look at the faces . LISTEN TO THE BELLS }}

[Roxie !]

{{ it's hard to believe we need a place called hell }}

A shadow slipped fluently into the dim hollow, emerald eyes gleaming with nervous anticipation. She looked from side to side, and then padded further in so that she was positioned in the center of the training clearing. Her usually smooth movements seemed tense and rigid today, almost as if she were a stone carving come to life. The tip of her feathery tail twitched uneasily from side to side, and to still it, she wrapped it neatly around her dainty paws as she sat down on the sandy ground. She was, it seemed, alone...for now. However, it was clear that she was waiting for someone.

Her eyes shifted side to side. No movement stirred the dense undergrowth that surrounded the Bracken Hollow. The she-cat made a tiny, impatient noise in the back of her throat. Even through her nerves, she couldn't help feeling a bit exasperated. It was the first day of training, and her apprentice was unquestionably late. Nightheart, warrior of ShadowClan, was a very prompt and punctual cat. She was actually a bit of a neat-freak, truth be told--and she found organization to be vary important. It was no surprise that annoyance pricked at her paws as she waited for her charge to arrive.

The hollow wasn't very far from the ShadowClan camp. It was practically just outside the entrance. Most cats, even young apprentices, would consider it a very short walk. And so Nightheart had decided to test Maplepaw's natural tracking skills. If the younger cat could manage to pick up her scent, it would be a fairly straight trail to the training area. Surely it couldn't be that hard...surely the apprentice hadn't managed to get herself lost. So what could be taking so long?

If training honestly wasn't that important to the young she-cat, then they had a problem. She didn't know much about Maplepaw, but when she had met her at the ceremony, the apprentice had seemed far too...energetic for Nightheart's taste. She seemed to be the type of cat who had difficulty concentrating on anything for too long. The type that never really took anything seriously. The type that never sat still. These were qualities that didn't mix well with the ebony warrior's rather cynical personality, and seeing as this was only her first apprentice, Nightheart feared that the two of them would clash.

And what if it wasn't even Maplepaw's fault? What if it was her fault? As an apprentice, Nightheart had been quiet, observant, and obedient. She was a quick study, and a good listener. But that was the thing: she was much better at following orders than giving them. She had no idea how to control an apprentice, especially one as rambunctious as Maplepaw was. This wasn't a game; she was meant to be training one of ShadowClan's future warriors. The Clan depended on each generation...and so mentors had more pressure put upon them than Nightheart had ever realized before. Her heart beat a bit faster. She didn't know how to do this.

And yet...it was Mistystar's job to select the perfect mentor for every apprentice. Select pairs that complemented each other flawlessly to ensure the success of the Clan's future. Even as she thought about it, she realized that the phrase sounded so...robotic in her mind. Besides, how in the world did a warrior like Nightheart, and an apprentice like Maplepaw, fit together in any way?

But that's Mistystar's judgement you're questioning. She reminded herself. Perhaps the leader believed that Nightheart had something more than warrior training to teach Maplepaw. Or maybe there's something that you're supposed to teach each other. Her mind murmured again. Nightheart suppressed a snort. She didn't see what she could learn from that whirlwind of a furball. Still, whatever happened, she couldn't let her Clan down. Perhaps training an apprentice was part of the purpose in life that she had been searching for. The warrior sat up a little straighter at this. Only time would tell.

[{ tessa }]

Maplepaw can't control her excitement. It is her first day of training! Nightheart has promised her a tour of the territory. Maplepaw has heard a lot about ShadowClan's territory, but she has never seen any of it. Her whole kithood, she has been stuck in camp. The restless apprentice quickly became bored of that lifestyle. When she recieved her new status and name, everything changed. Maplepaw couldn't even sleep last night because of her eagerness. She wants to learn to hunt and fight. She wants to learn about the other Clans. She wants to learn everything! But first, she wants to impress her mentor.

Nightheart gave Maplepaw her first challenge today. Maplepaw was to find the Bracken Hollow on her own by tracking Nightheart's scent. Maplepaw has quickly realized that every cat in the Clan has their own distinct scent. She sniffs the ground. There are a lot of smells mingled in the camp entrance. After all, many ShadowClan cats come in and out of here daily. She walks a little further, still sniffing, and then she successfully distinguishes Nightheart's scent. She purrs, very pleased with herself. This is her first mission, and she is determined to make it a successful one.

Maplepaw follows the trail. It leads her up a hill that shelters ShadowClan's camp, and into the undergrowth. Once she has reached this, Maplepaw feels a thrill. She has now officially entered ShadowClan's territory. It is very dark, but her eyes adjust to the dimmer light quickly. There are so many sounds and smells around her that she is almost overwhelmed. She wants to run off and start exploring on her own. But this time, she controls her curiousity and focuses on her mentor's scent alone. She follows it a short way away from camp, and then she sees a large clump of bracken looming ahead. This must be the place!

