Tawny Feathers (Closed)

Featherpaw's eyelids lifted drowsily when she heard her name being patiently called, revealing sleepy, pale green eyes. She pricked one tufted ear up in an attempt to hear the words, even though her mind seemed blurred, and her body begged for her close her eyes again and fall back into a deep slumber. I can't do that, though! a voice protested, I can't be disrespectful to a warrior! Tawnyfang - wait -
The tiny apprentice immediately shot upwards, as she suddenly remembered that today was her first day for training. All feelings of tiredness she had had heartbeats ago had now seemed to vanish, as her eyes shined with excitement.
"I'm c-coming!" she mewed, keeping careful to not disturb the other apprentices still sleeping. She stumbled out of her nest and weaved silently through the still bodies.
"I'm sorry I took a while to wake," Featherpaw sheepishly whispered, although she still beamed enthusiastically.

((OOC: Sorry it took me a while to post! School kept me busy.))

The sudden voice startled Tawnyfang out of her thoughts. She turned towards Featherpaw, fur bristling as she watched the cat bound towards her. She noticed that familiar glimmer of excitement in Featherpaw's eyes and couldn't suppress a purr. The brown and white warrior stood up and flicked her tail, beckoning her out of camp, "It's quite alright. But we have to get a move on if we want to start immediately."

She slipped into the river protecting their camp from other cats with ease, gliding through the water almost as graceful as a fish. The she-cat stepped onto the bank and quickly shook the water from her fur, before glancing over to make sure her apprentice was following. As they trotted through the territory, she was mesmerized by the beauty of their home. Riverclan was truly beautiful; so astonishing that she couldn't seem to get used to it. It was something about being at home that filled the she-cat with bliss.

"Before we start teaching you how to fish, I'd like you to learn how to catch land-based prey. You never know when we won't be able to rely on the river for fresh-kill," She paused, and turned towards Featherpaw, blue eyes glimmering, "First, you have to scent the area for prey, like this." She opened her maw and tasted the air, demonstrating what she was supposed to do.


ooc; nah, it's quite alright. too bad i have to sleep now, it's almost 2 am where i'm at cx do you know how to use the hunting/battle system??

(( OOC: Ah, okay. I think I sort of know some the basics, but I just don't really get the dice thing. =P ))

IC: Featherpaw nodded and followed her mentor obediently, paws slipping into a swift stride. She halted when they reached the river - she knew the basics of swimming, but she'd only done it in the shallow kits' wading pool! Watching carefully, she repeated Tawnyfang's actions, slipping cautiously into the river. Featherpaw's whiskers twitched in relief as she drifted easily along the steady-flowing current. This isn't too hard.
Her small paws reached the edge of the water, and she pulled herself upwards onto the bank, struggling slightly at the beginning. Shaking her head to remove the water plastered onto her, she padded silently behind Tawnyfang, blinking wide eyes in awe at the territory. It was quite different from the camp - it was much bigger, and more spacious. Smiling to herself, she bounded a few steps forward to catch up quickly when she had stopped to admire her surroundings.
When Tawnyfang had paused, Featherpaw had to quickly leap backwards to avoid bumping into her, because she had had her thoughts occupied by buzzing thoughts about the new, unfamiliar place. I'm proud to call this home. She decided without hesitation.

Quietly sitting with her long, fluffy tail fluttering and quivering joyously, the silver apprentice tilted her head curiously. She listened attentively and eagerly when her mentor had explained the first step of hunting land prey. Copying her, Featherpaw opened her mouth slightly, and a flood of fresh scents streamed in, overwhelming her, but making her more keen to learn more.

ooc; Ok, I'll PM you how and we can practice here (this is my first apprentice so, I'm new at this too XD) I'm not going to use the hunting system for this post, since it would be really awkward if the mentor is showing the apprentice and failed miserably. Please use it yourself, though.

ic;
"Now, scent the area for the nearest piece of prey," Tawnyfang sniffed the air and realized there was some prey nearby; she didn't notify Featherpaw though, that was for her to discover. "When you pinpoint it's exact location, you'll need to stalk towards it in a hunter's crouch. A hunter's crouch is like this," The brown and white warrior dropped into a crouch, her belly just barely missing the ground and her tail high in the air, "Get as low to the ground as you can. Your tail needs to be high to avoid brushing up against the ground. That will alert the prey." With that acknowledged, she crept the familiar scent of prey, eyes sharp as she caught sight of a plump vole residing near a small bush. Tawnyfang slunk towards it, every sense heightened as she closed in on her potential prey. 

Once close enough, the young warrior placed all of her weight on her hind legs, eyes narrowed in focus as she watched the prey sit out in the open, unsuspecting of doom looming over it. Using her powerful back legs, Tawnyfang sprang onto the vole and held it down with her claws unsheathed. She quickly finished it off with a killing bite, and murmured a quick thanks, "And that's how it's done. Try it yourself. Don't worry if you fail though, it's your first time hunting, after all."

