what riverclan is all about (c)

This was not the first time that Perchstar had taken an apprentice out on their first hunting patrol. However, every other time she had done so, that apprentice had been able to use all four of their legs. This would be new for both of them. Leaving camp was slow going. It may have been a little faster due to the rain that hadn't stopped all night and was continuing through to the late morning. The ground was slicker, perhaps making Lavenderpaw more able to slide himself forward with only his front paws. She walked just in front of him, but glanced back frequently to make sure that he was following. Her pace was slowed down so that he could keep up. But thankfully, their destination wasn't too far. Eventually they arrived at Sunningrocks--the shallowest part of the river, and therefore the safest place for Lavenderpaw to try fishing for the first time. The sound of the rain pattering against stone filled the air, drops hitting the hard surface before rolling down to join the river's gentle current. Perchstar saw a few silver flashes of fish in the depths. Quietly, she positioned herself downstream on the river and sat, waiting patiently for her apprentice to join her. This would be difficult--but doable. And sometimes, the hardest things were the ones most worth doing.

Late morning rain was pouring down, continuing persistently since last night. Lavenderpaw was not in his nest or even the island camp but outside for the first time in his life.

The green-leaf storm made the ground slick and muddy, but like many RiverClan cats, Lavenderpaw did not mind being soaking wet and covered in mud.

To the newly named apprentice, the shine of every falling droplet fizzled with excitement. It was not the heavy raindrops on the roof of the den of woven reeds that had woken him; Perchstar had come to take Lavenderpaw fishing.

She glanced back at him frequently as he followed her slowed pace, his strong upper body easily pulling along his back legs. Lavenderpaw always blinked back at her, the hint of a quiet smile on his face.

Perchstar did not take him far, just to the sunning rocks, where the river was gentle and perfect for a first lesson. She positioned herself elegantly on the riverbank, downstream he noted, as he caught up to her.

Fishing came naturally to him when he dreamed, but now Lavenderpaw wasn't sure how to position himself. "You can hold on to my back legs if it makes you feel better," he offered.

Lavenderpaw tried laying on his front with his paws resting over the edge of the bank. That freed both paws to hook out a fish and got him closest to the water.

But, as he positioned himself with his front half dangling out over the flow of the river, it was difficult to move or balance and he would have to fling a fish up over his head and up the bank behind him.

Lavenderpaw swiftly pulled himself back up into a sitting position, one front paw holding him upright and the other poised above the water.

His balance was alright, the weighty anchor of his unmoving back legs and one strong front paw firmly on the bank.

His upper body was muscular and sleek and, with practice, a paw would hook a fish out of the water with a glistening flick of claws.

He waited quietly and patiently. Lavenderpaw felt at home beside the river. The rain pattered on the rocks and Lavenderpaw's still, dark-grey form, slowly rolling down to join the gentle current.

The pitter-patter sound of the raindrops hitting the hard surface of stone filled his ears. Lavenderpaw focused on the silver flashes in the river's depths. He waited.

A fish stilled for just a moment and Lavenderpaw, already stilled and poised to strike, quickly shot out a paw for it.

The member 'isla' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

The member 'isla' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

Perchstar was expecting to begin the way she usually did--teaching an apprentice the basics of fishing. However, Lavenderpaw moved nearly too fast for her, despite his disability. Before she knew it, he was already lying on the banks of the river, paws hanging into the water for a moment. It took that moment for Perchstar to catch up mentally and realize her usual tips and tricks may not work quite as well for one who had such problems with balance. But since Lavenderpaw seemed determined to try it by himself, she kept her mouth shut and simply watched him. What would he attempt?

After straightening himself up, he unsheathed his claws--a little clumsily, but it may have been his first time needing to do so--and actually managed to swipe a fish out of the water. Despite the excited twitch of his whiskers, he kept focused and tried again, though with less force this time, allowing the fish to escape. Still... with no training, he had caught a fish. It had not been a well-executed movement, but it had been a good first try. And he had caught one. Mildly impressed, but a little bit unsure how to deal with an apprentice who had not thought to let himself be taught, Perchstar blinked slowly at him for a second. "That was an impressive catch," she told him finally, nodding at the freshly killed fish lying on the sandy bank. "There are a few techniques you should learn that ought to help you. First, when you are catching the fish, you need to move your paw swiftly, but with force. Speed will not help if your paw is too limp, as the fish will be able to flop out and escape." She raised her own white paw and demonstrated. Her claws were a sharp flash as she swiped over the river, but there was a quiet whoosing sound as she pushed air out of the way with the strength of her blow. "You also want to be patient. Your second catch was too soon after your first. Usually, you want to wait until the ripples have left the surface of the water, so that the fish will not be wary of you and know to flee. Does that make sense?"

His baffled leader's praise expanded the spark of pride in Lavenderpaw so that he felt like he was holding the sun inside. He blinked back at her, a gentle purr kindling almost inaudibly beneath the steady sound of the rain. "Thank you," Lavenderpaw said, dipping his head gratefully to his teacher.

He had hurried ahead of her instruction, too excited to do what all the other apprentices did. Now that Lavenderpaw had done it, proving wrong a doubt he hadn't known he had held in until he felt it gone, he just listened and watched.

After observing Perchstar carefully, he held up his left front paw and unsheathed his claws. It was an unpracticed motion, only done for the first time a moment ago. He repeated it once more, concentrating on getting used to the feeling of extending his claws out.

With a fore-paw already strong from pulling his unmoving lower body, he swiped out over the river. The soft sound that accompanied his blow was satisfying. He switched paws, testing his right as well. With careful coordination, he alternated his blows, one whoosh through the air swiftly followed by the next. He hoped Perchstar would correct his form if need be. He would practice this back in camp until his muscles ached.

He let his paws stand still again while Perchstar explained why his second attempt had missed. The fish had already been fleeing. That made sense. "Alright," he nodded. A little too excitedly, he asked, "May I try again?" He waited for her instruction this time.

Perchstar watched carefully as Lavenderpaw practiced. It seemed that his eagerness had simply been a desire to prove himself rather than carelessness. She supposed that made sense; starting from a more difficult place than the other apprentices, perhaps he needed to show himself more than her that he could also be capable. She knew quite well enough about how one could struggle with one's own sense of worth. So instead she simply blinked and saw how quickly he could learn. "Yes, like that," she said calmly, offering a nod of approval. It was nice to know that if nothing else, he would be a help to the Clan through hunting, as long as he was with a strong and trusted warrior. He certainly would not be a burden like he had feared. "Go ahead. Use whichever paw is strongest first."

Lavenderpaw was pushing himself and Perchstar was calm and patient in guiding him through it. Her affirmation was alleviating a little bit of his sneaky doubts. She did not seem bothered by his eagerness to try again, simply offering an invitation.

He settled back into the posture he had found worked best, no longer concerned how far he was from the water sitting up, now that he knew how to strike with his full strength. Lavenderpaw waited for his moment, knowing there wouldn't be time to strike twice.

He took a deep breath in. Once was beginners' luck...

Twice. Lavenderpaw caught a fish.

"I did it!" Lavenderpaw said quietly, wanting to hear the words aloud, his eyes really shining brightly. Although it was not as elegant as Perchstar yet, the catch was easily within his ability.

He looked to his teacher with almost a look of relief. It hid his growing confidence that had him sitting tall and sure of his own ability. As well as his doubts, he realised there had always been an even bigger part of him, driving him, which had known deep down he could do it.

His teacher had brought that part out in him. With a smile to her, he closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.

The member 'isla' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 6