Blue Skies and Golden Clouds[C]

Goldenfern slipped into the apprentice's den. This would be her first battle training with Bluepaw, something she had not been able to teach Hickorypaw before she fell sick. Her stomach churned nervously as she nudged the apprentice awake. "Rise and shine," She whispered softly into his ear, then backed out of the den. She gave permission for Bluepaw to eat something before they went out, then waited at the camp entrance for him. Once they were both ready for the day, she took him to their usual training clearing. Fighting was never something she enjoyed or excelled at, but as a mentor she had no choice but to teach Bluepaw everything. Even the parts she wished she didn't have to. "What do you think is the best way to engage an enemy?" She asked. She could start from there. It was simple, and harmless. Just engaging an enemy. Nothing very hard at all.

Blue paw was a heavy sleeper and he blinked lots as he was woken up for training. After getting some breakfast and waking up some more he followed close to his mentor as they went to the training area. He was very grateful that he could follow her since his sense of direction was very bad. He barely knew where anything was still.

He looked at the soft spot in the forest where cats practiced their sparring, filled with moss to make the surface not so hard and such. He gave a shy grin to his mentor and tilted his head thinking about her question … he wasn’t really sure. He hadn’t ever been in a fight and from the stories he sometimes heard he wasn’t so sure he wanted to either. “Uhmm maybe the best thing is to try not to fight? Or engage at all? he meowed the question in his voice clear from his unsure. He didn’t really know what goldenfern expected of him and he didn’t want to let her down at all.

Have you ever been in fights before goldenfern? he whispered looking at her

Goldenfern blinked, surprised to hear her own words echo back at her. She had told Sunfire the exact same thing once, when they were still apprentices. Even after all this time, she still believed to some point that not fighting at all was the best solution. But sometimes, they didn't have a choice. The dogs had attacked them out of the blue, and because of her incompetence as a warrior, her inability to fight, she lost her littermate and her kit that day. Bluepaw's next question sent her stomach spiraling. The fight. She had been in many fights, so that one fight shouldn't be important. But it was.

"Somethings are just worth fighting for," Goldenfern found herself repeating her brother's words. They had sounded silly then, something only her reckless, eager-to-please brother could come up with. But now they sounded as if he had already gotten Starclan's wisdom when he said them.

She quickly shook her head to clear herself of her thoughts. "Well, I guess we can skip that part for now. I'll show you two basic battle moves, the Front Paw Strike and Snap," She changed the topic, laughing nervously as she did so. She took a few steps away from Bluepaw, then lashed out at the air ahead of her. "That's the front paw strike," Goldenfern explained, the suddenly lunged forward to bite the air, "And that's snap."

Bluepaw gave a quick little nod as he listened to his mentor explain. He caught that perhaps his question made her uneasy which had not been his intent. He made a silent note to himself not to ask warriors of their past battles, maybe that was too insensitive.

He quickly turned his attention to her watching and observing as she showed him how to snap and how to front paw strike.

He blinked a bit as it slowly dawned on him... he was supposed to do that to another cat??

It was his turn for his stomach to spiral as he realized how real this all was now. When he was in the nursery he heard of the grand adventures warriors would go on and dreamed of what that would be like but seeing his mentor showing him how he would fight off an enemy clan made him go almost numb.

He blinked forcing his paws to carry himself over in front of his mentor.
You can do this! he told himself settling in to show to her what he had learned so far from her.

He bit at the empty air as he had seen her do to preform snap.

Then he swiped at the air. He nearly lost his balance as he wasn't used to standing on just three paws when the other was used for the swipe but luckily he managed to get the hang of it after a few more swings.

He had heard from other apprentices that their mentors would spar with them. And while he was pretty unsure about all this he figured that learning with Goldenfern would be much better than learning from an angry fox or dog.

He practiced a bit more really wanting to get it down and also wanting to show her that he wanted to learn from her lots and lots.

Once he was able to get his strikes down without losing his balance so much he grinned at her happily.
"Do... Do we spar each other? For practice?" he asked quietly tilting his head unsure if that was what she wanted to do next

"Of course... in any real fights we will always be on the same team" he was actually greatly comforted in this fact, and it gave him a bit more courage, he wouldn't have to be alone.

Goldenfern watched in silence as Bluepaw practiced the moves that she had just shown her. Doubt wormed its way into her. What if she couldn't teach him everything? Would he one day fall in a fight because she had failed to teach him the basics of fighting? Maybe she should ask another warrior for help, just to make sure Bluepaw learnt everything he needed to know. But that would mean admitting that she couldn't perform even the most basic of warrior skills. How would anyone trust her with an apprentice ever again?

