tranquil as a forest (c)

Not one apprentice, not two, not three, but four. Poppyshine was right to question her ability to rest.

However, Perchstar was set in her ways. If anyone was to enter her Clan secondpaw, then they would already need to be evaluated by her. What better way to get to know a new member's capabilities--and personality--than through training her herself? Rookpaw was nearly a warrior. Lavenderpaw and Cinderpaw could both handle themselves with other warriors by their sides. Today, she was going to spend time with Murkypaw.

So far, they had been walking through the territory in relative silence. It would only have been Murkypaw's second time seeing any of the territory, and her first time seeing most of it. Quiet would be best to let her take it in. Though Perchstar was far from a perfect mentor, she did her best to adjust her teaching style based on what the apprentice needed. Cats like Poppyshine and Tinypool needed to be met with a steady response to their enthusiasm, and full answers to their questions. Cats like Cinderpaw needed reassurance. Cats like Rookpaw needed logical thought and explanations. And Murkypaw... Perchstar wasn't quite sure yet. However, from the little bit she'd gleaned of the mature she-cat, she could tell that very much went on inside her head, and very little was allowed out of it. It was something similar to what the leader herself felt, and yet entirely different. So for now, she had simply been walking and observing, and allowing Murkypaw to do the same. Murkypaw probably needed time, more than anything. Time to introspect. Time to understand. And most importantly, time to get used to her new surroundings.

It was a swelteringly hot day. Perchstar wished that she could simply spend the entire day swimming, hiding from the sun's glare in cool rippling water. But Murkypaw would have no clue how to swim yet. And before teaching anything, it was best to get a sense of the territory. So she ignored the heat as she often did, keeping the vague spells of dizziness and moments of acute exhaustion from the visible eye, simply striding slow and steady through the shadiest parts of willow tree cover and deepest puddles of night-chilled water. A companionable silence, she hoped. She would not want to make Murkypaw uncomfortable.

Eventually, however, she needed to speak. Not out of her own desire to do so--far from it, as she would almost always prefer saying nothing to saying something--but simply because of the need to train. Much could be gained from walking around the territory, but it could only be sustained for so long at once. Murkypaw was bound to have many questions. Whether or not she would give voice to them was one matter, but she would need them answered either way. So after a long walk of quiet contemplation and observation, Perchstar's voice rose calmly above the shimmering heat of the day. "Are you content with your tour of the territory so far?" she asked. "There is always more to see, but I want to begin many things today so that you can have a full understanding as soon as possible. If it is all right with you, I will take you to the river next to fish. But if you prefer, we could begin an evaluation of your battle prowess instead. Or we could just sit for a while and talk. I have much knowledge, and you probably have many queries. The next step is up to you. I will do my best to assist."

It had been a rather sleepless night that met the youthful molly, and not for the reasons many would have suspected. All too easily could her restlessness have been attributed to the fact she was now sleeping in the camp of who once would have been regarded her enemy. Then her ally, and now, her home. To have to rest in a den that smelled of fish and the forest after a rain, rather than the bracken and richness of the earth. No, that was far from the reason that the tortoiseshell-flecked apprentice found little sleep coming to her. Nor was it on behalf of her new clanmates making her feel any semblance of unwelcome. Wary as all the other apprentices were, it was something that she had braced herself for. There was no expectations on her end to be welcomed with open paws. No, she fully believed that any loyalty found between her new clanmates would require nothing short of proving herself. Instead, the reason sleep seemed like nothing more than an illusion was because of what she was accustomed to. Her body was fully adjusted to resting during the day and being fully awake during the night. She had been raised as Thunderclan's nighttime guard, but here, she was to become something else entirely.

All of her effort had gone into keeping herself in that nest throughout the night, ignoring the call of habit to go patrol. Even if she did not know the territory, her senses would have guided her well enough. But that was not her place. Her place was to learn, to find a new way of life. Even as sleep had eluded her, she luckily felt awake enough to easily heed her mentor's summons. Blurry memories of times past when Thunderclan's long-disappeared deputy had once trained her flickered in her mind. Her last apprenticeship had been such a flash, it hardly had stuck. She would give that same amount of dedication and focus. She would not hesitate to push herself to her limits once again, to learn and to force that information to become the very thing she breathed, day in and day out.

