Training a Dark Apprentice

Sootshadow sat in the dark clearing waiting for her apprentice to get there. She picked this area away from the usual place because she need to make sure Scarletpaw wasn't distracted. She glanced around making sure no one was watching. This was her first true apprentice. Well she did have Hailpaw but his disappearance made it seem like she was apprenticeless. She shook the thoughts of her old apprentice away and waited for Scarletpaw.

Scarletpaw stepped over towards Sootshadow. "Why aren't we over-" she clamped her jaws together, stopping herself. She had no right to question her new mentor, did she? Would Sootshadow scold her as roughly as Envyshadow had, with claws?

"Why aren't we over there you ask? Because I don't want you to be distracted." She mewed. "Okay, come at me." She hissed

Scarletpaw gave a nod. She readied herself. Should I try what Shadowsong taught me? She kept her eyes on Sootshadow, not giving any hint on where she was going to attack. I should try to unbalance her... yeah, that might work! The black she-cat rushed towards her, claws unsheathed. She opened her jaws, drinking in the scents around her. Quickly, she ducked and began to slide underneath her.

Sootshadow jumped backwards, flashed a paw towards the top of the apprentices head. "If you want to unbalaceyour foe, you have to do it right when you get under your enemy."

Scarlet grunted and tried again. Where to attack this time? She quickly leaped over her, aiming her claws to rake down her rump.

Sootshadow tried to turn and strike the apprentice but missed, but missed and felt the claws of Scarletpaw on her back. "good.You have proven your strength. Now I want you to practice a move."

Scarletpaw felt her paws touch the cold ground. She looked back, huffing. She turned. "Lay it on me," she said, her tail swishing anxiously.

"I want you to show me how you would battle a big warrior. The biggest warrior you can think of. Then use the moves on the air like it was a..... Thunderclan warrior." She mewed, "As you do that I will correct the moves if you do anything wrong."

Scarletpaw had no clue what to do. She pictured a huge warrior. A leader, perhaps. It was just a black cat with bright red eyes. Huge. She stood on her hind legs and batted at the air powerfully. After all, if it was a big cat, she had to reach its face to blind it and find its weak spots, right?

"Stop," She mewed, "You need to tuck you tail away. It minimizes the range you foe is able to target." She paused for a moment, "You going to have to learn how to balance without it, So practice with that for a while."

Scarletpaw immediately sat up on her hind legs, and tucked her tail away as instructed. She wobbled much more vigorously than she did. Her hind legs were very weak and frail, so she tumbled backwards. "Mmph!" She scrambled back up and tried again, using her leg muscles to keep her steady. She clenched them tensely; so tense that it hurt. Just relax, she told herself. Scarletpaw gave a long, heavy breath. "Like this, Sootshadow?" she asked, swaying slightly back and forth.

"Try to keep steady, if a enemy sees you swaying then they can easily unbalance you." She mewed, "Let me show you an example." She stood up on her hind legs with her tail tucked in and she moved around a little swiping the air. "It just takes practice."

Scarletpaw gave a nod. She tried to do as she did. Her back paw moved a bit as she attempted to stand on twos. She weaved, her paws jabbing in all different directions. "Better?" she hoped.

"Yes it was better, but keep practicing. I want you to be able to go through a whole battle without your tail." She mewed