learning the ropes [c]

Traces of the fizzing excitement from her apprentice ceremony still remained in Brindlepaw as she shifted her weight from paw to paw outside the warriors den. The sun was high in the sky, illuminating the newly-green leaves that encircled camp as a gentle breeze rustled their branches. It was a great day for her first proper explore of the territory, and the young apprentice was completely ready for her first training session. When Lichenwing emerged from the warrior's den, Brindlepaw had to resist pouncing into his path a travel, and instead excitedly joined the grey tom on his way out of camp. "What are we doing today? How fast do you think you can make me the best warrior in Thunderclan?" She questioned endlessly.

The shine of having his first apprentice was still fresh for Lichenwing, and as he led Brindlepaw away from the ThunderClan camp, the young tom couldn't stop thinking about all the things he wanted to teach, to share with her. Dark gray ears cupped backwards to catch her question, and he let out a small chuckle as he looked over his shoulder at her. "Well, I s'pose that's up to you, innit?" Lichenwing asked her, pausing his stride and lifting his nose to the air. He drew in a breath, opening his mouth so that the scents coated his tongue.

"Let's see..." he began, taking note of the prey scents that surrounded them. "Why don't you try an' find the squirrel that's 'round here somewhere?" he asked her. He knew, of course, which direction it was in, but this was a test for Brindlepaw... Darkspirit hadn't taken it easy on him, and Lichenwing wouldn't take it easy on Brindlepaw, either.

Brindlepaw was eager to get straight into the training, and she froze the stillest she'd probably ever been when asked to find the squirrel. It was the first thing Lichenwing had ever gotten her to do, so she desperately wanted to do it right. She opened her mouth slightly like she had seen her mentor do and breathed in deeply, waiting for the familiar scent. However, the apprentice was appalled to discover that there were so many scents in the forest, and pin-pointing the direction of one in particular seemed nearly impossible. After careful through and a few small paces, Brindlepaw flicked her tail to her left, near a large old oak tree, which she was sure where the squirrel was. "Is it over there?" She asked in a whisper, not wanting to scare away what could be her first catch.

He wasn't surprised when Brindlepaw guessed the right direction - she seemed like a smart kid, and he wasn't disappointed. Lichenwing nodded, grinning at her. "You got it!" he said in an excited whisper. "Now, watch here..." The gray tom sank down to his belly and stalked forward, keeping his weight even and avoiding any twig or leaf in his way as he crept forward. "See how I'm movin'? An' how my tail is straight back, not touchin' nothin'? That's how you get close without makin' any noise..." He straightened, motioning with his head towards the large oak tree. "Why don't you try to get as close to that squirrel as ya can before he sees ya? And if you're close enough..." he swiped his paw through the air, mimicking a slice. "Give it a try."

Brindlepaw watched Lichenwing closely, noticing the way he moved across the ground. She copied him, but decided to leave her tail up in the air - that way there was no way it would brush loudly on the ground.  Smugly, thinking she had already out-warriored her mentor, the apprentice moved towards the squirrel scent, carefully watching her paws. It wasn't long before the little animal was just in front of her, and, taking a chance, she pounced. Much to her satisfaction, her claws landed neatly around the squirrel, even though it had already started to run after spotting her. Proudly, she plonked the dead animal at the feet of her mentor. "I did it! I did it!" The surprise that would be evident in most apprentices tone was nowhere to be seen in Brindlepaw's. She had done it because she had decided she could.

Brindlepaw attempted to catch a squirrel. Catch was successful!
57/60

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 3