There were several clanmates in the clearing, and Mousefern could identify them by scent, of course. She could tell them apart by their pawsteps and the gait that affected them. She could even tell the small signs of breathing apart for some of the clanmates she knew well. It was all of these factors together, none of them in isolation, that she knew Frostpaw was approaching her. Really, she knew because of sound she heard coming from the direction of the apprentices’ den, but she recognized everything that made him distinct by now.

She turned in his direction as he approached, a smile on her face. “Frostpaw,” she greeted warmly. The air was blistering cold, so their training session wouldn’t be prolonged by any means. “You’re close to finishing your apprenticeship by now. Several more lessons, and I’m sure you’ll be ready for your assessment.” She paused for a brief moment to gather her thoughts. Then she continued, “What did you think of your training? I know it was a little... unconventional, compared to some of your denmates, but I hope you feel like you learned enough. I wanted to dedicate today to working on anything that you might think you need refreshing on before your assessment.” She took her mentorship seriously, and if there was any way to learn from her mistakes, she would do it.