protege [closed for sprout]

Stoatfur was exhausted. He didn't know why he'd suggested before sunrise as the perfect time for training when he despised being up so early. Perhaps it had been ingrained into his mind that suggesting such a thing might make him a more intimidating mentor, or test the resolve of his young apprentice. Instead, the deputy was testing himself. With a overexaggerated yawn, the brown and white tom grumbled his entire way to the apprentice's den. There was no attempt at silent pawsteps, although his weight made the movements lighter. When finally spotting the apprentice, he did not even check to see if the tom was already awake, merely prodded him swiftly and then exited the den. Sleep caused his daze to be blurry but thankfully his paws traced the route for him; he knew exactly where to take Minnowpaw.

Snakerocks had become somewhat of an odd sanctuary for him but today he didn't seemed excited by their endeavor. Most of the way, he was silent, opting to lead the way without a word. There was no use for pointless words at such an early time. Not even the sun was awake yet. Birds had just begun to sing their morning songs. Speech would be reserved for instruction and little more. Admittedly, he'd done what he could to not think about Prickletail and yet it seemed a sleep afflicted brain wanted to call such unpleasantries to the surface. He didn't look at his new apprentice and rather listened for pawsteps to confirm he was being followed. Until they arrived at the chosen place. When he stopped, he turned and meowed, "I'm not going to show you the territory today, beyond where we had traveled. You'll learn on patrols. Instead, we will focus on hunting and fighting. You have to learn to hold your own, Minnowpaw, to be an asset to the clan. It would do you good to listen to what I have to say."

Eyes heavy with sleep, Minnowpaw pulled himself up, woken up by sharp prod. The sun isn't even up yet! He complained inwardly, keeping his maw shut in shallow hopes of pleasing his mentor. His thoughts were interrupted by a freezing gust of wind, threatening to throw him off his paws, chilling the grey and white tom to his bones. With silent pawsteps, the newly made apprentice trailed after his mentor.

Exiting camp, sleep was suddenly not a problem. His senses instinctively switched on alert, taking in the quiet forest sounds and scents. Minnowpaw did his best to remember the way their muted walk was headed. After walking in silence for what seemed an endless quiet to him, Stoatfur came to a stop. He met his mentor's orange gaze with his own, for the first time noticing a similarity between the two. Perhaps they had just gotten off on the wrong paw. He listned attentively to what his mentor had to say, acknowledging the deputy's words with a flick of the ears before inquiring, "Where are we standing now?"

"Snakerocks." He said simply, flicking his ear as he suppressed yawn. Eyes raked the smooth stones, contrasted in places by jagged edged boulders. The many cracks and crevices that made for the perfect hiding places for the wriggling predators. That would be his apprentice's target today. In his time as a warrior, he'd brought several younger cats here more as a fun challenge, rather than a means of training. But now the tone had changed. Last time was a mixed memory for him and now his head swam with several concerns, churning emotions... and he could hardly pick apart what he felt about the young tom before him.

"The snakes will teach you to keep your paws light in battle and how to strike at an opponent who out speeds you. Watch. I'll instruct you as you go." Stoatfur turned around, finding the scaly body of a snake just at the edge of the rocks. He scooped out the creature with his claws and threw it a couple of tail-lengths from the apprentice. Without hesitation, the brown and white tom lashed out at their new opponent. Hopefully Minnowpaw was intuitive. Dovefrost would hardly take kindly to a snake-bitten new apprentice. As it hissed lowly, the creature darted forward and swiftly punctured the skin of his foreleg. Stoatfur shook it off, used to the sensation, and was easily able to push away any sort of reaction, "Keep your eyes focused and watch the target. Another decent hit should take it out. Show me what you can do." Hearing himself sounded strange. He was stoic and straightforward. This wasn't usual morning grumpiness - he hated it.

Serpentine Movement is active. - Roll is a success! Next move hits.
Stoatfur used Jumping Strike, dealing 10 (+3) damage and using 7 stamina.
Snake used Serpent Strike, dealing 6 damage and using 10 stamina.

