squirrelpaw's training [p]

[furrensic]

SQUIRRELPAW
she/her. 8 moons. small russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.

deep down, squirrelpaw knows that she's going to have to continue her training soon. and boy, she is absolutely terrified. she watches the entrance of the den with big, owlish eyes - as if she expects a predator to burst in any moment. after her recent little..adventure in the territory, she's mostly worried that mistlewhisker is going to be way harder on her now than she originally planned to. a part of her feels like the warrior won't be too intense.

all thanks to me being an idiot.., the apprentice thinks with a frown, huddled in her nest. her tail lashes anxiously and she buried her face in her paws. she practically jumps out of her nest when she hears her named called, only catching a glimpse of mistlewhisker backing out of the den by the time she looks up. she's half tempted to dig a hole and just bury herself alive.

with shaky legs, she makes her way out of the den. she glances up at the massive molly, then immediately drops her gaze. "wh-what, uhmmm..do..you have..planned..?" she asks, regretting her choice right after. please starclan, don't let her say battle, don't say battle, don't say battle! she silently prays. she wishes she were a kit again!!

[ @Micanomancy THE DUO EVER ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan
she/her | 36 moons
[Large black cat with a half-white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
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[Squirrelpaw - @furrensic ]
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Mistlewhisker eyed the trembling molly next to her, resisting the urge to roll her eye. Instead, she shut it, taking a deep breath of the chilled morning air and letting it carry the tension in her shoulders out in a plume of mist. When she focused on Squirrelpaw, she felt a little more stable in her position as mentor. "First, we are going to fix that ridiculous way of speaking." She meowed, but she it wasn't intentionally mean. Just... blunt. "When you are speaking to me, I do not want to hear a single 'hm, uhm, or uh.' Understood?" Once Squirrelpaw gave her acknowledgement, Mistlewhisker nodded curtly and began padding out into the territory, not waiting for Squirrelpaw to follow.

Once in the territory, the large molly finally spoke again. "What I've heard is Rattail did not train you at all, is that correct?" She asked, knowing the warrior had gone missing not too long after his assignment to Squirrelpaw. She wondered absently if the apprentice felt as though it was because of her. She certainly hoped not, since that was another thing they would have to work on: not taking the blame for something you did not do. "Vulturefang has started your stealth training, if I recall? Good, as a ShadowClan apprentice--and eventually warrior--it will serve you in all aspects of clan life." She watched Squirrelpaw carefully for a reaction, but that meant she had to keep her gaze flicking between the forest in front of her and the cat beside her. She stumbled over a loose twig, but didn't react that much. Just a click of her tongue and a silent curse. A mistake like that... it would really "humanize" Mistlewhisker. She was terrifying, yes, but she wasn't beyond simple mistakes.

"We'll be putting that stealth training to the test during hunting training, today." She meowed like nothing had happened. "Here is good." She stopped in a dry patch of land, not too marshy for the apprentice's first time. It was cold, and Mistlewhisker knew she was still recovering from her frostbitten paw, so she wouldn't make her get it cold and wet lest she suffer the wrath of Lostspark.

[furrensic]

SQUIRRELPAW
she/her. 8 moons. small russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.

if a cat could be soggy, squirrelpaw would be extremely soggy right now. her tail drops at mistlewhisker's comment, and she simply lets out a tiny "...oh." was the way she spoke really ridiculous? why had nobody told her before? she feels very insecure all of a sudden, unaware of the fact mistlewhisker meant no real harm by what she said. she stares at the snow covered ground, offering a weak nod. she scurries after her mentor, slipping on a patch of ice right outside the camp entrance, tripping. though, (hopefully) before the warrior notices, she scrambles to her paws and catches up.

yellow eyes flicker around, scanning the forest around the two. despite being with a trained warrior, she still feels the need to look around. always pay attention — afraid something might pop out of the shadows.

oh, rattail. she misses him. "well..he, uhm -" she cuts herself off, shooting the scarred warrior an apologetic look. oops. she's reluctant to speak up again. "..well..he showed me...around. s-sort of." she explains, walking alongside mistlewhisker. she fondly remembers rattail showing her sunkissed creek. she can't help but wonder where the tom went. she shakes her head before she's able to think of any horrible scenarios.

stealth training. she's still not sure how she feels about it — both vulturefang (he was..interesting) and the whole lesson. I stick out like a twig in the mud, she thinks. she gives a nod, quick to notice mistlewhisker's little trip. she's not entirely sure why, but it makes her feel just a bit more connected to her in a way. her mouth draws into a straight line.

squirrelpaw feels relieved when mistlewhisker slows to a stop in a dry patch of territory. it'd be much easier on her (healing) cracked pads (although they'd probably be healing much faster if she visited lostspark, but she's too worried about bothering the medicine cat.) hunting. oh dear. "okay.." she says, sounding doubtful.

[ @Micanomancy ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Guard
she/her | 36 moons
[Large black cat with a half-white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
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[Squirrelpaw - @furrensic ]
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Ah, so Rattail had shown her around some. That was good. She would do another tour just to be safe, later. Without another word, Mistlewhisker snatched a pinecone from the roots of a tree, setting it down a few cat-lengths away from Squirrelpaw. "We'll be using this to train, for now. We'll start with the basics, and go from there." She rolled her muscled shoulders, then dropped into a hunter's crouch. "Hunter's crouch. Look at my legs, how they're not too spread apart, so I'm not off balance. My tail is low to the ground, so I'm not basically waving a flag that says 'I'm hunting you.' Understood?" She straightened from her crouch, motioning for Squirrelpaw to stay put so she could circle around and inspect hers.

