[Wingnettle]

Originally Posted by Maplefur

Tawnywhisper's gaze fell upon Ashpaw, and she waited expectantly for the apprentice to speak. Better be a good reason to interrupt my relaxation... Shaking out the tension from her coat, she tried to place a pleasant look on her face. The compliment certainly helped his case, and the she-cat rose to stretch out her joints before strolling casually towards the younger cat. "Awe, well when you put it like that," she chuckled, tapping her tail to the tabby's shoulder and tipping her head to indicate he should follow. She wondered what was up with Ashpaw's mentor; were they ignoring the young cat? Probably best not to assume anything, less she step on any paws. If she was to gain any sort of social power in this clan, ruffling feathers certainly wouldn't be the way.

As she strutted towards the camp entrance, she spoke without bothering to look behind her. The tom was sure to follow and she'd just assume he would keep up the pace. If not, then consider this also a training in stamina--and tracking. "I've got a few experiences in battles. Especially with that pesky Shadowclan." The calico's tail lashed side to side at the mention of the other clan. Tension between Shadowclan and Thunderclan was high and while she knew the other clan was respectable in their fighting skills, the sheer fact that they had been causing trouble for Thunderclan made her look down on them. Hatred was easy to brew in a life where outsiders were always looked upon as less than.

"With everything going on, you certainly need this. We don't want you getting hurt, now do we?" At this question, she did make sure to shoot a look over her shoulder at Ashpaw, feigning concern on her face while she shook her head. "Your battle training should be top priority. Shame your mentor isn't out with you, but lucky you! You'll be having the training of your life today." She made sure to let a soft purr slip into her words, giving a slow blink to the apprentice as she turned around. Yes, let her words be just lighthearted enough while putting that idea of negligence into his mind... maybe he'd see Tawnywhisper as someone to turn to. As much as the she-cat would love to do nothing while gaining popularity, good impressions didn't pop up overnight.

As she slipped out of camp, the molly turned her paws and took off at a steady pace towards the training cave, tail swishing softly behind her. This was new to her, and she began to think about what kind of things were most important to teach an apprentice for battle. The thought occured to her that since this wasn't her apprentice, she might need to test his skills first. Yes, maybe jumping right into a practice battle would be the best approach. It'd be the quickest way to assess Ashpaw's current skills and the two could turn to focus on what he needs to improve on afterwards. Not to mention, it would give the opportunity to show that whatever Ashpaw had heard about her battle skills was true. Of course, there was always the chance that the apprentice had smartly made that up, but Tawnywhisper hoped he had sincerely heard from others that she was a talented fighter. That'd certainly let her know she was getting places in terms of social power.

(We can move to the training cave if you'd like!)

Ashpaw (he/him)
Grey tabby with blue/grey eyes

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Stars, this cat certainly doesn't lack self-confidence. He thought, suppressing a chuckle. She wouldn't probably be happy if he announced it loud, but still. Good move, the compliment. At first I thought she was gonna eat me for bothering her, but now she seems to be enjoying it. Good for me.
Ashpaw followed Tawnywhisper out of the camp, jumping nimbly over fallen tree trunks and avoiding tangled roots that could make him stumble. He had to avoid getting injured, or even worse... making a bad impression. He was going to fight today, so he needed attention and readiness.

Ashpaw wondered if Tawnywhisper had witnessed particular difficult fights with Shadowclan. He hadn't participated in any conflict between clans yet from his joining in Thunderclan, so he didn't know very much about that. But he guessed that the argument was a bit delicate for her, so he wouldn't ask.
The training cave was in sight now, a sandy hollow where apprentices and mentors often went to train. Now it was rather empty, and Ashpaw was glad. No distractions today.
"Thank you again. I promise I'll work hard today!"

[@Maplefur]