The Burnt Sycamore (Shadowclan Training)

First topic message reminder :


(This is where Shadowclan's apprentice and battle training takes place.)

Snowlily padded through the densely packed pine trees in absolute silence as she easily avoided fallen branches and pools of mud and water. She looked back to make sure that Bloodpaw had actually been able to keep up. The clearing was empty for the time being, she noted, peering through the leaves and pine needles in the underbrush. She padded out into the clearing and sat beneath the old sycamore tree, tucking her paws under her tail. Her pelt still surprisingly clean and glossy.

(I noted in the first part of the topic that this is apprentice training or battle training. I think Rosethorn is making her own topic for Tigerpaw but Icestar we do need an apprentice ceremony for Bloodpaw and Tigerkit.)

((Ok I can go set up the apprentice cerimony now))

Bloodpaw stood up, checking to make sure her pelt was still clean and white. She looked down at her paw, seeing there was mud, she cleaned it off quickly. Looking at Snowlily, she said happily. "Yeah! What's next?!" She almost bounced again, but contained her enthusiasm and put her tail over her paws as a way to keep from bouncing.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to get you used to the scents of the prey and other animals in the area." Snowlily looked around in the underbrush hoping to spot or scent something. After a moment she jumped up into the old tree and watched from the branches.

Bloodpaw stared at her mentor a second, then attempted to jump after her. However, she couldn't jump high enough, and she ended up hanging onto the tree with a claws a little below the lowest branch. She scrabbled at the tree, and finally managed to reach a branch below Snowlily's. She panted, and said, "Why are we up here?"

"We'll for one, it wouldn't hurt for you to strengthen your climbing skills." She said, her voice sounding musically smooth. "What all can you see from up here Bloodpaw?"

Bloodpaw looked around, and lost her balance, almost falling out of the tree. Clutching the tree with her claws, she waited for her fur to lay flat. Pretending that nothing had happened, she mewed, "Um....... trees? I think I can see the camp......"

Snowlily did her best now to laugh at the apprentice tough she was unable to suppress that amused purr, deep in her throat. She watched for a few heartbeats as Bloodpaw clambered back onto the branch, then Snowlily looked back over the clearing area. "What about prey. Can you see any up here? Another cat perhaps?"

Bloodpaw stretched her neck up, trying to see higher above the branches of the trees. Unable to do so, she sighed and attempted to climb to the next branch. Scrabbling at the bark with her claws, she hoisted her weight up, barely making it to the next branch. Surveying the area from her new position, she mewed happily, "I can see some birds! And, there's cats walking around in camp, but I can't tell who..."

Snowlily gave the apprentice a satisfied nod. "Is there anything down below us? What can you see there?" She asked calmly, watching the apprentice with her deep blue-green eyes. She seems to have some a long way so far. Though there's still quite a lot to teach her. Perhaps we should try hunting next...

Bloodpaw looked down, bending almost to a 90 degree angle and clutching the branch for dear life. Staring at the ground intently, almost without realizing it, she began muttering, "Hm..... leaves, dirt, mud, some snow? Ah! A mouse!" Turning back to her mentor, she said, "I can see a mouse!"

Snowlily nodded, purring in amusement as she watched Bloodpaw's excitement at something like spotting a mouse. "How about we climb back down and practice a little bit of hunting now?" The breeze clawed at her pelt, sending chills down her spine and causing her fur to rise along her spine and neck in irritation.

Bloodpaw cheered excitedly, then clapped a paw to her mouth, gasping. "Whoops......" She nodded excitedly, realizing she shouldn't make too much noise. Attempting to climb out of the tree, her paws slipped and she fell to the ground with a loud, "Oof!" She whimpered quietly and slowly stood up, shaking the dirt and sticks out of her fur. Looking up at her mentor in embarrassment, she mewed, "Are we gonna start?"

Snowlily quickly padded over to the sleek white apprentice. "Are you all right? That really was quite a fall." The concern was evident in her voice but she didn't want to make it seem that she was treating her apprentice as a kit either. After giving the apprentice a swift lick between her ears, she turned around and padded a few steps away before turning again to face the apprentice, wrapping her tail around herself. "Once you're regained your balance and you decide that you have recovered from your fall we can continue." she mewed softly.

Bloodpaw winced almost imperceptibily, and whispered, "Yeah, I'm fine." Twisting and turning to see all of her pelt, she gasped quietly as a flare of pain shot through her side. Glancing at the spot, she saw a thin line of blood. "S-Snowlily? I think I might have hurt myself....."

"Hm? Alright. Lets have a look." Snowlily padded over to the small apprentice silently and looked at the wound on her flank. "Well it's a clean sctratch. I bet it hurts but are you able to walk on it?" She mewed hesitantly.

She stared at her wound a second more, then attempted to walk, squeaking as her movement pulled at the scratch. O-ow......... Looking around her frantically while trying not to meet her mentor's eyes, she whispered, "I-I don't know...."

Snowlily watched the forced movements tretch and pull the scratch. "Well I haven't seen or heard from Rosethorn for a while now. Luckily, some comfrey root and cobwebs should take away the burn and there is a patch not far from here. It won't be safe to leave you hear alone though so either you can walk with me or I will have to carry you."

Bloodpaw looked up at the other cat quickly, and flinched as the movement drew her cut wider. She hurried to say "N-no! I can walk!" Stumbling over her words, she mewed, "I-i'll be find! We cane continue training!"

"We need to get that wound cleaned first." Snowlily retorted decisively. She swept her tail along the forest floor. "I know what I'm doing. I did quiet a lot of traveling on my own when I way younger. Come with me or shall I carry you?

Bloodpaw hissed faintly, desperately claiming, "No! I'm fine! I'll walk! I'm just fine!" Ah....... am I though? Doubt flashed in her eyes as she mused about her wound. It really hurts........ but I'm probably fine! I don't want to stop training for this.....

Snowlily gave a curt nod as she padded throw the forest, slow enough so that the apprentice would be able to keep up, even with her injury. "It shouldn't be much farther." She looked through the group of plants growing in the undergrowth. She sifted through them trying to pick out the distinctive tangy smell.

Bloopaw tried to follow her mentor, and gasped. Limping slowly after the other cat, she glanced back and saw blood drops staining the ground. Panicking, the apprentice turned her head, biting a clump of fur on her own shoulder to distract herself. She haltingly continued to pad after Snowlily, wincing with every step.

"Found it. You can sit down now and relax. Though it might be better if you were lying down on your side." Snowlily plucked the leaves from the comfrey plant and became chewing them into a pulp.

Bloodpaw nodded in acknowledgement and laid down, cringing. Annoyance flashed across her face as her pride and vanity returned. Ugh..... I'm gonna get all dirty........ She sighed and lay perfectly still, waiting for Snowlily to finish preparing the comfrey. This'll heal soon, right? Ugh. Shoulda been more careful, this better not scar.....