Let's Get Down to Business

Murkystrike led the way out of camp, turning her paws towards the Pine Grove. She had forced herself to sleep during the last portion of the night to wake up at sunhigh. Pyrik probably wasn't used to sleeping through the day and waking at night the way she was, but with time hopefully he would learn to enjoy it. As she had lay awake, she had wondered what she could do, should do. It's not as if Pyrik was a new apprentice, he had learned and trained under Asylum and knew how to take care of himself... But she wanted to learn how she could help him adjust to ShadowClan's marshes and night activity to be successful. So, as she drifted off to sleep, she decided they would start with a hunt, and go from there. As they reached the shaded Pine Grove, dark green boughs stretching over them, she paused to turn towards the tom. "Okay, so I want to start by seeing what you already know, and are capable of. No sense in teaching you basics you already know, right? We can build on your knowledge from there. Sound like a plan?" She asked, suddenly self-conscience. She had never trained an apprentice before... Was this why Pyrik was assigned to her? He was older, and knew what he was doing? Hopefully she would be good at this. "We'll start with hunting. Now that Newleaf is here, we should have some good luck, so let's do our best, okay?" Stars, she was miserable at this mentoring thing.

Pyrik trailed after Murkystrike, eyelids propped open by sheer nerves. Between ShadowClan’s odd schedule and the anxiety whirring in his chest, he’d gotten scraps of sleep. Though he’d asked for this intending to prove himself or die trying, the full consequences were only dawning on him now. If he made it through his apprenticeship, he’d become a warrior…which meant throwing away Asylum’s knowledge for good. (No one had asked that much yet, but they would. WindClan would have.) Asylum and Iniko were dead, and liars, and not worth remembering—he knew that, and he hated them for it as much as he could bear to. But without them, he’d have been mauled or starved to death after everything collapsed. He couldn’t pry it out of his claws, out of his head. Maybe he never would.

Fortunately, from the sound of it, he wouldn’t have to just yet. Ears angled forward, Pyrik turned his attention away from the sea of fine green needles to Murkystrike. Working off what he already knew. “Yeah,” he said, entirely too relieved, “that sounds good. I’ll just…look for something close and then try to catch it, right?” Easier said than done. His first lesson as a Standard had shown him that. But history wouldn’t repeat itself today…he hoped.

Pyrik squeezed his eyes shut, counted to three, and crept away, careful to stay well within Murkystrike’s field of view as he slid his paws through the mud. Soon, he spotted a small, slimy creature at the base of one of the pines, so still he mistook it for a rock before he identified the lumps on its head as eyes. He’d seen plenty of frogs in the prey pile…though that was wildly unhelpful here. They didn’t have ears as far as Pyrik knew… Could they smell him, then? He lunged forward, felt the brush of the frog's skin against his pawpads—and then nothing. The frog hopped away, startled but unscathed. Pyrik straightened up. The muck splattered across his front seemed to burn as he turned back to his mentor, gaze focused between her ears as he searched for something to say. In the end, he settled on, "I, um. Promise I've hunted things before. Not frogs, usually, but, uh…Sorry," which wasn't terribly useful. At least it beat standing there in silence.

Pyrik attempted to catch Frog, using 3 stamina. The attempt was a failure…

Pyrik
20/20 HP
77/80 SP (-3)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

Murkystrike nodded, confirming what Pyrik had asked. "Yes, exactly. We'll go at whatever pace you're comfortable with, so if you get too tired or overwhelmed let me know. I'll also hunt, so you can watch me if you'd like." With that, Pyrik closed his eyes and moved away, and Murkystrike kept an eye on him as she scented her surroundings. A frog was nearby somewhere, and was that a crow she scented? A rustle nearby revealed a lizard, but Murkystrike was focused on the bird-scent. There it was, pecking among the roots of a nearby tree. Approaching the crow carefully, she leapt. Claws met feathers as the bird was forced to the ground, the she-cat cutting of it's cry before it could escape. When she turned back towards Pyrik, she noticed the frog hopping away and the tom's embarrassed expression. Setting down the crow, she walked over to him. "Frogs have pretty good eyesight, so they're difficult to creep up on. It's easier to catch them when they're swimming, in my opinion. We'll work more on that, but you can try something you're more used to hunting!" She waited for Pyrik to turn away before returning to her crow and storing it carefully among the roots of a nearby tree before continuing to watch her apprentice.

Murkystrike attempted to catch a Bird, catch was successful. -3 SP. (197/200)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

“I should’ve guessed,” he mumbled, recalling the frog’s bulbous eyes. Could they really swim? They looked about as graceful as rocks—how did they manage it? At Murkystrike’s urging, Pyrik let that train of thought drift elsewhere. “Okay, I’ll…I’ll try that.” Something I’m used to hunting… WindClan’s rabbits and hares had always been too fast for him. When he closed his eyes, he thought back to Asylum’s scraggly territory. Four-legged predators were better as pelts than prey, but owls and snakes made decent meals; they also weren’t worth going out of one’s way to catch, seeing as they never went down without a fight. Something smaller, then.

