Louder than the River [Closed]

Stormbringer sat crouched patiently as she waited for her new apprentices. The cold and snow was seeping into her body, her paws feeling like ice underneath her as she tried to keep herself warm. Granted it wouldn't be too much longer until new-leaf was back but the cold still took its toll while it could. Once she was out and about in the territory with her new apprentices it would be easier for the new deputy.

Though he’d been named for it, Snowpaw decided he didn’t actually like snow. It stuck to his fur in thick clumps, froze the ground beneath his paws, and when it melted, it did so in ugly patches. Still, the weather wasn’t enough to take the shine off a trip out of camp. As long as he kept Stormbringer, Tawnypaw, or both of them in his line of sight, it’d be fine. No getting lost today. No getting lost ever again, he hoped. Besides, there was so much he had to learn—the ins and outs of his home territory, how to hunt, how to fight as fiercely as the warriors in his nursery tales. He couldn’t afford to miss out on this just because of a little snow! A few heartbeats after poking his head into the sunlight, Snowpaw spotted his mentor. ”Stormbringer!” he called with a wide sweep of his tail before bounding over to meet her. ”What’re we doing today?” Without waiting for an answer, he twisted over his shoulder, scanning the area for dark tortoiseshell fur. As much as he'd looked forward to the training itself, the idea of training with someone was just as enthralling; most of his siblings were too far ahead for him to match, but he and Tawnypaw stood more or less on even ground.

Tawnypaw was only a little jealous that Snowpaw had also received Stormbringer as a mentor. The thrill of being given the clan deputy as a teacher hadn't dulled a bit, but its worth seemingly was cast into the river now that her friend Snowpaw could claim the same call to fame. That was going to be Tawnypaw's bragging piece in the den tonight. But oh well. It couldn't be helped. Besides, it wasn't good for friendships to be nasty all the time. She liked Snowpaw, if she was jealous, surely he'd catch on. Shaking off the doubt, Tawnypaw walked pointedly to Stormbringer, tail high and chest puffed out, hoping to display a sense of maturity. "Hi Snowpaw!" Tawnypaw purred as the white tom pranced to her side. Her mind easily cast away all social doubt she had about this tom now seeing his face. Snowpaw was her friend. It seemed in Tawnypaw's mind, friendship would always trump her social standing, for better or worse. Although the tortoiseshell would never pass up a chance to educate, and a chance she saw. "Oh, well Stormbringer will probably take us to see the territory. It's basically what all mentors do for their apprentices. Right Stormbringer?"

Stormbringer was pleased that bother of her apprentices seemed eager to show up on time and start their training. Though it probably would have been unusual if they hadn't. She couldn't let her mind wonder too far even if she was nervous about her first time training, even more so that there was two of them but she wouldn't let it drag her down. She was going to make sure they turned into fine warriors.

The deputy opened her mouth to explain what they would be doing, but Tawnypaw had beat her to the explanation, or at least most of it. "Well yes. We are going out into the territory again so the two of you can get more familiar with it, but I also want to teach the two of you some hunting techniques." She informed the two of them. She knew this wasn't their first time out of camp considering she took them to the broken pools when they were kits so maybe the excitement wouldn't distract them too badly.

The she-cat stood, glancing up at the camp for a second before turning towards the entrance. "Come along you two. Lets get this day started." With a simple flick of her tail she was headed out of camp. Amber eyes looking back every so often to make sure the two apprentices were following her.

Tawnypaw appeared half a blink afterward, carrying herself with as much confidence as Snowpaw and considerably more dignity, as if she might earn her warriorhood simply by setting her chin at the right angle. She’d always been a bit like that. It didn’t bother him. All the same, he scooted his forepaws closer together by a whisker’s length before chirping a wordless reply to his friend. His…rival, now? They were competing; being the deputy’s first-ever fully-named apprentice would be no small honor, and he wanted it for himself. But they’d started as friends, so…maybe they could be both? That sounded right. There was no reason they couldn't be both. He and Galekit were still brothers, even though—

Realizing how far his mind had wandered, the white-furred apprentice wrangled it back in time to hear most of Tawnypaw’s answer and Stormbringer’s confirmation, as well as— ”Hunting techniques,” he echoed, voice brimming with wonder. Stormbringer didn’t elaborate. Instead, she padded toward the camp’s exit. Oh, well. He couldn’t imagine he’d learn much about hunting when the only possible targets were lying in the fresh-kill pile. ”I’m gonna catch something first,” Snowpaw said, with the cheerful confidence of someone who’d just made a bet knowing the results were rigged in his favor. ”C’mon!” Then he hurried after his mentor, certain his rival-slash-friend would be on his heels.

