Brightpaw opened her eyes to see sun leaking into the apprentice den. She glanced around. Most of the other apprentices were still sleeping, except for Doepaw, who must have been on the dawn patrol. Her nest was next to Owlpaw's and Snowpaw's. Snowpaw had insisted it be next to his. Brightpaw got up and stretched. She carefully wove around the nests and out of the den. She saw Hazelkit, Firekit, and Pondkit playing in the clearing. She flicked her tail in greeting to them and they flicked theirs back. She felt bad for them. It wasn't fun to be stuck in a nursery when your friends are apprentices. She knew that. Brightpaw noticed Fallowdust padding up to her.
"Good morning!"
"Good morning! Are you ready for training?" Brightpaw nodded
"Great! First we're going to take you on a tour of the territory."
"We're?"
"Amberpool, Acornfall and I of course!"
"So Owlpaw and Rowanpaw are coming too?"
"Mhmm." Brightpaw purred as the two apprentices and their mentors padded up to them.
"We're ready to go!" Amberpool mewed.
"Great!" Fallowdust replied. She then turned to Brightpaw She plucked off a piece of strong smelling plant and gave it to her.
"What's this for?"
"Stick it up your nose."
"But then I won't be able to smell anything."
"Exactly." She didn't want to, but listened to her mentor and stuck the plant up her nose. She had been right before. She couldn't smell anything.
"Alright now we can go."
The cats began padded out of camp, and Rowanpaw and Owlpaw sprinted ahead. She was about to join them when Fallowdust held her back.
"Stay with us."
"But.."
"Last finds the mouse's nest." Brightpaw's ears flattened as the other apprentices shot her a confused look. She shot one back. Acornfall signaled for them to stop when they reached a stream, that was close to the moor.
"This is the WindClan border. Can you smell the markers?"
"Yes." Owlpaw and Rowanpaw mewed happily.
"No." Brightpaw replied.
"Well even if ya can't right now don't cross it."
"Yes Acornfall.
The next place they stopped was an old twoleg nest.
"Why is there a twoleg nest on our territory? Rowanpaw questioned.
"It's abandoned, and now catmint can be found here. Amberpool explained.
"Oh."
"Let's keep moving."
They arrived at the ShadowClan border, and once again they were told not to cross it. Rowanpaw complained about the stench of the Thunderpath, so for once she was glad she had the plant in her nose. They continued onward.
"See that big clearing?" Fallowdust asked her.
"Yea."
"Just beyond that is the greenleaf twolegplace. Since its leaf-bare, there are none here right now though. Just be careful." Brightpaw nodded.
"There's also the halfbridge. Twolegs can be seen there as well during greenleaf."
Brightpaw started to see familiar things.
"Are we close to camp?"
"Yes." Her mentor purred loudly. She wondered why. Then they stopped.
"This is the Ancient Oak. It's a great place to hunt for birds." Amberpool stated.
"Can you hear any of them."
"Nope."
"I can!"
Brightpaw mewed. She flicked her tail towards a branch, where she had heard a robin; and there it was, sitting on a high branch, blissfully unaware of their presence.
"Good!"
Her mentor praised her. Owlpaw purred, but Rowanpaw just glared at her. Was that a look of jealousy?
"We're heading back to camp now."
The group padded through the entrance to the camp. Snowpaw was the first to greet them. Or more specifically her.
"Hey Brightpaw! How was the tour?"
"Fine." She noticed Owlpaw rolling his eyes in the background, and she murrowed in laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing."
Fallowdust beckoned Snowpaw away with her tail.
"Can I take the plant out now?"
"First tell me what you learned."
"I dunno..."
"I do. It taught you to rely more on your other senses beside your sense of smell. Like when you could hear the bird when the others couldn't. Or when you recognized that we were close to camp by the area. While if you had your nose you could navigate the territory by scent, if there's ever heavy rain or snow that wash away and cover the familiar scents, you'll be able to get around better? Losing one sense sharpened the others."
Brightpaw stared at her mentor in awe. Emberstar was right.
She was smart.
AN: That's the next chapter folks! :D Sorry if you found the tour boring. I didn't really know how to write it. :P Thx to everyone who reviewed! You guys r the best! Infinite cookies to u all and may StarClan light your path. Also I'm still sticking to my a chapter every day or every other day plan so yea.
Until Next Time!
-NyaFox
