Gorsestorm & Talonheart & Thunderpaw.
The two had set out on a hunting patrol together early that morning, having been stirred awake by Gorsestorm's naggy apprentice. It had been far before the sun had even considered rising and Talonheart was very tired by the drag in his pawsteps. Sometimes the tom didn't know why he got dragged into these things, Thunderpaw wasn't his problem and yet he was always paying for the loud apprentice. He didn't know why Gorsestorm insisted on him coming to these ridiculous training sessions and he found Thunderpaw to be a hopeless hunter. They had missed a lot of prey by his seemingly never ending stream of words but after some time Gorsestorm had managed to snag a few lonely looking mice and a sad looking vole while Thunderpaw had proudly crushed a fat thrush beneath his paws.
Talonheart could hear his unwavering blather as they padded back towards the camp, it took all he had in him not to flatten his ears and tell the apprentice to shut his trap. Talonheart had never had an apprentice of his own, he'd just not had his chance yet and sometimes he worried that he would make for a crummy mentor. He was a grand fighter, a good paw in any battle but he was temperamental and sometimes he was downright mean. His patience was as thin as wet paper and his ability to handle bad situations was not good, he still hoped he could pass something on before he died. He just wasn't sure he was going to be the best.
"
But Talonheart, did you see me catch that thrush? I was great! It flew right to me!" boasted Thunderpaw with excitement, his paws drumming happily alongside his gray mentor. "
Wasn't it great?"
"
I watched you crush it, I'm not sure what mouse-brain would eat it." Talonheart rumbled, his sleek black and white form sliding into the camp with the tabby apprentice speeding to his side.
Thunderpaw snorted sharply, his tail giving a sharp lash, "
And what did you catch?"
"
Nothing. You terrified half the prey." he snapped, shoving his way back into the warriors den and dropping into his nest with a sigh. "
Apprentices!"
Gorsestorm on the other hand was struggling to even keep up with the two with his mouth full of fresh kill and when his rumpled gray form finally made it into the camp, he dumped the prey into the pile and smiled fondly to Thunderpaw. "
Quite the catch! You're getting better and better."
"
I know," puffed Thunderpaw, pricking his ears and grinning brightly. "
I'm going to be the best warrior in the forest some day. I'm going to be Thunderstar one day, I'm going to-"
"
Don't get ahead of yourself. Go get something to eat, that was a good hunting session." the gray tom brushed his tongue along his chest fur and stretched, finding a comfortable spot near the warriors den to settle down for a bit.