Stormbringer meant business. Tawnypaw thought as the scarred gray she-cat called for the apprentices to get moving. The tortoiseshell was a little dejected that she didn't guess correctly their plans for the day. Well, at least she was half-right. Snowpaw's eyes seemed to fill with stars at the mention of hunting techniques, and Tawnypaw could only roll hers in response, lest the white tom figure out how excited she really was on the inside. The she-cat was practically floating, leaving camp for the second time, cutting through the reeds. She was Tawnypaw now, rising through the ranks of RiverClan, and apprenticed to the deputy nonetheless. The only thing better would be to have Ivystar as her mentor, but Ivystar had a lot to be busy with. While Tawnypaw's thoughts drifted, the cheerful voice of Snowpaw made a bet of him catching something first.

Tawnypaw's nose wrinkled with playfulness as she chased after her denmate, bursting into the late leafbare sun. "Being fast won't get you any fish Snowpaw, it's all about technique." The tortoiseshell at least assumed her words were right, but knew that she'd soon find out. Now that the minor jealousy faded, the she-cat began to feel glad Snowpaw was with her on this excursion. If Tawnypaw had to spend the whole day trying to impress Stormbringer, she might explode. This way - Stormbringer had to watch both of them. A good tactic for giving Tawnypaw time to think of other smart things to say.

Amber eyes looked back at the two apprentices following her not really minding the conversation. Their eagerness was refreshing to her. She was glad that they were making it some kind of competition between the two even if Tawnypaw was trying to be smart about the whole hunting thing. She was partially correct in her statement about it being technique, but speed would be important too. She wasn't going to bother to chime in at the moment, it would all become clear later.

She took them to the Windclan border first. Letting the two take in the scent, letting them learn it. As well as warning them about being to close to the gorge. The trio walked along the border to the fourtrees letting them observed the gathering place for a moment. Letting them know that they would be attending the gathering soon enough. After the fourtrees they followed along the river to the Thunderclan border. It was harder to smell the scent but it was still there for them to learn.

The sun was high in the sky at this point, as the trio finally arrived at the part of the river that was perfect for them to learn to fish. Hopefully the two of them would be able to pick up on Fishing in no time at all or at least the techniques of it. It was still leaf-bare so Fish were still rare. She looked up at the Sun for a moment before she sat beside the river, her shadow falling on the land behind her and not on the water. The deputy nodded to her apprentices to watch her and learn.

"The first thing about fishing is to never let your shadow fall onto the water. The fish will be able to see it, and not come close enough for you to catch them." She explained. Her amber eyes scanning the water. "When it comes to selecting your target, you have to be patient. The shadows will swim by and seem close enough but they aren't always. The fish is just a moment ahead of the dark shadow." Her eyes watched the figures go by, watching, waiting for just the right one.

"Once you find the right one, you will flash your paw into the water. Do not splay your paw out. It will slow you down. Keep your paw as narrow as possible. Use your force to bring the fish onto the shore and then kill it as swiftly as possible." The deputy informed. As soon as she saw the right fish she wanted to try and catch she flashed her paw into the water. As soon as her claws touched the scales she flung the creature on the shore, turning and quickly killing it. She looked up at the two apprentices, "Now I want to see you try."

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

Rather than pay attention to the borders or the names Stormbringer used for them, Snowpaw noted the landmarks on RiverClan’s own territory, tracking a bend in the river here, a pile of stones there, a thin cluster of snow-dusted trees in the distance. He had all the time in the world to learn about the other Clans; it wasn’t their territory he’d be getting lost on. Still, he couldn’t ignore the borders when they were so interesting. One presented itself as a massive gap in the earth. When Snowpaw turned his ear toward it, he could hear the river roaring far beneath, fierce enough to make him shiver at the thought of falling in. Another, he recalled from the stories he’d heard in the nursery. Apparently, Sunningrocks hadn’t always belonged to RiverClan. Snowpaw thought he understood why—they did look good for sunbathing, though no one in their right mind would try that in leaf-bare. Then there was Fourtrees. In just a few nights, he’d get to see it as an apprentice representing RiverClan.

At long last, they returned to the river, and Snowpaw’s heart leapt. Seeing the territory was fine, but he’d wanted to try catching fish since the first time he’d seen one of his siblings come back from a hunting patrol. Plus, he couldn’t really be the best at walking. He hurried up to the riverbank, slowing down a few tail-lengths from the water’s edge, and squinted into the sun as he sat beside Stormbringer. He’d never thought of fish being able to see…much of anything, really. If Stormbringer said they could, though, she was probably right.

