SkyClan Training Plateau

[Mango]

Originally Posted by SamCats

Autumnpaw put her hind legs back down and fought to not stumble as her weight shifted back to all four paws. She quickly turned to face her mentor and twitched her ears as Fennelheart gave some advice, although she was a little confused as to how... detailed it was; Dusklight had only ever told her what she did wrong and how to fix it, not how effective it would be in battle. Was that normal for mentors? "No, it's fine, Fennelheart. I knew I wouldn't get it right the first time."

Fennelheart gave a nod and a flick of an ear,” Try again, this time, imagine I am your enemy and will harm you.” She hoped that might help her.

[bobtail]

Originally Posted by Chameleon

Fennelheart gave a nod and a flick of an ear,” Try again, this time, imagine I am your enemy and will harm you.” She hoped that might help her.

Autumnpaw nodded to show her understanding and turned away from her mentor. She dug her claws into the stone once again and shifted her weight to her front paws. A heartbeat passed and she leaned forwards, pulling up her hind legs and pushing out as hard as she could - which wasn't actually that hard, since she wasn't the strongest cat.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by SamCats

Autumnpaw nodded to show her understanding and turned away from her mentor. She dug her claws into the stone once again and shifted her weight to her front paws. A heartbeat passed and she leaned forwards, pulling up her hind legs and pushing out as hard as she could - which wasn't actually that hard, since she wasn't the strongest cat.

Fennelheart sighed,” That’s not that hard, but it’s an improvement. Try again.”

[bobtail]

Originally Posted by Chameleon

Fennelheart sighed,” That’s not that hard, but it’s an improvement. Try again.”

Despite herself, Autumnpaw was getting a little frustrated. That was the hardest she could hit! The only way she could do more damage than that was if... Fennelheart couldn't seriously want her to do that, could she? The apprentice gulped as she shifted her weight one last time, hesitating before lashing out with her hind paws once again, this time with claws unsheathed.

[wickedvirtues]

Originally Posted by SamCats

Dawnpaw gasped in surprise, her eyes flying open as she grasped fur in her claws. She let go a little too soon, not wanting to accidentally hurt her mentor, and fell back to the stony ground with a thump. She scrambled quickly to her paws, licking flat a tuft of fur on her chest to hide her embarrassment. Her tail twitched awkwardly and the fur along her spine was fluffed up and ruffled.

She looked up in surprise and met Pebbleheart's gaze as he spoke, feeling her pelt warm a little at the praise. "I-it wasn't that good! You knew I was coming the whole time. And I let go; you shouldn't do that in a real fight. And what if I had accidentally scratched you or torn out your fur?" The apprentice looked away, embarrassed, and began to smooth out the ruffled fur on her shoulders.

Pebbleheart watched her, his tail lashed with curiosity at her next move, and his eyes fixed on his apprentice. He flexed his claws, and his ears slightly went back as she fell to the ground. He chuckled as Dawnpaw awkwardly groomed her fur, embarrassed. "It wasn't too bad." He mewed to her with a tiny smile. He curled his tail around his paws, sitting down on the stone floor of the area.

He waited for her reply, seeing the surprise in her eyes. She did mess it up a bit, but he did too, she just needed to practice. "It just needs a bit of practicing, it wasn't actually that bad, you just need to work on a few aspects." He mewed, giving her a kind smile. He didn't want her to feel bad. "I'm sure you'll have it down after a few more tries." He mewed happily, ears pricked.

[bobtail]

Originally Posted by CandyFlossCat

Pebbleheart watched her, his tail lashed with curiosity at her next move, and his eyes fixed on his apprentice. He flexed his claws, and his ears slightly went back as she fell to the ground. He chuckled as Dawnpaw awkwardly groomed her fur, embarrassed. "It wasn't too bad." He mewed to her with a tiny smile. He curled his tail around his paws, sitting down on the stone floor of the area.

He waited for her reply, seeing the surprise in her eyes. She did mess it up a bit, but he did too, she just needed to practice. "It just needs a bit of practicing, it wasn't actually that bad, you just need to work on a few aspects." He mewed, giving her a kind smile. He didn't want her to feel bad. "I'm sure you'll have it down after a few more tries." He mewed happily, ears pricked.

Dawnpaw shuffled her paws awkwardly as she finished grooming, turning back to her mentor and daring to meet his gaze. Her tail twitched nervously as she asked, "It was really okay? She paused for a moment before adding, "What do I need to work on?" It might sound confrontational to some cats, but she genuinely wanted to know. How else would she be able to improve?

