Step. Step. Ouch!, Flamepaw plays on the Fire Path.

[Flamepaw]

Two single green eyes darted nervously back and forth as the young tom Apprentice carefully and slowly started to walk on the Fire Path. He was rather scared of it, yes, but he wouldn't let it show. Especially if a Warrior or even Gracestar came up. He would show them that he was brave enough to try out the Fire Path, for the first time in his life.

He'd heard other cats talking of this place with fond tones and now it was his turn. He knew that it didn't hurt, but Flamepaw wasn't sure. It could still be a joke that they all made up to trick little Apprentices into scathing their paws.

Tentatively Flamepaw picked up his first tender white paw and placed it delicately on the path where it started. It was marked off by a layer of dead or dying, brown grass. .... Nothing happened. He put his other paw next to it, and realized with a surge of confidence that there was nothing there. Ha!

Filled with the new feeling, Flamepaw hurried up and started to walk along it. Then, about halfway through the dead grass, Flamepaw froze solid. The ground burned. He let out a yelp, then darted off as fast as he could and collapsed along the ground at the side, his shoulders heaving and his face hidden.

[Moony]

Gracestar had been wadering, thinking, when she heard a yelp, then pawsteps. She padded toward the sounds, and found that Flamepaw's scent led away from the Fire Path. He had to have stepped on one of the places that-

She shook her head. Silly apprentice, had to be more careful around here. She scented the air and followed his scent away from the path and to where he lay. She meowed softly before sitting next to him. She almost wanted to laugh.

You all right, Flamepaw? She asked him. She knew the pain of the Fire Path. As a young apprentice, she had been wandering along it and done almost the exact same thing. She shook her head, her eyes sparkling, and she waited for Flamepaw's reply.

[Flamepaw]

Flamepaw looked up at Gracestar, exhilaration flaring in his eyes. He wasn't crying or scared where he was, he was laughing in a silent fit. "Hahaha ... Did you see tha ... It didn't hur .... Ahahaha!" The young tom laughed, then rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky.

His green eyes looked up at her, and he looked comical in the position that he was in. "Hey Gracestar. What's up?" He straightened himself and stood up, stretching softly, before he sat down, his fur slightly ruffled still. He licked one paw and swiped it through his pelt quickly, but that was only a small sign of respect for Gracestar. He couldn't care less about how he really looked.

[Moony]

Gracestar was glad to find him all right. She smiled, laughing. Well, I was just out walking and I heard you yelping your lungs out. She paused. I thought maybe I could see why you were being so loud. She loved teasing Flamepaw. He was fun to talk to.

She suddenly remembered he would be needing a new mentor, and she wondered who she could give him to. She wanted to mentor him herself, but should she? She smiled at him. Maybe she should ask him who he would like as a mentor. Then she could go from there. Who would you like for a mentor?

[ooc- act like there are other warriors, lol]

[Flamepaw]

Flamepaw laughed, a little embarassed at himself but feeling happy all the same. "Wow, a new mentor? I don't really know, Gracestar. ... You, perhaps?" The young tom sat down and scratched at his ear faintly, his eyes resting upon his leader. She was a great warrior, he knew, and thought that maybe she could find time to train him. "Unless you're too busy, then I could go with any other cat."

Flamepaw was a charming young tom. He knew how to win everyone's hearts and to get them to like him, but not in a bad sort of way. The tom's aspiration in life was to have very good friends, nothing more. Popularity came easy to him, as he was quick-witted and not too brash. Sometimes, however, he could be.

[Moony]

Gracestar almost laughed. Her? Too busy? That was hardly the case. She had too much time. She thought for a moment. Yes, she would mentor him. To become the best warrior there ever was. She smiled at the thought. She was being silly. Only he could decide if he was going to be a great warrior.

Thank you for your opinion, Flamepaw. She said diplomatically. She smirked, then suddenly, she touched him with her tail and raced off. TAG! You're it! She loved it when she got to play games with her Clan, rather than always being leader.

[Flamepaw]

Flamepaw let out a sharp cry of surprise and dodged to one side, then giggled. He loved how Gracestar was so fun, when other leaders seemed to always have something up theirs. "I'll get you!" He threatened the leader, and then darted towards her, his tail straight out behind him as he reached forward and batted her side, and then he raced off again.
The young tom laughed again. It was fun times like this that made him glad to be a FireClan cat. The IceClan cats, they seemed to be so ... serious. Why couldn't they just relax and have fun? The handsome young tom looked down at one of his white paws momentarily, distracted by something. An odd feeling in the back of his neck, that made him feel nervous all of a sudden. Something about IceClan triggered an odd emotion inside of him.
Was is loyalty to his own Clan? Or was it something more ... longing?

[Moony]

Gracestar felt him touch her side, then immediately switched direction and raced after him. She loved being a FireClan cat. She felt sad at times though, about having had a IceClan leader be her father rather than a loyal FireClanner. She shook her head at herself and kept running. She saw Flamepaw slow a little, and raced up next to him.

