Warming of the Moors [closed]

The young apprentice watched carefully how her mentor moved, trying to remember each detail, she was amazed how he managed to move without making any sounds.

Then it was her turn, the apprentice instantly dropped into a crouch, trying to imitate him.

"A-alright, i can do this..." she was mumbling to herself while crouching and starting to move, she was wobbly and made a bit of noise like 5 of each 10 steps she did, but just at the start, after a few minutes of her being determined to get it right, she got better, quickly.

When Barleytuft turned to Gingerpaw, her yellow eyes were focused on him, much to his satisfaction. Though hesitant and timid, she was clever and eager to learn well. She had taken in his instruction and example, and as she took her place to try it herself, Barleytuft was quiet pleased at how quickly she had picked it up. He knew it likely felt a little awkward at first - it certainly had for him with his gangly legs - but he now felt comfortable and knew that, with plenty of practice, she would too. The calico she-cat padded over the earth carefully, her face furrowed with concentration. She set one paw down after another, nearly losing her balance every few moments but quickly correcting. Every time she made a mistake, Barleytuft was happy to see she recognized it and attempted to correct it. She's a natural, he thought warmly, and once she gains confidence she'll be a wonderful hunter.

Barleytuft allowed her to practice for several minutes, doing some of his own prowling every so often to let Gingerpaw once again see how he did it. After some time he meowed, "I think that looks just wonderful, and you're much quieter already than you were at the start. Would you like me to teach you how to go from a prowl to a pounce, or would you like to see if you can figure it out on your own?"

Part of him felt half-impatient; by this time in his training with Swiftstep he'd already been eager to make a fool of himself just to get some running in. However, the fatherly feelings in Barleytuft kept him calm and patient. Just because he wanted to dive headfirst into rabbit-chasing didn't mean that his apprentice had to... although Brookclover had. He let the thought go and focused on the calico beside him.

Slowly, Gingerpaw started losing her shyness, becoming a bit more confident with herself, she was doing alright, that made her feel good! She would be hunting in no time!

She stopped to listen to Barleytuft, purring at his praise. Then she looked once again really interested when he asked about teaching her to pounce.

"W-well sir, i wanna see how do you do it first please" she asked politely, but unable to hide her excitemen.

Barleytuft wondered how he had been so lucky as to gain two eager and talented apprentices as his first ones, one after the other. Gingerpaw was very attentive even if she was timid, and certainly her precision and desire to be accurate would make her a skilled hunter and perhaps a skillful fighter as well. Her small size was only temporary, and it only meant that she needed to be a little more careful of how she stalked over grass. When Barleytuft offered to let her figure it out or have him show her, he wasn't surprised that she wanted an example first. The lean sandy tom nodded and replied, "Sure thing."

The tom turned and padded a short distance away, continuing to prowl as he had before. Barleytuft's dark hazel eyes found a distinct patch of grass a couple fox-lengths away; he gently nodded his chin at it, signaling to Gingerpaw what his target was. "A rabbit will smell you first, then hear you. Approach from downwind whenever you can." He felt his whiskers and the fur in his ears ruffling in the gentle breeze, and he continued to prowl in a wide arc until the wind was coming at his face. This way, it will be hard to smell you until it's too late, Barleytuft thought, thinking through all the hunting training he'd ever received. He paused and, without taking his eyes off the clump of grass, stated, "To avoid being heard, you must be light and fast. Run, but try not to step too hard."

With that, Barleytuft resumed his prowl, taking a few low, long steps before leaping up and practically gliding over the distance between he and his prey. With one final precise leap, the warrior pounced, claws extended to catch the grass. It pulled him to a quick halt and he fell to his side, pretending to deliver it a swift bite to the neck. A little dirtied and warmed up now, Barleytuft stood and turned to Gingerpaw, looking expectantly to see her take a turn.

Once again, the young apprentice walked close but without disturbing her mentor´s movements to see better and hear him, paying full attention as his instructions.

When it was her turn, she started muttering the instructions under her breath, trying to memorize them while putting them on practice.

She locked her eyes in a small leaf on the ground, and started stalking towards it, being really careful to not make any noise, the wind seemed to change direction, making her ears twitch, she circled carefully and silently, until the wind was blowing in her face... then she approached... as careful as she could... then when she got in a good distance, she pounced, front claws out, eyes focused in her "prey".

When she landed, she stumbled and fell to one side, but she had the leaf secured in her claws.

Hazel eyes locked on his apprentice, Barleytuft continued to feel proud of her as he watched her get back into prowling position. The pretty young she-cat was focused and calm; when her eyes locked on a leaf, Barleytuft picked up on it quickly. Her body was already angling in the right direction to try to approach it. Gingerpaw stalked about to get the wind in her face, adjusting slightly to keep herself downwind. Her hunter's prowl itself was still a little unsteady, and a time or two she made noises that might have spooked an alert rabbit, but she was drawing in on her "prey" swiftly and with great concentration. Barleytuft's heart beat with excitement just watching her.

Finally, Gingerpaw had drawn near, and she was close enough to pounce. Her muscles contract, trembled, and suddenly she leaped. Her small calico frame went soaring a good distance before crashing onto the leaf. She tumbled to her side and rolled. Barleytuft came trotting up to her, tail high as he asked, "Well? Did you catch it?" He was close enough now to look at the leaf grasped between her paws, and immediately the lanky warrior purred, "Well done! Your form was very nice, too. You will just need to practice stepping silently - it took me a moon to be consistently quiet, so you're off to a marvelous start."