She had to know what she was doing wrong in order to improve those factors. Otherwise, she could end up really good at one part of a move, but physically incapable of doing another. She had to make sure the entire move was balanced so that she didn't hit a cat but fall off or miss them entirely despite having a great battle plan.

[wickedvirtues]

Originally Posted by SamCats

Dawnpaw shuffled her paws awkwardly as she finished grooming, turning back to her mentor and daring to meet his gaze. Her tail twitched nervously as she asked, "It was really okay? She paused for a moment before adding, "What do I need to work on?" It might sound confrontational to some cats, but she genuinely wanted to know. How else would she be able to improve?

She had to know what she was doing wrong in order to improve those factors. Otherwise, she could end up really good at one part of a move, but physically incapable of doing another. She had to make sure the entire move was balanced so that she didn't hit a cat but fall off or miss them entirely despite having a great battle plan.

(Listens to Heathers casually)

Pebbleheart tilted his head slightly at her nervousness. She hadn't done that bad. He tilted his gaze down to meet hers, still thinking about what to say to improve on. "Yep." He promised, giving her a little boop of encouragement, then she wondered if that was weird. "Don't doubt yourself, and maybe on your aim, you had a bit of trouble when you got nervous in the air."

Pebbleheart thought for another moment. "You were silent though, I think you just let your nerves get the best of you." He added, tail curling around his paws as he smiled. "Otherwise you preformed it very well, you were quiet and your pounce was nice." He mewed, stretching his limbs.

[bobtail]

Originally Posted by CandyFlossCat

(Listens to Heathers casually)

Pebbleheart tilted his head slightly at her nervousness. She hadn't done that bad. He tilted his gaze down to meet hers, still thinking about what to say to improve on. "Yep." He promised, giving her a little boop of encouragement, then she wondered if that was weird. "Don't doubt yourself, and maybe on your aim, you had a bit of trouble when you got nervous in the air."

Pebbleheart thought for another moment. "You were silent though, I think you just let your nerves get the best of you." He added, tail curling around his paws as he smiled. "Otherwise you preformed it very well, you were quiet and your pounce was nice." He mewed, stretching his limbs.

(I can appreciate that)

Dawnpaw flinched backwards, surprised, at the gesture she assumed was encouraging. She wasn't used to what her mother called 'unconditional love', so the action was a little startling. She cleared her throat awkwardly and avoided her mentor's gaze. Great StarClan, you're jumpier than a rabbit!

"R-right. I'll try and focus on that." She meowed, taking a deep breath to calm herself, despite her tail tip twitching back and forth. It should be easy enough; she'd messed up her aim because of her panic, so she should be able to improve if she just stayed calm. Maybe aim for the shoulders instead of the back? As for her confidence... that might need a little more work.

[wickedvirtues]

Originally Posted by SamCats

(I can appreciate that)

Dawnpaw flinched backwards, surprised, at the gesture she assumed was encouraging. She wasn't used to what her mother called 'unconditional love', so the action was a little startling. She cleared her throat awkwardly and avoided her mentor's gaze. Great StarClan, you're jumpier than a rabbit!

"R-right. I'll try and focus on that." She meowed, taking a deep breath to calm herself, despite her tail tip twitching back and forth. It should be easy enough; she'd messed up her aim because of her panic, so she should be able to improve if she just stayed calm. Maybe aim for the shoulders instead of the back? As for her confidence... that might need a little more work.

Pebbleheart tilted his head slightly, confused by Dawnpaw's reaction. Hadn't she had that happen before? He shrugged it off. He let out a tiny chuckle at her awkwardness, perhaps he could help her gain a bit of self-confidence. That sounded like a good side-task, he enjoyed helping other cats with those things.


"Alright!" He mewed, grinning at her. He flicked his tail, his whiskers twitched as he glanced around the Plateau. It was filled with other cats, obviously, mostly mentors and apprentices. He turned back to his apprentice, not wanting to appear spacey or rude. He groomed his pelt quickly, smoothing it, and then turned back to his apprentice. He wanted to help with Dawnpaw's confidence, if she wanted him to.

[The_10th_Doctor]

Cloudpaw (formerly Gliss) sat at the edge of the plateau, waiting for Featherdrift. She sighed heavily and lay down, her patience running thin.


@Fern