Already the sharp marsh-smell had begun to recede, leaving room for more important scents to creep through. Pyrik breathed in. A faint strain of mouse greeted him. He turned to follow it, fighting the urge to look back as he heard Murkystrike step away. He’d said it himself, he had to (try to) catch something on his own; Murkystrike couldn’t fix the errors she never saw.

The mouse scurried along, stopping here and there to search for a less muddy route. Pyrik, low in the grass, hurried after. At last, it sat in one place long enough for him to catch up. He pressed himself deeper into the muck, breath caught between his chest and his throat. Please, please don’t look— Though his back paws slipped as he pounced, the rest of him was right on target. One bite snapped the mouse’s neck. Disbelief kept him still for several heartbeats; then he took a step away, clutching his prey tightly as if too much hesitance might bring it back to life, and looked toward his mentor.

Pyrik attempted to catch Rodent, using 3 stamina. The attempt was successful!

Pyrik
20/20 HP
74/80 SP (-3)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

By the time her attention had returned to her apprentice, he had begun stalking after something. The faint scurrying gave away the location of a mouse, and Murkystrike stayed still as she watched Pyrik move after it. She held her breath as the mouse stopped, wishing that it wouldn't look back, and her heart sank as Pyrik's hind legs slipped. Just as she prepared to step forward and offer some advice, he turned to her and she saw the mouse hanging limply from his mouth. She smiled, purring as she quickly walked over to him. "Nice catch! You did a good job following it, and keeping a close eye on it. You'll get used to the mud in time, it always seems to be slick when you want it to be sticky and sticky when you want it to be slick. With more practice, you'll get the hang of it in no time! Although, I would loosen the grip you have on it, the mouse is dead." She teased lightly, brushing her tail against his shoulder. "Why don't you go put it with my bird, and continue hunting? You're doing a great job so far." With that, Murkystrike gestured towards the roots where she had hidden the bird and turned back to her own hunt. Maybe that lizard was still around somewhere. A quick look around revealed no lizard, and her brow furrowed as she suddenly realized just how quiet the forest had gotten. Her eyes narrowed and she smelled the air carefully, it was never a good sign when the area around got quiet. Suddenly, the sound of sticks and leaves crunching behind turned her head, and she was greeted by a porcupine. "Mousedung." She muttered as it turned it's back to her and she lashed out in return.

A Porcupine has interrupted the hunt! Porcupine used Quill Shield, dealing 20 damage and costing 30 SP. Murkystrike used Rending Front Paws, dealing 13 damage and costing 25 SP.

Porcupine:
77/90 HP (-13)
420/450 SP (-30)

Murkystrike:
40/60 HP (-20)
169/200 SP (-25)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

Pyrik’s ears swiveled forward at his mentor’s approach, cautious optimism rising in his eyes. She was…smiling, even purring. That had to be good, right? All he needed was more practice hunting with mud under his paws and—wait. He loosened his grip just enough to manage a “oh, right, thank you” muffled in equal parts by the mouse and relief, and shuffled to the pine Murkystrike pointed him toward. Sure enough, a crow lay nestled under the roots. Pyrik tucked his mouse in beside it…and stayed there, tail swishing low as he surveyed what they’d caught. Even after seeing him miss once, almost twice, Murkystrike hadn’t criticized him for anything time and experience couldn’t fix. Maybe this, him and ShadowClan and being ShadowClan, could turn out all right.

In the quiet, the soft snapping of twigs carried. So often Asylum had gone looking for that silence, knowing a pelt waited on the other side of it. A line of pale fur rose down Pyrik’s back. He nudged the mouse and the crow deeper into the roots, then turned to face whatever beast had found them—which turned out to be a ball of spines, each of them longer than Pyrik’s whiskers. “What—” As he continued to stare, he realized he knew what this creature was; though he’d never seen one alive and bristling, its rounded face matched the one on Mirae’s old pelt. But when he tried to move, his legs refused.

…Did it matter if he didn’t know how ShadowClanners fought? Until he learned the right way, Asylum training was all he had; Asylum training could bring this creature down. That was what mattered. Pyrik yanked his paws free and flew into battle, quick and menacing, battering the porcupine’s head with his claws. ”Sorry,” he said again as he sprang back, ”I, um, got distracted—are you okay?”

Pyrik used Sanctum Strike, dealing 15 damage and using 20 stamina. Porcupine is stunned for 1 turn.

