Hakuna Matata!

[{ tessa }]

Fleetfoot pads through the light misty spray that surrounds the immediate area around the waterfall. In his jaws a water vole is clamped firmly. It should be plain to any cat that he has just been hunting. The savory smell of his prey is very tempting, but the warrior refrains from taking even a small bite. The Clan must be fed first. He recites a line from the warrior code that he knows so well. And so the tom fully intends to take this back to his Clan before he eats anything himself. But first...some peace and quiet. It isn't as if his Clan is desperately awaiting his return. It is late summer after all, and there is more than enough prey in the river, the lands beyond, and the newly won Sunningrocks. Fleetfoot raises his chin proudly as he walks. RiverClan is the most prosperous Clan in the entire forest! He feels a swell of loyalty for his Clan as he walks on.

But then he pauses. Before Fleetfoot goes any further, he wants to bury his catch. He scratches and scrapes the ground quickly. Soon a small hole in the sandy dirt has formed. Fleetfoot places the water vole in the pit, where it fits neatly. He then kicks the dirt back into the hole, covering up his prey to preserve and protect it. Once all of this is done, Fleetfoot is finally satisfied. His whiskers twitching, he turns around and continues on towards his destination: the banks of the water fall.

Fleetfoot has always found this to be the most relaxing place in RiverClan's territory. It's so concealed and cool. And the sound of the roaring falls and the mist that comes off of them is thoroughly relaxing. There are even a few fish in the pool if he feels the need to hunt any more. But for now, some time off. He reaches the bank and lays down on a rock nearby some cattails, gazing into the misty pool. He can see a few shimmers of his reflection. Stretching out, Fleetfoot sprawls out on the rocks. He purrs to show his contentment. This is a great relief from the unbearable heat of the day. Now he can just...float away.

[Roxie !]

OOC//Heheh! This is gonna be a Lion King themed thread. xD

The thin, moist mist that clung to the air gave the flame-colored she-cat's fur a slight glow as she prowled through RiverClan territory. He autumn-brown eyes gleamed with playful excitement as she padded as silently as she could--which, mind, wasn't saying much. The apprentice was a bit...well, clumsy, and she knew it well. But hey, it added some excitement to life! What was the fun in being calm and graceful? She snorted at this. No, it was better to stand out from the crowd! Normal? What was the fun in that? Her tail twitched in amusement, and she let out a little purr. Yes, Jitterpaw was definately in a good mood today.

She bounced along the familiar path she had trodden so many times before. And naturally, she couldn't go for very long without chattering, even if there was no one around to hear her. And so a meow soon sounded from the apprentice, raising into a sort of random tune as she trotted merrily toward the waterfall. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps toniiiiiight! In the jungle, the quiet jungle, the lion sleeps tonight!" Jitterpaw giggled, spinning slightly as if chasing her tail. It wasn't long before she became rather dizzy and forced herself to pause, giving her furry ginger head a thorough shake. "I've gotta stop doin' that." She murmured with a slight grin. As if that was going to happen any time soon, no matter how many times she scolded her herself. Spontaniously, Jitterpaw dropped into a low hunters crouch, as if stalking prey, though there was none nearby. "Grrr..." She growled softly. "I'm a LionClan warrior!"

Just as suddenly, the apprentice straightened. A familiar scent had caught her attention. One of her Clan-mates was nearby! The she-cat's whiskers twitched happily. Finally, some company around here! She needed someone to entertain her...before she died of boredom! "Is that even possible?" She wondered aloud, before realizing that if her Clan-mate was close by, he could probably hear her. Giggling in a slightly embarrassed fashion, Jitterpaw attempted to become serious immediately(not happening), and padded forward, still humming to herself absent-mindedly. She hadn't scented wrong. Before long, she spotted Fleetfoot's familiar pale pelt. She smiled slightly. Fleetfoot was a very young warrior. Perhaps he wouldn't mind playing?

