a //needed// .t.a.l.k. {Tikker}

[c e d a r *]

{ooc: I figured it would be better if our walk wasn't in the gathering thread.}

And they were off. Suddenly out of camp, Falconpaw felt somewhat lighter and happier. His eyes shone as much as he allowed, as they padded through the territory, and as the tom searched for something to say, he finally found what he was itching to get out. He waited until they reached the halfbridge, his favorite spot on the territory. As his paws hit the wet wood, his shoulders visibly relaxed and the tom sat down, curling his tail tightly over his paws. "You wanted me to say what I wanted to say, right?" meowed the apprentice, biting down softly on his lip. He wasn't used to being told that he could speak about anything on his own accord.

"If you really want to know, I'd rather like to go to the Gathering," meowed the apprentice softly. "Of my many seasons of apprenticeship, I've never attended one, and when you said that you needed many cats at the camp in order to keep watch, it somewhat shocked me. We always keep cats at the camp during a Gathering, but I really wouldn't expect different Clans to come at us just at this Gathering. And besides, who would want to step paw into our territory? We're the closest to the lake, and therefore we're the ones getting the most wet," Falconpaw argued, but his voice far from angry. "I mean, sure they could think we were vulenrable, but we're used to the whole 'wet paws' concept. Do you really think WindClan would like to get their paws even more wet? And ShadowClan? Don't you think they have their own problems, like we've got ours?" suggested the Apprentice.

"Sure, I'd love to go to the Gathering, I wasn't chosen, and that's okay I guess, but I just didn't like that you said we would have a higher rate of being attacked when I believe that Rustlestar maybe wanted us all to attend for a reason. Maybe something bad is going to happen to all of us. I agree with you, I wouldn't put it past WindClan and ShadowClan to attack us, but I have a feeling this Gathering is going to be special, and maybe not even in a good way.." mumbled the tom.

Realizing he had gotten to his paws, so hyped up in what he was trying to explain and finally putting through his head what he had just said to the leader of his own Clan shocked the tom, and he stumbled back a step, his eyes wide. "I'm so sorry I ever said any of that. You're the leader, your decision is what really matters," meowed the young cat quietly, casting his yes down at his tabby-striped paws which were now anxiously kneading the soft wooden boards that they were both sitting on.

[Tikker]

(ooc: Thats fine, I figured I'd let you start it if you wanted to.)

The RiverClan leader sat and watched the young apprentice as he talked about what seemed to be bothering him. Her brown tail wrapped neatly around her paws as the tip twitched now and again while he spoke.

She could tell in his voice that all he wanted now was to be one of the first in a long time to go to the Gathering. He was the eldest of all the apprentices; and however much she despised WindClan and probably Rustlestar himself, she just didn't want to leave the camp unprotected at all.

It wasn't that she didn't trust the warriors she had to protect their camp, she just didn't want anything to go wrong. She was pretty sure that she could spare just one apprentice; but she could give him an optional deal.

As soon as Falconpaw finished his speech; and when he got to say 'I'm sorry,' she gave a smile and signed. Thinking of the best way to let him in on her plan.

"There is no need to apologize Falconpaw. I would rather cats speak out about what they think our Clan should do rather than keep it to themselves. Sometimes it is always good to have more opinions than just your own. And now I have a proposition for you Falconpaw."

Briarstar took in her breath and hoped he would accept, she wanted him to get the most of what she had to offer.

"I will allow you to attend the Gathering on one condition." the dark brown she-cat let her teeth show when she gave a grin. "You must show me your best battle technique and try you rhardest to win. As I am larger and have more experience, you will need to have more fight in you. Do you accept my terms Falconpaw?"

Resting her golden gaze on the young brown apprentice, and continued her grin. She hoped he would accept for she also wanted to see how his battle training had gone with his last mentor. Not that she didn't doubt the deseased warrior's abilities, but it was also to see where he was and how long it would take him with determination to become a full warrior.

Briarstar watched him, awaiting his answer, hoping he would accept for she knew it was possibly two things he could want. And the worst thing he could do was say no, for it would make her believe he didn't care about becoming a warrior of RiverClan.

[c e d a r *]

'One condition..'