Perchstar had given her the blessing of silent exploration. Even if it felt more like having an escort, Murkypaw didn't mind. It allowed her to observe. Even if the heat was significantly more uncomfortable for the molly than her exhaustion, she dared not make any complaints about it. Her pelt seemed to enjoy absorbing every fleck of heat, the onyx patches near flaming hot. Conversely, the rare flecks of alabaster seemed to stay cold, a comfortable chill she could feel. For the most part, though, she simply ignored what she felt. Her focus was on learning every inch of her new home. Tufted ears remained on a constant swivel, the sweeping gaze of dying embers focused on taking in every piece of information that the lands had to offer. There was less foliage here than in Thunderclan, and that made the paths easier to distinguish. Markers were easy to tell, permanently noted within her mind.

Even if it was only her second time through Riverclan lands, it was easy enough to identify certain elements of the territory. Most notably was the path that she had taken with Perchstar upon her induction, the too-close-together willow trees catching her attention alongside the far off rippling of a small creek. All details she would know like her leader's name. Information she would take to heart and live by much like the warrior code.

While she had been more than content to explore under silence, Murkypaw's trance was broken as the silver and white molly spoke. Her question was met with an affirmative grunt, with little need to draw out any conversation. It would feel like a lie on her end to attempt to make some half-hearted claim about how she was adoring the warmth, some twisted joke at the expense of their current suffering. However, it was what followed that truly piqued her attention. While there were plans, it seemed that the true path rested in her paws.

She considered it all heavily. The idea of learning to fish was certainly appealing, as she would be able to best begin benefitting her Clan. Alternatively, showing where she as at in battle may allow Perchstar to give her permission to guard the camp at night. That wouldn't matter, though, if she fought like a warrior not of the river. Learning more of the territory was a task that did not require dedicated time, and she failed to formulate any questions worth asking at the moment. Giving a slow blink as she considered her options, Murkypaw truly did contemplate them. If she were to prove herself worthy of Riverclan, it would best be in her interest to be able to provide. Predators came by less often than the need for food, and learning how to make use of her clan's signature resource would certainly make her more of a boon than an outsider and leech.

"I will observe my new home as we focus on other tasks to make best use of our time." With a monotone tongue, she began her answer. In the molly she followed, the young feline found a reflection. Words were never spoken more than necessary between the two of them, and that was a fact she did not take for granted. As one who was so used to living as a shadow, words hardly had a purpose. Actions spoke much louder. "Learning to fish will allow me to become a boon much quicker. I would appreciate your guidance." She forced gratitude into her tone. Not for the lack of it, as she was certainly thankful for the leader taking time out of her knowingly busy day to teach her, but to best display her thanks. Even if they both understood the minimal need to speak, or to show what they truly felt, there were times it was beneficial. Efficient. "The water should allow us refuge from this heat. I look forward to placing my paws in." Her comment had more use than simply noting the heat: it was her indication of willingness. Many other cats shied away from the water, but it had been proven that she did not. Perhaps not to Perchstar, but one of her clanmates. He'd dragged her out from it, after all.

"I should note... Do not take my lack of conversation as offense. I learn best by observing and mimicking. I also have not kept company... so I am unskilled in conversation. However, I vow to voice any confusion or needs for clarification I may have." Assumptions led to disaster. While she saw some semblance of understanding in Perchstar, it was in her best interest to ensure that river ran clear. Any small pollutant would only be destructive, and it was in both of their best interests to keep it clean. For Perchstar's, to not waste the precious resource of time. For Murkypaw, to not waste the chance she had been given.

So dutifully, she followed towards the river. For a fleeting moment, a spark of kit-like anticipation sweltered in her chest, fizzling out soon after. Learning new skills gave her a thrill. Perhaps she would be able to pass on her knowledge of hunting the land-creates to her new clanmates at some point. After all, even if she could not trade what she knew of Thunderclan, that did not mean that there were skills she had to hide away and allow to wither. But for the time being, she was to add to her repertoire of abilities. Hunting and battle would be the easiest. Conversation and connection? Well, it was a good thing for the speckled she-cat that most cats would be recoiling at the idea of sharing tongues in such heat.

Perchstar continued to walk, but allowed her attention to be given to Murkypaw's words. A few moments of quiet thought ensued, followed by simple, straightforward sentences. The answer brought a gentle reassurance to the leader's heart. This had been the right choice. Murkypaw would be able to fit in perfectly well... and she had been right to want to mentor her herself. "The water is indeed a good refuge from the heat," she agreed. Her paws began to steer the duo towards the nearest bend of the river, which was thankfully not very far. "Not just from its temperature, but from the cooler air nearby. We are blessed to have such a boon during greenleaf's worst days."