Stoatfur
HP: 49/65 [disadvantaged stats active, -5hp/-30sp]
SP: 103/140

Snake
HP: 2/15
SP: 65/75

ooc; give this is probably your first battle i recommend taking a look through the pages here! my post breaks down all the different components of a predator battle, specific to a snake. it is incredibly helpful to read the guides and look at each move's details before usage. im going to include a link to the relevant pages. please let me know if you need any help navigating the system :) you can dm me on discord as well to! battle system and rules; hunting system + predator info; battle tutorial

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

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'Effect Dice' : 2

Snakerocks... Just as the name suggested, a snake could be spotted. Before he had a chance to react, his mentor was already leaping into action. The thin scaly body was flung into the air, landing with a thud in front of him. It took quite an effort not to flinch, staring at the slithering creature with burning intensity. In a flash the snake had darted in for an attack, but it seemed to have no effect on Stoatfur.

Show me what you can do. the warrior's voice echoed in his head.

It was his turn now. Heart suddenly pounding, his mind raced thinking of ways to take this snake out and impress his mentor. The snake's tail lashed out, flicking on the ground. Taking the chance, the apprentice leaped forward, clamping his jaws onto it with his teeth, yanking it as hard as he was able. Unfortunately, the predator was feisty, jerking its thin tail out of his grip, causing him to sprawl backwards with momentum. Pelt hot with embarrassment and disappointment, he scrambled back onto his paws.

Serpentine Movement is active. - Roll is a fail! Next move misses.
Minnowpaw attempted to use Tail Yank, dealing 0 damage and using 15 stamina.

Minnowpaw [disadvantaged stats active, -5HP/-30SP]
HP:15/20
SP:15/60

Snake
HP:2/15
SP:65/75

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

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'Effect Dice' : 5

As he watched after the young apprentice, white hot disappointment burned in his stomach. He wanted to snap, to laugh maybe, and call out such lack of skill. But Stoatfur bit his tongue. Of course Minnowpaw didn't know anything - this was his first day of training. Although, rooted deeper than that understanding was a fear that perhaps the kit didn't truly understand what it meant to survive, or that the grey and white tom would not grow into the ferocity needed to help the clan survive. It was these thoughts that briefly froze the warrior's paws and had his paws stuck to the ground like it were covered in honey.

But the time he had recovered enough to lash out once again, the creature was twisting and turning, and angry creature ready to strike. It was quicker than not just the apprentice but also himself. Teeth embedded themselves into his foreleg and he let out a low hiss. The little deputy recoiled and the fangs were ripped away. This was different from previous bites that he received - deeper, and his head spun. The creature was an angry whip that threatened to lash out again in a moment. He couldn't let Minnowpaw take a hit. No matter his reservations or concerns of weakness. Even the venomous thought that it would be one less mouth to feed.

"Go on, Minnowpaw! Kill it!" Stoatfur snapped, with an urgency bubbling up in the back of his throat. As he stepped forward to close some of the distance between them, drawing closer just in case, he felt his head swim. Without meaning to a hiss followed the words. He willed Minnowpaw to take the hit and to knock the snake out. This was a selfish desire, surely, rooted in a sense of self-preservation, or worse, pride. His apprentice needed to do well. Claws dug into the earth to steady himself as he waited for this confrontation to end. If it were just him, it would have already been over, that he was sure of.

Serpentine Movement is active. Next attack misses.
Stoatfur attempted to use front paw strike; it misses, using 7 stamina.
Snake used venom strike, dealing 20 damage and using 30 stamina

Stoatfur
HP: 29/65 [disadvantaged stats active, -5hp/-30sp]
SP: 96/140

Snake
HP: 2/15
SP: 35/75

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

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'Effect Dice' : 6

It surprised him that the warrior had not said anything. Given nothing away. The fact that his mentor was so difficult to read was frustrating him. Empathy he would embrace with open paws, yet there was none.

For even the first day of training, it wasn't going so well. Something about Stoatfur made Minnowpaw feel desperate- desperate to impress or please.. he wasn't sure. The cause of this urgency could have been the admiration he had for the deputy or that he was.. scared of him. He understood that the deputy had a reputation to uphold and that him being chosen to be Stoatfur's apprentice was unlucky. Other apprentices might think it was lucky, but he was starting to realize that it was everything but the truth. He had a reputation to uphold now. Unable to meet his mentor's gaze, he fixed his eyes on the snake, hoping with all his might that he would land a blow this time. I have to.