Hey, you all right, Flamepaw? She said as they ran side by side. He suddenly seemed down, which was something she couldn't bear without seeing if he was all right. She hated seeing her friends down over something.

[Flamepaw]

Flamepaw shook his head as though clearing thoughts away. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine, just thinking about stuff ... I wonder ... Do you think I'll be a good warrior?" The tom looked up at his leader, his green eyes filled with confusion suddenly. He didn't know what happened, but all of a sudden doubts flooded through his mind like a dam letting water rush through.

He looked away from her and frowned at the ground. He hated when he became too serious, when he had to stop having fun and just ponder things through. He lazily dug his paw through the ground, scattering dust everywhere and no where.

[Peachpaw]

Shouldering her way silently through the grass, the young calico apprentice let out a sniff of agitation. Above the scent of the scorched ground, the dry bushes, and the faint scent of a cool breeze, there was Flamepaw. The annoyance of her life. He was sooo convinced that every she-cat within 100 miles of the dirt beneath his feet should just sigh in amazement that he walked the same earth as them.

Sniffing again, she noticed the faint scent of Gracestar. "Great.." she muttered, rolling her green eyes skyward, "He'll have her all won over to his side." Veering off to the left of them, she made a wide circle around them, and ended up a feet hundred fox lengths ahead of where she had started. She sat facing an enourmous tree, and within a few moments, sat perched idily on a thick branch near the top.

From her perch she could easily spot her two Clan-Mates, and although she strained her ears to pick up their words, she heard nothing. She sighed and shook her fur. Then, turning to face the wind and let it blow through her long calico fur, she bounded up a few more banches, and layed down. Her left front paw dangling aimlessly from the branch, tail swishing in the wind.

[Moony]

Gracestar looked at her to-be apprentice and frowned. You're going to be a great warrior. Why would you think otherwise? She noticed his confusion and licked his shoulder in reassurance. You've got nothing to worry about. You're going to be one of the finest warriors the forest or frozen tundra has seen.

She scented another cat as the wind changed direction for a moment and she looked, and saw Peachpaw in the trees. She smiled at the she-cat and looked at Flamepaw once more. He seemed so lost, and now looked angry almost.





[ooc- are they running still?]

[Flamepaw]

[wait for it ...]

Flamepaw, being slightly slow to some things, had not noticed the presence of the ever-angry Peachpaw. Instead he looked up happily at Gracestar. "You think so? That's so nice!" He purred, thinking of something he could do. "You know, Gracestar, I can just say one thing ..." He stood up sheepishly as if he was about to spill out his deepest secret.

Then, he reached out and batted her with his paw. "TAG! You're it!" Then the tom ran off, laughing as he looked behind him at Gracestar.

[Moony]

Gracestar laughed, then raced after him, her body flowing gracefully. She was able to catch up and gently tap his leg, then turned and raced off toward the tree that held Peachpaw. Maybe the she-cat apprentice would like to join them in their silly game. She wondered when she should jump up to climb the tree as she ran.

It came closer and closer, and finally, she decided to jump. She caught the bark on the tree and pulled herself up quickly. She climbed up onto the same branch as Peachpaw and smiled. Hey, Peachpaw. She said. She waited for Flamepaw to catch up a little.

[Peachpaw]

Rolling her eyes as she watched her leader and fellow apprentice play tag with each other, Peachpaw suddenly wondered why she was so sour all the time. "Maybe I should lighten up..." she thought to herself, eyes filled with realization. Then, shaking her head to clear it she let out a low growl and decided against it.

Sitting back to watch her ignorant clan mates play a foolish kit-game of tag, she got slowly to her paws and shook her fur. Being careful not to lose her balance as she swayed precariously on the branch. Suddenly as she came to her senses she realized her leader was beside her. As her leader mewed a greeting to her, Peachpaw sent her eyes skyward again, and muttered a "whatever," before moving a little further out on the braqnch and laying back down to sway again with the wind.

[Flamepaw]

Peachpaw? Flamepaw turned around and slowed his pace down to barely a brisk walk and soon enough was standing next to Gracestar, looking up at the young Apprentice. They were roughly the same age, though there was something in Peachpaw that made her seem more ... He didn't know. Not older or younger, but a bit tougher. He liked her, though, and she was pretty.

"Hi Peachpaw! Why don't you come down and play with us? It's a lot of fun!" The young tom said, trying to make his tone sound tantalizing. He wanted her to play with them, and then it wouldn't just be him and Gracestar. The leader was fun and all, but sometimes it was nice to see the other Apprentices.

The handsome ginger-and-white tom squinted his eyes as he tried to trace where Peachpaw was. The sun was glaring down into his slitted pupils pretty harshly, so they narrowed even more. Eventually Flamepaw had to close them and shake his head, trying to make his sudden headache go away. "Ack!"