I'll Make a Man Out of You [C]

Fogpaw laid quietly in the den, unmoving. It had taken the young tom a little while to fall asleep. The apprentice den was far less comfortable, and it wasn't filled with familiar cats like he was used to. Plus, the excitement over his looming training kept his mind racing. He was honestly surprised he'd gotten any sleep at all, but he was grateful for it. He wanted to put his best paw forward with his first real expedition out of camp. He wasn't sure what he would be learning today, but he felt ready for whatever it would be.

He'd been laying in his nest with his eyes closed, just thinking to himself. Finally, he heard his mentor call his name. He nodded his head, rising up, slightly groggy still. "Yeah, I'm ready." he replied softly, stepping out of the den and shaking out his voluptuous grey fur. His face was frozen in a neutral expression, and his voice sounded just the same. Still, he was excited for this endeavor, no matter the struggle he had showing it. "What are we going to be doing today?" he asked, overwhelmed by his curiosity.

Fogpaw couldn't help himself as they left camp. After moons confined to the space, he'd been itching to get out, and it was no less exciting than he'd imagined. He tried to take it all in: the sights, the smells, the taste of the forest air on his tongue. He was able to walk quietly alongside his mentor, able to experience the outside world for the first time. It felt so liberating, and the apprentice was already enjoying the day. Things were made even better when he realized he'd be hunting! That was one of the things he had dreamed the most about in the nursery, and he'd even practiced it a few times. Of course, his "prey" had been bugs and leaves, but now he was ready to catch real creatures and provide for his clan. He looked up at Crookedlight, nodding at his instructions.

He took a slow breath, trying to let the smells linger on his nose. He tried to pick out each one, although it was slightly overwhelming. Even the familiar scent of the pines seemed ten times stronger. He was able to discern a slightly musky smell, one that seemed to be associated with an animal. The nutty scent that accompanied it was soon to follow. "A squirrel, I believe?" he asked, slightly unsure. He was fairly confident in his answer, but this all was so new to him.

Fogpaw beamed at the praise. It was gratifying to get something right, to be seen as knowledgeable, and not just a weird kit. Already, this training was going better than he'd hoped (and worried). He listened closely to his mentor's words, nodding his head in response. He was too focused to produce a verbal answer. He watched Crookedlight intently, afraid he might blink and miss it. It seemed impossible to do so much within a few seconds. But what else was there to do but try? Steadying himself with a breath, he turned around, locking his eyes on the squirrel. He waited for a moment, watching its movement. Then, when he felt ready (as he'd ever be, anyways), he leaned back on his hind legs before springing forward at the creature.

But the squirrel had seemingly become aware of danger and darted off. Fogpaw hoisted himself off of the ground, feeling embarrassed. He thought he'd been pretty quiet while stalking the prey, but apparently not. He huffed in frustration, turning back towards Crookedlight. He looked at his mentor for any advice or guidance he could offer. He just wanted to succeed. He knew it was unrealistic to always do things perfectly, but it would've been nice to prove himself on his first hunt.

Suddenly, he felt sharp teeth clench onto his leg, and he let out a gasp of pain. "Crookedlight!" he gasped, panicked. Gritting his teeth, he turned to see the angry eyes of a snake staring at him. So that had scared the squirrel away. And it seemed that the creature was not happy about losing its prey. The tom attempted to wriggle out of its grasp, but he barely had any mobility. The fanged animal had a fierce grip on his leg, and seemed intent on not letting go any time soon.

Fogpaw attempted to catch a squirrel but was unsuccessful [-3 SP]
The snake used Gripping Bite on Fogpaw [-7 HP and -15 SP]

Fogpaw: 13/20 HP | 57/60 SP
Snake: 15/15 HP | 60/75 SP

Only a few moments after calling out, Fogpaw felt his mentor approaching him rapidly. He shook his leg slightly, trying to dislodge the snake. Luckily, Crookedlight was able to free him from it's jaws. He exhaled quickly, backing up. The movements were automatic, he didn't want to get bit again. But the snake was vulnerable, and he had to finish the job.  He ran back towards the snake, claws unsheathed. He slashed at it angrily. His momentum was fleeting, and he backed off after a moment, afraid of getting attacked again. He panted slightly, exhausted by the aggressiveness that had overwhelmed him. He hated unexpected things, and that had certainly been unexpected. It hadn't hurt too much, and the snake hadn't made much of a puncture due to his fluffy pelt. Still, it had been a frightening experience. All he'd wanted was to catch the squirrel.

Mustering the strength it had left, the snake slithered off into a nearby bush as quick as it could. Its wounds were great, and it didn't want to risk any more trouble when it was so close to being killed by the cats.

Fogpaw glanced back at Crookedlight, unsure of what to do. The snake had escaped, and a part of the apprentice wanted to seek it out again, to finish the job. The logical part of him argued that would be reckless, especially since he had just escaped its literal jaws. It was odd for him to be so dependent on the warrior's instructions, but they had helped him tremendously just moments ago. Without the older tom's advice, the snake would still be attached to his leg.

Fogpaw used Front Paw Strike [-6 HP and - 7 SP]
The snake fled!

Fogpaw: 13/20 HP | 50/60 SP
Snake: 01/15 HP | 60/75 SP

Finally, after the snake was gone, Fogpaw became aware again. He'd been swept up in the moment, not noticing the sharp pain in his leg, or much of his surroundings. He looked up at Crookledlight, nodding slowly. "Yeah, my leg hurts a little- but I think I'm okay." The bleeding had slowed greatly. He grimaced slightly as his mentor licked the wound, but he didn't say anything. He'd survive, that was the important thing.

He nodded again, starting to walk alongside the older tom. Although it was an unexpected situation, he had enjoyed moments of fighting. And the praise bestowed upon him just added to his mood, and his injury slipped further and further from his mind. "Thanks. It was a bit scary, but I enjoyed getting a chance to fight." he hummed quietly.