"Oof!" Sand shifted as a small cat was thrown against it, her side catching on a rock and a sharp hiss of pain being pulled from her as she flickered an angry gaze up to her offender. The ghostly tom merely flicked his tail, signaling for her to stand once more and resume their training. When she simply rose to her haunches and sat with head low and glare turned to the sand as if she could set fire to the whole world with just her disgruntlement alone, he sighed and moved to sit beside her.
"Talk with me, young one." The tom meowed, settling his side against hers. She was silent for a long moment, only the sounds of the forest filling the space between them, and then she turned to meet his eyes.
"Coldstar, what is even the point in this? I'm not going to be a good warrior, we might as well return home..." Again, the apprentice turned her gaze downward but this time it lacked its usual fire and a sigh heaved through her chest and shook her shoulders.
"One day, I will not be here, and you will be Leader in my stead. I need you to be ready, Thunderpaw." Coldstar answered simply, noting how she stiffened but remained quiet for another heartbeat.
"And if I don't want to be Leader?"
"That is like saying you don't want to be a clan cat - it's in your blood." Thunderpaw pressed her face into the fur at his shoulder for comfort as Coldstar spoke, sighing but ultimately accepting his answer. "Come, we will return home for now but training resumes next sun." [ 275 words ]
"Talk with me, young one." The tom meowed, settling his side against hers. She was silent for a long moment, only the sounds of the forest filling the space between them, and then she turned to meet his eyes.
"Coldstar, what is even the point in this? I'm not going to be a good warrior, we might as well return home..." Again, the apprentice turned her gaze downward but this time it lacked its usual fire and a sigh heaved through her chest and shook her shoulders.
"One day, I will not be here, and you will be Leader in my stead. I need you to be ready, Thunderpaw." Coldstar answered simply, noting how she stiffened but remained quiet for another heartbeat.
"And if I don't want to be Leader?"
"That is like saying you don't want to be a clan cat - it's in your blood." Thunderpaw pressed her face into the fur at his shoulder for comfort as Coldstar spoke, sighing but ultimately accepting his answer. "Come, we will return home for now but training resumes next sun." [ 275 words ]