Pyrik
20/20 HP
54/80 SP (-20)

Murkystrike
40/60 HP
175/200 SP

Porcupine [stunned]
62/90 HP (-15)
420/450 SP

Great StarClan those quills hurt! Murkystrike hissed as quills embedded into her chest, cutting through her fur like thorns. Instantly she was frozen momentarily, her mind transported back to the feeling of the thorns pricking at her pelt and skin whenever she moved in that small cage at Fourtrees. She blinked herself back from the memory just in time to see the porcupine move to swing it's quill-lined tail at her... Only to be battered in the head by Pyrik. As it stumbled, now dazed, Murkystrike focused her eyes on her apprentice, giving him a small nod. Her voice sounded dreamy, slightly distant, as if she was still in Fourtrees in spirit. "No.. No problem... Pyrik. Yeah, I'm fine.... Yes. Thank you." Shaking her head, she darted towards the porcupine again, aiming for the belly this time.

Murkystrike used Half-Turn Belly Rake dealing 13 damage and costing 20 SP. The porcupine is stunned!

Pyrik:
20/20 HP
54/80 SP

Murkystrike:
40/60 HP
149/200 SP (-20)

Porcupine: [stunned]
49/90 HP (-13)
420/450 SP

A frown settled on Pyrik’s face. “As long as you’re sure…” Though Murkystrike managed to look at him, she spoke as if she were half the forest away. Maybe she’d taken more hits than he realized—or just a particularly well-placed one. There were an awful lot of quills stuck in her chest. Watching her maneuver around them to take a swipe at the porcupine’s heavily guarded belly, he grimaced in sympathy. All the more reason to end this as soon as he could. Even if he’d had the foresight to wear his pelt, no surprise attack would keep a predator stunned forever. The porcupine struggled upward, already beginning to find its bearings. Pyrik dove in to smack it soundly on the head once more and, in his haste, stumbled away with a hiss and a paw full of quills.

Pyrik used Front Paw Strike, dealing 6 damage and using 10 stamina.

Pyrik
20/20 HP
44/80 SP (-10)

Murkystrike
40/60 HP
149/200 SP

Porcupine
43/90 HP (-6)
420/450 SP

The frown on Pyrik's face drew her out of her own thoughts further, and as she blinked Murkystrike realized that the trees around her were not the same as Fourtrees, she was safe, she was free... Well, relatively safe. The porcupine shook it's head before lumbering towards her again. Pyrik smacked it soundly on the head, and she winced as he hissed and drew back, long quills having embedded themselves into his paw. She moved to flank the porcupine and hissed as the quills in her chest pulled painfully with the movement. They needed to drive this thing off, and quick. As she went in for her attack, the porcupine turned it's back to her again and she pushed off with her hind paws to attempt to avoid a bunch of quills to her face. It succeeded, kind of, she instead got more quills to the chest and belly, and as she landed they pushed further into her flesh. Spitting at the woodland creature, she rose on her hind legs and brought both paws crashing down on the porcupine's head.

Porcupine used Quill Shield, dealing 20 damage and using 30 stamina. Murkystrike said 'Ouch' before using Upright Lock, dealing 14 damage costing 25 SP.

Pyrik:
20/20 HP
44/80 SP

Murkystrike:
20/60 HP (-20)
124/200 SP (-25)

Porcupine:
29/90 HP (-14)
390/450 SP (-30)

The porcupine shuffled its back toward Murkystrike, blocking her first attack with a wall of spines. Fortunately, a shuffle was just about the fastest thing it could manage; it wasn’t so lucky the second time, and Murkystrike’s paws collided with its head. Pyrik hobbled alongside it in an attempt to keep track of its few vulnerable spots. At least a fox’s tail could be grabbed… Just the thought of those quills buried in his mouth made his eyes water. At least its underside didn’t have anything sharp. The only trouble was reaching it. He spun around as quickly as he could (a hair swifter than porcupine speed, thank goodness) and kicked out low at the porcupine’s side, one paw after the other. His undamaged foreleg gave way after the blows had landed. Pyrik hit the mud chin-first and scrambled upright just as quickly, glancing back to make sure he hadn’t collected any more quills.

Pyrik used Belly Rake, dealing 7 damage and using 10 stamina.

Pyrik
20/20 HP
34/80 SP (-10)

Murkystrike
20/60 HP
124/200 SP

Porcupine
22/90 HP (-7)
390/450 SP

As Murkystrike regained her balance, she caught the porcupine raising it's tail again. Taking several quick steps back, sharp quills passed through her whiskers, and she gasped at how close they came. Had she moved even a heartbeat later, that would have been a harsh blow. Pyrik darted for the creature's belly, and while the attack was successful she winced as he landed chin first in the mud. The porcupine, having had it's head smashed and belly slashed at, started to lumber away slowly. The pain from the cats was enough to make it try to escape. Murkystrike moved to stand next to Pyrik, fur fluffed up as the beast retreated further into the pines.

Porcupine used Tail Smack, dealing 40 damage and using 50 stamina. Murkystrike said 'Ah Beans' before using Dodge-and-Fight, attempting to deal 6 damage costing 15 SP. The porcupine is attempting to leave the battle.

Pyrik
20/20 HP
34/80 SP

Murkystrike
20/60 HP (-40, negated by Dodge-and-Fight)
109/200 SP (-15)

Porcupine
22/90 HP (-6)
340/450 SP (-50)