentedly, a relaxed smile on his maw.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by |+Tired Rose Child+|

Littlepaw blinked his lupus blue eyes. "No, no, it's alright... I have the same thoughts." as Fawnpaw spoke again, Littlepaw shuffled his paws, kneading his claws into the ground. "Y-yeah... thank you, Fawnpaw." he glanced at the pile beside him before following his companion, smiling as he gazed out over the river, watching the sun dapple the surface. He closed his eyes contentedly as the water gently caressed his paws, revelling in the calming sensation of the lapping liquid. Blinking his eyes open, he began moving around, sniffing plants that could possibly be the plant they were searching for, though he was no medicine cat, so he couldn't be sure. Adding to their pile, the white apprentice hummed contentedly, a relaxed smile on his maw.

Fawnpaw peered at Littlepaw's more adventurous take as he drew closer to the water, wrinkling his nose at the idea of getting wet paws on this collection excursion when he didn't care for swimming. "Do you like that?" asked Fawnpaw with a dip of his head toward the swirling stream. "I can barely tolerate the constant marsh...feeling on my toes."

Realizing he was getting distracted with Littlepaw, Fawnpaw cleared his throat to resume searching, trotting along the riverbed and plucking whatever could fit the request until he had a mouthful of plants. Surveying the pile they'd procured, he inquired, "That's... probably going to be more than enough to carry back. Are you taking half, or...?"

[|+sari+|]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Fawnpaw peered at Littlepaw's more adventurous take as he drew closer to the water, wrinkling his nose at the idea of getting wet paws on this collection excursion when he didn't care for swimming. "Do you like that?" asked Fawnpaw with a dip of his head toward the swirling stream. "I can barely tolerate the constant marsh...feeling on my toes."

Realizing he was getting distracted with Littlepaw, Fawnpaw cleared his throat to resume searching, trotting along the riverbed and plucking whatever could fit the request until he had a mouthful of plants. Surveying the pile they'd procured, he inquired, "That's... probably going to be more than enough to carry back. Are you taking half, or...?"

Littlepaw glanced up from his collecting of plants, setting down some flowers into the pile before responding, "Y-yeah... water has a really... calming affect on me. It, uh... helps with my anxiety, to feel the water lap at my toes..." he felt his fur fluff up a little in embarrassment, and he diligently went about his work, avoiding eye contact with his companion. However, when Fawnpaw suggested they had enough to take back to camp, Littlepaw felt his heart sink a little. He had really been enjoying this little adventure; he wasn't really ready to go, but if they must... "Uh, yeah, I'll take half." his lapis blue eyes held a hint of confusion; how could they be finished already? Heh... I guess the term 'time flies when you're having fun' really is true... the small apprentice thought as he took half of the pile into his jaws. A tiny smile came onto his maw; Fawnpaw was really cool. And he didn't treat Littlepaw like the others did! Maybe he could actually be a friend... the thought made Littlepaw feel butterflies of happiness in his belly. He had a little more bounce in his pawsteps.