Falconpaw held his breath nervously and somewhat excitedly as he listened to the leaders condition she had proposed. A mock-fight? The tom swallowed. He had been trained with battle, but he hadn't learned everything and he wasn't so sure he wanted to embarrass himself in front of the leader of his Clan. The apprentice looked up to the sky and thought about it for a moment, but as he came to an answer, the tom readied himself, lowing his stomach to the ground, as if she could strike at any time.

The tom slowly crept backwards, edging himself off the halfbridge, He wouldn't mind falling in but the space was so small, he was sure both he and she would have a tough time getting at each other. A small smile had formed around the edges of his lips and he waited, quiet and still, unsure of what was to happen. He hadn't trained in battle for moons and a sense of uncertainty crashed over him, but he kept his gaze and his position strong, focusing on the leader standing before him.

"Alright, lets go. I accept your terms," meowed the apprentice, his voice quiet but somehow managing to stay strong, not even a small tremor could be heard, but he tried his best to keep any signs of fear away from his voice and his body language, hoping he would show himself worthy to go to the Gathering. The tip of his tail flicked with excitement, his narrowed eyes brightening. Maybe he wouldn't win, but it would help to see how far he had gone before his old mentor disappeared.

[Tikker]

(OOC: It's not good but there, I set Falconpaw up for something! )

Her golden gaze watched the young apprentice back more towards the half-bridge. She met his gaze with a tooth-showing smile as he accepted her conditions. She cold tell that he was going to try and stand his ground against her, and she liked that.

Briarstar thought to herself, she figured stalling would make him edgier. Taking a few steps forward, the dark brown she-cat watched steadily, and swiping her tail a few times before she rushed forward.

Faster than a speeding hare, Briarstar placed all four paws on the ground before pushing hard on her hind legs, causing her to leap into the air. Her ivory claws still in their slots, and her tail down, Briarstar believed to judge her positions right.

The RiverClan leader, landed on the half-bridge, just behind the young brown apprentice. Hoping he would know what to do, she lashed out with stealthed claws, turely hoping that Falconpaw would register what she had down as dodge her attack.

As her attack was going through, Briarstar waited and watched the apprentice's moves, to see just how much power he would use to stop her.

[c e d a r *]

Falconpaw eyes the leader as he noticed that her leap was, in fact, quite long, and that gave him time to spin around, facing the leader once more. She lashed out at him, but just as her paw swiped his chest, the male sidestepped and lunged for the she-cat, his eyes bright with exhilaration, his tail low, and his claws sheathed.

Twisting agilely in the air, the apprentice landed squarely on Briarstar's back, but he wasn't sure what to do from there. Using all his might, the apprentice tried to pull the she-cat to the ground, but he wasn't strong enough. His lean body worked hard as he tired to bring her down to the ground, but he found himself slipping. Cursing inside his head, the apprentice managed to stay on her back, but with claws unsheathed, he really didn't know what to do. What if she flipped over, leaving his belly exposed to claws that she wouldn't have unsheathed anyways.

He was starting to get tired, trying and trying to getting her off her paws, but he wasn't strong enough, and the tom started to become confused, unsure of what to do now, he merely waited, still trying to get the she-cat off her paws.

[Tikker]

The large RiverClan she-cat was proud that the light-brown tom had judged her leap and twisted around. When her paws collided with the young apprentice, Briarstar noticed him stagger and sidestep a few steps. Narrowing her eyes, she though to herself, He's doing well so far, I haven't knocked him around to much.

Cursing herself, she didn't realize that Falconpaw had leapt and landed on her back. She had been to busy thinking to herself and not paying attention. That is something she should let him know, don't get distracted at all in a fight, cause that maybe how you lose your life.

Briarstar could feel the apprentice slipping off her back, she was impressed he could hold on with her movements. However much she was impressed, she had to get him off her back, without hurting him to badly.

Hoping it would work, the dark brown she-cat took a few strides forward before coming to a sharp halt and turning around to face the lake once again. She stopped, waiting to hear the sound of Falconpaw hitting the ground, but for some reason she couldn't tell if that's what it was or just the sound of the lake.

[c e d a r *]

The tom's eyes widened as the she-cat lurched forward a few steps, and he flung off her back. As much as the tom tried, twisting in the air, his body hit the ground before his paws did, and trying to catch his breath, the apprentice scrambled to his paws, facing the leader once more. Breathing heavily, the apprentice lashed out with his paws a few times, trying to get away from the lake. He leaped into the air and copied what the leader did, overshooting his actual target, her back, and landing squarely behind her, as he tried to push her to the ground by gently but using a small amount of force on her back legs. It wasn't working, and the tom's body screamed with protest, dare he jump on the leader's back again? She'd just fling him off, but the tom wasn't ready to give up just yet.

