A Test of Courage

Dewlight looked over her shoulder to where Yarrowpaw trailed behind her. He had been training for a while now, and they had settled into a comfortable rhythm together. Today they were breaking from their usual routine, Ivystar had asked about his progress and Dewlight had advised the best she could, but to this point she hadn't really let Yarrowpaw too far out of her sight. However, it was time... Yarrowpaw would be hunting while she followed behind, keeping an eye on him without interfering unless necessary. Hopefully that would not be the case, and the hunt would go smoothly, and she would have a purely good report for Ivystar once they returned. She had explained what they were doing before leaving camp, and as they reached the river she placed her tail on the tom's shoulder gently, offering him a reassuring smile. "Good luck, Yarrowpaw. I believe in you." She mewed, keeping her gaze on his face before lowering her head and disappearing into nearby reeds. She would wait, out of sight, and watch. She knew he would do well. Settling in, she kept an eye on Yarrowpaw while also occasionally glancing around the immediate area. With his lack of hearing, he would probably never hunt alone.... But this was still a test of his capabilities. Didn't mean she couldn't watch his back.

The pressure mounted on Yarrowpaw like an ever-growing pile of stones, placed carefully one by one on the white tom's back. This hunt was more than just a hunt, even though it was Yarrowpaw's first hunt acting alone- it was a test; Yarrowpaw was to prove himself, not only to Dewlight, but to himself, to the voice in the back of his head, burrowing into the nooks and crannies of his thoughts and living to prove Yarrowpaw wrong; prove that he was destined to be a burden on others. Yarrowpaw refused to let that voice win. Doing as Dewlight had taught him, the tom kept his face clear of any brush that may inhibit his whiskers, which trembled in the wind, in search of the slightest movement of air, and his eyes peeled, constantly surveying his surroundings. Walking among the smooth river rock, having had no luck and nervousness rising in his throat, Yarrowpaw finally spotted the movement of a tiny creature. A collection of instinct and rigorous training made him drop into a low crouch. Everything felt like routine to him now; paw after paw, belly to the ground, eyes unblinking, watching the creature as it reveals itself- a small fish, splashing in the shallow waters of the edge of the river. Yarrowpaw rocked his haunches back in forth in preparation, and pounced.

Yarrowpaw attempted to catch a fish. Success!
15/47 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

Dewlight smiled as Yarrowpaw pulled a fish from the water. As she watched him kill it swiftly, she nodded to herself. Hopefully that wouldn't be his only catch for the day. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a high-pitched cry, and her gaze shot to the sky. A hawk circled overhead, sinking lower and lower slowly. Did Yarrowpaw notice? She was too afraid to take her eyes off of the bird to check if he had. Finally, it got low enough, starting to swoop down on her apprentice, and she burst out of the reeds and tackled it to the ground, paws pressing against it's head as she forced it under the water. She hissed, tail lashing as she kept her paws firmly on the back of it's head. Turning to Yarrowpaw, she gestured with her head for him to come close and do what he could while she had it pinned.

Dewlight used Underwater Clinch, dealing 11 damage and costing 10 SP. Hawk is stunned for one turn.

Dewlight:
60/60 HP
190/200 SP (-10)

Hawk: Stunned x1
49/60 HP (-11)
200/200 SP

Yarrowpaw, also stunned by the display, ran as fast as his short legs would take him to go and help his mentor. The hawk struggled in Dewlight's grasp, but seemed to out of it to fight back to it's full extent. It's soft underbelly was exposed to Yarrowpaw, and the apprentice suddenly knew just what to do.

Yarrowpaw used Front Paw Strike, Dealing -6 Damage & Costing -10 in Stamina

Yarrowpaw:
15/15 HP
37/50 SP (-10)

Hawk: Stunned x1
43/60 HP (-6)
200/200 SP

Dewlight nodded approvingly to her apprentice as he stopped forward and lashed out at the hawk's underbelly. She reared up onto her hind legs, hovering over the bird before bringing unsheathed claws crashing down on it as it struggled to get back up the sky. The hawk retaliated with sharp talons, lurching towards Dewlight's chest unsteadily as it attempted to get air under it's wings.