Maplepaw sees the entrance, and smiles. She is about to go in, but then she stops. Although she is very eager to get started, she has a better idea. She'll sneak around the back way and suprise Nightheart from behind! Surely she will be impressed with Maplepaw if the apprentice manages to catch her off guard.

Maplepaw tries to pad as quietly as she can across the dusty ground. She follows the wall of bracken around, hoping that her brown pelt will help her blend in. Finally, she sees a glimpse of black fur through the bracken. Nightheart is standing a few tail lengths away. Maplepaw sees another opening in the wall, and crawls through it. She ducks into a crouching position, tenses up, and then she pounces at Nightheart's back with a loud. "BOO!"

[Roxie !]

The warrior's eyes were half-closed as she waited in silence for her apprentice to appear. Nightheart was like a shadow among the trees; she didn't move so much as a muscle as she waited alone in the hollow. Patience wasn't one of her strong suits, though, and she was becoming slightly restless as the minutes ticked by. She fought to keep the tip of her tail from twitching: Maplepaw was definately going to have to work on being punctual if this was going to work out.

She had to wonder how the other two new mentors were getting along. Bandedtail and Frecklenose had each been assigned to one of Maplepaw's siblings, but she hadn't heard much from either of them. They probably have Brindlepaw and Hazelpaw half-way to warrior status by now. I need to focus. I can't keep putting this off. The ebony she-cat told herself firmly. Even if Nightheart didn't really believe she was cut out to be a mentor, she was going to show Mistystar that she could be an asset to ShadowClan. In a time when tension was steadily rising in the forest, her Clan needed all of the strength it could get. And strength came from new warriors.

It continued on for awhile; this slipping in and out of her thoughts, until eventually Nightheart slipped into an almost meditative state as she reflected. An onlooker might assume that she was sleeping--but if they looked closer, they would have seen her dark ears pricked intently forward, and her jaw parted slightly to taste the forest air. Even when deep in thought, the ShadowClan warrior would sooner die than be caught unaware. And it was because of this that she sensed her apprentice coming fox-lengths before Maplepaw even reached the hollow.

The familiar scent of her clan-mate was the first thing that tipped her off...not that smell was the only sense she had to rely on. Maplepaw wasn't exactly sneaking through the territory. With the racket she was making charging towards the training hollow, they'd be lucky if there would be any prey left between here and Highstones. But then, abruptly, the noise stopped, and Nightheart's eyes flickered open in surprise. Maplepaw had not entered the hollow, and was nowhere to be seen. Had something happened to her? Surely if a fox or badger had found the apprentice, she would have called out? StarClan, don't let me lose my apprentice on the first day of training!

But then, Nightheart heard it: the soft, unmistakable creeping of paws against the dusty ground that lined the outside of the hollow. Maplepaw's scent was still strong, and it only took the warrior a moment to realize what was going on. Her whiskers twitched--it was interesting that the apprentice had chosen to sneak up on her, and she could tell that Maplepaw was trying to keep quiet, but the weight on her untrained paws was placed all wrong. Though Nightheart had pinpointed her position with almost certainty, she remained stone-still.

There was a chill of tension that ran through the ground, and in that instant she knew her clan-mate had sprung. In the blink of an eye, Nightheart rolled out of the way and landed on her paws again, sending the blurred brown shape of the other she-cat flying past her. The ebony warrior supressed a purr of bemusement. She hadn't expected such boldness or spunk from the apprentice, and now she was finding it hard to rebuke her for her untimelyness. I can't be going soft this soon, can I?

The mere thought was enough to keep her from approaching Maplepaw, and she contented herself to merely gaze across the clearing at the disheveled form. "Not bad, for your first try. Next time, be aware of changes in the wind--and where you put the weight in your paws. You'll never catch a mouse unless you learn to tread silently." Nightheart stated bluntly, although there was a hint of a smile on her features.

[{ tessa }]

"Whoa--aa!!" Maplepaw soars into the hollow much less gratefully than she had planned. Nightheart dodges her playful attack so quickly that she doesn't even register what happened. All she knows is that she's on the ground. Her paws wave helplessly in the air as she tries to get up. Maplepaw finally calms down long enough to roll onto her stomach and push her feet off the ground. Once she's standing up again, she turns to stare at Nightheart. Her eyes are wide with wonder and admiration. Clearly, Maplepaw is far from bitter about her unsuccessful. She shakes the sand from her auburn fur and smiles widely.

"That was really neat! Can you show me how to do that?" Maplepaw asks cheerfully. She ducks into a crouch, her tail lashing from side to side as if she's about to pounce. She's so eager to start training that she can barely wait for her mentor's reply. But when she sees Nightheart watching her calmly from across the clearing, Maplepaw straightens up again. She gives her ruffled chest fur a series of licks. She thinks about what the warrior has said and shrugs it off.