She trotted closer, eyes bright. "Hello, Fleetfoot!" She called as she approached. She reached the bank and stretched slightly, before hopping up on one of the rocks closest to the water. Her gaze shifted to the pool, where her reflection looked slightly distorted as the water wavered. Jitterpaw giggled, and returned her wandering attention to the warrior before her. "Didja hear my song? In the jungle, the mighty jungle---whooa--aaah!" Jitterpaw was cut off abruptly when she attempted to take a step forward. She misjudged the slippery quality of the rocks, however, and ended up bowling backward into the icy pool. A squeak of surprise was the last sound the apprentice made before she tumbled under the water. It felt refreshingly cool, and after she had registered what happened, she paddled underwater for a moment before letting herself rise to the surface.

Taking a deep breath of air, she grinned sheepishly up at Fleetfoot. "I meant for that to happen." She assured him quickly. "Come on in! The water's great!"

[{ tessa }]

A familiar voice sounds from afar. Fleetfoot flicks his ears towards the sound without opening his eyes. The voice was...singing? Fleetfoot groans and shuts his eyes tighter. Can't I get even a moment of peace around here? He thinks with irritation. Maybe if he just ignores it...nope. It seems his clanmate has discovered his presence, and is making her chipper little way over to him. Fleetfoot opens his eyes at last. He resists the urge to roll them and sits up on his rock. He proceeds to start washing his paws casually, as if unconcerned by the presence of another cat. But his ears flicked back towards the voice betray his awareness.

Soon she reaches him. Even before he sees her, Fleetfoot recognizes her scent as Jitterpaw. She is an older apprentice of the Clan, along with her sister Honeypaw. He turns his head slightly, his paw still raised in the air. Sure enough, he spots the apprentice approaching, her pelt the color of a forest fire. There's no denying that she is very pretty, but Fleetfoot has always thought that she's a bit crazy. Though it's true, she HAD saved his life at the ThunderClan battle. He supposes he owes his tolerance to her, at least. But still, Fleetfoot's eyes narrow slightly as she approaches and starts to speak right away.

"Catchy." he remarks sarcastically. But before he can commet further, Jitterpaw slips and plunges into the pond. Fleetfoot's silvery eyes widen, and he gets to his paws. Warily, he pads over to the water's edge and looks in. He takes care not to slip and fall, thus repeating the apprentice's mistake. "Stupid furball." Fleetfoot mutters as he searches the water for any signs of Jitterpaw. Soon, her head reappears, pushing above the surface. Fleetfoot relaxes and sits down. His tail curls around his paws and his ears twitch in amusement. "I think I'll stay up here, thanks. Don't tell me you need to be rescued?" He says dryly.

[Roxie !]

Jitterpaw blinked up at him for a moment, before rolling her eyes and sending a smirk his way. She knew she must look ridiculous right now, treading water, soaked, with droplets of the stuff continuously dripping from her ears. But did she care? Of course not. "Oh!" She huffed in mock-frustration. "You're just a bundle of fun, aren't ya?" Sighing, she tore one of her paws across the surface, sending a small splash of water Fleetfoot's way. "What's the point of life if you can't have some fun once in a while?" She demanded, backing off to paddle in a small circle. She closed her eyes and purred, enjoying the sensation of the cool, lapping water against her ginger fur. What kind of RiverClan cat was Fleetfoot if he never wanted to swim? Well, there was no point of floating around without anyone else to keep her company. She paddled over to the water's edge until she felt her paws scrape the sandy bottom. Standing up, Jitterpaw slunk out of the water and over to her Clan-mate.

A mischievous glint now made its presence known in her glittering brown gaze. Innocently, Jitterpaw glanced away for a moment. "Well...you're right." She mewed. "Guess I'd better dry off!" A sudden grin lit up her features, and she suddenly gave herself a spastic, dog-like shake. Water sprayed everywhere as she rid her pelt of it. One way or another, Fleetfoot was going to get wet! With a amused laugh, she narrowed her eyes in challenge. "There. Happy now?" She asked, her tone still as innocent as she could make it while struggling to keep a straight face. Jitterpaw then tilted her head, as if only just noticing what she had done. "Oh, I'm sorry! I guess I should have been more careful..." The apprentice trailed off with a shrug. "Oh well!"

Sitting down, Jitterpaw lowered her gaze and began smoothing her pelt out after her little unintentional swim. She couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips still, her tail flicking cheerfully. Every so often, her eyes would flicker back to the lean tabby, mischief still dancing in them. "I guess I just get destructive when I'm bored." She said apologetically, though she was pretty sure that they both knew that what she had done had been completely intentional. Eventually, she raised her head to meet Fleetfoot's gaze again. "So...I need a way to entertain myself. And you have time to lounge around on rocks, hmm? Look how perfectly that worked out!"

