Rift

[Running]

Umbran hadn't seen it coming. In retrospect, the signs were obvious: the stiffness of his mentor's frame, the sudden shift in her tone, the way her fur stood on end. Yet his apparent disposition was barely different as she circled him. The medicine cat apprentice glared daggers at his mentor, chest out and head high...at least he did until he was head butted into the ground. The shock held him there for several moments, the world spinning around him. A mentor attacking an apprentice...he struggled to rise to his paws, only to be pinned on his back by the raging she-cat.

Shards of panic laced through him as he was held against the ground, Manyara's fur and scent choking him. He knew that she could end him easily, if she wanted. Funny, that thought would never have come into his head before today. It was an illogical consideration, after all, given his prior observations of his mentor...yet, as demonstrated by the revelation inciting this incident, his knowledge apparently could not be used to accurately predict future behavior.

At the insinuation of his incompetence and failure, whatever threads of truth might be interwoven in them, Umbran hissed, ears flattening against his head, but his mentor had a firm grip on his rather small frame. Needless thrashing would only make him seem pathetic. His eyes held his mentor's gaze throughout the exchange. Hopefully the disgust and indignation in his eyes outweighed the shock and terror.

As Manyara released him, rolling him over as she did so, he gasped, his heartbeat still thudding in his ears. He didn't feel any sharp pain that might indicate bleeding, yet his body ached from being slammed into the ground so forcefully. Face still pressed into the earth, he missed the tears in his mentor's eyes, or the tell-tale manner in which her shoulders heaved. Slowly rising to his paws lest he be seen as even weaker, he faced his mentor as she finished speaking. A long silence drew out, then...

"I had faith in you as well," he hissed softly, the admittance that he had judged incorrectly, that he had been blind to the truth stabbing at his chest almost as much as the betrayal. Or was it the admission that he had relied on another that stabbed him....

"You're not the cat I thought you were. You've taught me much, and perhaps there is some truth in your words even now, but it is clear that I have failed to sort the truth from the lies. I cannot trust you further." 

His voice frigid, he continued.

"The choice of epithets may reside with the leader, but in the eyes of StarClan, you rescinded your role as my mentor the instant you conceived those kits. My knowledge of the stars might be lacking, but I know that much." 

[spottedfur]

The blue-grey she-cat sat there... silent... near the back of the den, partially covered in shadows. She was getting lost in her thoughts as the matter of the situation spiraled out of her control; her emotions, as wild as ever, were now accompanied with subtle mood swings. She did her best to calm down and find some sort of balance before she lost it all over again. She ignored the panic in her chest and the anguish that came with it. She refused to let herself fall into despair over this. She had to be strong. She had to be strong and forget about the wound she felt deepening with every passing heartbeat, from every word of her apprentice. They said the truth hurt... was that why she felt so horribly injured? No, this was guilt. She was guilty for everything she had done.

Manyara felt sick and she found herself despising who she was. Or rather what she was. She couldn't believe she had turned on her own apprentice! No blood had been drawn, but she had hurt him all the same; even if there was no serious damage, a mentor attacking their own apprentice was a horribly despicable thing, let alone a mentor sworn to heal. She stared at her large paws and tried to slow down her racing heart. Was this her blood lust? Or plain rage? She closed her eyes and shied away from the question. Afraid to no the answer regardless of what it may be.

Then the silence was broken and the she-cat's large ears pricked before they swerved to catch the words that were almost spat in her direction. At first what he said seemed to cut into her, but as he continued to speak she started to frown. Again. Again, he didn't realize what she was trying to teach him. No, it wasn't that he didn't realize, it seemed more like he refused to see them. She could hear the disgust in his voice and she realized that he may never truly listen to her again; anything she said would just be brushed off as lies. She knew she couldn't blame him, after what she had down, but she couldn't help but feel frustration. She also felt a twinge of indignation, realizing that he was looking down on her. Her frown deepened and she pinned her ears down in mild anger and irritation, different from the rage that took over her earlier.