"I'm sure you'll teach me the right way, then. Can we try today? I know I'll be the best hunter in ShadowClan! Better than Hazelpaw or Brindlepaw for sure!" She boasts confidently. Maplepaw is already starting to imagine herself leading hunting patrols. She's sure she could catch four or five rabbits in one day easily! How hard can it be? All she needs to learn are the best places in the territory to hunt. ShadowClan land seems more than big enough to get lost in! Maplepaw vows to have it memorized like the back of her paw soon.

She wonders if Nightheart has ever led any hunting patrols? It sounds like a lot of fun. Maplepaw opens her mouth to ask, but holds her tongue at the last minute. Nightheart already looks a little bit weary. She doesn't want to test her mentor's patience...at least, not on the first day.

[Roxie !]

There was a soft thump as Maplepaw hit the ground, and though the fall didn't seem to have hurt the apprentice at all, it was somewhat painful for Nightheart to watch. She only just managed to keep herself from wincing as the thought entered her mind: If she'd taken that long to get back up in a battle, she'd be dead by now. Pessimistic thoughts such as these were not uncommonly found in the warrior's mind, but she almost instantly rebuked herself for this one. Nightheart was setting her expectations too high...no apprentice who hadn't yet received battle training would have done anything differently.

And, though Maplepaw's words were slightly cocky, Nightheart had to respect the eagerness and ambition that the young she-cat so clearly possessed. In fact, she couldn't help feeling a tiny twinge of envy. Maplepaw was barely six moons old, and she already had a clear idea of the direction she wanted her life to go in. That was more than the ebony warrior could say about herself. Thinking back, Nightheart tried to recall if she'd ever been as driven in her own days as an apprentice. Perhaps there had been a time, once. But if there had, it was long gone. Because truth be told, she was a cat that could be described as mostly indifferent--a bit jaded, even.

Here was the apprentice she'd been paired with, tasked to train. And, as Nightheart stared calmly down at her, she couldn't help thinking that she'd never met a cat more different than her. She sincerely hoped that Mistystar had known what she was doing when she'd made this arrangement. A black ear flicked awkwardly to one side. "Pace yourself." She meowed quietly, her bright green eyes widening slightly as she watched Maplepaw practice a hunter's crouch. Before the apprentice could get too ahead of herself, her mentor finally took a step forward.

She wasn't sure that they were ready for a hunting lesson just yet. It generally was the first step of training, but they hadn't even toured the territory yet. Nightheart had intended on giving the red-brown she-cat a bit of a lecture before they started, but Maplepaw's energy seemed so boundless that she didn't dare delay much longer. For all she knew, Maplepaw might...explode or something, if she was kept cooped up much longer.

Flexing her claws against the ground, Nightheart spoke again. "Skill is only part of the equation. You need strategy--and, for StarClan's sake, you need to know your own Clan's territory. So, we'll be touring it today." She smirked slightly, wondering if this information would do anything to deflate her apprentice's bubble of energy. Unlikely, no doubt...but a cat could hope, couldn't she?

Nightheart cleared her throat softly and flicked her feathery tail towards the entrance of the hollow. "Come on." She sighed, turning her back and padding towards the outer part of the territory. The Thunderpath was nearest here, but she was conciously putting that off as long as she could. She had to be sure that Maplepaw was calm enough not to dart out onto the deadly cement path without even waiting for instruction.

[{ tessa }]

Maplepaw really does try to listen to what Nightheart is telling her, but she keeps getting distracted by her own excitement. This is her first real day of training, and she wants to do something. She kneads the ground, already imagining catching her first bit of prey. What will it be? Maybe a bird. Maplepaw always used to pretend to hunt birds as a kit. She purrs as she thinks of bringing it back to the Clan. Contributing will finally really make her feel like she's a part of ShadowClan. With a WindClan cat for a father, Maplepaw needs all the skill she can get to prove herself to her Clan-mates.

Nightheart reminds her that she needs to smart small. Maplepaw knows she's right, deep down. To become a great warrior, she'll have to take things one step at a time. But she doesn't know if she has the patience for that! Despite this, Maplepaw doesn't even miss a beat when Nightheart announces that they will be touring the territory today instead of hunting in it. On the contrary, the apprentice's eyes light up like stars at the thought of exploration. She vows to remember each and every ounce of information that she learns today.

What will she see? Maplepaw tries to remember what she's heard of ShadowClan's territory in the stories around camp. She knows all about the Thunderpath, with its huge, roaring monsters. But she's never seen what it looks like! And she also remembers hearing about the marshland, which was owned only by ShadowClan. Will Nightheart teach her how to swim one day? Or is that just for RiverClan cats? *The other Clans!* Maplepaw's head swims as even more thoughts wash over her. She wants to learn each and every one of the other Clan scents.

As she is imagining all of this, Maplepaw realizes that Nightheart is already heading for the exit. She scrambles to her paws and hurries after the black cat. Her tail is once again high in the air as she looks all around her. "What will we see first?" Maplepaw asks eagerly. She wants to see all of it!