[{ tessa }]

Fleetfoot stiffly steps away from the water as Jitterpaw splashes him. He has come here to relax, and he prefers to do it dry. What does he have to do for some peace and quiet, leave for the Highstones? He sniffs and doesn't say anything until the apprentice begins to get out of the water. "I think you and I have two very different definitions of fun." He grumbles, more to himself than anything. Pretending to lose interest, Fleetfoot settles down on his rock again and puts his head on his paws, facing away from his clanmate. This turns out to be a big mistake. Before he knows what is happening, a spray of water flies through the air and onto his back. Fleetfoot shivers and springs to his paws in surprise. He whips around, because he know knows the exact source of all the water.

"Jitterpaw!" He hisses at her. "Watch what you're doing, okay?" He glares at her as she begins to wash her fur, and that is when he sees her smile. Fleetfoot's eyes narrow. The mouse-brain had done that on purpose! He could have yowled to StarClan in exasperation, and he is so frustrated that he almost misses Jitterpaw's next comment. His glare of anger changes to one of disbelief. Out of ALL the cats in the Clan, she picks HIM to annoy? Fleetfoot hardly knows how to entertain an apprentice anyway. They're far too...bouncy. He can't remember ever being like that as an apprentice, although it was not so long ago that he was.

"Look," Fleetfoot growls as he sits down again. "What do you expect me to do? I've been out hunting all day. I came here to relax. Just for a little while, StarClan forbid! Don't you have some mentor you could pester?" He asks, almost pleadingly. "Or another apprentice to play with--you have a sister, don't you?"

Fleetfoot wishes that the rushing of the waterfall could just...drown out Jitterpaw's reply. But somehow that seems unlikely.

[Roxie !]

By then, Jitterpaw was having a hard time preventing her amusement from showing openly. Her whiskers quivered slightly, and the mischief remained in her eyes, but she allowed the warrior to grouch at her until he was satisfied. Which took awhile, even though Fleetfoot wasn't normally the most talkative warrior in the Clan. I suppose I just bring out the best in everyone! The ginger apprentice thought cheerfully. Once her Clan-mate had fallen silent, she snapped back to attention and tilted her head once again. "Finished yet?" She inquired brightly. The young she-cat flexed her claws against the sand restlessly, and decided to answer Fleetfoot's questions. This conversation wasn't really leading anywhere, but at least it was a distraction! She'd almost forgotten about the boredom that had overtaken her several moments earlier. But then, it really wasn't very hard to divert Jitterpaw's attention from anything. Even now, a brightly colored butterfly fluttered into the clearing, and her brown eyes followed it. She let out a giggle, and then, as if she were a kit again, rose to her paws and followed it. Her pace quickened as the butterfly rose further and further into the air, and so the young she-cat reared onto her hing-legs. She gave the creature a few swipes, and then dropped down on all fours again. Watching the butterfly escape, Jitterpaw let out a tiny 'hmph', and spun around to face her unwilling companion again.

"Almost had it!" She exclaimed cheerfully, padding over to him again. "Well, see, I'm in a bit of a...predicament." Jitterpaw explained earnestly, letting out a wistful sigh for emphasis. "Heh, 'predicament'. You warriors use big words like that,right?" she asked. That was exactly why Jitterpaw, unlike most apprentices her age, was in no hurry to become a warrior. If that happened, what if all of the fun in her life disappeared? She rolled her eyes and shook her head innocently. "Anywayyyy...my mentors too busy for trainin'. Besides, there isn't much more I have to learn!" She added with a hint of pride. "And Honeypaw? You really don't know her at all, do you? She'd call me a mouse-brain if she were here. She's a little...well, serious. Like you! You know, normally that wouldn't even stop me! But I haven't seen her at all today..." Jitterpaw trailed off and sighed. With a glance around the clearing, she added, "And it looks like you're all alone too! So I guess we're all each other have! Sucks for us."

