Challenge Accepted

Dewlight had spent the hours before sun-high pacing across the camp. How would she be able to communicate to Yarrowpaw? He seemed fairly intuitive, but there were certain things that simply couldn't be deciphered. Having never experienced being deaf herself, she found it difficult to imagine how it was. She tried laying on the ground and putting her paws over her ears, attempting to stop the sound from reaching them, but that only did so much. Her ears were straining to hear any noise possible, but Yarrowpaw simply wasn't able to do that. Finally, she decided to just try to use the objects around her to get her point across. Hopefully Yarrowpaw would learn well from watching a demonstration, and if she needed to correct him... She would deal with that particular challenge when it came. As sun-high approached, she moved to the camp entrance to wait for the young tom. Her paws kneaded the ground nervously, uncertain of where to start. What were apprentices taught first? What was she taught first? She was pretty sure that she was taught about the borders and the clans that lie on the other side of them, but she couldn't think of how to explain that. Perhaps she would speak with Ivystar for tips on that. Maybe they would focus on hunting today... Hunting was fairly instinctual, so maybe she could start there and help him finesse his techniques, and they could move on from there. Yes, that was a good idea. And she knew just the place for it. Her eyes scanned the camp, searching for his pelt. He should be walking up any moment now.

Yarrowpaw woke from his first night as an apprentice with a start. It's his first day of training with his mentor Dewlight, and the white tom couldn't have been more excited. Finally, Yarrowpaw can prove himself to be the best warrior ever.. even if he can't hear quite as well as the rest. His disability bothered him to no end as a young kit, unable to see the good parts of himself, and only ever being able to see the bad. Though, through the hard work and determination brought on by his parents and his friends, Yarrowpaw finally saw the strong, powerful warrior he knew he could be. The only thing left was showing everyone else.
Yarrowpaw eagerly padded through the brush of the apprentice den and into camp, eyes scanning for his mentor.

Yarrowpaw appeared at the entrance to the apprentice den, and Dewlight enthusiastically waved her tail to get his attention. Meeting him, she smiled. "Good morning!" She then motioned with her head towards the entrance of camp. She led the way out of the camp, keeping a close eye on the young apprentice as they moved towards the area of the territory that was spotted by beech trees. They should be able to have some good hunting there, at least, she certainly hoped they would. Once they arrived, Dewlight turned to Yarrowpaw, crouching into a hunter's crouch as she did so. "Copy me." She said, speaking slowly so he could try to understand what she was doing. Once he got the crouch down, she could work on how the stalking went, and then she could let him try for himself.

Yarrowpaw had gotten much better at reading lips since he was a young kit, unable to understand the world around him, thanks in part to his parents and his best friend. Though he still wasn't a master at communication, his mentor's instructions were clear, and he quickly moved to copy her stance. Nervous, Yarrowpaw swiveled his head around in search of some prey he could catch, to show his mentor he could, but he couldn't see any. He knew he was supposed to be able to hear them, their little squeaks and patters through the brush, but the tom was already aware the endeavor of attempting to hear was fruitless. Could he then, really catch something, just with his eyes? He looked over at Dewlight for approval, hesitance in his eyes. He opened his mouth to ask her for her opinion, but decided against it- at least, he thought he did. Instead, a shrill squawk clawed through the little tom's mouth, much louder than need be. He had begun developing this behavior unbeknownst to him, yowling instead of mewing when he mouthed his responses, and the volumes he could reach surprised even the loudest of cats. Unfortunately, his volume isn't always needed, especially in a situation like this one.

Dewlight grinned as the young tom mimicked her. He looked around and then looked back to her, and she approached with the intent of correcting a slight balancing issue with his hind paws. Suddenly, his mouth opened, and Dewlight paused mid-step as a shrill noise emanated from the tom's throat. Her tail fluffed in surprise even as she tried to hide her shocked expression. Well, that wasn't the best start.... A bird flew from the crevices of some nearby roots, and the she-cat spun to attempt to catch it. They could move somewhere else, but she didn't want the two to go home empty pawed. She twisted in the air as she gripped a wing in her jaw, bringing the bird to the ground a bit ungracefully. Quickly cutting off it's squawk, she set it to the side and turned back to Yarrowpaw. Did the tom not realize the noise he made? Humming quietly to herself, she looked around and spotted a couple of sticks laying nearby. Motioning for Yarrowpaw to wait where he was, she quickly ran to collect them before returning. Setting them next to the bird, she sat in front of her apprentice.

"You made noise." She said, trying to speak slowly so he could try to read what she was saying. "Give me your paw, I'll help."

Dewlight attempted to catch a Bird, catch was successful. -3 SP (197/200)

The member 'Mosspelt' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 1

Suddenly acutely aware of his surroundings, Yarrowpaw shut his mouth and swiveled his head worriedly around in search of the damage his voice had done- did he manage to scare everything away? The tom watched Dewlight place a few sticks next to the bird she caught, his confusion rising. Why wasn't she mad at him? Didn't he do something wrong? But, instead of getting angry with him, all she said was that she would help him. Help him. Yarrowpaw, though attempting to keep his mouth closed, cracked a small smile at his new mentor. He liked her already.

The white tom carefully reached out his stubby, tufted paw to give to Dewlight.

Yarrowpaw smiled, and Dewlight smiled in return. This was a learning moment, for both of them, she wasn't going to get angry at him for a mistake. He lifted his paw, and Dewlight stepped forward, letting it rest on her chest. Meeting his eyes, she opened her mouth but didn't make a noise yet. She let him feel the soft rise and fall as she took a few breaths silently. Then, catching making sure she still had his attention, she lowered and lifted her ears to indicate the noise she was about to make. Making sure his paw was still on her chest, she purred, then growled, then let out a yowl. Each sound vibrated her chest differently, and as she made each noise, she lifted her ears, and when she went silent again, she lowered them. Hopefully he would piece together what she was trying to explain, if not, she would try her other idea with the sticks. Stepping back, she put her own paw to her chest, indicating with her tail for him to do the same.