Hawk is no longer stunned! Dewlight used Rear-Up to Slash, dealing 13 damage and costing 15 SP. Hawk used Talon Strike, dealing 10 damage and costing 10 SP.

Dewlight:
50/60 HP (-10)
175/200 SP (-15)

Hawk:
30/60 HP (-13)
190/200 SP (-10)

Yarrowpaw:
15/15 HP
37/50 SP

Yarrowpaw let out a distressed yowl at his mentor's wounds, no longer wishing to stay behind and watch his mentor get attacked so ruthlessly. Breaking out into a sprint, Yarrowpaw pounced onto the now-alert hawk, knocking Dewlight out of harm's way.

Yarrowpaw used Run-And-Tackle, Dealing in -6 Damage & Costing -10 in Stamina.

Dewlight:
50/60 HP
175/200 SP

Hawk:
24/60 HP (-6)
190/200 SP

Yarrowpaw:
15/15 HP
27/50 SP (-10)

Dewlight watched as her apprentice ran forward again, but her expression shifted to one of horror as the hawk's talons lashed forward again. "No! Look out!" She screeched, but her words could not reach the tom. Sharp talons sliced through fur, and enraged Dewlight jumped into the air, landing on the bird's back and forcing it back to the ground with her weight. Without any more hesitation, she sunk her canines into the back of it's neck, not letting go until the bird had gone completely limp, never to move again. Releasing her bite, she scrambled off of the bird and hurried to Yarrowpaw. She crouched next to him, frantically looking over him. The wound wasn't pretty... But he was breathing. She had to get him back to camp, now. She could ask another warrior to fetch the hawk and the fish.

Hawk used Talon Strike on Yarrowpaw, dealing 10 damage and costing 10 SP. Dewlight used Killing Bite, killing the Hawk for 10 SP.

Dewlight:
50/60 HP
165/200 SP (-10)

Hawk: DEAD
0/60 HP (-24)
180/200 SP (-10)

Yarrowpaw:
5/15 HP(-10)
27/50 SP

Yarrowpaw tried his best to stay upright on his paws, look strong for his mentor's sake, but the deep gash across his shoulder blade brought him tumbling to the ground. Breathing shallow breaths, the young tom cat looked to Dewlight for answers. Is this the end? Is he dying? He searched her watery eyes desperately, trying to find something that told him everything would be alright, or that it was just a little cut.. that he will be just fine. Instead he found worry and anguish pouring down her face in rivulets, which heightened Yarrowpaw's distress and anxiety. He was dying, wasn't he? Yarrowpaw wanted to say something, anything, a noise or a yowl or even a sob, somehow comfort his mentor and himself, but blackness consumed him before he could even open his mouth

Yarrowpaw blacked out!

"No no no no no. Don't give up on me. I won't give up on you." Dewlight whispered in a panic, looking around. She had to try to stop the bleeding. What did the medicine cats use? Mostly cobwebs, she thought, but... She didn't see anything. Grabbing a mouthful of reeds, she pushed those against Yarrowpaw's bleeding shoulder. "Hang on Yarrowpaw. I'll get you help. We'll get through this together. Just don't give up." She knew her words fell on deaf ears, and that the young tom was already unconscious, but she said them aloud anyway. She grabbed the tom by the scruff and hauled him up onto her shoulders and began to run for camp as fast as she could without him sliding off. The fish lay forgotten at the river's edge, along with the hawk's body. Her focus was on getting Yarrowpaw home and looked after. A trail of blood was left in her wake, Yarrowpaw's mixing with her own as blood soaked her chest and belly from her own wound. Each step was agony, but she had to make it. She couldn't afford not to.