Smirking, the apprentice abruptly plopped herself down in the soft grass and crossed her forepaws. She gazed up at Fleetfoot thoughtfully for a moment, though it was plain that her silence couldn't possibly last for very much longer. Suddenly, her ears pricked. "I have an idea!" She gasped delightedly. "You could help me train! That is, if you don't mind?" Her eyes widened as she pleaded with the warrior, jumping to her paws once again. "Ooh! Combat training! Please, Fleetfoot? Pleeeasse?" She asked with such anxiety that you would have thought her life depended on his answer.

[{ tessa }]

Fleetfoot watches skeptically as Jitterpaw chases the butterfly around the clearing. He feels like banging his head against a tree as she bats at it clumsily, only to lose it a second later. He sighs. Why can't she just have common sense, like every other cat? If she'd just calm down, she'd make a great warrior one day soon. And now her voice is beginning to give him a headache. Fleetfoot's tail twitches in agitation. "Sorry I asked." He mumbles, although he can't help feeling slightly sorry for Jitterpaw. Her mentor, whoever it is, doesn't seem to pay much attention to her. But she doesn't seem upset about it, so he doesn't dwell on this.

He wonders if he could manage to just wander off while she is still talking. There doesn't seem to be an end to this conversation in sight. Just listening to her tires Fleetfoot out! What's this? Now she's asking him to train her? But he's not even her mentor! He never wanted an apprentice, for exactly this reason. They all have too much energy. He shoots her a small frown as he searches for an excuse to refuse. He really doesn't need this right now...although it would do Jitterpaw some good to get some training in today. "Can't we hunt or something instead?" He grunts half-heartedly. I have a better idea. She can hunt, and I can stay here. He thinks privately, but he does not voice this snarky thought.

It's then that Fleetfoot makes the mistake of looking into Jitterpaw's pouting gaze. No...he's not going to fall for that! But if he chooses to ignore her, she might wander off and get into even more trouble. He winces inwardly as he remembers what happened when he and his sister snuck out of camp moons ago, out of sheer boredom. Fleetfoot's ears flattened. "Fine." He sighs at last. "If it'll shut you up." Trying to sound as begruding as possible, Fleetfoot surveys her. "You seemed to be able to take care of yourself at Sunningrocks, though. I don't know what there is to teach. But alright. Attack me." He takes a few steps back and assumes a firm stance across from her.

[Roxie !]

A purr of amusement rose from the flame-pelted apprentice's throat. He was completely against fun in any form, wasn't he? Well, that was alright. For now. After all, everyone changed, didn't they? "Come on Fleetfoot, hunting's no fun! You haveta be quiet the whole time." She pointed out, her nose wrinkling as if she was disgusted by the mere thought of silence. The truth was, Jitterpaw was a bit frighteneed of silence. It gave you too much time to think about things. And that couldn't lead anywhere. At least not anywhere good. Thinking brought up all of these responsibilities and decisions and...and what if she thought too hard, and decided that she was being completely rediculous, and never had any fun again?! No, it was better to be impulsive.

She continued to fix him with her innocent, pleading stare. The apprentice had to fight a grin; it was obvious how close Fleetfoot was to giving in. Perfect. Maybe she could get him to lighten up a bit! "Oh, that was all just one big adrenaline rush! I get those a lot. But what am I gonna do if I'm like, tired, and some rivaling-Clan furball attacks me? I'd be at a loss!" Jitterpaw lowered her head slightly, as if she was cowering slightly. However, it looked like there wasn't much need for any more argueing. The pale warrior had retreated a few paces, and invited her to attack him.

Jitterpaw's ears pricked, and she smiled broadly. Her paws were itching to get some excercise. Finally, this day was actually leading somewhere! StarClan forbid she go through even a twenty-four hour period without getting into some sort of scuffle. "Great!" The she-cat purred. "Don't go easy on me, though." Eyes narrowing, she took a pace forward. This was one warning that the ginger apprentice meant. Jitterpaw was a friendly little she-cat, and liked pretty much everyone and everything(even when it came to Clan rivalries), but if there was one thing she hated, it was being under-estimated. Hopefully, Fleetfoot wouldn't make the mistake of looking down on her.