The sound of a rustling in the grasses a few fox-lengths away caught Barleytuft's attention, and immediately he turned to it and flattened to the ground, flicking his apprentice on the shoulder to indicate she should do the same. His ears focused on the sound and he recognize the soft thumping of hare paws on the earth. This will be a perfect opportunity to show her how it all works together, he thought. Barleytuft then rested his tail on Gingerpaw's shoulder and looked into her eyes, tipping his head just slightly to indicate that he intended to go after the hare. Wordlessly and silently, he began to creep in the direction of the hare's soft rustlings.

After several long, low, and calculated pawsteps, Barleytuft's dark hazel eyes were able to make out a hoary frame through some grasses. The warrior slowed, adjusted his posture, and leaped. He landed on the startled creature and gave it no chance to let out a fearful cry before he ended its life with his teeth. He stood up with it beneath his paws and looks over the brush at his apprentice, Gingerpaw, calling, "Were you able to see?"

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

Gingerpaw was just about to purr and thank her mentor for the praise but, she saw him tense up and crouch, she inmediatly did the same, at first not understanding what was going on.

But then Barleytuft spoke to her silently and she noticed the small creature, and knew what he was going to do, this time she could approach and see closely, she she stays there, crouched but, able to see all the action, everything he taught her in that short while was applied, the stalking, the pouncing, everything, she watched with amazement until he spoke to her again, she padded right to him.

"Yes sir! I saw everything" needless to say, she wanted to try too.

Barleytuft smiled as his eyes settled on his apprentice; quickly the calico she-cat was making her way over the terrain towards him, her face bright with excitement. As soon as she reached him she responded, "Yes, I did!" The warrior smiled at his apprentice, feeling hopeful. Perhaps she'd catch something her first try... "That's great," Barleytuft replied, "then I want you to try. Go find a rabbit or a hare and try to catch it. I'll watch how you do."

"Yes sir!"

Gingerpaw didn´t had to hear that twice, she inmediatly went to find a rabbit or a hare, now confident she will be able to catch one.

It took her a few minutes, walking slowly trying to not make noise, opening her mouth trying to catch an scent and trying to track the little furred creatures... then a noise made her crouch, there was a hare up ahead, it kinda intimidated her a bit since she was small and that creature was almost her size, but she shook her head, she had to catch it! So, she started aproaching, stalking slowly and making sure the wind was blowing in her face, she had to circle a bit to acomplish that... then she approached... and when she was at enough distance... she pounced.

The calico apprentice landed on the hare, the animal screeched and tried to hop away, almost taking the small she-cat with it, Gingerpaw spat and hissed in surprise and fright, holding on with her claws, not letting go and without wasting anymore time, she sank her fangs in it´s neck.

The hare fought for a few seconds but eventually, died, the apprentice still having a strong grip on it, she didn´t seemed to realize it was dead, she was with her eyes closed.

The member 'zeroa5raven' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

Gingerpaw immediately responded with a chipper "Yes sir!" before whirling to strike off on her own to find something to try to catch. Barleytuft waited a moment, listening intently to the steps she took. When she was a short distance away and taking slow, steady steps he began to follow after her, careful to move silently through the brush so as not to disturb her hunt. As he had promised her earlier, the warrior kept his gaze flitting regularly up to the sky, watching for birds of prey that might have tried to join in the hunt as well. However, the late leaf-bare sky remained clear save for some gloomy clouds here and there.

Barleytuft had just looked up from Gingerpaw when he heard her movements change. His hazel eyes flickered back from the empty sky to his apprentice a few fox-lengths away, crouching with her muscles tensed. Reflexively Barleytuft dropped a little lower so as not to disturb her hunt. His ears and attention remained focused on her as he watched her creep forward step by step, closer and closer until...

Gingerpaw sprang, landing squarely on the hare's back and gripping it fiercely with her claws. In a heartbeat, however, the creature had loosed a screech and scrambled desperately forward, and Barleytuft realized with a jolt that his small apprentice was being dragged with it! The warrior quickly sprang into action, racing towards his apprentice to lend a paw. From a distance he saw her struggle for a moment before dragging herself to the hare's neck and biting hard. The creature shrieked and spasmed but fell still, letting Gingerpaw sink to the earth yet again with fresh-kill clasped firmly in her paws.

Barleytuft arrived to a dusty Gingerpaw laying panting on the earth. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she gripped the now dead hare for dear life. As he approached, Barleytuft asked, "Gingerpaw! Are you alright?"

The young apprentice didn´t answered for a few seconds, then she opened one of her eyes and looked at the older tom.

"I-is it dead?" she asked a bit muffled from biting the hare´s neck.

For a few moments, Gingerpaw remained quiet, her breathing slowing each moment. Barleytuft leaned in, mild concern growing in his stomach. Finally his apprentice opened one eye and asked through a mouthful of fur, "I-Is it dead?" Immediately Barleytuft purred and replied, "Yes - you did it, Gingerpaw, you've caught your first fresh-kill!" Gently, the creamy tabby warrior bent down to grab the hare by its neck, lifting it up and out of Gingerpaw's way to give her space to recover. "I can't believe it nearly ran off with you... Are you hurt?"

The young apprentice got up, shaking her fur and began licking her mouth to clean off the remains of blood.

"I-I'm okay sir, it surprised me but, i held on and bite as hard as i could to kill it quick, i thought it was going to take me away" she mewed.