The lack of conversation was far from offensive to Perchstar. She herself had grown up with very little ability to speak to anyone, which had left her very alone most of her life. But she appreciated the value of silence. Why speak when no words needed to be said? It was a nice change of pace from her usual excitable apprentices, or those who needed reassurance or extended explanation. Then again, Murkypaw's situation was hardly usual. "Speak as little or as often as necessary. I assure you that I will not take offense. Ask when you have questions, but stay silent when you desire. I feel no need to force conversation between us. One can get to know another just as well through silence as through words."

The river was just ahead of them. Since it bordered nearly all of RiverClan's territory, there were very few places that were not near the river. This, however, was one of Perchstar's favorite places to fish. The water was not so shallow that her claws caught on the pebbles when she swiped, and yet not so deep that the silver gleam of scales was hard to spot. And the lead-up to the river was gentle and gradual, rather than a steeper decline that many places had the nearer one got to WindClan territory. It was therefore not only a good place to fish, but a good place to teach. Even just padding closer to the waters gave a brief respite from the baking temperature of the sun, with a cool breeze eddying up from the rippling current. The gray and white she-cat settled down on the warm sandy bank, sitting downstream of where Murkypaw seemed to be heading. It was practically habit at this point; the simple motion was a reminder of a painful mistake she would never make again. But thankfully, the river ran with its normal speed, and there was no slippery mud. No accident would be had.

"We RiverClan cats are lucky in that we rarely have to chase our prey," Perchstar commented. She glanced over at Murkypaw, making sure that the former warrior was near enough to watch and listen. "Instead, it comes to us on the river. We must simply watch and wait for the right time. Patience is a virtue that every RiverClanner must learn well." With that, she assumed her regular hunting position. It was almost the same as her previous sitting position, with the same straight back and perfectly aligned feet, except for two changes. The first was that one of her paws, gleaming an almost impossibly bright white in the sun, was now lingering frozen over the rushing current, held just high enough to dart down quickly, and just low enough that now shadow stretched across the river. The second was that her head was now tilted slightly down, looking into the depths. "Instead of a hunting crouch, you must sit like so. Fish swim frequently through these waters. When you catch sight of one, you must be ready to act swiftly and cleanly. The technique of cutting quickly through the water to reach a fish before it darts away will take some practice, but the general concept is rather simple. Wait until you see a fish, and then strike it out of the water when you do."

Demonstrating was always the easiest way to teach. Still, she could not help but remember the far-too-frequent times that her mentoring had been interrupted by an unwanted presence of a predator. Silently, one breath left her lungs. No point in worrying about the worst-case scenario until it appeared. For now she would simply do her best. Clear, ice-blue eyes showed complete focus as they scanned the river. Years of practice lent her body a total stillness in its position, paw permanently half-raised, claws unsheathed and ready to strike at a moment's notice. It was greenleaf, and so fish were common. She would not have long to wait. Sure enough, the signature shimmer of scales flashed into her view just seconds later. Instinct drove her forward, causing her paw to dip in and out of the water in a blindingly graceful and assured movement.

She should have listened to her gut feeling. The stars simply would not let her teach hunting to an apprentice ever again. What kind of divine punishment was this? Even as the motion began to strike with her paw, reaching for the fish, a shadow crossed over her. It was a hawk--lost from WindClan territory, no doubt--looking to make an easy meal off of the prey it saw in the river. It had picked the wrong part of the river to fish, though. Its attack missed its target, striking the nearby cat instead. Perchstar couldn't help but let out a quiet hiss of irritation mingled with pain from the sudden blow. Give me strength... She barely had time to retaliate with a quick swipe of her own claws. "I swear that this does not happen as often to other cats as it does to me." Exasperation crept into her normally neutral tone. So much for making a good impression on her new apprentice. She would have to adapt. "I suppose the lesson has changed to one of battle, then. Show me how you would handle a flying opponent."


Perchstar attempts to catch a fish... A hawk appeared! -3 SP
Hawk used Swoop, dealing 9 damage and costing 15 stamina.
Perchstar used Front Paw Strike, dealing 12 (10+2) damage and costing 7 stamina.

Perchstar:
71/80 HP
163/170 SP

Hawk:
28/40 HP
110/125 SP

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 10

One can get to know another just as well through silence as through words.