Colors flew by, the world was moving to fast for the apprentice to process. His mentor missed a hit. Next, the snake had bitten Stoatfur- he didn't look good. And now Minnowpaw was the one in focus.

The aggression with which the warrior commanded the apprentice was frightening.

Overwhelming... was a better word for it. The hiss following it made him cringe. Was I that bad?

The furious snake sped towards him; fear and panic flashed in his orange eyes. Danger! Run! Move! Do something! his brain screamed. His head ached with the burden of pressure. His body felt disconnected, paralyzed, heavy as rock.

It seemed like he wouldn't be able to make it in time, but at the last second, survival instincts were triggered.

Lashing out with claws and teeth, the apprentice blindly attacked. A horrific display of lacking skill.

Disbelief made his vision fuzzy. Minnowpaw felt like breaking down in tears. The snake remained uninjured, alive and intact. Why can't I do such a simple task?

Serpentine Movement is active. Next move misses.
Minnowpaw used Front Paw Strike, missing the blow and costing 7 SP.

Snake/Adder
HP: 2/15
SP: 35/75

Minnowpaw
HP: 15/20
SP: 8/60

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

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'Effect Dice' : 6

The snake spat at his apprentice and through blurred vision, the warrior focused on his enemy. This wasn't over. He'd been bitten by snakes many times before, endured their venom and the tearing of his flesh. This was nothing and yet it felt worse than before. There was little time to think about the flickering fear that his apprentice lacked any natural born skill. Already, even in this delirious state, Stoatfur could see Minnowpaw panic. Beyond the twisting of their scaled foe, the grey and white tom had begun to lose his concentration, favoring wild swings instead of calculated blows.

If he hadn't seen it, hadn't read the face of the apprentice, he would have probably been able to shove down the mounting frustrations. The disappointment was not just in the untrained Minnowpaw but directed at himself; it was hard to distinguish between the two. As he watched the snake coil slightly, predicting the strike aimed at Minnowpaw, the deputy snarled. Such a sound was unusual for a cat with such a small frame, and even more uncharacteristic for Stoatfur. It was cathartic and terrifying all at once - he sounded like his father. And he had moments earlier when snapping at the younger tom.

The realization hit him harder than the dangerous poison that coursed through his veins. Claws sunk into the base of the adder's head, causing the rest of its rope-like body to slow in an instant. He stood right before Minnowpaw with a shocked look slowly becoming painted across his maw. In an instant, the fury had disappeared. Sides heaved and the sides of his face fell slightly into a bewildered frown - an expression that was so peculiar in contrast to the normal stone features, or the increasingly sparse moments of jest. Claws retracted back into their sheaths slowly. It took a moment before he even blinked.

"I-" Words died at the base of his tongue to never be found again. Stoatfur shook his head slowly, trying to claw his way out of the daze that had overcome him, "I hope you learned something from this, Minnowpaw. I hope next time you fight, your paws are faster and you aren't choked up with fear." It wasn't what had originally threatened to spring from between his teeth. And while the words were little in the way of encouragement, his voice was soft, cracking ever so slightly. Fire had been snapped out of him in an instant.

"I'll show you basic moves to practice before we train next. We can try hunting another day."

Serpentine Movement is active. Roll for hit... success!
Stoatfur attempted to use front paw strike success, dealing 10 damage and using 7 stamina.
Snake is KO'd!

Stoatfur
HP: 29/65 [disadvantaged stats active, -5hp/-30sp]
SP: 89/140

Snake
HP: 0/15
SP: 35/75

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

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'Effect Dice' : 2

The snake was dead.

Minnowpaw needed a second to register that Stoatfur.. it was.. dead. His mentor had protected him, yes. His mentor had also snapped at him, yes. The stunned apprentice felt his mind spiral in a chaotic train of confusion. After a tense moment of quiet, he lifted his head, finding his mentor in a similar state of mind. There were no words to be uttered, only a quiet nod.