The tom sidestepped, knowing that she'd turn around, and by doing that, he would be able to confuse her for just a small amount of time before doing something, but as his heart beat quickly, he didn't know what to do. He didn't think about anything but what she was going to do, and he waited a few seconds, fearing what she was going to do.

{fail post but I wanted to see what would happen. c:}

[Tikker]

Briarstar watched the young apprentice fall to the ground as she turned around. The churning of the water was calming to her, and she knew she hadn't done anything like this since Icepaw was still there, and Oakstar was leader. The brown she-cat could still see the fluffy white almost-warrior still in front of her; as she could also see Icepaw in the apprentice she was fighting now.

His lean body relfected hers just as much, as well as the quite and shy nature she gave others; but the feirce determination that they both give while in a fight. Briarstar missed the young apprentice that she had first trained, the same one that died in this river. Briarstar had always believed it murdur, as Icepaw was a very good swimmer, how had she drowned?

Shaking her head, Briarstar turned her attention back to Falconpaw, when she noticed he used her own move and started to try to push her to the ground by her hind legs. She knew that the apprentice wanted her to turn around, and that she did, just not the way he expected.

Doing the same as before, Briarstar rushed forward, before skidding to a halt and turning around, leaving the apprentice alone on the half-bridge. Lowering herself to the soft ground, she waited a second before leaping forward, landing just in front of Falconpaw.

Although Briarstar didn't stop, she just kept going, and went right beside him and pushed her body against his, trying to knock him over. Although, he hardly budged, so she figured that that would happen as she's not good on her sides.

So Briarstar decided she would wait for him to try something new, or just give. Either way, she knew this young apprentice was going to Gathering just as he wanted, and he got a bonus battle training with someone other than Silkgrass.

[c e d a r *]

A split second decision. The male used his smaller size to his advantage and rushed under the belly of his leader, quickly turning round afterward and using his head to try his hardest to knock her down. She wouldn't budge! But he wouldn't give up until they stopped, he had to get her down somehow! How else would he be able to go at a leader in a more intense and fiercer situation. Of course he would be using his claws to do some damage, but not here, not now. He couldn't seem to find any weak spot to push her over. Maybe the tom was growing tired.

He didn't want to give up, but the problem was, he had run out of things to do. Looking frantically from right to left, the tom looked for something - anything, to maybe give his mind a little jolt but he couldn't. Then he thought to himself, if Briarstar jumps on my back, I can always roll, and then I can get her stomach! He almost purred happily as he thought his idea through his head, not smiling though, coming back into focus, waiting for the she-cat's next move, as he continued to push into her side.

[Tikker]

The dark brown she-cat could feel the apprentice trying his hardest to knock her over by pushing on her stomach. The she-cat smiled at the the light brown cat's attempts to knock her down.

She decided that she saw a lot of Icepaw in the young apprentice, she would have to think about his warrior name. Briarstar already knew he was a good hunter; although his battle skills needed just a little work and once that was done, she would definetly talk to Silkgrass about making him a warrior.

With the full moon coming soon, that means the gathering was coming as well. She wondered how well Falconpaw would take a great deal of training to make him a warrior before the gathering. Briarstar decided that she would talk to Silkgrass about training him everyday. And possibly every few days take him on patrol.

Shaking her head, Briarstar figured it was time to finish this battle so she can get to Silkgrass, as the patrol should be getting back fairly soon. Falconpaw was still pushing on her side, so Briarstar took a leap to the side, causing his force to be released.

Taking a few strides towards the edge of the bridge, the dark brown leader turned around and took a dash towards the apprentice, her head low, as if to hit him in the side. Instead, she raised her head just before and took a leap to his other side, hitting him on the other side.

Closing her eyes, Briarstar caught her breath, and swerved her ears to listen, for she thought she heard him hit the ground. Taking one last jump in the ear, the RiverClan leader took hold of whatever she thought she heard--eyes still closed--and used her body's weight to keep it pinned.

{OOC: Can't really tell if that would be Power-playing but if it is, I'll change it, I don't mean it to be}