Snowpaw's training thread

[Snowpaw]

Snowpaw woke up when the early morning sunlight was seeping in through the cracks of the brambles covering the apprentices' den. Still lying in her nest, she thought I wonder what Ravenfall will teach me today. And with that she stood up and padded out of the den and into the camp clearance. She went over to the fresh-kill pile to get a bite to eat before starting her training. When she grabbed her mouse she went back towards the apprentice den to eat. As she was eating she began to glance around for Ravenfall, hoping to see that her mentor had already merged from the warriors den or would in the next few minutes so that she could ask what they would be doing today.

[Ravenfall]

Ravenfall had been awake for a while there thanks to a nightmare. He was sleeping just fine before a giant twoleg with beefy paws snatched him up and carried him to its den where the twoleg's kits tied thing in his fur. It was absolutely awful. It was over, though, and the warrior was rather thankful. Besides, it gave him some planning time while he ate. He would have to do something with Snowpaw that day. He considered just doing some combat that day, but what good would that be? It was always good to do a bit of both and start improving on the weaker trait.

With a nod approving his own plan, he rose from where he was sitting near the warriors den to go fetch his apprentice. He padded over, finding her eating a mouse. He smiled as he grew closer, the friendly vibe - he hoped - radiating from him. "So, you ready to train? If so, I'd suggest you finish that and come on." He gestured to the mouse she was eating and turned towards the Clan entrance, starting towards it at a fairly slow pace.

[Snowpaw]

Snowpaw was chewing on the mouse when she finally saw Ravenfall coming over to her. Whenever he was over and asking her if she wanted to train she quickly finished her bite and siad " you bet I am!" Snowpaw was already about finished with the mouse before he came over but now she was actually finished. "WHat are we doing today?" She asked. She couldnt wait to get started with training today.

[Ravenfall]

With a chuckle, Ravenfall picked up the pace, exiting camp with Snowpaw. He unsheathed his claws as the breeze started to ruffle his fur, "To start off today's training, we're doing a little assessment, of sorts," he stated, "First up: Speed." The tom bolted off, remembering back to when he, himself was an apprentice. Unsheathed claws meant better grip on the land. It was common knowledge to him, but the question was whether or not Snowpaw would even think about it and if she could keep up with the gray warrior. A nice sprint would be good to wake up and get the energy surfacing, anyway; no one wants to be yawning at a rabbit if they could help it.

[Snowpaw]

"Speed?" Snowpaw asked just before her mentor took off running. When he took off, and after a minute passed Snowpaw bolt after him. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

[Ravenfall]

Ravenfall slowed, looking for a nice place for training. After a few more strides, he stopped and sat down. He licked a paw and drew it over his ear as he patiently waited for Snowpaw to catch up to the gray warrior. Surveying the landscape, he figured he'd test out her hunting stance when she arrived, make a few corrections, and then see if she could catch anything. If they had enough time after that, he was hoping to wedge in some combat. Otherwise, his apprentice would have to wait another day to learn the basics of that.

This should be an eventful day, he thought. Though, I'm not sure if I'd rather be on a patrol, eating, or doing this. I do suppose for the good of everything, I should choose the training, but the other two are also fun, even if I sound like I'm the apprentice right now... Ah, well. I'm here now; might as well think that this is what I'd rather be doing. Ravenfall chuckled to himself and directed his thoughts back to the task at hand, only having wasted a few seconds from the day by letting his thoughts drift.

[Snowpaw]

Snowpaw ran for a while until finally caught up to Ravenfall. When she caught up to him she stop and said "Ah ha I caught you!" With a excited voice though she was out of breath. After few minutes she asked "So now what are we going to do?" She was ready to get some real training in.

[Ravenfall]

Ravenfall laughed a bit at Snowpaw's excitement as the apprentice caught up. He stood with a grin and replied, "Well, before we get into that, I think you should know that unsheathed claws help your grip on the land... At least it does in the moors." He paused, letting that sink in before speaking once more, "I want to see your hunting crouch. For this, I'll represent the prey. However, I will show you what to do first. Watch carefully..."

After first checking the wind, Ravenfall crouched down, stomach low to the ground with his tail straight out behind him. He pushed his weight to his hind paws, and he kept his ears up for any sounds of prey. His nose remained sharp, searching for scents before he circled downwind of Snowpaw. The warrior sat like that for a few more seconds before standing and walking back in front of her and taking a seat. "I hope you caught most of that because it's your turn."

[Snowpaw]

Snowpaw eyed as her mentor demonstrated the hunting crouch. "Okay My turn." She said. She crouched down with her stomach facing down but with most her weight on her front legs so her tail and behind was sticking straight up making her look funny.