Featherpaw watched carefully and intently, a curious glint in her eyes. She repeated Tawnyfang's actions, sniffing the air soundlessly, and tilting her head when she scented a new scent - a musky, but delicious-smelling one. It was certainly the wonderful scent of forest prey!
The quiet apprentice stared at her mentor as she dropped into a crouch, and she observed her position, noting how low she was and her upwards-sticking tail. Tawnyfang explained this afterwards, too.
Featherpaw continued watching thoughfully until her mentor had sprang onto the oblivious vole. She smiled, amazed. Could she do that, too?

She reviewed the warrior's instructions in her head, and positioned herself into the hunter's crouch, constantly aware of every part of her body, making she she was doing everything correctly. Featherpaw lifted her tail at a slight angle, cautious not to do it too high, as her prey could easily see her long tabby tail protruding out.
Once again, she sniffed the air, doing so attentively, trying to identify the precise location of her prey. She found a strong scent to her left. The silver tabby shuffled her paws slightly so she could face its direction. A few tail lengths away, she spotted a small, but slightly plump, mouse. It was absorbed in nibbling a seed, and was facing the opposite direction. Perfect, the apprentice thought, creeping forward slowly, her eyes focused sharply on her prey.


((Sorry! I accidentally double-posted!))

Featherpaw watched carefully and intently, a curious glint in her eyes. She repeated Tawnyfang's actions, sniffing the air soundlessly, and tilting her head when she scented a new scent - a musky, but delicious-smelling one. It was certainly the wonderful scent of forest prey!
The quiet apprentice stared at her mentor as she dropped into a crouch, and she observed her position, noting how low she was and her upwards-sticking tail. Tawnyfang explained this afterwards, too.
Featherpaw continued watching thoughfully until her mentor had sprang onto the oblivious vole. She smiled, amazed. Could she do that, too?

She reviewed the warrior's instructions in her head, and positioned herself into the hunter's crouch, constantly aware of every part of her body, making she she was doing everything correctly. Featherpaw lifted her tail at a slight angle, cautious not to do it too high, as her prey could easily see her long tabby tail protruding out.
Once again, she sniffed the air, doing so attentively, trying to identify the precise location of her prey. She found a strong scent to her left. The silver tabby shuffled her paws slightly so she could face its direction. A few tail lengths away, she spotted a small, but slightly plump, mouse. It was absorbed in nibbling a seed, and was facing the opposite direction. Perfect, the apprentice thought, creeping forward slowly and lightly, her eyes focused sharply on her prey.

Featherpaw was a pawstep away from the mouse, and her eyes gleamed with excitement - she was almost there! Accidentally, in her joyful state, she sent a quiver down her tail. Without meaning to, the tip of it touched a patch of long grass, making a soft rustle. The mouse twisted its head in alarm, letting out a barely audible squeak and scurrying towards the shelter of its den. The small apprentice pounced, slightly panicked, and she hoped she had gripped the rodent's tail, but it had narrowly escaped.
Flattening her ears in dismay, she straightened up, secretly quite frustrated with herself. She turned back towards her mentor, her feather-like tail dragging on the soft ground.

The member 'XFeatherbreezeX' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

Tawnyfang watched carefully as her apprentice as her apprentice went after a piece of prey. Silently, her blue eyes observed as the silver tabby dropped into her hunter's crouch. It really was almost an exact mimic of what she had done; her tail was high enough and completely still, and her body was low enough to not be detected by prey. If she hadn't known better, from afar, she would've mistook Featherpaw for her brother. Though she was fluffier and definitely shorter, if she chose to believe, her young apprentice was his spitting image. Surprisingly, it just filled her with nostalgia, of her own days as an apprentice along her littermate. They had grown so much more distant, just being reminded of it sent a dull ache pulsing throughout her chest.

Like expected, Featherpaw didn't manage to catch what she was after. It was okay, she didn't manage do to so well on her first hunts either. Instead, the she-cat let out a small purr and nodded her approval, “You were off to a good start, it’s just that your tail moved last moment, causing your prey to see you. Keep in mind that you have to stay absolutely still, no matter what. You should try again, though. You almost had it.”

(( OOC : I'm changing Featherpaw's dialogue/though colour to purple - the light green's too hard to read! ))

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Featherpaw smiled bashfully at her mentor's approval and compliment. She gave a slight nod and twisted around to have another go, determination filling her. Dropping back into a crouch, she kept especially conscious of her stiffened tail. She opened her maw and, once again, scents started rushing in. Twitching her ear in concentration, she turned, shuffling her paws on the ground. Seeing a tiny movement from the corner of her eye, the young apprentice snapped her head in its direction. Something was definitely scurrying hurriedly beneath those leaves!
Stepping lightly a few pawsteps forward, she saw a scrawny shrew making its way outside its leafy shelter. Featherpaw barely suppressed a hiss of frustration as the shrew glanced upwards at her and dashied, panic-stricken, away.

