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Water flowed gently down the river, parting past the half-submerged stones embedded in the mud, the edges of the riverbank frozen solid. Fish darted around, occasionally coming right up to the surface before shooting back down. Fishwhisper held them tightly in his gaze, dark blue eyes scanning the water and claw poised to strike at the right moment. The cream-furred tom was one of the best fishers in the whole of IceClan, bringing them many meals with his exceptional skills.
It was something he prided himself on, he had started as an apprentice and quickly grew to appreciate the delicate process. Usually the deputy liked things to be fast, hopping from task to task like a frog. It was nice to slow down for a moment, watch the fish dance in their element.
It took a lot of concentration so it was important that another cat was there to watch out for him as he couldn't focus on any potential dangers himself. Today he was joined by Cloverberry and her apprentice Antpaw, to teach the young cat the basics of fishing.
The calico had her work cut out for her, as the ginger tabby was one of the most rambunctious apprentices Fishwhisper had ever seen. Excluding himself, he'd definitely gotten into quite a bit of trouble during his own apprentice days. The two warriors were lucky that Antpaw's brother, Goldenpaw, wasn't with them. They tended to spur the other on, causing much more havoc when together than apart. Sometimes Fishwhisper felt a little bad for their youngest littermate, the calmer Stormpaw. Though it was clear that Stormpaw could handle a lot of his siblings' antics, it was admirable really.
While he didn't stop them, he would come along to make sure they didn't get themselves into more trouble than they could take, dragging them back to camp with a tired look on his face. Fishwhisper thought he would grow to become a good, reliable warrior. Antpaw and Goldenpaw might need a little more time.
Admittedly though, it was hard to fish when Cloverberry was nearby. The pretty she-cat distracting him just with her presence. He may have a little crush on her. Just a teensy one. They had been apprenticed at roughly the same time and even done their battle assessment together where she absolutely trounced him. She was funny and thoughtful, quick to try to cheer up a cat if they were feeling a little down.
Even with his status as the deputy she would still give light-hearted jabs just like when they'd been in the nursery, the apprentice den and then the warriors. He was sure she'd call him out if he ever made a really stupid decision, a relief as he had moments where he really didn't think things through and as the deputy that could be dangerous. While the Clan mostly relied on their leader and their own judgements, he still had an important job to do.
He needed to stay on top of disagreements or arguments between his Clanmates, so he didn't put them on the same patrol and cause unneeded animosity. Cats usually worked private matters out between themselves and he didn't need to intervene unless there was a big problem. He was glad nothing like that had ever happened during his lifetime though, all these cats meant so much to him.
Lost in thought, he almost missed the large silver fish swimming right past him. With no time to lose, Fishwhisper struck the water with his claw, gripping between the fish's scales and hauling it up. This could easily feed two cats, a great catch!
Cloverberry and Antpaw had looked over at the splashing sound, Antpaw's yellow eyes growing wide.
"That's a big fish!" He exclaimed excitedly, "I wanna catch one of those!" There was a shine in his eyes as he bounced in place, making Fishwhisper chuckle at the young tom's eagerness.
"Maybe we should practise the technique first? I'm sure you'll get one then in no time." Cloverberry told her apprentice, deep green eyes glowing with amusement.
Antpaw gasped, an idea striking him. "I'm gonna find one that's twice as big- no thrice! Just you wait!" He was off following the river upstream where it would eventually lead to a lake beneath a roaring waterfall before the warriors could say anything else. They glanced at each other for a moment, amused, and then chased after the wayward apprentice before he accidentally hurt himself.