Words she had practically branded into her heart since the time of her birth, now spoken by the leader she now followed dutifully behind. Humor dared show its face in the innermost thoughts of the tortoiseshell-flecked molly, the jest that somehow she had found her true mother in Riverclan's sanctum not without a sour note being left behind. After all, her lineage had been discovered to be a silver-tongued lie at one point in her life. A twisted part of her certainly presumed that it could happen again, some less-than-spectacular reveal once more being there to tell her that the reason she had felt a calling towards the river was because that was where her true lineage had originated. Still, such thinking was less than productive, and thus Murkypaw dismissed it with an inner snap of her teeth. Her time with Perchstar was precious, and she would not waste such a resource on petty, trauma-borne jokes.

Having been granted the permission from company that saw no need to force conversation, the shadow-moving apprentice did just that. She forced no words or conversation, instead taking great interest in the path that they both traversed. Her senses went on alert as sharp as a claw, inhaling the information that they provided. Her features visibly shifted as the cool air from the river became discernible, a wave of relaxation and anxiety seeming to collide together at the same time. More memories flickered in the back of her mind, and while she would have otherwise welcomed them, now was not the time to recount. Inwardly, she silenced them, blanketing them in that comforting darkness that allowed her to become the lethal warrior she'd risen to be, and would become again.

Taking her place at the rivers edge, her head tilted towards Perchstar. It was a movement that had been inherited by her mother, one that the silver-and-white leader had likely seen on multiple occasions. A mark of listening intently, though Murkypaw had never stopped once from taking every word her leader spoke to heart. Habit would have the tortoiseshell elongating her entire frame to be much more weasel-like, lengthy with much power keeping her low to the ground and ready to dart at less than a moments notice. However, this was Riverclan. A blink of surprise came at the way they hunted. It was a particularly energy-efficient method, and Murkyripple stored that information in the depths of her memory. Easily, she would be able to hunt many fish for her clan. She was more than used to the waiting game, biding her time.

So instead of hunting as a Thunderclan cat, her body copied the position of Perchstar. From her moons of sitting guard, it felt nigh-on natural to sit in such a regal stance. At her full height, she sat eye-level to her leader. No doubt it was thanks to her father's genetics, overpowering the much smaller frame that her mother had. It seemed all she had taken from her mother was her outward appearance, save the longer fur and flecks of white that speckled her frame. Otherwise... Well, it was much more accurate to describe her as a Shadowclan descendant. None of that mattered, however. No, she was now to become a warrior of Riverclan. Of the river she would keep herself allied. So her paw hovered just as Perchstar's did, seeking to find a glimmer of scales to replicate the movements of her mentor...

"Hawk!" The apprentice hissed, just as her two-toned mentor caught it. Swiftly, she dove away from the water's edge. While her gaze often appeared of dying embers, it seemed to grow in vibrance to a kindled blaze as they found their opponent. Such a treasonous beast wouldn't be allowed to live long, not between the two cats that it had chosen to harass. She hardly needed the command before her battle steps were already being calculated.

It was unfamiliar land that she worked on, and she didn't have the cover of the bracken and roots of trees as she often did. However, the soft ground meant that digging her hind legs into it was much easier than most of the land she had learned to fight on. Using it as momentum, her body recoiled before springing forward. Sharp, battle-knowing claws found purchase in the wings of the predatory bird, bringing it directly down to the earth. Without hesitation, one paw shifted to shove its head under the waves that it had dared venture near. Its screech had no doubt already disturbed whatever fish would have dared lurk, and so, she felt little in need to worry about disturbing the peaceful waters. Had she the trees as her guide, she would have thought to attempt to rip its wings off with the vertical assistance of the foliage. But here? She had the river. It provided all for Riverclan, and the protection it gave no doubt was to be considered an asset it battle. The only hope that rippled within her was that she was using the sacred waters appropriately.

Murkypaw used Underwater Cinch! It dealt 7 damage to the hawk, and used 10 SP.
The hawk is stunned for 1 turn!
Murkypaw:
30 / 30 HP
70 / 80 SP

Perchstar:
71/80 HP
163/170 SP

Hawk:
21/40 HP
110/125 SP

Perchstar never cursed aloud. Her strongest inner feelings were always kept just that--inner. However, it was difficult to keep back a hiss of frustration as she regarded the interrupting predator. Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence... Three times is enemy action. But if the stars truly were upset with her for "breaking" the code, then why show it in such a petty way? Strike her with lightning, have Batsong show up with a judgmental revelation, hurt her alone for her crimes. But to have danger consistently strike nearly every time she went out alone with an apprentice? It was unfair to punish the innocent cats who got caught in the crossfire. There was no way that this sort of thing was a coincidence. She staggered back from the pain of the initial blow, attempting to get her bearings, gray-and-white fur ruffled. What had the others done to deserve this?

