Disclaimer: I only own the characters and the plot. Warriors is not mine.
Nightwind strode out into the main camp area in search of his new apprentice. Finally he found her, playing with Flamepaw as if they were still kits. As he approached her, he heard Rainpaw ask her friend, "Flamepaw, do you want to see if we can have a fresh-kill eating contest?" Nightwind was bewildered by this question, but also amused, and amazed at how she could seem to forget that she wasn't a kit anymore.
"No, Rainpaw," the medicine cat purred as he walked up to her."
"Oh, hi, Nightwind…" Rainpaw lowered her head, but kept it facing up to look at him, and drew her lips back in an innocent grin. It was a kit-like grin, of course.
"Come. I want to start teaching you about basics of being a medicine cat. In a few days I'll start teaching you about all the really interesting stuff. Like the Moonstone."
Rainpaw had only heard of the Moonstone, and had no idea what it was. "What's that?" she mewed inquisitively. Nightwind knew she would be a good medicine cat with this eager-to-learn behavior.
"I won't tell you now. That subject belongs in the 'more interesting stuff' category."
"Oh. Well, then start telling me stuff so that I can get to the 'more interesting stuff!'" the apprentice growled eagerly, with emphasis on the "more interesting."
Turning around, Nightwind led Rainpaw to his den. After they had settled and after Rainpaw had quit bugging him about teaching her, he began to speak. Rainpaw pretended to sigh with relief. Nightwind smiled.
The medicine cat began by asking Rainpaw to recap what she knew. Amazed at how she remembered practically everything he had told her, he asked her to come up to his stores of herbs and tell him what was what as far as what he had told her. Again Nightwind was amazed at her mental capability. After that was done, he pulled samples of a few more herbs and showed and talked about them to Rainpaw. Then he tested her to she what she remembered, and Rainpaw did perfect. She's taking this seriously, the old medicine cat thought proudly. I've never seen an apprentice as attentive as her.
After a while, Rainpaw was distracted by the shadows cast by the setting sun which seemed to have crept up on her while she was listening. Nightwind was tired of talking anyways, so he let her go ahead and play with them. She started playing with her own elongated shadow, using it to exaggerate her size, unsheathing and flexing her claws playfully to watch the razor-sharp shadows they made. Then she decided to try and outwit her shadow by raising one paw, then the other, then the other, and so one in that pattern, then suddenly switched to an unexpected paw. Eventually getting bored of this kit-ish game, Rainpaw retired to watching patiently as the shadows grew longer and longer and as the areas lit by the sun grew darker and darker, until shadows had conquered the entire camp and only the sky was lit, a rich gold low on the horizon. Now left without anything to do, Rainpaw padded away to her den with a simple "Good night" to Nightwind.
"Good night, Rainpaw," he replied, then walked over to his nest, laid down, curled up, and went to sleep.
Okay... sorry it's so boring right now. The exciting stuff will begin very soon. In a few chapters. I don't require reviews to put new chapters up, though, as I said earlier, I do enjoy comments and constructive criticism. Thanks for reading, and I apologise for the short chapters!