We Must Move Faster [c]

Gender: Female
Rank: T2 Warrior

Nectarflower was perched on the ledge that overlooked Windclan's camp, watching the sun rise and set the sky ablaze with its golden light. Today would be Quickpaw's first day of training and she was determined not the let the young apprentice down. She would be a good mentor - just like Sootstorm had been. Though Weaselfoot's death still hung heavy in her heart, she would no longer let it drag her down. Windclan still needed her and with an apprentice to care for, she had to pull herself together.

The tortoiseshell had told Quickpaw to meet her here at dawn the night before and now that dawn was here, Nectarflower wondered if she should check on her to make sure she was awake. No - Quickpaw still had some time.

Nectarflower didn't want to be a rock in the mud - she had already decided to be a fun mentor. Now, fun didn't mean she would be a pushover. Quickpaw would receive every ounce of training required to one day become a strong, wonderful addition to Windclan. Though, was strength all that made one worthy to be a warrior?

Surely, cultivating a strong relationship was more important? Surely, Windclan needed loyal, thoughtful cats just as much? While Sootstorm was right to focus so heavily on battle training, it seemed just as important to teach Quickpaw more than just hunting and fighting. In the end, it was dependent on what Quickpaw was like. They could start with the basics then, at least so Nectarflower could get to know her apprentice.

Gender: Female
Rank: T2 Warrior

Nectarflower was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of an approaching cat and swiftly got to her paws. As expected, it was her apprentice. She smiled gently at the younger she-cat and shook her head reassuringly. "You're just on time, actually." Another few minutes would've made her late, but Nectarflower wasn't a stickler for punctuality, so she didn't mind.

Calmly, she beckoned for Quickpaw to follow her before leading the way further from the camp. "How're you feeling? Ready for your first day of training?" It was a beautiful day out with not a cloud in sight. The wind was fast, but not too rough - perfect for Quickpaw's start to apprentice hood. With any luck, they would find a rabbit Nectarflower could use to jumpstart Quickpaw's training.

If not, well, she could always teach Quickpaw the basics of stalking. Nectarflower was a paws on learner and preferred to wing it, but some cats learned better through practicing before acting. She would need to find out which of the two Quickpaw was. With any luck, Quickpaw wouldn't give her too much trouble - Nectarflower didn't feel like she was ready for complications like that.

Gender: Female
Rank: T2 Warrior

Nectarflower nodded. "Good, just make sure you're getting enough sleep from now on. Wouldn't want you falling asleep in the middle of training, right?" She winked, letting Quickpaw know that she was just kidding and wasn't seriously concerned about the young apprentice passing out during training.

Feeling somewhat tired herself, the warrior silently reminded herself that she too needed to be getting more sleep. Though, regardless of her sleep pattern, there was plenty to do that would keep her awake. Between Quickpaw's training and the usual work that went into keeping Windclan safe and fed, Nectarflower had no concerns about falling behind much less falling asleep.

Right now, however, she needed to find some prey to begin teaching Quickpaw Windclan's hunting technique. Her green eyes scanned the moor and she opened her jaws, tasting the air for any prey. A wayward breeze carried the scent of rabbit up a nearby hill and Nectarflower's pupils dilated. Perfect.

"Okay Quickpaw, I want you to follow me very quietly. We're going to try sneaking up on a rabbit. Watch how I crouch." She dropped her body into the perfect rendition of a hunter's crouch, her legs spaced out and her tail lifted just enough to not trail along the ground. "Rabbits have very sensitive hearing, so me must be silent." This was as good a place to start as any.

She'd teach Quickpaw how to properly stalk a rabbit, then show how best to chase one down. From there it was a matter of letting the younger she-cat figure things out for herself with some guided practice.

Gender: Female
Rank: T2 Warrior

Nectarflower looked over Quickpaw's form and adjusted her footing slightly before nodding. There - it was better. Not perfect, but better. With more practice, Quickpaw would be a superb hunter in no time. With a flick of her tail, the warrior crept across the moor toward the rabbit, her ears angled forward to hear even the slightest noise. Even a bird flying overhead could jeopardize a hunt by alerting nearby prey to potential danger. She would have to explain that to Quickpaw later, though.

As they made their way closer and closer to the rabbit, Nectarflower made silent notes of Quickpaw's innate skills. There was certainly potential. With her voice lowered to a whisper, she glanced at Quickpaw, expression serious, but still friendly. "I'll show you the proper technique to use when chasing down a rabbit. Watch me closely and maybe, if you think you're ready, you can try to catch the next one."

Once she was sure Quickpaw understood, Nectarflower slunk down the hill toward the rabbit, thanking Starclan for the wind being in her favor today. The fluffy creature was busy nibbling at a stalk of grass, much to Nectarflower's satisfaction. This would make her job all that much easier.

She circled the rabbit, getting between it and its burrow. Then, finally, with only a few strides between her and the rabbit, Nectarflower burst from the grass. She clamped her jaws around the rabbit's neck, but her hold was weak. Without warning, the rabbit swung free from her grasp and tore off across the moor before disappearing down the nearest burrow. She was such a fluff brain, that was sloppy.

