practice practice practice [closed]

"I hope you're prepared for some intense training. Going up against other apprentices is one thing, but I assigned you my apprentice for a reason. You're going to fight a real warrior today, Cinderpaw. Are you ready for this? Any questions?" Stoatstar moved through the forest at a rather quick pace. With the clan having so many apprentices, it was inevitable that his paws were spread thin. No only did he have his own apprentice to attend to, on top of wanting to keep his paws in every cat's training, but there were more apprentices than mentors. It meant he didn't just supervise the training - he was the training. But he wanted to spend some time with Cinderpaw alone.

The she-cat had come from the litter that he and Appledapple had rescued. He'd spent some time with them, but not much. Cinderpaw became his apprentice because he saw promise in her, that one day she would become a sharpened warrior. For as young as she was, she did not seem to shy away from battle or conflict. This would be their first time out together alone, and he wasn't going to waste it. Stoatstar's claws flexed lightly as he waited for her response.

OOC: I know I apologized in Discord but I'm so sorry for the delay! :c

IC:
The she-cat was excited though she tried to hide it the best she could. Her face remained cold, no expression allowed and she kept her ears perked up. After all, it was finally time for some alone training with Stoatstar, her father. During the past few days, she had been grumpy and quick to snap to the other apprentices since thanks to them... she hasn't been able to train with Stoatstar alone. Moreover, the spicy molly resented Flurrypaw the most. The former Riverclan apprentice had a chance to fight against her father before she could even do it! She was a traitor to her clan, an outsider to Thunderclan and Cinderpaw did not hold any sort of respect or trust towards her and her family. Why would Stoatstar choose to train her instead of Cinderpaw was a question that lurked through her mind every night. However, her mood shifted quickly after her mentor finally told her she would be taking lessons alone with him.

Once they finally arrived at their destination, Cinderpaw could not hold her excitement this time once she heard her mentor's plan for today. Her tail flicked and a small, yet defiant smile appeared on her face. Instead of answering right ahead with words, the brown-grey molly leapt backwards and landed on her four paws, taking a battle stance. She unsheathed her claws in the snow and fixed her glimmering hazel eyes in the tom. "I've been waiting for this, dad! I'm ready!"

The determination that came from the she-cat was exactly what he wanted to see. He nodded and turned to race off into the forest. Stoatstar's steps were light but in several places he skidded, throwing up the snow and spraying Cinderpaw slightly. There was a soft smirk across his maw. Admittedly, training apprentices had helped to keep his mind engaged. Sleep was always fleeting but it felt easier to find snatches of rest. Enthusiasm had been easier to come by - perhaps it was a contagious thing. After a short while, the tom found the particular clearing that he was looking for. Combat in cover was easy for Thunderclan cats, so he often liked to practice in open ground to even it out. He stopped, digging his paws into the snow, "Attack me. Let's see what you can do."

Cinderpaw's hazel eyes shone with excitement. Her father was giving her the first move! She had to make it count. But what could she use? Maybe grab him by the scruff? Try to pin him down? Go straight for the face? As she thought of the possibilities, she quickly realized what Stoatstar wanted: they weren't training for sneak or surprise attacks. He wanted her to go straight against him in an open space. A 1 vs 1 battle with no dirty techniques used. A grin appeared on the she-cat's face and in a flash, she ran towards the leader. He was bigger than her, but the molly was faster and more agile thanks to her lean body. Snow flew behind her paws and she charged full body against her dad. At the last second, without stopping, the apprentice stretched her hind legs for a leap. Her body crashed on the tom's front and as they fell to the snow, her paws embraced Stoatstar's neck to ensure she would fall on him, making the fall less painful.

Cinderpaw used Jumping Strike, dealing 6 + 3 damage and using 7 stamina.

Cinderpaw
20/20 HP
73/80 SP

Stoatstar
71/80 HP
170/170 SP

"Nice start!" He praised, surprised by both her natural skill and through strategy. The wind was knocked from his lungs as they tumbled over, making the words breathier than normal. But this was just the beginning. Twisting around, the little leader prepared his own attack. At such a close proximity, it would be difficult to lash out with his paws. Instead, he opted for what would make the attack more swift - teeth. Lunging, Stoatstar's fangs snapped at Cinderpaw's scruff, aiming for behind her left ear. Hopefully the sharp clatter of his teeth would make for a jarring sound as well. Regardless, he sought to not draw blood, instead just wanting to get a grip on the fur and flesh while slipping out from underneath the she-cat. Once he had his paws underneath him once more, he shot her a teasing glance, "Is that all you've got?"


Stoatstar used snap dealing 10 (+2) damage and using 7 stamina. [Star Striker bonus active, disadvantaged stats active]

Stoatstar
HP: 66/75
SP: 133/140

Cinderpaw:
HP: 3/15
SP: 43/50

ooc; one of the things we added on wcc more recently is disadvantaged stats if your clan does not hold a disputed territory. thunderclan currently doesnt have one, meaning everyone above an apprentice has -5hp, -30sp, which is where my numbers are coming from so i adjusted to accommodate for that ^^ we need to brawl more to get them back ;;

A wide and proud smile appeared in Cinderpaw's face by the tom's compliment. Finally! This was the moment she hoped to have with her dad! After all, among her littermates, she was his apprentice. The adrenaline of the fight had already kicked in and Cinderpaw was thrilled. Even when Stoatstar's jaws closed around her scruff, she couldn't contain frantic laughter of happiness and excitement. When was the last time she laughed? With how grumpy and sassy she was, there were little moments where the apprentice could truly let her guard down. Stoatstar and Appledapple were one of the few cats she felt comfortable around to be more open and expressive. To be more vulnerable.

Despite the pain in the back of her head and ear, the apprentice responded to the tom's question with a smile and a raising eyebrow. She was getting more tired than him but the she-cat wanted this battle to last for a little longer. "You wish!" Once again, the molly charged against the leader as she was going to jump on top of him again. However, at the last second, Cinderpaw suddenly stopped her race lifting snow up to the tom's face. Taking her chance, she jumped to the tom's side and managed to grab him by the tail with her jaws. "Gotcha!" The brown-grey she-cat pulled the warrior's tail, making him return to the ground. After letting go and spitting some of his brown fur, she smiled proudly.

Cinderpaw used Tail Yank, dealing 7 damage and using 15 stamina. Stoatstar is stunned for one turn [disadvantaged stats active]

Stoatstar
HP: 59/75 HP
SP: 133/140 SP

Cinderpaw
HP: 3/15 HP
SP: 28/50 SP

OOC: oooh, thanks for letting me know! I will have to read the rules again soon hehe