splash! [training]

While not as sharp as some of the first outings she had taken her apprentice on, Mistwalker still felt that gentle nag of anxiety as she poked her head into the apprentice's den. Spotting the particular silver tabby she was after, the warrior carefully stepped over the other sleeping apprentices to press her nose to Bubblepaw's head. "Bubblepaw, meet me by the Broken Pools. It's spar day." Her words were hushed and quick. There was no need to fluff them up, lest she risk waking other apprentices. With her message given, she had made her way out as quietly as she had made her way in, the only sign she was there being the faint tinge of her scent in the air. Inherently Riverclan, but mixed with something other deep down. Not enough to separate her too much from her clanmates, but those she lived with would pick up on it.

Confidently, she made her way towards the broken pools. Already, she had let the queens know that she would be training there for the morning, giving them the heads up so they wouldn't bring their kits. Not that they wouldn't have been safe, but it was much easier to teach an apprentice to spar and use water to her advantage when there weren't little ones around attempting to learn more about the world. Attempting to tag along, or unfortunately, get in the way.

As soon as Mistwalker spotted her apprentice appearing, her head dipped in greeting. "Ready to learn to fight like a Riverclanner?"

"Even if not, that is a skill easily taught." Mistwalker gave a very brief wink to her apprentice, her feathered tail flicking and stirring up just a small amount of the sand that sat beneath.

For the small time that it had taken for the molly before her to rise and make her way over to the broken pools, the warrior had been contemplating just how to best teach what made Riverclan unique to fighting. Sure, kits fought in the midst of camp all the time. There certainly was a thread of intrinsic instinct when it came to a battle, a silent pull to use teeth or claws in certain situations that didn't even require the use of the mind at all. But it was just that... it was instinct. Instinct was just as deadly to the opponent as it was to the one who wielded them. The main point of teaching, of training, was to learn the tactics. Strategies that would turn those instincts into a honed weapon, that allowed them to work alongside the cat using them instead of against.

"Just like our food, we gain much of our strategy from water." Mistwalker began, rising to her paws. A small stream had been filled thanks to a recently-passing storm, and its trickle made for a perfect example as the warrior stretched out in a manner that almost made her appear as if she herself were that very tiny brook. "We fight as if we are water. Fluid, graceful movements. Slippery, too." She moved from that fluid form to nod towards Bubblepaw's pelt. Already, she could see the signature sheen that Riverclan cats had gained on their pelts to help repel the water. It coated Mistwalker's, too. "From swimming, our pelts are harder to keep hold of. We take advantage of that in battle, because most cats have a goal of pinning their opponent and keeping them prone. Off of their own paws."

Enough of an explanation. Sitting up, that mischievous glint seemed to return to the mentor's eye. It came and went whenever she was around her apprentice, the playful side of her that was still full of youth readily brought out in small glimpses. "Rules of sparring. You can use teeth, but not hard enough to pierce. Keep claws to a minimum, unless you need to grip onto fur. The moment someone calls in pain, spar is over and you make sure your clanmate is okay." The rules slipped easily from her tongue. Practiced, recited rules that she had used over and over when training during her own apprenticeship. For a moment, she thought back to her spar with one of Riverclan's longer-standing apprentices, Larkpaw. A peculiar tom, he was. Part of her liked him simply for his unyielding oddity and unapologetic sense of self. "I'm going to come towards you- see if you can figure out something around you a Riverclan cat would use to their advantage."

She would show off Riverclan's signature move momentarily, but first, she wanted to see if Bubblepaw could figure it out herself. Taking a few paces away, Mistwalker gave a nod... before pushing off the sand and charging right for her apprentice, her own paws outstretched in a blow that would go right for her apprentice's legs in an attempt to knock her over.

Mistwalker 'used' front paw blow, 'dealing' 6 damage and costing 5 stamina!
Mistwalker
40 / 40 HP
95 / 100 SP [-5]

Bubblepaw
14 / 20 HP [-6]
60 / 60 SP

As her apprentice charged right for her, Mistwalker allowed the hit. It certainly had enough force in it to move her, but not quite enough to do any real sort of damage. Still, she gave an affirming nod. "Good move to use on another apprentice-but not quite a warrior." She gently guided, before ducking her head and going to return the very move that Bubblepaw had dealt to her. "My head is low and towards your paws-that makes it an easy target. Combine that with the fact we work with water." She continued to guide, giving a bit more clear guidance.

Mistwalker 'used' headbutt, dealing 6 damage and using 5 stamina.

Bubblepaw
hp - 8/20 [-6]
sp - 55/60

Mistwalker
hp - 36/40
sp - 90/100 [-5]

There was nothing but an encouraging grin that momentarily flashed upon the mentor's features when she saw the brief hesitance of her apprentice. Holding her breath, she allowed her apprentice to push her head under the water. A stream of bubbles appeared around them as she slowly exhaled, and the only sign she could give that Bubblepaw had done perfectly was a grunt of approval. It was her clan's signature tactic, and perhaps a bit dirty, but it was useful. After all, most cats would meet the water with a sense of panic, which would only then aid them in the end. A panicked cat fought predictably.

Mistwalker is stunned for this turn!
Bubblepaw
8 / 20 HP
45 / 60 SP

Mistwalker
29 / 40 HP
90 / 100 SP