It had been a little while since she'd hunted last and with the extra weight she'd gained, it was no wonder the rabbit had escaped her grasp. With a flick of her tail, Nectarflower turned and trotted back up the hill toward Quickpaw. She smiled, her mood unaffected by the failed hunt. "Well, that didn't go as planned. But It's okay - not every hunt can be successful. If it was, the moor would run out of prey in a moon and we'd be fatter than kittypets."

She purred out a laugh and shrugged before fixing her attention back on Quickpaw. "It may not have been the perfect example, but tell me what you noticed? What did I do to sneak up on it and why do you think it got away?"

Gender: Female
Rank: T2 Warrior

Nectarflower nodded approvingly and gestured toward the bottom of the hill where the rabbit had been. There were several burrows hidden in the tall grass and dips in the earth where Starclan knows how many rabbits lived. Most of the burrows were well-disguised by the surrounding terrain, but some were easy to spot. The more Quickpaw hunted, the easier it would be for her to discern where the burrows were.

From the rabbit-trails in the grass to the bare patches of grass where the rabbits ate - there were many indicators that rabbits lived here. She tilted Quickpaw's head slightly to the side, lining up her sightline with one of the better-hidden burrows. "Very good. Now, see that there? The dip in the ground? It may not look like it, but that's a burrow behind all the grass. They're hard to see, so you have to be careful not to step in them when you're running. You could easily twist a paw that way."

With a thoughtful look on her face, Nectarflower looked down at Quickpaw. It would be best to explain herself now than wait for Quickpaw to figure it out herself later down the line. "I'm not sure if you noticed...but I'm expecting kits. It won't hold back your training - I'll just be a little clumsier than usual." She said with a purr - she was already a clumsy cat by nature.

With a shrug, Nectarflower moved on, not wanting to dwell on the matter. "Now, what do you say about trying it for yourself?" The young warrior led Quickpaw a little further from the site of her failed hunt and tested the air for prey scent. Good, there was a rabbit nearby. "Smell the air. See if you can pinpoint where the prey is. Then, I want you to try to catch it." Just in case Quickpaw forgot, Nectarflower demonstrated the proper way to execute a hunter's crouch.

"As long as you step lightly and get a good grip on your prey, your hunt should go well. If it doesn't, we can always try again." She remained low to the ground even after speaking so as not to disrupt Quickpaw's hunt once the she-cat got started. It would be awful if she failed her hunt and messed up Quickpaw's too.

Gender: Female
Rank: T2 Warrior

Nectarflower purred with amusement at Quickpaw's excitement and watched as the young apprentice contained her excitement to a simmer. With an amused twitch of her whiskers, Nectarflower hunkered down, her green eyes locked on Quickpaw as she crept across the moor. She blinked approvingly at the younger she-cat's strategy, noticing that Quickpaw followed her advice and got between the rabbit and its burrow.

Things were looking good when Quickpaw pounced and Nectarflower lifted her head expectantly. Then, Quickpaw sailed over the rabbit, which was honestly an easy mistake to make at this stage of learning. The rabbit turned around and raced back to its burrow as Quickpaw recovered and, deeming the hunt a failure, Nectarflower got to her paws and trotted toward Quickpaw. "Don't worry about it, most apprentices don't make their first catch."

She ran her tail comfortingly over Quickpaw's shoulder then turned to lead her away from the burrow. It would be fruitless to wait for the rabbit to come back. "I have an idea. One popular hunting technique is a more paws-on approach. I'll sneak up on the rabbit and chase it from its warren. In its panic to get away from me, it won't be looking for danger ahead of it. That's where you come in."

Nectarflower followed her nose to the scent of another rabbit and as they approached another burrow, she gestured to a small dip in the ground near the burrow. "You can hide there. I'll bring the rabbit to you and, while its distracted, you can get it." Nectarflower had often hunted using this technique when she was an apprentice - Sootstorm had taught her well.

Gender: Female
Rank: T2 Warrior

Nectarflower waited until Quickpaw had settled comfortably and safely in the hollow before setting out toward the rabbit. The fluffy creature wasn't too far from its warren, but a quick look around made it clear that there were no other tunnels nearby for the rabbit to escape into. So, provided she blocked the rabbit from darting into its warren, the hunt should go well for Quickpaw.

Ears pinned against her skull, Nectarflower crept toward the long-legged creature before finally, the time was right to strike. Glancing once more to ensure that Quickpaw was ready, Nectarflower went still. Then, with a burst of speed, the tortoiseshell she-cat leapt from the cover of the tall grass, her tail streaming behind her as she raced toward the rabbit with a ferocious snarl.

Eyes blown wide, the rabbit didn't hesitate before tearing away from her, its tail bobbing mesmerizingly behind it as it let out a terrified squeal. It began veering to the right, away from Quickpaw, but Nectarflower cut it off, snapping at the air beside its flank and driving it straight toward Quickpaw's hiding place.

The warrior slowed her pace before eventually coming to a halt, placing herself directly between the rabbit and the nearest den. From here, she was unlikely to disrupt Quickpaw's hunt while also keeping an eye on the apprentice to see how this next attempt went. Hopefully, Quickpaw would manage to make some progress this time - at the very least to keep her spirits high.