A Break in the Monotony [Closed]

The deputy let out a sigh once he had finally settled all of the patrols for the day. Everyone was either out training, hunting, or patrolling the borders. Despite the overwhelming urge to curl up in the den and block out the cold that every clan cat had in leafbare, they still had to keep things running. He shook flakes of snow from his black and white pelt as trotted across the clearing towards his son. Mumblepaw had practically taken up a permanent residence in the camp. Even though he had known about it for a while, Rippedsky had been far too busy to do much about it. The tom had hoped that with the constant lack of any real conflict between their clan and others that Hawkstrike might have had time to train his apprentice a bit more. There had been no such luck yet, but he could not blame the warrior. He had been a negligent father as well.

As he approached the tail-less, young cat, his mouth opened slightly. But, something caught the corner of his eye. Another apprentice was still around the camp too, with seemingly nothing to do. Even better. A soft smile lit up the deputy's maw as he turned to call out to his clanmate, "Blossompaw! We're going hunting and I was hoping you would join us." It had been quite some time since he had gone on a patrol with just apprentices. Although, he did enjoy being around younger cats. He had plenty of kits of his own and was quite used to being around them. This would be fun. Besides, both were more pleasant to be around than his current apprentice. It would be refreshing.

Blossompaw looked up from the collection of twigs, moss, tiny stones, and leaves she had been fiddling with. Rippedsky wasn't her mentor, and she didn't know anything yet! I WOULD, if SOMEcat had TRAINED me! She thought bitterly. No, no, you mustn't think that way, Elmcloud could just be busy. She took one last look at her little collection of objects and padded towards Mumblepaw and Rippedsky. "Okay," She said uncertainly. "I'm coming" She hoped for her own sake that they were there to train some moves rather than just go hunt. She was going to embarrass herself.

"A-are we?" Mumblepaw was stunned as his father came over to join him. The last time they had gone out, even if it was just for a short bit, the black and white tom had shown him a few Skyclan hunting techniques. It had been more than he had ever learned, except from Bonestrike, and no cat could know of that. His ear flicked in a bit of shock and surprise. He supposed it was just because Rippedsky finally had a break. The apprentice appreciated the older tom's effort to a certain degree. It was a still a bit odd, though. Despite the deputy's undying faith in his son's ability to be a great warrior, they had never been the closest.

Rippedsky nodded encouragingly to her and set off towards the entrance. His tail flicked for them to follow suit. The warrior had missed his son's soft question and set off without an immediate reply. As they padded out of the camp entrance, his blue eyes scanned the snow. Due to Mumblepaw's hesitance to go far, reasonably so after the fox incident, he stopped not too far away from camp. They were at a good distance so that the prey would be around. Too close to camp meant little to know animals. Once he stopped short, the deputy looked over the two apprentices, "What do you smell?"

Blossompaw winced. "I- I don't know, Rippedsky. I think I smell squirrel, but I've never left camp before. I- I mean, once, to go to the Gathering, but otherwise n- nothing." Her eyes averted down. It had sounded much better in her head.

"I know, Blossompaw," The deputy meowed, using his tail to flick across her cheek and redirect her gaze to meet his, "what kind of deputy would I be if I did not notice these things? I do know that you are a Skyclan cat, and born with the natural gifts and talents of one. I believe in you." Rippedsky finished speaking, and after he was sure she was paying attention to him, he just barely opened his maw. Raising his nose into the air and tasting for scents, he was able to get a better picture of the world around him. The snow seemed to dampen the smells of the forest, but there was something there. Not squirrel, but a bird. They were far more common in the cold season.

With a glance over at Mumblecpaw, it was obvious the younger tom had already picked up a scent. He was a step ahead of the deputy and his denmate. Last time they went out, Rippedsky had only taught him some stalking techniques and they practiced a small bit of tree hunting, but not how to check for scents. The father-son duo had not actually strived to catch anything that day. Maybe his mentor had finally taught him something after all. There was a bit of a smile to the younger tom's maw and Rippedsky nodded before turning back to Blossompaw.

