First Day's Training [Harepaw]

"Harepaw? Llet's get going." Beechfang had roused her newest apprentice from the medicine den, leading him out into the cold air of what passed for Skyclan's territory. The sun's rays were far from enough to chase the chill away from her bones, and with Harepaw still not fully recovered, she had waited a little for the long shadows to be banished, to work in the cold and clear daylight.

There was another reason for waiting too, one that Beechfang refused to admit to out loud. This territory was not one she knew like the back of her paw, and the long shadows of early morning and evening were... Disorienting. With a lack of depth perception, she'd found herself stumbling over tree roots more often than she would ever admit to. Training in broad daylight would allow her to learn this territory better, and then she would be back to her normal routine of rising early. For now though... She would say that not training while the temperature had dropped was for the benefit of her recovering apprentice alone.

They had not gone too far from camp before Beechfang turned, gazing at her apprentice. "What would you like to do today?" She asked him, "Hunting, sparring, something else?" It was the same question that she had been asked on the very first day she had become an apprentice. Wolfcall had said the answer to the question was helpful in planning training, and the old tom had not been wrong. Beechfang also found it to be revealing about an apprentice's first instinct.

Harepaw had already been awake for a good chunk of time, ready, itching to get going on training but Beechfang had waited until the sun had risen enough for them to go out. He knew that he shouldn't complain too much considering how things have been lately but all he wanted to do was catch up with his Siblings. Quickly the golden tom followed after his mentor as soon as she mentioned that it was time for them to go out.

What he wasn't expecting was for her to turn to him and give him the option of what he wanted to do first. He didn't know if it was a trick question, or if she would scold him for picking what he actually wanted. He looked away from his mentor, unsure if he should tell her the truth. "I.. um.. I want to spar." He told her sheepishly.

Beechfang watched her apprentice with a small smile, he seemed just as confused and sheepish in answering as she had been. Fighting, though... Perhaps there was truth in that answer.

"My answer was the same when Wolfstar - still deputy then - asked me that on my first day out of camp. He told me that it helped him figure out how to plan, figure out where an apprentice's head was at. I tend to agree, for all that we butted heads on a lot of things." She mewed, "You're already a fighter, Harepaw."

The tabby took a step back, gaze settling on her apprentice. "Alright... Think for a moment. If I were a an enemy warrior, what would be your first instinct? Answer me with action - claws stay sheathed, though."

Gray blue eyes looked up at his mentor, listening to what she was saying. He didn't know much about Wolfstar, nor what Skyclan was like in the moons when he was alive, but then came her last statement. The apprentice looked away. He didn't feel like a fighter. He felt like someone who was getting dragged through everything regardless of what he wanted, getting to choose was something new to him.

Harepaw's attention turned back to Beechfang when she gave him instruction. Act on instinct? He didn't know if his instinct was good enough. The golden tom moved forward and lashes out with a single paw at the scarred she-cat hoping that this was a good enough start. He didn't feel like it was.

Harepaw used Front Paw Strike dealing 6 damage, 7 SP.

Harepaw:
15/15 HP
23/30 SP

Beechfang:
59/65 HP
130/130 SP

Beechfang remembered her own first sparring session with Wolfcall, where her opening move and answer to his question had been to leap at him and use her weight to bring the old tom to the ground... Or try to. Harepaw seemed to think for a moment before swiping at her with a paw. It would take some time for him to be able to throw his weight around, still coming off of illness, but he was trying. "Good." She mewed, "As you grow, you'll be able to use your weight to your advantage. For now... Your size is more of an advantage. You're a smaller target, harder to hit, and larger opponents won't move as fast." Herself included. She thought of all the times she and Dawnhawk had fought. Strength and quickness alone did not win battles, strategy did. "It's easier than you think to pull someone off balance. If they are fighting to regain their footing, they'll have a harder time fighting back." She added, swiping at her apprentice with a sheathed paw in return.

Beechfang used Front Paw Blow for -5 sp, dealing -7 damage.

Beechfang
59/65 HP
125/130 SP (130 - 5)

Harepaw
8/15 HP (15 - 7)
23/30 SP

It didn't matter if she didn't put too much effort into her blows, her hit combined with the energy he had already used in the spar against her was already taking a toll. His stamina didn't exist due to his illness, and it was clear he was still very weak. Still unable to keep up with others. The golden tom couldn't help but let out a growl in frustration. He was frustrated with himself, his weakness, his lack of skill. He couldn't hope to keep up with his siblings.

He tried to channel his frustrations into the spar, to get his energy out in a good way. At least he supposed this was in a good way. He really didn't know what was healthy for him. The tom lashed out again, trying to put more energy in his blow this time, gray blue eyes looking at the spot he hit on his mentor, only to see a small well of blood start coming up. Eyes widened in shock, and Harepaw backed away, falling to his rump as his thoughts raced. "I.. I didn't mean to." He stuttered out to his mentor, looking down noting that indeed, his claws had slipped out in his moment of frustration. The claws on his paw had a tinge of pink on them, it wasn't much but it was there. He caused this. He was messing up his apprenticeship all because he wasn't good enough. Too weak, too stupid, too emotional.

Harepaw seemed determined, and perhaps from his time spend in the medicine den, frustrated by his current limits. To Beechfang, it was understandable. As his mentor, she wouldn't let him drown in it, though.

His paw connected with her shoulder, and it wasn't until Harepaw was backing away and apologizing that she realized what he had done. She blinked down at the small stain of blood that stood out against her pale fur, then back at her apprentice. Claws weren't to be used in a spar but she wasn't angry about it. It was clear from his words and tone that Harepaw hadn't meant it.

"It's alright, Harepaw... Accidents happen, even in training." Especially in training... And better that than in a real fight.The cut wasn't deep, he hadn't hit anything vital. "I can tell you're frustrated. I think I can guess but I'd rather hear it from you." She added, padding forward and dropping to a sitting position.

Harepaw didn't know what to say. He wasn't quite sure if he believed her when she said was okay. He wasn't sure if he could convince himself if it was okay even if she thought it was. Should he share? Should he keep his mouth shut? Obviously she wanted him to talk, but was it just a trick to use everything against him later? Would she? He doubted it, but he couldn't help the spark in his mind that said she would.

His eyes shifted downwards, the tom sat down wrapping his tail around his paws as he shrank in on himself. He didn't like feeling small, he didn't like being behind, he didn't like not being strong like Falconmoon. Why couldn't he just be like everyone else? Why wasn't he good enough? "I..." He didn't even know where to start. "I.." He could feel the overwhelming emotion building inside of him ready to burst forth, but he wasn't going to let it. Not here. Not in front of his mentor.

"I just don't feel good enough. I'm not like my siblings." He stated quietly, fighting down the emotion that was threatening to come out. Not now. Not Here. Not ever.

For several long moments it seemed as though Harepaw would not answer as he stared down at his paws. "You aren't your siblings, you are you, Harepaw. And your siblings are as different from each other as a leaf is to a stone." She tipped her head, watching her apprentice for a moment. "Just because you are unlike them, have started training later... That doesn't mean you aren't good enough." She added.

She wasn't sure if sharing a bit of her own story would help, but maybe it would make Harepaw feel a little less alone, at least. She knew that reassurances could feel empty without a cat truly understanding what one was going through... And she hoped she was on the mark with this. "When I finally became a warrior, it was moons after even my youngest siblings or half-siblings had earned their names. I was... older than nearly every warrior in the clan except for my father and one she-cat I hated at the time. Different circumstances - I was a medicine cat and hated it - but that didn't stop me from having doubts sometimes. Still... I threw myself into training and earned that name like everyone else had before me."