Day After Day [Closed]

Flowerthorn shifted in her nest uncomfortably. Just yesterday she was assigned an apprentice, and she wasn't going to be the type to wake him at sunrise like other mentors have done, but it seemed an early patrol was in order, because the pale warrior couldn't get anymore rest. After another moment of trying she pushed herself out of her nest, and out of the den.

Carefully she poked her head into the apprentices' den, calling out to her newly named apprentice. "Timberpaw. Come on, we are going to do some training." She said to the tom. She retreated from the den and walked over to the camp entrance. She would only wait a few tail twitches before heading out on her own. She wasn't one for hunting with others, even if she had apprentice now. She knew that she had to take him into consideration but.. she just couldn't. She would get his training done yeah, but if he didn't want to wake up on time then he could join her later for a different patrol.

She quickly shook out her fur before turning her head back to look at the apprentices' den. Timberpaw wouldn't be that long would he? She could train him properly right? She had to teach herself so she wouldn't be too bad at training someone else, right? Maybe she should talk to Foxfire about this. Maybe she wasn't right for training an apprentice.

The pale calico apprentice lifted his head at the sound of his name, the paw at the end still weird in his ears. He was slow to get to all fours, but it wasn't too long before he made his way out of the Apprentice's den, trotting over to his mentor with his tail high. "I'm ready!" he mewed, a sudden rumble in his stomach making him glance longingly at the fresh-kill pile.

She knew he was hungry but they needed to do some hunting first. Once they caught some, they could eat and explore the territory, but hunting needed to be done. "We can eat once we have done some hunting." She told the young tom. Turning away from the camp, she flicked her tail. "Come on." She told Timberpaw, before padding out. Not even waiting to check and see if Timberpaw was following her.

The youngest apprentice didn't hesitate to follow this time. Now that he was out of his nest and into the chilled morning air, he was wide awake, and eager to start learning. Flowerthorn's shortness didn't bother him - he didn't know the warrior that well, admittedly, but she'd always seemed sort of standoffish, like she didn't want to be approached, and so he never really had.

But now, be it through fate or just bad luck (for Flowerthorn) they were stuck with each other, for the next several moons at the very least. Might as well get to know each other, right? "Where are we going to hunt?" he asked. But he didn't even give her time to respond before he fired off another set of questions, right after one another. "Do you think I'll be a good hunter? Are we going near the border? What if there are tresspassers from other clans?" he slowed down, eyes wide as he'd managed to freak himself out at the thought of it. "What if ShadowClan attacks us? They don't have a reason to, right? Even if they do..."

Timberkit's tail went bottlebrush as he swiped at an invisible enemy, and he jumped to the side, crow-hopping several tail-lengths to the side. "I've got your back. No cat'll get through us!" Another swipe, and a leap and a dodge, Timberkit bounced around his mentor, battling his imaginary foe.

Panic settled into Flowerthorn's chest as Timberpaw started talking and asking so many questions. Oh goodness she couldn't do this. She couldn't handle taking care of an apprentice when she was so used to being on her own. She would end up snapping at him or failing him or something! This wasn't good. Even with the panic she was feeling because of having to watch the tom, on the outside she was still cool and collected.

Her dull blue eyes watched the tom for a second as he fought off an imaginary enemy. Her eyes actually watch to see if he had any battle technique that would help him once they got to battle training. It wasn't bad but it certainly wasn't in fighting shape. She turned her eyes forward again, finally opening her mouth to speak.

"We aren't going near the border just yet. We are just going to an open... ish area to hunt. The trees are smaller there, and its easier to see." The had a few more tail lengths before they would be there. "We will be going by the Thunderclan border later to make sure it's marked. I'm not taking you near Shadowclan on your first day out." She informed her apprentice. She didn't want to risk him getting attacked on his first day, no matter how badly she wanted to sink her claws into Shadowclan.

Finally they reached the area. The area was a small circle of open ground. Dirt clear here from where others had traveled through. The small trees lined the edges leading to bigger trees. The saplings here were the best for training. Her eyes looking upwards scanning the branches of the smaller trees, making sure they were clear for the two of them to get to work.

Bunching her muscles in her hind legs she easily jumped up into the third branch from the ground. Turning, she sat down facing Timberpaw. Her tail hanging behind her off the tree branch. "Get up onto the first branch and we will start hunting, then we will see how good you will end up being." She called down.

Timberpaw didn't complain when his mentor dashed the idea of fighting off ShadowClan. It could wait another day or two at the least, he knew that! But, hunting! That was exciting! So he stopped fighting his invisible foe (he totally won the fight, obviously) and padded dutifully behind Flowerthorn until they got to a small clearing rimmed with younger trees. His bluegreen eyes went wide as Flowerthorn just leaped up on to a tall branch with what seemed like minimal effort.

But he could do that, too, right? He crouched, gathering power beneath him, and was about to attempt to leap up after her when she called down that he should get on to a lower branch. Oh, well... that seemed easier, anyway, so he did, claws digging into the bark. "Now what?" he asked, peering up at her.