Stormbringer’s explanation ended with a bewilderingly quick demonstration, during which she flung a fish out of the water and pinned it to the shore. Just like that, it was over. Snowpaw blinked. He’d said he’d be the first to catch something, but could he be that fast? ”It’s all about technique,” Tawnypaw’s voice commented. Snowpaw glanced up at her, then at the river. A shadow floated perilously close to the shore. After looking over his paw to make sure it wasn’t splayed (had he ever paid attention to that before?), he leaned just a bit over the water. His paw shot out—not at the shadow, but just ahead—

And brushed against something solid. Something scaly. With a startled sound, he attempted to scoop the fish out of the water the way Stormbringer had. It landed on the shore, and he spun to pin it down. The first bite didn’t seem to do much; at the second, it stilled. His heart pounded as if he’d been running circles around camp. Snowpaw turned back to Tawnypaw and stuck out his tongue, though the good-natured light in his eyes and the surprised grin on his muzzle no doubt undermined the gesture. After dropping his fish beside Stormbringer’s, he returned to his spot at the river’s edge, this time to see if Tawnypaw would even the score.

Snowpaw attempted to catch Fish, using 5 stamina. The attempt was successful!

Snowpaw
15/15 HP
45/50 SP (-5)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

The small droplets that landed on Tawnypaw's maw after Stormbringer's oh-so-inspiring catch seemed to seep into her very being. Tawnypaw wanted so badly to be like Stormbringer - she envied her scars, her poise, her hunting finesse. It began as an itch in her paws, watching carefully as Snowpaw now tried his skill at fishing. She held her breath, then released it as the white tom pulled a fish onto the bank. Snowpaw stuck out his tongue and Tawnypaw wrinkled her nose in response, scoffing playfully at the tom. She had to impress Stormbringer. If Snowpaw managed to catch a fish and she didn't, it would be defeat, no, failure. The word terrified the tortoiseshell, so she puffed out her chest and stomped to the bank, overly determined if not cocky now. Watching her shadow, and hearing Stormbringer's words echo in her head, Tawnypaw let her amber gaze drift into the water, smelling the uprooted reeds and submerged stones. Newleaf was a nice smell. Narrowing her eyes, Tawnypaw watched carefully as a school of minnows emerged upstream, letting their small bodies drift downwards toward her frame. Come on... She whispered in her head, tuning out the rest of the world. Her paw flashed quickly into the stream, sending ripples across the water's surface as Tawnypaw squeezed her eyes shut. She drew her paw in quickly. No fish. Frogdung. Tawnypaw looked at Stormbringer carefully, unable to find an excuse for her mishap. She didn't even want to the the smug look Snowpaw probably had in his eyes. Of course they were friends, but what if Snowpaw was a better hunter?

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

Stormbringer was pleased with Snowpaw and the fact that he managed to catch a fish on his first attempt. She recalled her own days training with Dappleshine but that was back in leaf green when fish were plentiful, and how an eagle had attacked them.. Oh dear how different things were now, even with new leaf coming. Fish hadn't returned to the full numbers yet.

With Tawnypaw, things didn't go as the apprentice had hoped, and it was okay. "Snowpaw try to catch another." She instructed the white tom as she padded up to Tawnypaw. "It's okay not everyone catches a fish on their first try." She nudged the apprentice to look back at the water. "Try again, keep your eyes open. You have the technique down, which is great. But also don't be too hard on yourself. It is still leaf-bare after all. Fish are harder to catch this time of year. Even I miss sometimes." Amber eyes rested on the tawny apprentice, giving her an encouraging look. She didn't want Tawnypaw to lose hope because luck was not on her side.

Careful not to block Tawnypaw’s view of the water, Snowpaw leaned forward, attempting to watch the river with one eye and his friend with the other. After a few seconds, his eyes began to hurt, so he settled for just observing Tawnypaw. Interfering wouldn’t be fair, and besides, a victory he had to cheat for wouldn’t count—but there was no harm in seeing what Tawnypaw had made of Stormbringer’s brief lesson. If she’d come up with a smarter strategy, it was his job to keep up. Suddenly Tawnypaw darted forward. When she pulled her paw back…it was empty.

Snowpaw could have cheered. On the off chance that fish could hear, too, he bit his tongue until the impulse subsided.

Nearby, Stormbringer shuffled. After asking Snowpaw to catch a second fish (two in one patrol, like a proper warrior), she padded toward Tawnypaw and settled beside her instead. Snowpaw watched Stormbringer’s mouth move for a long moment. Whatever advice his mentor had to give, he couldn’t discern it no matter how he angled his ear. With a quiet sigh, he turned back to the water. A barely minnow-sized shadow drifted toward the riverbank. As it closed in, Snowpaw hurled himself forward, nearly falling into the river; where he’d felt smooth scales before, he now felt the chilly current and little else. He pulled his paw back and stuck his tongue out again, this time at the fish as it darted away. Maybe fishing wasn't as easy as he'd thought.

Snowpaw attempted to catch Fish, using 5 stamina. The attempt was a failure…

Snowpaw
15/15 HP
40/50 SP (-5)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 9