The Goose Skips Stones [closed training]

Goosestorm padded to the familiar apprentice den and poked his head inside, looking around for his apprentice. "Stonepaw, wake up!" he called into the darkness. The sun was barely rising over the river, but it was the perfect time for a lesson in fishing. "Meet me by the c-camp entrance."

Stonepaw opened one green eye and then the other. The big fluffy light gray Tom yawned and stretched. He padded over to where his mentor was waiting and sat down. "What are we going to do today Goosestorm?" Then Tom meowed flicking his fluffy tail.

Goosestorm blanked out. What were they doing today? The small tom peered outside camp. "Erm... I suppose I should teach you to hunt, a-above all." He led his apprentice out of camp and to the river, where the early morning had scattered droplets of dew along the banks. He sat at the edge, his pluming tail hovering cautiously about the dusty ground.

The fluffy Tom purred in amusement and followed his mentor.

Goosestorm gazed into the river. "First, you want t-to look for shadows or glints in the water moving about. That's a fish," he said, pointing out a trout a mouselength or two from where they sat on the bank. "Before you try to catch it, make sure your shadow stays away from the water so the fish doesn't see you coming. N-next, you want to scoop it up- be qu-uick about it, or the thing'll get away!- scoop it up with your paws." The small tom got very quiet, paws poised above the water while he sat back on his hind legs. Suddenly, the cat's paws shot out under the trout, scooping it in his paws and tossing it upon the bank. "K-kill it speedily, or it'll flounder back into the river..." The mentor placed his paw on the fish as he bit into the base of it's spine, instantly killing it. "Think y-you can give it a go? It's the easiest way t-to hunt fish, but it takes time to master."

Stonepaw nodded. He did like Goosestorm instructed and waited above the river with his shadow on the bank but not on the river. The big fluffy gray tom's green eyes trailed the surface and his flashed out and hit the water scooping the fish out of the water. Stonepaw jumped on the fish and bit the fish behind the spine like his mentor did. "Like that?" He meowed and spit the fish out of his mouth.

Goosestorm nodded. "Perfect!" he said in praise. He picked up the two fish. "You apprentices aren't allowed to eat until the elders and kits are fed. Y-your job around here is to catch food for them. I think you did well enough for your first day, so w-we can head back home."

Stonepaw nodded. "Ok!" The Tom purred and followed his mentor back to camp.