WiLLoWPaw and GLiTTeRPooL (snowing the territory)

Willowpaw trotted up to her mentor, mis-matched eyes shining. She had had nearly 18 hours of sleep since her last adventure, and was shining with good health. Her pelt had been groomed to perfection, every tangle combed out and every bramble removed. Such efforts had taken a while, so she was a few minutes late. She was determined to make up for her escapade yesterday, though, and her ears were pricked and swivelled towards her mentor. "Hey, Glitterpool!" she greeted cheerfully, whiskers twitching. "Where are we going to start our tour?"

Willowpaw nodded earnestly, gazing around her sincerely as they wandered towards the river. "Okay," she mewed, ears pricked. It was a clear, sultry day, the sun shedding its bleak, golden rays over the territory. There was a marked lack of wind, and no clouds in the sky, and hot. When they arrived at the river, the snow-pelted apprentice couldn't help casting longing looks at the cool, inviting waters. "All right," she began earnestly, eyes locking on her mentor. "I noticed... a bed of reeds, the biggest I've ever seen, right near the side of Camp, and near the edge, a big patch of sharp boulders. Also, near the rocks, there's a thicket of trees, like a tiny forest." She wrinkled her nose as she remembered. "And it smells like ThunderClan. There's also a big, clear area, with enormous monster-like things in it!" She pranced up and down in excitement. "And they were making funny, low mouth-noises, and they were black and white and nearly stepped on me." The willowy she-cat nodded proudly, whiskers twitching. "Plus, there was this long, wooden thing, with metal railings, that smells like twolegs. It's like... a tree, fallen down to get across the river, but it wasn't a tree." Her eyes narrowed in frustration as she struggled to describe the two-leg bridge.

"... And we got here..." She thought for a heartbeat, head cocked to one side. "Well, we turned towards the bed of reeds - left - about 200 feet from Camp, and then we should get into the small forest. We walk through that, and then when the last tree fades away, we turn towards the big sharp rocks, which should be in view. After that, you..." She struggled to remember, frowning thoughtfully. "Ah, you pass parallel to the big field with the black and white monsters in it, and then after walking about 500 feet, you're here." She beamed proudly, feathery white tail twitching. "Now can we do some hunting? Or swimming?" She pranced up and down eagerly, eyes bright with enthusiasm.

Willowpaw pouted. "You know that's not fair!" she protested, diving into the water. It was icy cold, but she loved it. She left barely a ripple on the surface as she wove her way underwater, graceful and streamlined. Only a string of silvery-blue bubbles proved she was down there. The sunlight fractured as it hit the water, and delicate broken beams filtered down in an almost surreal fashion, painting pictures in the green-blue depths. Willowpaw smiled blissfully, letting herself float back to the surface for a breath of oxygen. She would die without swimming. She hastily gulped in a lungful of air, and then dove back under swiftly, pelt streaming out behind her. She felt a weak current, and dropped carefully in to it, laughing silently - without opening her mouth - as she was carried along. Again, she swam to the surface, and then paddled back from there to the bank. She scowled as she stepped out, her snowy fur plastered to her sides. "I don't wanna get out yet," she complained, shaking herself thoroughly and sending a fine spray in the direction of her mentor.

Once she felt herself suitably dry, she leaned back on her haunches and curled her tail around her paws, meeting Glitterpool's vacant gaze. "Okay. I'm decent," she announced, beaming. She shifted her weight, ears pricked and whiskers twitching. "So what do we do now? Hunting, fighting, or more exploring the territory?" She pulled a face. She wasn't so sure she liked exploring.

Willowpaw nodded instantly, her mind made up. "I know I should choose exploring, since I have no sense of direction whatsoever," she confessed with a laugh. "But I've never done fighting before - except with my brother - and it sounds fun." She sprang quickly to her paws, ears pricked and whiskers twitching. "Should I attack you?" she suggested cheerfully, and then, without waiting for a confirmation, launched herself at her mentor. Her pounce was good; she had learned the technique from hunting. She was well-balanced and alert, but she just didn't have the skill. She batted at Glitterpool doggedly, raking at her belly. Still, the techniques looked awkward and clumsy when she did them. She paused. "What am I doing wrong?" she lamented. "It feels... unnatural!" She scowled, backing up a few paces and lowering her body to the ground.

Willowpaw's mis-matched eyes welled with tears. She was extremely sensitive, and rejection hurt her a surprising amount, even if in jest. "Yeah, okay," she mumbled, hanging her head so her mentor couldn't see the tears in her eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to." She sniffled, trying to surreptitiously rub the tears off with a paw. She looked at Glitterpool, still not meeting her eyes, and then half-heartedly swatted at her mentor's head.

OOC: She's... an over-reactor. xD

Willowpaw shook her head, trying to get rid of the tears. "Okay," she relented, rising to her paws. "I'll try. But I can't promise you anything." She tried to strike down on Glitterpool's head.