She let out a small purr as her apprentice managed to reach the lower branch. Her tail flicking behind her. "Good. Now make sure to maintain your balance. Let your tail help you when moving through the trees." She stood up, her brown and white paws walking nimbly across the branches. "When hunting in trees you have to be aware of the branch you are on, and your prey. You can't let the branch shift too much or else you will scare off your prey. You also can't go after prey that is on a branch that won't support your weight." There was a lot that came to hunting in trees. She never really realized it til now that she was actually explaining it. It was pretty natural for Skyclan cats but the warning needed to be said.

"When you scent prey close enough, you move closer. When you have it in your sights that is when you need to use your hunters crouch, and then pounce. If you can't find your balance after pouncing then just keep the momentum going until you can find your balance again." She explained what she did if things didn't go to smoothly. She opened her mouth to begin searching for something that was close. She quickly found a bird.

"Follow and Watch." The pale warrior explained before moving into the trees more. Her blue eyes scanning the trees for the bird as well as following the scent. Once she found the bird she paused, lifting her tail for her apprentice to stop. She crouched low, creeping forward slowly so her weight wouldn't shift the branch too much to scare the bird. As soon as she was close she pounced. Quickly she snatched up the bird, and continued to move because she couldn't maintain her balance. Once she had settled she killed the bird quickly. She approached Timberpaw, dropping the bird onto the branch and holding onto it with her paw. "Now you try."

Flowerthorn attempted to catch a bird: Succesful.

Flowerthorn:
157/160 SP

The member 'Reaper of ChristmasFuture' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 3

Timberpaw crouched and watched, impressed with the white warrior's skill at climbing. He'd never been a huge fan of climbing, but he resolved now to get good enough to impress Flowerthorn! To maybe even be as good as she was. "That was great!" he crowed as she dropped the bird at her paws. Then he hushed down, realizing he'd scare every bird in the area with his big mouth. Crawling carefully across to another branch, this one with some more low-hanging leaves to hide him, Timberpaw settled down there among the foliage, several fox-lengths below his mentor, and waited.

It didn't take too long for another bird to land nearby, not on the branch that Timberpaw was on, but the one below it. The apprentice narrowed his eyes, waiting until the bird turned its back to him, and then crept forward. He knew he wouldn't be able to get down to that branch without it seeing him, and flying off, so he just crept as close as he could, a mouse-length at a time, until he was close enough.

Without warning, Timberpaw dropped practically on top of the bird. It panicked and tried to take flight right into the pale apprentice, and he landed, bringing the bird down with him in one swift motion. His claws scrabbled against the bark, one rear paw slipping and nearly taking the rest of him with it, but he managed to pull himself back up with the bird hanging by a wing from his jaws, looking proudly to Flowerthorn with his catch.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

Flowerthorn nodded in approval of her apprentice's success. "Good. Bring that here and go for another one." She instructed. If he caught one more he could eat, and they would still be bringing home some prey, as well as checking the Thunderclan border. It would certainly be a successful trip that way. She made sure she had her own bird pinned to the tree where she was watching Timberpaw. She could hold both until they returned to the ground.

"Okay!" Timberpaw agreed enthusiastically. With a little trouble due to the bird dragging his head down, he scaled up to Flowerthorn's branch and gave her the bird, rubbing his cheek along her shoulder affectionately before turning and surveying the area. There was no way another bird was going to land in this tree with all the ruckus the last one had made, so he hopped branch-to-branch until he was on the ground again and then beelined for a tree across the clearing. This one had branches much lower, so it was easy for him to claw his way up to the first, and use the rest as steps until he got to the one he wanted, and he settled in the crook of a branch, trying to make his mottled fur blend with the shadows of the branch.

It didn't take long for another bird to show up this time, perching on the branch just below his own. Timberpaw tensed, coiled, and then sprang! The bird didn't have time to even squeak before he dispatched it, and he glanced over to his mentor for approval. This was so much fun!

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

Flowerthorn obsereved as best as she could from her spot. She had lost track of Timberpaw for a second before he reappeared in her vision with another successful catch. He would be an adapt hunting one day if he kept this up. Grabbing the prey she jumped down from the tree, burying the two pieces for them to claim later once they returned from the border.

"Timberpaw, come down and eat that bird. I knew you were hungry before we left. This is your chance to eat. We will be heading to the Thunderclan border once you are done." She said, her tone smooth. She sat down. Her tail curling around her paws. She thought she was doing a good job as a mentor so far.. Maybe this wasn't as much of a mistake as she first thought it was.

Timberpaw hurriedly scooted down the tree with the bird in his jaws, bouncing over to Flowerthorn excitedly. "Are you sure I can eat now? Shouldn't we take those back to the clan first? Are you hungry? Would you like to share?" Without waiting for an answer, he dug into the bird, gulping hungrily, purring loudly enough to be heard across the clearing. The mottled apprentice ate half the bird, pushing the other half in Flowerthorn's direction and waving his tail.