Patrol?

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

Faint sunlight shimmered through the branches of the warriors den, promising a day of great weather. Swiftheart slowly opened her eyes, as the rays of sunlight slowly floated into the den, warming her pelt. Streaching, she retreated out of the den, looking out into the hollow. No cat stirred. She headed towards the entrance of the camp but stopped short. She glanced up at where the ThunderClan leaders den was near the highledge. Silently, she padded towards the den before bounding up the rocks to the ThunderClan leaders den entrance. "Dapplestar?" she soflty meowed into the semi-dark den. "Are you awake?"

[Tigerlily]

Dapplestar opened her eyes to see a small head by her den "Swiftheart? what do you need?" As she asked she stretched and padded out of her den and was greeted warmly by her Clan

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

"Nothing really," Swiftheart replied. "I just thought you'd like to go on the dawn patrol with me and perhaps hunting on the way back to camp," she added, her eyes glittered with excitment.

[Tigerlily]

Not many cats had the chance to go on a patrol of any kind with their leaders but Dapplestar and her Clan were different, Dapplestar happily accepted "We will start from ThunderClan and make our way half way towards WindClan, but do not go into their territory and no chasing prey from their Territory"

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

"Great!" she purred.
Swiftheart gave alittle hop in the air, showing her excitment as she bounded down the rocks towards the thorn tunnel. She then remembered who she was with and ducked her head in apology and embarassment. "Sorry," she meowed, though her eyes were bright.
As a new warrior, Swiftheart forgot her status, sometimes acting like an appentice. Some of the warriors still treated her as an apprentice because of her never ending blasts of energy.

[Tigerlily]

Dapplestar smiled softly and followed the boisterous warrior, but though she was still leader Dapplestar was still very young and missed her "mom" Honeystar dearly. As they entered the forest Dapplestar was explaining to Swiftheart how to properly catch and kill a robin, which were rare in Newleaf

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

Swiftheart listened eagerly. She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. She swung her head around and her ears twitched as she heard a noise to the right of her. She swiftly dropped into a hunter crouch and began to slow stalk a robin which was busily pulling a worm from the soft ground while on a branch which had fallen off a tree earlier in the Newleaf season. Swiftheart slowly stalked up behind the unsuspecting prey then leaped. But the bird had heard her movement a heartbeat before her move and flew out of her grasp. She landed with a thud on the branch. She gasped for air as she got to her paws. "oops," she muttered, looking at her paws then at where the robin had landed in a branch above the two cats head. "Stupid bird. He's mocking me." She added with a snort as she glared at the bird.

[Tigerlily]

Dapplestar stared at the saddened cat, "watch this" she said as she took a tremendous leap gripping the robin's neck killing it and dropping it by Swiftheart's paws "eat you need your strength is you are going to keep up with me and the others an tonight's Gathering."

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

Swiftheart's eyes widened at the leaders amazing catch. "Wow! Where did you learn how to do that?" she exlaimed.
She glanced at the robin, hesitating before taking a bite. "Thanks," she purred.

[Tigerlily]

She sat down and licked her chest fur "my mother who Honeystar who was also the leader before I was taught me that move, i never caught on quickly but with patience and practice i became very good at it"

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

Swiftheart took another bite. "Thats a really neat move," she meowed admiringly. "Could you teach it to me?" she ask excitedly.

[Tigerlily]

Dapplestar let a soft purr rumble in her throat, "be patient young one I will teach it to you...once you are ready...come we are done for now I have something important to tell both you and the Clan" she quickly got up not really waiting for Swiftheart to catch up

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

Swiftheart opened her mouth to protest but then closed it she quickly gulped down the rest of her vole and shot after her leader, wondering what Dapplestar meant with something important to the Clan.

[Tigerlily]

As Dapplestar arrived back into the camp she quickly jumped onto the Highrock where she proudly yowled the traditional words "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." As she silently awaited her Clan she waited a moment longer for Swiftheart, "We are gathered her tonight to name apprentices and appoint them to their new mentors, Spottedkit, Moonkit please come forward." As the two apprentices glanced at their leader they nervously padded towards their leader "tonight we are here to appoint apprentices, Barkfur you are young but you are strong you will mentor Moonpaw."
After Moonpaw greeted her new mentor she glanced down and the nervous Spottedkit. "Swiftheart you had just recently became a warrior but I can see that you are a strong and intelligent warrior so you will mentor Spottedpaw."

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

Swiftheart sat near the edge of the crowd, looking at her paws as she listened to the meeting. When she heard her name she glanced up in astonishment. Surprised murmurs rose around her but they quickly stopped. She scrambled to her paws and uncomfortably padded towards her leader. She glanced at the warriors who stared at her with surprise reflecting in their eyes. She knew they thought she was too young and inexperienced to have an apprentice yet. I'll show them! she thought determinly, raising her head. She dipped her head to her leader, silently thanking Dapplestar before giving Spottedpaw an encouraging nod. She gently dipped her head to touch noses with the new apprentice, her eyes soft and encouraging.

[Tigerlily]

Dapplestar nodded and declared the meeting over, hungry she decided to grab a squirrel at the fresh-kill pile, not noticing Swiftheart's nervous stare. "What is it Swiftheart? Is something the matter?"

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

Swiftheart glanced at Spottedpaw. "Go meet your new den-mates," she murmured, gently flicking the new apprentices ear. She didn't turn to her leader till the apprentice was out of ear shot. Swiftheart ducked her head but then met her leaders eyes. "I don't know if I can do this," she confessed. "I still so new at being a warrior. How can I be a mentor when I'm still learning myself?" she blurted out.

[Tigerlily]

Dapplestar already knew how she felt "Well Swiftheart did you know that when I first became new warrior and Honeystar gave me my first apprentice I was so scared I almost declined, but I accepted..why? Because I wanted to show them that just because I was a loner and knew nothing of the warrior code I could still mentor an apprentice so I fought and trained her every day. From that day i never stopped and thats how I got where I am today. But if you ever need help you can come to me alright?"

[.:~{T}awny~:.]

"I guess I'm just afraid I'll screw something up," she meowed, her eyes showing worry.
Swiftheart nodded and brightened a little at what Dapplestar offered. "Thanks, Dapplestar," she meowed relief filled her eyes.

[Tigerlily]

Dapplestar nodded and dismissed her as she picked up her meal and sat near a group of her oldest warriors, though she was young many warriors had admired her for her courage and determination. She was also very popular with the male warriors. Though she never noticed but one of her younger warriors Shadowflight had taken a liking to her.