Clan Meeting [finally, right?]

[Blackie]

It was like a dream, how he pricked his ears forward and lifted his head to listen to Flailstar announce the new mentors and the kits they would be charged with for the next six moons. He leaned forward with special interest when Lizzardpaw's name was called. Whoever mentored her would have to be understanding and patient, a caring teacher. Besides that, whoever mentored the blind calico would have to be someone Smokefoot liked, or there might be a conflict or two. Choose someone special, he silently urged his leader.

"Smokefoot, you will mentor Lizzardpaw . . . "

The rest faded into the background which had become a disbelieving buzz. His eyes clouded over; he had to squint up at Flailstar just to catch him in his wavering gaze. He saw Lizzardpaw prance up to greet him, quivering with excitement. Or was that him quivering? Smokefoot gulped, opened his eyes, and stood up shakily. He had heard once that the senses of a blind animal would enhance themselves to make up for the loss of the eyes. Desperately, he hoped that Lizzardpaw's ears weren't so well developed that she could hear his heart pounding in his chest.

"L-lizzardpaw." he mewed when he had padded up to her. "We, uh, we'll have . . . fun."I hope.

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She could have died laughing. It was like Flailstar had been listening to them talking.

"Lizzardpaw!" Ryepaw giggled. "He is going to be your mentor after all! Isn't that funny?" Her whiskers were quivering with the amusement.

"Ryepaw!"

"My turn!" Ryepaw squealed, leaping up so that her long fur bushed out. Her paws worked the ground eagerly, every part of her strained forward to find out who her new mentor would be.

"Dragonflyeyes," Flailstar began, but the gray apprentice didn't wait to hear the rest. Whooping like a crow, she dashed to the warrior's side and thrust her muzzle into his.

"Let's go, let's go! I want to learn all the moves that I can, because I'm going to be the best warrior ever! That's what Cinderstripe wanted. Did you know that I can already stalk? That's cause I'm not very heavy on my paws at all. Is that good, is it? This is going to be so great!"

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Dawnpaw let out a long sigh. It was the most rewarding feeling she had ever had, and the shock that accompanied it was numbing. She would be ever grateful to Flailstar who had, despite her sightless eyes, had granted her apprenticeship. She would be allowed to move forward with her brothers, becoming a warrior side by side with Cavernpaw. That alone filled her with joy, that she was in this with her brother. The tan she-cat pressed her little nose against Cavernpaw's gray shoulder in reply to his praise. Then she pricked her ears and smelled the air for Eelstreak. She hadn't met the warrior, not really. Would he pleased to be her mentor, or would he be disappointed that he had been given a handicapped kit to train.

When she had located him, Dawnpaw rose and shyly went to the tom. Timidly, she lifted her muzzle in greeting and mewed gently. "I'm strong, even though I can't see. I want to be the best warrior I can. I promise I'll learn everything you teach me." Please, accept me even if you don't like me.

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[Eelstreak]

Eelstreak looked into the eyes of his apprentice and he thought that his heart would stop. She was the one. All his life he had never paid much attention to those members of the Clan who were younger than he was. He had focused more on the elder warriors and the apprentices his own age. But having a blind kit in the Clan was a hard thing not to know and he had heard of her. But he had never identified Dawnpaw as the one who could not see.

And now she was his to train?

Eelstreak became aware of the dumbfounded look on his face and quickly wiped it away, even though the little lady in front of him could not see it. "And I'll teach you everything I know," he promised her in reply. If I keep you, he added mentally. His yellow eyes flicked up to Flailstar. What was going on inside that furry little head? How could he begin to justify giving Dawnpaw to an inexperienced warrior such as himself.

Not, however, that he doubted his own strength as a warrior. It was only that she was a special case, and perhaps a warrior more experienced with such things would be better suited. The gray tom resolved to talk to Flailstar about it ASAP. But for now, he was content to nudge Dawnpaw's nose with his own and ask her to sit beside him until the meeting ended.

Suddenly an awful thought occurred to him. He had heard stories of blind cats who possessed amazing perceptive abilities. Maybe she could sense what he was thinking now. Maybe she could hear his doubt! Carefully he concentrated on not thinking about how this apprenticeship would not work and more on what Flailstar was doing. There would be time to think of other things later.

[Blackie]

Obediantly, Dawnpaw settled herself beside her mentor. She forced herself to sit up straight, chest puffed out and tail wrapped neatly around her little paws. At that moment, the dust-colored apprentice didn't feel as proud of herself as she was trying to look. Most mentors greeted their new charges with enthusiasim and a promise of fun. Yet, Eelstreak did not seem very thrilled by his new duties. Perhaps he just doesn't like kits and never wanted an apprentice. wondered Dawnpaw, reluctant to think that her mentor did not like her after all. Some cats were that way, with a very short temper for little ones. But that did not help to put the new apprentice at ease. It would not be easy to train under Eelstreak if he refused to like her. Sighing, she directed her gaze to where her brothers had been, hoping they were still there and could see her unhappiness. She would need them now more than ever.


ooc: x.x so short, no muse

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