The New Apprentice - Echopaw

Echopaw padded into the camp, not knowing what to expect. Since a kit she has been told stories of the clans, but being here, standing on this patch of soft soil was a completely differently thing. Her heart skipped a beat as her brilliant blue eyes closed in on the surrounding cats. She waited for someone to approach her and introduce her to the clan. She had no idea where she was, except that this was a clan. She stood boldly, her young features surveying the area carefully, taking in every detail that could be important one day later on. The exciting stories she had been told of the clans buzzed through her limbs and her tail flicked happily.

Smiling brightly at the tom she nodded enthusiastically, "I would love to!" She replied. Her paws massaged the ground restlessly, wanting to learn more about the clan right away. Echopaw's hunger for knowledge filled her with energy. She wondered where and who the leader was and when she would be given a mentor, but she didn't ask just yet. She was sure there would be much to learn about the clans she did not already know and she simply couldn't wait to find out. She glanced at the fresh-kill pile and frowned, what a strange idea to have a pile of food in the middle of the camp, didn't it attract predators? But then again she supposed even if it did these strong warriors would be able to handel them! She looked at Longear with admiration and waited to see where he would take her first.

The silvery rock made her feel small and insignificant, but she pushed out her chest and followed Longears, determined not to be put off by its size. And sighting Sandstar she was tempted to call out a greeting to her new leader, but she decided she would later. Following Longears into what he said was the nursery she wondered why they made dens out of brambles, they were prickly and she felt some lodge themselves in her pelt as she slipped through. She smiled down at the tom kit who squeaked up at her, "I'm sure you are!" She encouraged him further. She glanced up at Longears, "This is beautiful! where will we go next?" She tipped her head to one side, questioningly.

"I'm Echopaw," She smiled proudly, "Longears is showing me the clan," Her eyes softened at her new leader as she recalled what Whiteleaf had been saying to her. "I'm sorry, this must be a bad time," She took a careful step back, her ears dropped politely. She could imagine they were talking about the previous leader, who must have died. She wondered what he ad been like and what had happened to him. He must have been nice, because Sandstar looked truly sad about his death. She dipped her head to Whiteleaf, too, thinking they would probably be seeing a lot of each other once she started doing apprentice duties, which she wasn't exactly looking forward to.

Shaking slightly, she opened her maw but no words came out. Her teeth chattered loudly and her heart pounded against her ribs uncomfortably. "Y...yeah, I'm fine," She finally managed to Sandstar who was still looking at her worriedly. Echopaw wrapped her tail around her protectively, but sent a slightly smile to the leader, comfortingly. She wondered what had gotten into the elder and bravely approached him, "My name is Echopaw, I only just came to you clan. What is you name?" Her voice was confident, but comforting at the same time, she didn't like it when other cats got angry at her and she was trying to make him feel better. She wondered if age had made him like this, or was it a past experience? She decided to ask Longears later. She peered at the tom with a questioning look, waiting for him to reply to her and hoping he wouldn't yell this time. She liked making cats feel better, it was a bit of a specialty she had had since a cat and she practiced it often. She tried to find as many ways to use it as she could and this looked like a good time.

Her eyes glowed sadly, "He's deaf..." She mumbled, wishing she knew what could cure this and suddenly frowned, there she went again...that was medicine cat thinking, she realised. Maybe...just maybe that's what she should be...her destiny? But what about being a warrior? She argued with herself angrily, wondering if there was already a medicine cat apprentice. She followed Longear's obediently, dipping her head politely to Sandstar as she passed her and glancing once more to Brokenear, with a hurt look. She looked up to Longear's and asked calmly, "Is there a medicine cat apprentice for your clan?" Deciding this probably was the best position for her to fill, if it was open. She padded out into the clearing again looking around the clan, remembering the nursery and seeing the broken log that she now knew was the elders den. The clan was beautifully set out she thought, smiling to herself and noticing a den that smelt faintly of herbs and realised this must be the medicine cat den and pricked her ears towards it in her excitement. Then an envious thought popped into her mind of the possibility a medicine cat apprentice could be in there right now learning how to heal wounds...and everything she wanted to know. Her claws sunk into the ground angrily and then realised what she was doing and quickly looked up to Longears, hoping he hadn't noticed. She tilted her head, again wondering the answer to her question and waited patiently for his answer.

Her hinted anger faded with those easy words and her ears pricked forward in excitement. She didn't quite understand why Longears had said 'of course' but this didn't quite seem to register as she bounced up and down with excitement, practically racing to the medicine den in her haste to meet Owleyes. "Come in," The honey coated voice coaxed and she instantly wanted to pelt up to the she-cat and wrap her tail around her, but she managed a slow pad inside. The smell of herbs welcomed her and curled her tail with affection, she had never smelt anything so beautiful and all she wanted was to roll in them and cover herself with their attracting scent, but she withstood such embarrassing motions infront of the cat who could soon be her mentor. She watched carefully at what the she-cat was doing, memorising the movements in case she ever had to act them out, and hoping that one day she would get the chance to do such an honour. The honey looked so tasty as Owleyes licked it off her paw and her stomach almost growled, but she was happy when it didn't, flicking her ears with faint embarrassment. As Owleyes began to frown Echopaw was first of all worried it was her she was frowning at, but was greatly relieved when she noticed it was in fact Longears, but then this brought confusion. What had he done to have such a look from a medicine cat? But then she was humoured by her quick explanation of a previous event that nearly made her laugh, but so far she had managed a straight face and she wished for this to continue. She was, in fact, quite proud of herself and she hoped Owleyes and Longears were, too. She wondered how good a warrior Longears really was if this was how he reacted to pain, she remembered all the times she hadn't even noticed when she had a wound and even once she did, she did little more than grimace. But that was besides the point and completely off topic and in the time she had been thinking about such things Owleyes had began to circle her. This made her feel slightly scared, despite what she had previously been thinking of, boasting to herself, and she practically jumped when Owleyes picked up the first of her paws. But after the first shock the feel of her fur mingling with hers was comforting and she began to relax again. Then Owleyes spoke again and she felt almost as if she had been dismissed, but she waved away the thought and straightened to her full height, looking Owleyes squarely in the face, with her radiant blue eyes in a defiant pose. She asked in a humble tone, "So...I am to be you apprentice?" Just saying the words excited her and she flipped her ears froward to listen to Owleyes answer.

((Shouldn't we ask the real Owleyes and Sandstar and get them to start role-playing with us? Or don't we need to? Or have you already? lol, so many questions, so little time...))

Echopaw opened her eyes wide, temporarily stunned by the sudden activity, but she quickly shook herself off and raced over to the apprentice's side, being careful to lie down on the side opposite Owleyes so she wouldn't get in her way. She wondered if there would be anything she could do to help and she didn't seem to even notice her question hadn't been answered, though it was bothering her slightly she decided to wait until Goldenpaw was resting and Owleyes had done all she could for the she-cat. She sighed with relief when Goldenpaw ate the first dose of medicine but her heart pounded faster and faster as she took longer and longer to eat the black seeds. 'Eat them, eat them' Her mind cried and she could feel she was on the bridge to tears, but she choked them back, knowing a good medicine cat is never to cry in front of their patient. She leaned forward and began grooming Goldenpaws pelt gently, getting all the matted blood and dirt out of her flank. She was already worried about the she-cats legs and she eyed them carefully. She took no notice of Rayfeather, just as Owleyes did and stood beside the golden cat's back.