The Apprentices' Cleft
As a result, the Apprentices' Cleft is now the nesting place of any puppies of Alsace that are weaned, healthy, and in the process of training. Of course, any wolves are welcome to sleep under the cover of the sky; but soft topsoil renders this den ideal for dry, colder nights.
➼When the cleft floods, as happens commonly throughout the rainy season, apprentices sleep with the Subcommittee.
➼All of Alsace's weaned puppies nest here by default. Exceptions include Herbalists' apprentices, who share the Herbalists' Den with their mentors.
➼During their puphood, after weaning at around 2 and a half moons, Alsacian puppies are typically mentored by one of the few mentors present at the time. They have no set mentor. Mentors change depending on the daily lesson the puppies are undergoing, and in fact if the pack has no mentors then this role will be filled by a different adult. The lessons a puppy is allocated typically depends on the skills they wish to develop to perform best in their adulthood.
➼Surviving to adolescence at 6 moons, puppies move on from mentored lessons, and instead train in their specialised future roles by accompanying adults of that role, to gain experience.
➼Apprentices have no fixed mentor, although those who are in training to be hunters may have a fixed hunting oarty to accompany, and herbalist apprentices will of course have one main mentor- although, in reality, much training will be conducted by the Cultuvator of the pack, who typically has more free time.
➼Any heirs to the Alsacian throne will always be scout apprentices for their adolescence.