Now, it was time to plan out an attack strategy. As, well, reckless as she was, Jitterpaw knew that she couldn't simply charge at the warrior. She'd known better than that for awhile. For one thing, she was a lot smaller than he was, and he was experienced enough to be able to dodge out of her way in time. No, she needed something that he wouldn't expect. But what? Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, Jitterpaw slowly prowled around the clearing, until she had aligned herself with Fleetfoot's side. She paused, and then without warning, took a running leap at the warrior.

The apprentice flew through the air as swiftly as she could, but though it seemed that she had aimed for Fleetfoot's back, she landed roughly on his other side and abruptly lashed out with her hind legs in an attempt to knock the wind out of him.

[{ tessa }]

Fleetfoot shakes his head in exasperation. He wishes he could have this much energy. Then again, he's afraid of what it would do to his sanity. Fleetfoot waits patiently for Jitterpaw to attack him, but she doesn't seem to be finished speaking yet. He sighs. "Tired? If the day ever comes when you're too tired to do anything, I'll eat my tail." He meows drily. Can they just get on with this already? Fleetfoot quickly becomes impatient as the apprentice opens her mouth to speak again. At this rate, they'd be out here until moonhigh.

"Don't go easy on me,though." She says firmly.

Fleetfoot gives a brisk nod. Jitterpaw is an older apprentice after all, so she should know a decent bit about fighting skills. Though to put it lightly, she is very hyper. He doesn't exactly expect her to be a strategized opponent. This will probably be a predictable, think-fast fight. He waits quietly for her to attack him. His tail twitches as she stalks around him. His silver eyes narrow and follow her movements precisely, but although his muscles tense, he does not move. Yet. She's probably just trying to pick the best angle to try to leap onto his back. A typical apprentice move, yet something makes Fleetfoot cautious.

It's then that Jitterpaw suddenly charges at him. Sure enough, she takes a running leap, and it looks like she's aiming for his back. In one smooth movement, Fleetfoot lowers into a crouch on the ground to duck, and then whips around to face her as she lands. To his surprise, Jitterpaw does not turn around, nor does she look irritated by her miss. Before he can calculate it, she lashes out with her back legs. The kick hits him squarely in the chest. Fleetfoot is stunned by the hit and skids back slightly, trying to catch his breath again. She hadn't been trying to land on his back; this move was planned! Why hadn't he seen it?

With a growl Fleetfoot springs foreward, sending a quick-as-lightning paw strike at Jitterpaw's cheek. His claws are safely sheathes, but if it hits, it will probably knock the smaller cat off her paws.

[Roxie !]

The moment she felt the impact of her back-kick, Jitterpaw grinned. She couldn't believe it; it had actually worked! Pride glimmered in her amber-tinted eyes as she whipped around. Her tactic had worked, but this wasn't over yet. If this were a real fight, there'd be no time to waste. Already, Fleetfoot seemed to have regained himself with a growl. Jitterpaw couldn't help but purr with amusement when she spotted the slight surprise in his expression. She'd told him not to doubt her, and yet he'd still gone and under-estimated her. Well, hopefully he wouldn't make the same mistake again. For his sake, at least. Excitement practically glowing from the young she-cat, she tensed as Fleetfoot sprang at her.

Face-to-face combat wasn't the best idea with Jitterpaw being such an under-sized cat. She had to win this spar with wit and strategy. For once, the apprentice actually was thinking. It's only temporary! Jitterpaw assured herself. She bunched her muscles and leaped, attempting to dodge the warrior's quickly-aimed blow. But she'd jumped a bit too late. Instead of hitting her cheek, the paw-strike landed near her shoulder. Jitterpaw let out a little squeak of surprise; because she'd already been up in the air, the blow had served even better to knock her off her paws. Still in the air, Jitterpaw felt herself lose control of her jump and twist awkwardly, her paws slipping from under her as she landed a few tail-lengths away in an awkward flame-colored slump.

"That's not fair!" She protested good-naturedly, wasting only a moment on her amusement. Her mind raced as she searched for a way to use her position on the ground to her advantage. Twisting her body slightly, she darted toward Fleetfoot, keeping low to the ground. In one impulsive little slide, she attempted to grip the warriors fur and drag him down to the ground as she leaped upward. If things worked out right, she could be lucky enough to end up with Fleetfoot pinned to the ground.