"Just like I just did, taste the air for scents. Think over all of the prey you've eaten in camp... focus on remembering the smell, the taste..." Rippedsky instructed the she-cat. He knew she was a brilliant enough young cat to pick up on it. Blossompaw would learn how to hunt today if it was the last thing the deputy ever did.

Blossompaw was full of relief. Rippedsky was there to TEACH her! "Okay, I'll try." She said, only a small waver in her voice. She opened her mouth, and all kinds of other scents flooded her. Mumblepaw, Rippedsky, trees, faint other cats, and the squirrel. She scanned with her eyes to try and find where the squirrel was. It was digging around a few tail-lengths away. She looked at Rippedsky again, eyes full of curiosity. What to do next?

"Good, good." He meowed softly in encouragement as the she-cat tested the air. Based on her reaction, the deputy knew she had smelled something. As he once more focused on the scent in the air, Rippedsky was able to pinpoint the location of their prey. Nodding in that direction, the tom crouched down to demonstrate a proper hunting crouch. They would start on the ground for now and then move to the trees. Both young cats would get the experience of both today.

As he showed Blossompaw, Mumblepaw focused in on the nearby bird. With a nod from his father, he set off. The creature was not far from where they were. There was a chance this could be his first catch! with Bonestrike, they had only practiced the motion, same with Rippedsky before, except a little bit of experience diving through the trees. Today, this was the real deal. The little tom's ears pricked and he moved as silently as possible through the snow. It was a bit difficult for him to move easily through the snow given how high it was and how short he was, but Mumblepaw managed. Once he was in a close enough distance, hidden just around the base of the tree, he leaped forwards, launching himself the short distance towards his prey.

Much to his surprise, he landed on the creature. It struggled underneath him, chirping frantically. Mumblepaw panicked, but lunged and sunk his teeth into its neck to silence the cries. And it stilled. For a moment, he didn't move. This was unreal. After all this time as an apprentice, he had caught something! For once, the fears and anxiety melted away as he looked down at his first kill. To any other apprentice, this would have been daily life. Cats caught and killed things every day. But to him, it was everything. He had a purpose now. He had done something. A smile slowly edged its way onto his expression as he meowed softly, "I did it."

The member 'Grandaddy Ripped' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 3

Blossompaw only glanced for a moment at the other apprentice. Mumblepaw seemed to be in the same situation as she was. Then she looked back at Rippedsky, copying his stance.

OOC: shorrrt sorry

The little black and white tom trotted back over the snowy ground, carrying his catch firmly between his teeth. It was a bit too large for his mouth and despite being awkwardly crammed between his jaws as far as it could go, the rather large and skinny robin still stuck out prominently. Mumblepaw did not say a word as he silently set his catch down. Given he had never caught anything before, he wasn't quite sure what to do with it. He had heard that it was proper to bury the prey afterward. But, with the frozen ground, he wasn't sure. Maybe in the snow?

Rippedsky would have acknowledged his son's catch but was focused on showing the other apprentice what to do. He crept forwards with his belly off the ground, slowly and carefully moving through the snow as not to disturb the landscape or create any nose. His ear had twitched at the sound of the bird. Even though they wouldn't be able to catch anything more here, he still wanted to demonstrate. After showing Blossompaw a stalking technique on the ground, he was ready to take to the trees. They could move more quickly and efficiently that way, and practice chasing after prey.

Once Mumblepaw settled on burying his catch in the snow, the deputy led them up into the trees and launched himself between the branches. However, unlike in warmer weather, he made sure to constantly keep his claws digging into the stiff bark and moved slowly. After some time, Rippedsky raised his maw into the air and signaled for them to stop. All but a couple branches away was another potential catch. With the distance, Blossompaw could easily catch it. His tail flicked her pelt gently as he whispered, "Your turn. You've got this."

OCC: no problem. I just get caught up in writing haha whatever you post is fine!