Drawing her gaze away, she scented the air again, ears pricked for any sounds of rustling or squeaking. She had to wait a while, simply observing her surroundings, without making a noise. Suddenly, a strong smell flooded into her mouth, and it seemed to be coming from her right. Directing her eyes towards the area, she saw a vole, pacing around, until it stopped to nibble at something on the ground. This was her chance!

Stepping forward, keeping her pawsteps faint and light, she came to a halt about a full-length away from the busy vole, still picking at its food, inattentive to the cat looming right over it.
Featherpaw was aware of her tail this time, and forced itself to stay still. She was absolutely determined to catch something!
The she-cat remained crouching, staring at her prey. When should I pounce?, she thought, worrying she'd time it wrong, Now?
Featherpaw stayed in her position, reluctantly waiting for the 'right time' to spring. Pounce now!
She transferred all her power into her hind legs, preparing herself. Finally, she leaped. The vole gave a squeak of terror, and dodged Featherpaw's blows, quickly bolting back into its nest.
The young apprentice shook herself, scolding herself inwardly. I hesitated for too long!

The member 'XFeatherbreezeX' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

Tawnyfang patiently resumed watching quietly as Featherpaw sniffed for more prey and dropped into a hunter's crouch. Once again, the brown and white young warrior caught the flash of determination through her apprentice's bright green eyes, and her heart swelled. She had never taken a liking to a cat that she had just been acquainted to; the feeling was strange...and yet, here she was, gushing over her apprentice. She had always taken to keeping to herself, pushing anyone away as soon as possible. Now...now her heart had opened up to a cat she had just met. The sensation was strange and yet, she found herself relishing it.

Featherpaw's agitated cry startled her out of the trance, the she-cat mentally cursing herself for being distracted. The task at paw was to train the apprentice. Sitting down and thinking could be done later, when she actually had free time (which was highly unlikely). After calming down a bit from the scare, Tawnyfang meowed, "You didn't catch it, and that's completely ok. Would you like to give it one more go?" Silently, she hoped the gray tabby would choose to continue. She, oddly enough, wanted to be here for her apprentice when she made her first catch, unlike her mentor did with her.

(( OOC : I finished typing it, but then I accidentally pressed the back button, and now I have to retype it! Y^Y))
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IC:
Featherpaw whirled around, slightly discouraged, and looked up at her mentor for the following instructions. At the warrior's response, the young she cat became a bit more motivated. She spun around again to face the territory and repeated the steps, opening her mouth, scenting the area and dropping back into a crouch. This was her third attempt, and she desperately hoped she could return back to camp with her jaw carrying her first piece of forest prey.
Featherpaw simply crouched, eyes sharp, waiting silently for any sign of an unsuspecting creature. She twisted her head occasionally to smell and observe around her.

She didn't have to wait too long, though, as she quickly discovered something was directly ahead of her - it was most likely a shrew or mouse. Stalking forward gingerly, she crept steadily and at a slow pace, until she was extremely near her prey, which had revealed itself to be a mouse.
Featherpaw had learned from her previous mistakes, and kept her tail straightly still and reminded herself repeatedly to not hesitate for too long.

Keeping her eyes precisely on the mouse, Featherpaw continued forward. She bunched up her hind legs to prepare herself to leap. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, the apprentice pounced. The mouse didn't have a good start, with Featherpaw pinning its tail, almost missing it. She was satisfied, and believed she was already done, so the mouse took this moment when she was distracted to tug its tail out of her grip. Featherpaw's eyes widened in alarm and she sprang again, aiming carefully, but the mouse was nimble and escaped.
Sighing in defeat, she turned and padded back, keeping her eyes on the hole where her potential prey had escaped.

(( *EDIT* Again, it looks like she didn't catch anything (sadly). ))

The member 'XFeatherbreezeX' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

ooc; the hunting dice does not like you apparently cx

Tawnyfang felt her own agitation as she watched Featherpaw come back to her side with no prey. Seeing the disappointment shining in her eyes made the warrior feel bad. Was she not teaching her weel enough? She was doing everything right and yet...yet she wasn't able to catch anything. The brown and white she-cat shifted on her paws before standing up, offering Featherpaw a kind smile. "Hey, it's ok. Don't dwell on it. You'll have other chances, and you'll gradually get better. And, if it helps, fishing is much easier." 

With that put of the way, she moved onto the next part of training, "Next is battle training. We're going to do this with sheathed claws so nobody gets too hurt, ok?"