[Ravenfall]

Ravenfall's amusement flashed in his eyes, but he stifled the light bit of laughter in his throat. "Well, at least you're low to the ground..." He stated, padding over to his apprentice. The tom began by correcting her weight distribution. "Always make sure your weight is on your hind paws. That way, you're ready to spring forward with an extra boost. Another thing: tail out straight behind you, not above you." He moved to her tail, pushing it down with his paws until it was straight out behind her. Stepping back, making sure that he had corrected the apprentice's crouch before nodding to himself and instructing once more, "Now, close your eyes. Can you scent any prey nearby? If so, in what direction?"

[Snowpaw]

"Okay." Snowpaw said before shutting her eyes. She sniffed the WindClan air carefully before saying "I smell rabbits and birds." And then right after she said that she remember she was also asked to give the direction where it was coming from. "Oh, and it is coming from that direction." She pointed her tail towards a grassy field which was to her left. She waited for her mentor to respond

[Ravenfall]

The warrior's gaze followed the direction in which Snowpaw had pointed and there were, indeed, a couple of rabbits, but no bird in sight. She looked around for a bit, spotting it a bit closer and to the right than the apprentice had pointed. Nevertheless, it was a fairly good try. He nodded, "Very good. You were off just a tad bit on the thrush, but other than that, it was excellent."

Ravenfall debated it for a moment, turning to look at the two rabbits. If he went after one of them, there was a big chance that one of them would slide by. However, the rabbits were common in the moorlands. It wouldn't be too hard to find another one. "Open your eyes, and watch me. Don't forget that crouch either."

He dropped into his crouch, circling around the rabbits until he was downwind and then lightly padding forward. He stopped, waiting for a mere second to unsheathe his claws before springing forward. The wind rushed against his fur as he pounced, landing squarely on the plump, white creature and killing it with a quick blow to the neck. He gave thanks to StarClan, burying it to collect later. He walked back, noticing the other rabbit hadn't fled back to its hole but instead a few fox-lengths away from where it had been. He gestured towards it, hoping that his apprentice had paid attention and would catch on to the fact that he wanted her to go after it.

[Snowpaw]

((NOOOOOOO first time I tried to reply here I  was making a long post and while I was typing I accidentally hit the back arrow so my computer delete everything I typed!!! I dont even remember exactlly what I had typed.   ))

Snowpaw opend up her eyes happy that Ravenfall was pleased with the senting of the prey for the most part of it. She watch carefully and closely as her mentor show her how to catch prey. She noted the moves he made and how he did them. Once she saw rabbit was dead and burried at Ravenfalls paws she said eagerly "Okay! My turn!"

She sniffed the air for prey again guesing that since Ravenfall already caught one in the area she had caught sent of last time would be clear she would have to get it from nother part of the training area. She caught sent of another rabbit in the other direction slightly and went towards it. she copyed the moves Ravenfall made. She got in her hunting crouch making shure that she was low to the ground and weight even. When she was shure she had it right she went towards the rabbit that she finally caught site of other than just by senting it. Once she got to the right spot she unsheathed her claws and leaped just a little to soon making the rabbit flee for safety. "Mousedung!" She cursed allowed

[Ravenfall]

((It's alright, Snow. That happens to everyone at least once))

---

Ravenfall had followed his apprentice's every move, crouching down to follow her without a sound. He treaded lightly before stopping, Snowpaw pouncing a bit too soon. He watched the rabbit dart off before rising, the outcry from his angered apprentice ringing through the air. He walked over to her side and gave her a light nudge, "Hey, at least you kept it from catching your scent. Trust me, the first time I tried catching one of these things, it caught my scent and I ended up chasing it all over the moor... And then it ran down a hole."

He laughed at the memory and glanced around, catching the scent of a few distant starlings and maybe a hare. He turned back to face his apprentice, "Would you like to give it another shot? The moor is always full of prey, you know."

[Snowpaw]

Snowpaw coldnt help but laugh at Ravenfall story about first time he caught rabbit. Then ansered his question. "Pleaseeeeee! I almost had it!" She said. she determine to catch one before return to camp for the day. She didnt want to explain to other apprentices that she return without catching anythng.

Without waiting for her mentor reply she sniffed the air again to get the sent of another rabbit. She caught it and look around spotting it the other way on the moorland. She turned to it using her crouch and even pawsteps to make shure it didnt hear her. Whenever she was at right distance between her and the rabbit she stopped. She was going to make sure she caught this one. At the right time she leaped into the air and this time landed right on it. She unsheathed her claws and killed the rabbit. She thank StarClan for it's life before glanceing at it with satisfaction.

Then she picked it up and bought it back to Ravenfall's feet. "Look! I caught it this time!" She said happilly and with delight.

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