Sorrow and shame, suddenly forgotten, Manyara looked up with a glare, half of her face now visible from the shadows clinging to the bottom of the den. Her pale eyes were sharp and cold, but she didn't speak for a moment, waiting for the worst of her anger to fade; as she often did to avoid giving into her blood lust. In the back of her mind she wondered how her apprentice would react if he knew about that... if he knew everything about her...

She glanced at the top surface of the den, an alternate action to rolling her eyes, and then turned her head with a gruff sigh. She was a bit surprised that she was about to start lecturing him at a time like this, especially given the situation. She'd let the first part of their conversation go for now, knowing full well that they'd get no where but straight into a bigger fight. They were both in no state to let this drag on much further. Her own emotions were too unstable for even her to trust herself at this point. She closed her eyes and felt that she was in a better state to speak now.

"No. I've rescinded my role as Medicine Cat. I can no longer be a true Medicine Cat of Storm Winds..." She trailed off and realized that it was never clear why that law existed. She knew now why that was and decided her apprentice should know as well. "... my connection to our ancestors became distorted and has been severed..." She then opened her eyes and turned to look at him. "But I still have my knowledge and experience and that has not been effected. And being a mentor is more of a state of being. No law can change that." She narrowed her eyes slightly and took a more stern look at her apprentice. "Or do you honestly think you can take on the role as sole Medicine Cat of the Tribe?" She knew she would very likely be offending him but she was always a blunt sort of cat.

"You're knowledge of herbs, remedies and the feline anatomy are impressive, but there is still more for you to learn." She tilted her head, looking rather unimpressed. She got up and padded slowly toward him. "The scars you have are proof enough to me that you are not ready. If something had happened to me, you could have died that day." She stopped and stared at him, searching his eyes. "And where would the tribe be then?"

[Running]

Cold fury alit in the tom's deep blue eyes at his mentor's-no, his former mentor's words. From other cats, he could tolerate insult as a product of ignorance, but from someone who by all reason was presented daily with evidence of his mettle...

To you, my skills in battle will never suffice. I have accepted that.

His reflexes were too slow, his agility insufficient, his strength and endurance laughable. Some elements might be improved with training, but only so much could be done. A flawed body, not crippled or deformed, but behind the demands for a warrior of the tribe. He might know more than even the average warrior about battle strategy and what weak points existed on a cat's frame, but he did not have the tools to employ such knowledge. The deep scars on his forepaws still bothered him some days, and possibly would through the rest of his lifetime, a constant reminder of the day his life was nearly forfeit. It was his one shortcoming, but Umbran spent his life training to ensure was his only shortcoming.

But to impugn my competence, he seethed. His fur was settled, claws sheathed, the picture of control, his voice eerily calm as he responded.

"Have you given thought to the tribe's reaction after this betrayal? How would they respond to their new medicine cat taking counsel from one so disgraced? You risk more than your own reputation with your selfish desire to cling to some semblance of the past you have forsaken.

"Regardless, the path of learning never ends-only fools assume that they have learned all, and in doing so blind themselves to new revelations. Thus, if one always needs to learn more, having more to learn does not necessarily preclude me from taking on my full duties. In fact, there may be things I can only learn from assuming the role myself. And there may only be things I can learn from walking that path alone."

He fell silent for a moment, for once having trouble determining the right words to use.

"This was earlier than it should have been, but if what you say is true, I must take up the duty. Only full medicine cats have the deep bond with the stars. If your connection is as severed as you say, then you have placed the clan in a grave position on the eve of a time when the winds are fanged and more than ice may threaten our fields."

He did not pause to consider what limitations there might have been in his spiritual training, elements to still be refined, or whether the stars would truly judge him worthy. Now was not a time for doubt. There were only two choices-to wait for better tides that might never come, or to take the plunge, to fail by default, or to risk failure while striving for success. This was the conclusion to which his logic had led him, and such a conclusion he must accept.