[furrensic]

SQUIRRELPAW
she/her. 8 moons. small russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.

squirrelpaw looks at the pinecone, confused. she lets out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding when mistlewhisker reveals the purpose of it. knowing her luck, if she practiced on a real animal, she'd end up getting pecked..or kicked ..or clawed. with knitted brows, she watches mistlewhisker drop into a hunters crouch. she follows by dropping into a crouch, trying her best to copy the warrior's as best as she could. "yes,,"

[ @Micanomancy ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Enforcer
she/her | 37 moons
[Large black cat with a half-white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
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[Squirrelpaw - @furrensic ]
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For what she could assume was Squirrelpaw's first time in a hunter's crouch, Mistlewhisker was impressed with her overall form. She gently nudged the apprentice's hackles down, and helped her position her front paws a little farther apart. "Keeping your stance narrow like what you were doing," she explained, "makes it easier for you to topple over."

The large warrior, now satisfied with Squirrelpaw's crouch, gestured towards the pine cone. "When stalking, stealth is better than speed. If you can sneak up on your prey, the less distance you have to run to catch it." She demonstrated, stalking from Squirrelpaw's side towards the pine cone, wiggling her haunches and lunging towards it, her massive paws slamming down on the pine cone with a sickening crunch as it crumpled beneath her strength. Mistlewhisker blinked down at the scattered mess of a pine cone, whiskers twitching in... amusement? Annoyance? It was hard to tell with her. "No matter." She meowed lightly, and snagged another one, placing it on the ruins of its brother. "Now you try."

[IM SO SORRY I HAD THE RESPONSE WRITTEN UP BUT FORGOT TO POST IT D::::::]

[furrensic]

SQUIRRELPAW
she/her. 8 moons. small russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.

stealth is better than speed? squirrelpaw can feel what (very) little confidence she had dwindle down into an ember. while she can certainly run, she's not good at stealth. she watches mistlewhisker creep along, leaping onto the pinecone and crushing it. she shivers at the horrible crunching noise that she can only find..disturbing in a way.

yellow eyes locked on the new pinecone, her tail twitches anxiously. she doubtfully glances up at her mentor briefly. "ohh-okay..." she mumbles, practically a whisper, before beginning her dreadful stalk towards the pinecone. awkward, stiff — that's exactly what squirrelpaw looks like as she nears the pinecone before she leaps at it..when she's only barely a pawstep away from it..

she lands on it, and it crumples underneath her paws. it lacks the loud crunch, though.

[ @Micanomancy ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Enforcer
she/her | 37 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
· · ────────────── · ·
[Squirrelpaw - @furrensic ]
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Well, it was a start. If it had been real prey instead of a hapless pinecone, Squirrelpaw would have alerted it with how stiff and shuffly she was. Once the pinecone was... flattened, Mistlewhisker nodded curtly. "Good first try." Apprentices like compliments, right? Praise? "Try to loosen your muscles, a little. If you stay tense, you'll be more vulterable to tipping over or brushing into something."

She eyed the apprentice. "You're acting like the prey, rather than the predator." She added after a moment, then fished another pinecone from a pile--when had she made that??--and tossed it a tail length or two away. "Try again. Keep in mind what I said."

[She's so blunt I'm so sorry--she will soften up eventually T-T]

[furrensic]

SQUIRRELPAW
she/her. 8 moons. small russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.

did I do good? squirrelpaw wonders, staring at the bits of flattened pinecone. she's too nervous to actually look up at mistlewhisker, fearing that if she does, she'll be met with a disappointment expression. her ears swivel at the compliment, and she looks livelier than ever, a wide grin on her maw. it only lasts a moment though, she's soon shrinking back down like a mouse again. there's still a small smile, though.

acting like..prey?? she blinks, a deep frown replacing the small smile. "..sorry.." she's reminded of gutspaw's words about natural selection (which!! she still thinks was very, very mean!!!), and the warrior's own words about attracting predators. she suddenly feels very small. maybe she is prey. she gives a small sniffle, feeling a lump from in her throat. no crying!! don't cry don't cry dontcrydontcrydontcry...ohh..wait when did she get all those?

she drops into a crouch again, trying her best to be more..fluid as she creeps towards the new pinecone. she definitely looks less stiff, still a little awkward, but - progress! once she was half of a tail-length away, she leaps and lands on the pinecone, squishing it underneath her paws.

[ @Micanomancy it's fine!! I love mistle sm ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Enforcer
she/her | 37 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
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[Squirrelpaw - @furrensic ]
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Oh. Oohhhhhhh. Mistlewhisker nearly imploded when Squirrelpaw smiled brightly up at her. The enforcer could deal with cats who shouted, who snarled, who were violent and angry and downright unpleasant. Cats who were genuinely kind to her... who looked at her with such unbridled joy and pride...

Oh dear.

Mistlewhisker shook herself out, disguising it as a way to rid herself of the chill. Squirrelpaw's next attempt was much better, and she nodded approvingly. "Good, good." She meowed, tossing out another pinecone. "This time, breathe with every two steps. Big breath in, big breath out through your mouth. Part of your stiffness comes from you holding your breath." She understood the idea, since breathing could alert prey if you were doing it too hard, but Squirrelpaw didn't seem like a mouthbreather.

This would be the last attempt before the two of them set out to find actual prey.