OOC//Eh, short. But you know fighting posts, there's not really much to say.

[{ tessa }]

She'd better not get too cocky. Fleetfoot thinks with a sigh. It's a common mistake that many cats make, especially young apprentices. He decides that she'll just have to learn from her mistakes, and he'll make sure that she does. When Jitterpaw lands in front of him on the ground, his silver eyes glitter in amusement. Stopping to chat won't do her much good either. She'd make a very good warrior if she just wouldn't get so distracted. He thinks, before leaping forward to pin her to the ground. It seems that she planned the same thing. She suddenly leaps upward and catches Fleetfoot by surprise in a move that he can hardly follow. He feels Jitterpaw's claws snag in his fur and leans back to twist free.

But at the same time Jitterpaw pushes herself up, effectively pushing Fleetfoot down. She is smaller than him, but she uses momentum to her advantage. He is surprised by the cunning of this. He never even gave her this tip! Maybe Fleetfoot has underestimated her a little. He now finds himself on the ground with flame-colored paws pinning him there. With a growl he gazes up at the apprentice, his eyes are narrowed. "You expect an enemy warrior to fight fair? Lifes not fair!" He hisses, beginning to kick with his back legs. His claws are sheathed, but if this had been a real fight, Jitterpaw would have been in for some real injuries if his blows were successful.

"And one of these days, you're...gonna...have...to...learn it!"

Fleetfoot uses a final kick at this time. Though it is not too hard, he hopes to send the apprentice flying away from him as he struggles to get to his paws.

[Roxie !]

Jitterpaw narrowed her eyes slightly as Fleetfoot spoke, though there was amusement glittering in her gaze. "You think you know everything, don't you?" She asked good-naturedly, scoffing slightly. She wasn't waiting for an answer though; in Jitterpaw's opinion, all warriors thought too much of themselves. She couldn't help admiring them, though, even though they were a bit stone-faced. Admittedly, most cats would be considered 'stone-faced' when compared to this energetic apprentice. The flame-colored she-cat tensed as Fleetfoot battered her with his back legs. Quickly, she twisted away in an attempt to dodge him, but hadn't anticipated the final kick. Jitterpaw let out a surprised squeal as she was sent flying across the clearing faster than she could blink.

She landed clumsily in a bed of reeds and cattails, her head spinning slightly. The she-cat giggled slightly at the mere tickling sensation the adrenaline ebbing away as she regained her composure. Jitterpaw gave herself a little shake so that her ginger fur fluffed out slightly. "Okay, okay, you win!" She meowed at last, padding back over to Fleetfoot and grinning slightly. She'd been caught off guard by the last attack, and she was beginning to lose interest in the mock-battle. That was to be expected, really. Jitterpaw's attentions were constantly shifting. Waving her tail in the air gently, she gave her clan-mate a slight nudge. "You're lucky those reeds were there! What were ya tryin' to do, kill me?" The apprentice questioned, her eyes glimmering playfully. With that, Jitterpaw sat down and began to lick one of her paws, drawing it over her muzzle several times. This was a common tradition taken up after friendly tussles like this one, and it showed that no hard feelings remained.

She focused her attention on cleaning, eventually bending to give her ruffled chest fur a few licks after she was finished cleaning her face. Now and then, she flashed Fleetfoot a casual look, her whiskers twitching. No doubt the RiverClan warrior would be pleased with his victory, and she decided to allow him a few moments to 'gloat' in peace. As for Jitterpaw, she could hardly find reason to be a sore loser. Fleetfoot was a warrior after all, and therefore more experienced than her. And it wasn't as if this had been a real battle, anyway.

"So, Fleetfoot," She began, looking up at last. "I'm very anxious to hear your lecture about all of my mistakes and everything I did wrong. Criticize away." The flame-colored apprentice laughed. That was the stereotypical procedure after a training session, right? Even if this tom wasn't her mentor. Not that Jitterpaw could promise she'd actually listen to such a lecture, but she'd try to humor him. Giving Fleetfoot a small smile, she turned her gaze away and swept it around the clearing. In the sky, the sun was drifting lower and lower. Evening was beginning to approach. She tilted her head; it hadn't seemed like they'd been here for too long. She supposed she'd just lost track of time.