Regret or lingering on what might have been was a waste of time. He must move forward, even on a path laden with mist and shadow.

"I will let you tell the Tribe, and our leader," he said, shaking his head as he turned his back to his mentor. He took another deep breath.

"Know this: you underestimate me, Manyara."

With that, the bobtail stalked out of the medicine den.

[Exit Umbran]

[spottedfur]

Manyara could see the rage flickering like a flame within her apprentice's gaze yet her own expression was cold as she continued to stare at the young tom, awaiting his answer as she drew close. She always felt pleased whenever he would stand his ground in front of her; she realized it was likely because he was with her for so long, but earlier he had experienced first-paw what she could be capable of, yet it still didn't change how he stood up against her. It was the same when she was even at her most intimidating and fearsome states, when even warriors grew wary of her. She knew this meant he could stand his own against nearly any cat, for she had the experience to know how bad a feline could be, and though he wouldn't stand in a fight he could still be a proud and stable medicine cat which any tribe or clan would wish to have; a healer that can eminate a calm reassurance that could make a difference during hard times when others are more likely to fall apart... And yet...
She could see a bit of herself in him and that troubled her. For a while she had hoped it was her imagination but no. She could see the anger in him and she could see how it was effecting him, despite how expertly and quickly he removed all visible signs of it only seconds after it was at its worst. She also saw that his pride could easily turn from a beneficial trait to a handicap that may block him from finding the truth; arrogance to ignorance.
The large tabby she-cat's ears twitched when he spoke and she didn't all together like what she was hearing. Her face hardened and a flash of irritation shone in her hazel gaze, but she remained silent and continued to let him speak. She felt a small spark of her blood-boiling rage begin to return to her but she dug her powerful claws into the ground and willed it away. Not now. She wouldn't loose control anymore... Never again. For a split second images of her past returned to her: the fear in the eyes of kits, her mentor's troubled look of disappointment, the horrified faces of her patients, her first apprentice's lifeless body, an adder curled among the shadows...
Manyara let out a shallow puff of breath through her nose, something like a snort, as if she was simply brushing away a tedious matter with mild annoyance. Then she let her body relax, all the while showing few signs of her eternal conflict. There was little time to snap back any sort of reply, anyway, since Umbran had more to say. And it seemed that her patience was rewarded, as his next words were pleasantly surprising. To hear him acknowledge that he had more to learn was something she was always hoping to hear, for she had secretly worried he had grown to believe he knew everything and that he would unknowingly dismiss opportunities to improve himself... And even though she was glad, which was only visible from her raised brows, she realized that despite saying that... Umbran was actually missing the point.
He fell silent and she closed her eyes as she tried to think of how she can speak to him without losing her pateince. But it wasn't long until she was blinking her eyes open when the younger cat began to speak once more. She stared down at him, her face only subtly showing that she was taken aback by his choice of words. Then her eyes narrowed slightly. Once more he was speaking with a narrow mind, overlooking other very crucial parts to everything he was saying. Her nose wrinkled slightly and her tail flickered behind her. She wondered how she could beat some sense into him without actually laying a paw on him or losing her temper.
Manyara frowned and bit her tongue, not trusting herself to speak yet, but oddly enough her resolve just moments ago seemed to be enough to keep her rage from resurfacing. She was annoyed and frustrated beyond words but nothing more. She opened her mouth but froze at his parting words; stunned. When he left she let out a small laugh and shook her head. "You actually have the audacity to say such thing... I should've expected nothing less." Then her look turned cold with doubt and more annoyance. She snorted softly. "I've overestimated you one too many times... and it lead to disaster... My own fault..." She looked up toward the entrance were he had already disappeared. "But I won't be doing it again." She then got up on her paws and followed him with a lash of her tail.
<Manyara to main camp>