She blinked as Bluepaw's voice broke through her thoughts. It took a few seconds for his words to sink in, but when it did she nodded. "Yes, you'll have to spar with me as well as your denmates in the future for practice, but for now it's just me," She explained. "...and yes, we'll always be on the same team, as will the rest of your clanmates," Goldenfern added. She hoped that they would always be on the same team, but things can happen.

"Now, try those moves on me. You don't have to only stick to those two moves. I'm sure in the heat of battle you can come up with your own ways to attack or dodge," Goldenfern continued, getting into a battle stance and waiting for Bluepaw to make the first move. "Remember, keep your claws seathed! We don't want any injuries."

Blue paw nodded facing his mentor. He would do his best here.

For now he figured he ought to stick with the basics she has shown him and so he ran at her and swatted at her with his front paw strike but made extra care sure not to use any claws not wanting to hurt her at all.

Blue paw uses front paw

(I am not sure what golden has for stats but if you can let me know I can edit my post with the stats too)


Goldenfern: T4
54 / 60 hp (-6)
140/140 sp


Blue paw: apprentice
20/20 hp
53/60 sp (-7)

Bluepaw attacked first, batting at the golden she-cat. Goldenfern couldn't help but wonder if the tom was purposefully holding back. Even when she was an apprentice, her hits must surely have been harder than this? Or maybe it was just seasons of experience that had hardened her? Whatever the case, it was her turn. It didn't feel right to be too hard on Bluepaw, especially since it was his first time, so she raised a paw and gently swatted at the apprentice.

Goldenfern used Front Paw Blow, dealing 7dmg and -5SP

Goldenfern
54 HP/ 135(-5) SP

Bluepaw
13(-7) HP/ 53 SP

Bluepaw blinked a lot after getting smacked he didn’t like this at all. He rolled over to his back looking up at his mentor not wanting to fight any more. You got me… guess you won he meowed looking up at her. He had given up already.


(You can have golden react however :)

Goldenfern froze as Bluepaw rolled onto his back. What's wrong? Had she hit him too hard? No, she had been careful to be as gentle as possible. The golden tabby sat down next to the apprentice, gently brushing the top of his head with her tail. She didn't want to guilt-trip him, nor did she want to talk about that accident, but she had to make him understand. He couldn't make the same mistake as she did.

"Bluepaw, what if... you were out on patrol, with Greenpaw, and a two dogs rushed at you. What would you do if they attacked Greenpaw? If they- if- if Greenpaw died, would you be able to live with yourself? Because such things can happen, Bluepaw, and they have," Goldenfern didn't know how the words kept pouring out, when she so desperately wanted to cry, "That's why I have to teach you how to fight, because losing someone you love can be the most painful things in the world. And that's why you can't give up yet. Do you understand me, Bluepaw?" Were these words meant for the apprentice on the floor beside her, or was it meant for herself?

Bluepaw sat up as he listened to his mentor’s words.  His eyes went wide with worry at the thought of dogs attacking him and green paw.  He slowly looked up at his mentor.  From the way she spoke and her expressions had this happened to her?? He wondered worriedly.

Fighting was just so overwhelming for him and he didn’t like it but hearing how hurt his mentor was he felt terrible that he had not tried more.  

He leaned against her and nuzzled his forehead against her.  I don’t wanna hurt anyone. I wish I never had to fight at all he meowed barely loud enough to hear.


I’m really sorry you lost your sibling… you are right I would feel miserable if something bad happened to greenpaw because I didn’t know fighting.he stayed leaned against her in a little hug for some time.  Up until now all his life touching had been for hugs, cuddles, or nuzzles and the such.  He didn’t like the idea of hitting others or being hit at all but if it meant keeping greenpaw safe he would have to learn this.

He got back up eventually and faced her again.  Ok maybe he could try this again.  He tried to look for any new ideas or ways to attack.  

She had mentioned earlier that he didn’t have to stick with just the basic move set she had shown him.  He wondered if he could duck under her so he wouldn’t get hit and paw at her belly. He decided to go for that not knowing any better of how risky that was.


Bluepaw attempts a belly rake
Failed belly take attempt -5 recoil dmg -25 sp


He had mistimed his attack and ended up hitting the ground way harder than he had meant to causing recoil damage to himself and also putting himself in a bad position to be attacked by her next.

That had not gone at all like it had in his head! When he hit the ground he winced but what hurt even more was the shame of it. His mentor was trying to do such a good job for him and he felt like he was flailing at every step of they way. First he couldn’t catch anything but a leaf during their hunt, now he had no luck fighting either.

He felt like a failure. I’m sorry goldenfern I wish you had gotten a better apprentice than me he thought to himself.

Goldenfern
54 HP/ 135 SP

Bluepaw
8(-5) HP/ 28SP (-25)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 3

Oops I accidentally rolled a hunting dice let me redo that correctly with an effect dice here:

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

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'Effect Dice' : 2