But this was a different situation. Poppypaw and Cinderpaw and Sprucepaw hadn't been very battle-trained when predators had leapt out to confront them out of nowhere. Murkypaw, however, had once been a warrior. She was familiar with battle. And so when Perchstar moved off and tried to shake off the shock, the tortoiseshell she-cat jumped into the fray with very little hesitation. It was with a blink of surprise that she noted Murkypaw using what appeared to be a RiverClan battle tactic. Perhaps it had been improvised, perhaps not... but it was apparent that it would not be as difficult for the determined Clan-hopper to fit into her new culture as she had initially worried. It took only a second for Perchstar to recover her composure and re-enter the fight. As the hawk thrashed beneath Murkypaw's claws, the leader darted forward with another clawed strike. She didn't want to accidentally hurt the apprentice instead. "Good job," she said tersely--not due to any kind of negative emotion, but merely because it was difficult to talk properly in the throes of battle. "That's actually similar to a RiverClan technique. I'll teach you an easier way to do it once we get a quiet moment to actually train." Murkypaw's grip on the hawk with her claws had been strong, but the movement to shove its head underwater was inefficient. So it was that the bird managed to fight its way free, spluttering, and disentangle itself.

Perchstar used Front Paw Strike, dealing 12 (10+2) damage and costing 7 stamina.
Hawk is no longer stunned.

Perchstar:
71/80 HP
156/170 SP

Hawk:
9/40 HP
110/125 SP

Murkypaw:
30/30 HP
70/80 SP

Tactfully giving a nod, the apprentice twisted herself to go beneath the bird and claw for its underbelly. She had known much about battle, and it was a move she had practiced many times. From the way it had clawed itself free from where she'd pushed it beneath, it should have been an easy strike. Unfortunately, with the softer terrain, it was easy to misjudge. Even as she slipped beneath the hawk with the gliding swiftness of a shadow looming, that hardly mattered. What should have been her claws against its soft, feathered belly ended in talons swiping at her fur, drawing a slash and the smallest trickle of blood from her shoulder. Most would have let out a frustrated hiss at such a blunder, but there was nothing but silence and pure ire that radiated from the tortoiseshell in turn.

To the benefit of the pair, however, it at least seemed to draw the bird's attention. Her gaze flicked to Perchstar for just a moment in silent direction. I took the hit, finish it!

Murkypaw attempted a belly rake, and failed!
-5 HP in recoil, -25 SP

Perchstar:
71/80 HP
156/170 SP

Hawk:
9/40 HP
110/125 SP

Murkypaw:
25/30 HP
45/80 SP

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 6

Perchstar remained hovering close to both Murkypaw and the hawk, claws unsheathed, waiting for the moment she could assist. The hawk fought its way free, and began to flutter up--only for Murkypaw to aim claws at its soft underbelly, a move that Perchstar had seen before. Unfortunately, the bird's talons were sharp. It struck back at her, taking the lingering moment to defend itself. That was, thankfully, the opening that the leader needed. She lunged forward with open jaws and with a sharp snap of her teeth, locked them down upon the hawk's neck. Blood spurted into her mouth. With one simple movement, their opponent was easily downed. Yet she did not feel satisfied. Her lesson had been interrupted, both she and Murkypaw had been injured... how was she supposed to deal with the constant inability to complete her own actions?

Well, it had happened, and that was that. Perchstar made certain the hawk was dead, then set it down on the banks of the river. Spitting feathers out of her mouth, she trudged out of the river, her sleek coat shedding droplets of water as if it were the most natural thing in the world. A quiet huff of a sigh echoed out from her chest. "My apologies for the unexpected intrusion," she said as neutrally as she could. "If nothing else, I can ascertain that your combat abilities are great. I will have to do little instruction on the basics of combat... for which I am grateful." It was hard to shake off the feeling of irritation at the constant predator attacks, but hopefully it wasn't leaching into her interactions with Murkypaw, who deserved no such ire.

Perchstar used Snap, dealing 9 (7+2) damage and costing 7 stamina. Hawk is KOed.

Perchstar:
71/80 HP
149/170 SP

Hawk:
K.O.

Murkypaw:
25/30 HP
45/80 SP