OOC: Yeah I like writing and trying to be descriptive but I have a shortness problem... I coulda said more but you know, school and all

Blossompaw took in everything Rippedsky showed her, ready to try it. But once he was done showing, he walked off! The pretty she-cat stood up straight in confusion. Wasn't she supposed to catch the prey? After a moment, she followed the two cats. Blossompaw knew better than to stray from the patrol. She slipped several times, and by the time she reached the deputy and the other apprentice, her fur was spiked from the constant fear of falling. She clung to the branch, belly fur brushing the wood. Was she supposed to catch the bird? It was a little sparrow rearranging the twigs and whatnot for its nest. She uncertainly looked at Rippedsky. Bracing herself to leap, Blossompaw carefully sheathed her claws so as to not interfere with her jump, but decided against it and unsheathed them again. She was catching prey after all. The bicolor she-cat concentrated all of her senses on the sparrow. Ready to leap? Good. Jump, make sure to land directly on or next to the bird and catch it! Then you'll impress them! She closed her amber eyes and opened them again, ready as she would ever be. Starclan save my soul! She thought as her powerful back legs pushed off of the branch. The sparrow saw her coming too late. Her front paws- and claws- hit the bird, with a force that killed it instantly, especially considering the spots her paws had hit. The rest wasn't as graceful and smooth as she had planned. Though she did kill the bird, she could find a grip on the branch with neither her back nor front legs. She tried to use her claws, but she was too small and her legs didn't reach the trunk. She began to panic as her paws slipped. The bird had fallen to the ground, but not before bumping a few branches. Blossompaw's wide eyes looked back at Rippedsky with fear as she completely lost hold with her back paws. Just in time, however, her front claws dug deep into the thick wood, leaving Blossompaw hanging. Starclan was not ready for Blossompaw's short life to be over yet. "Rippedsky, Mumblepaw, what do I do?! Help me..." She said with a grunt. Her claws were not going to hold the apprentice for long.

The member 'Jade Wings' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 6

The deputy watched as Blossompaw successfully took down the sparrow. It fell easily underneath her claws and her weight as she pinned it to the tree. Thankfully, unlike Mumblepaw's catch, it was dead in an instant. He was about to praise her when he noticed the she-cat slipping. The thudding in his chest was almost instantaneous. Addergaze had been lost this way, his past two apprentices had almost fallen to their deaths too. What had he done to cause this to happen time and time again? Despite not having the long claws of a Skyclan cat, nor the muscular hind legs, he sprang into action at once. The black and white tom had built up his muscles and practiced time and time again to become comfortable in the trees. It was times like these he was grateful he had been able to pick it up so easily.

Rippedsky landed in the space just next to Blossompaw and her catch and dug his claws into the back, making sure to sink them in as much as possible. He lunged forward and sunk his teeth into the she-cat's scruff just hard enough to get a decent grip and pull her back up onto the open space on the branch. With fur still in his mouth, he mumbled, "Hold onto the branch as much as possible. I'm going to let go now." The words were muffled. Once she was steadied, he sighed. The apprentice was safe for now. No more falling out of trees.

Blossompaw did exactly as she was told, crouching and gripping the branch as hard as she could. "I- I guess I caught it, didn't I?" She asked shakily. She glanced down for only a moment to see the bird laying on the ground. "Sh- Should we go back d- down now?"

"Blossom-" Mumblepaw let out a cry that was quickly caught in his throat. Unlike his father's instinctive reaction to leap forwards and save her, the apprentice simply stared in horror with widened eyes. A sigh of relief stuck behind his tongue. He stayed there, sticking himself to the branch without moving. They were both okay. However, it still took him a moment to slow his breathing down and calm himself.

"You did great," Rippedsky reassured her, flicked his tail as he shifted to allow space for the she-cat to pass and get closer to the trunk of the tree, "but, you have to practice your tree climbing and leaping. It was a good thing I was here today. Next time, however, you need to be able to balance yourself. Maybe practice on lower branches." There was a stern element to his voice that only crept in because of the increasing amounts of concern. He could not lose anyone else to a tree fall. It was sadly far too common these days. As she mentioned getting down, the deputy nodded in agreement. Nothing seemed better than solid ground in that moment, even if it was covered in snow.