L-Over [C]

Birdchaser

It was always good to spend some time with the Clan's apprentices. While she was without an apprentice of her own, Birdchaser had to make what efforts she could to keep up with the other young cats between her own duties. Her choice in Stoatpaw was aided slightly by the fact she had seen Blackbear nipping at his heels periodically; it wasn't that she didn't trust Blackbear, but she wasn't sure the she-cat was the best role model in the world for the young tom. Though she was sure he was nearing his warrior ceremony (and certainly quite a bit late to giving him any sort of advice, or good figure to look up to), she'd decided to make an effort anyway. So, with the dawn lightening into morning proper, she roused Stoatpaw from his den and instructed him to follow her out into the territory.

This early in the morning, the air was cold enough to bite through even her dense fur. She hadn't exactly had a plan for what they would do on their outing, but the chill made a thought come to her: sparring. It was one of the few things she knew she was good at, and something that most apprentices seemed to take a particularly keen interest in sharpening their skills at. It would get the blood pumping, too, hopefully keep the descending cold of leaf-fall from burying itself too far under their fur. As they walked, Birdchaser lowered her head, pale gaze steady and focused on the cat walking alongside her. "I think a spar sounds nice today, Stoatpaw," she mewed easily, allowing her paws to come to a slow stop a few paces ahead of him. Bracing her shoulders, she dipped her head in a low nod. "It's a good skill for every young warrior to have, and- hopefully -it'll keep us both awake. You should know enough now to attack without instruction." The tip of her tail flickered. "Attack me. I will go easy on you, but I won't be soft."

Birdchaser

With the briefest hesitation, Stoatpaw sprang. Birdchaser had already squared her shoulders in preparation for the attack, body rigid in anticipation. What she hadn't expected, though, was to feel the sharp drag of claws against her shoulder. A hiss, both pain and anger, rose in her immediately, just like the hot blood that had welled in the wake of Stoatpaw's attacks. What wound he'd inflicted was thin, and would likely heal with little to no attention-- but how swiftly she would recover from the blow was of no matter to her. When Birdchaser's eyes left her bloodied shoulder and found Stoatpaw's settling form, her gaze was alight with barely masked fury.

"What has Frostbite been teaching you? Was I foolish in my mentor assignments?" There was a beat of guilt that hit her chest coldly. Had she been foolish in her mentor assignments? But Frostbite hadn't seemed the type of cat to train apprentices to fight with claws, at least not against Clanmates. And maybe turning her irritation at being struck towards Stoatpaw was poor form itself-- while he was nearing his warrior ceremony, and certainly old enough to know better, he was still young. Had someone showed him during his earliest days as an apprentice that that was acceptable Clan practice?  He would have been impressionable, then. It wasn't entirely his fault. And yet, he'd acted on it-- acted on it against his deputy.

Without hesitation or regard for the great size she held over him, Birdchaser kicked forward, barreling into Stoatpaw. Heavy paws and weighty chest pushed against his side, shoving expertly until she'd put him on the floor. She glowered down at him, her expression still unforgiving, and pressed her weight down onto his shoulder and his hip to keep him from wriggling out from under her. "I wasn't expecting this to turn into a morality lesson, but I guess even the most mundane things can't go right for my family." Bending forward so her nose was shoved close to his, she went on in a low growl, "Who, exactly, taught you that using against Clanmates is wise? Not even that, but acceptable?"

Birdchaser used Leap and Hold, dealing 8 damage and costing 15 SP, as well as pinning Stoatpaw for 1 turn. Climber's Grasp is in effect.

Birdchaser
41/50 HP
105/120 (-15) SP

Stoatpaw
12/20 (-8) HP
53/60 SP