Go With the Flow

Murkystrike waited at the entrance to ShadowClan's camp as the moon rose into the sky. Shypaw would be joining her soon for a training session, they would be focusing on hunting today. Hopefully all would go well - with how quiet the young she-cat was, Murkystrike worried that she wouldn't speak up if she didn't understand something or if something happened.

Shypaw woke in the cosy nest of fragrant pine needles, soft moss, and feathers which Murkystrike had helped her make a few moonrises ago, nestled between the other apprentices.

She had dreamed shiny black feathers had began to sprout from her pelt and the wind had tossed her into the air, so she glided high over ShadowClan's territory. She had felt safe and, though she did not see anyone else, she did not feel alone. The dream had deposited her gently into her nest and the warm feeling of togetherness in the den. 

Her head popped up excitedly as soon as she realised she was awake – tonight Murkystrike was taking her hunting. 

She softly sneezed and shook off a nest feather that had stuck to her nose. It was a shiny black one. Shypaw blinked in the evening half-dark, watching tiny glimmers of light catch it as it floated back down into her nest. 

A collection of these feathers had appeared next to her nest one morning, smelling faintly of the birds they belonged to. Shypaw's heart had soared as she wove the new feathers into her nest, the raven who protected Shypaw before her dad found her hadn't forgotten her. She tucked the feather carefully back into her nest and rose silently.

Shypaw slipped out from under the thorn bush, the barbs tugging satisfying at her fur. The moon was rising and her mentor was waiting for her near the hidden entrance tunnel. Shypaw shook out her soft white fur, silvery eyes shining, her steps light on tiny paws as she joined her mentor. She greeted Murkystrike with a wave of her tail, touching her nose lightly to the warrior's shoulder. 

Her paws tingled with excitement. She hoped she'd catch something tonight.

Shypaw joined her shortly, and Murkystrike smiled, pressing her nose to the top of her head as she touched her shoulder. As she led the way out of camp, Murkystrike turned to look at Shypaw. "So you've got some of the basics of hunting down, today we're gonna try to catch something." She purred, looking back to where her paws were stepping as they left camp, heading further into ShadowClan territory. "Whatever you catch, you can share with Frostgaze when we get back. Sound good?" She mewed, smiling at her apprentice. "Now, I'll keep watch, so whatever you see, just go for it."

Shypaw mimicked her mentor's steps as Murkystrike led the pair further out into the marsh, the dark she-cat's small bright shadow. The tingle of excitement that had begun in her paws spread from her ears to her tail tip, and she couldn't help the little gentle lopsided smile, as she nodded back at Murkystrike.

With her mentor keeping watch, Shypaw's little white ears swivelled to locate a croaking frog. She slunk low in the marsh grasses until cold wet mud slicked her belly. Slowly, very slowly, her focus distributed across her body in soft, fluid movements until she spotted the frog. It was perched on a log half-floating in a deep dip in the marsh, fearless, eyes and throat bulging as it sang.

Shypaw leapt, at the same moment the frog did, her paws connecting with the log just as the frog left it and her claws slipped so she tumbled after the frog into the muddy shallow water with a splash. 

Shypaw tried to catch a frog (-3 SP) and was successful!

Shypaw emerged spluttering, mud flicking in every direction as the little she-cat dripped brown marsh water. The frog in her mouth! She gave a wide-eyed apologetic look to her mentor before a silent giggle shook her, taking her by surprise. At least she would blend in better now.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

Murkystrike watched her apprentice as she mimicked her, tail flicking happily as she got a lopsided smile back from the silent apprentice. Sitting silently as Shypaw located a target, a frog perched on a nearby log, she kept an eye on her apprentice and created a silent list of minor things to correct. She had it for the most part, there were just a couple things that could be a bit better, and practice would make her more comfortable and sturdy. Just then, her apprentice leapt towards the frog, and it did the same towards the water. Murkystrike stood suddenly, dashing forward to the shallow water to make sure that Shypaw was okay, getting splattered by the muddy water as she emerged sputtering. A quick glance told her that the young she-cat was okay, just muddy now, and she was relieved. Then she noticed the frog her apprentice held carefully in her mouth, and she smiled brightly. "Well done, Shypaw! The jump and landing could have been a bit better, but you caught it! Even if it's not the prettiest catch, it's still prey that we can feed the clan with. It doesn't need to be perfect, but we'll keep working on it." She purred, praising the apprentice, unbothered by the mud coating her legs and chest.

Shypaw was torn between embarrassment and pride at her mentor's genuine praise and bright smile. Her crouch and jump had been off balance, she realised now, blinking away the water dripping into her eyes and flicking drips off of her ears. 

She lowered her head and rasped her tongue over her chest fur bashfully, getting a coating of mud. She would clean up before dad saw her, good grooming was so important to Frostgaze... and she didn't want to be coated in mud when she brought her first catch into camp. Her first catch! She was so happy she went for it, thanks to her mentor's kind support.

When Murkystrike said they would continue to work on it, Shypaw earnestly lowered herself back into the hunting crouch with a spark of determination shimmering in her eyes. This time she checked for alignment of her shoulders and hips, shifting until the width was right to keep her sturdy, and gracefully shuffled her paws to test her balance, all the while looking to Murkystrike for pointers.

Ears swivelled forward, head and tail low, silvery eyes wide and round, Shypaw's white form slipped towards a marsh rat shuffling in the grasses. She could feel her stance was more balanced, her pink paw pads placed evenly in the mud and shallow waters without a sound. She came upon her prey and rushed forward, smoothly this time.

Shypaw tried to catch a rodent (-3SP) and was successful!

Shypaw hooked the rat on her claws without a squeak, killing it instantly. Politely she quickly bent her head and gave a silent prayer to StarClan for its life, realising she hadn't done so for the frog she added it to her prayer, hoping StarClan would hear her and understand. She stood and trotted over to Murkystrike her eyes sparkling. Like a little bird she cocked her head to one side, that was better wasn't it?

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 3

"That was much better, Shypaw! Very well done." Murkystrike praised her apprentice, walking over to inspect her most recent catch. Her approach had been much more balanced this time. "A very excellent start, Shypaw. You learn really quickly, and you've done a good job. How about we head back to camp now, and you can show Frostgaze your catches? I want you to practice getting into a crouch and then standing straight again tonight, and take prey to the elders, but other than that you're free to do what you like. Just don't leave camp, okay?" She mewed with a smile as she turned her paws towards camp, letting Shypaw carry her catches.