Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

Tallfern was heading down a ledge, Larkpaw noted. While he wanted to find the cliffs on his own, he wasn't stupid. He knew that must be the direction he needed to go, but it didn't have to be the place. So he decided that he would head that way, but would find a different entry point. Sprinting past the ledge, he headed deeper into the pines, looking for the cliffs. @Larkstripe

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

Giving a hissy wince of pain as Foxpaw twisted and clawed away, scratching Doeflame along her side, she paused, seeing as Foxpaw felt no need to continue or rush the attack. Taking a deliberate step forward she leaped suddenly, once again aiming for a pin or hard strike. She knew it hadn't worked last time, but it was one of her major strategies against smaller opponents, and one well-placed blow could end a fight.

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

Foxpaw was annoyed with the repeat of strategy. She skittered sideways but hissed as Doeflame caught her lashing tail. Foxpaw leaped in front of a walk and held her ground waiting. Hopefully Doeflame would repeat the attack

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

Ok, she was going to have to change it up. In hindsight, this was probably what had gotten Foxpaw in in the first place, her dodging skills. Dawnstar didn't seem like one to use anything but brute force, so Doeflame formulated a different approach. However, she was confused when Foxpaw stopped in front of her, having escaped the momentary hold the warrior had had on her tail. Why was she stopping? She didn't know why, but if a cat did something nonsensical, it was generally to trick you. So Doeflame didn't fall for....whatever it was. Instead, she leaned forward, hoping to grab Foxpaw's left, hind leg in her mouth. @Snow Fox

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

@Phoenix Fire

Tallfern glanced over her shoulder, “Larkpaw?” She called. She scanned the forest, and sighed heavily in exasperation, “Oh StarClan...here we go...” She grumbled, “Larkpaw, come back!” She called, stalking through the pines, tail twitching in mild irritation.

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

Larkpaw rolled his eyes. He was going to do this on his own! He was so sure he made that clear, but just in case, he hissed back. Ears flat on his head, he stalked deeper in. The ravine was not far from him, he could see it from where he was. But something he couldn't see was another way down. He turned and headed straight for the edge of the ravine, looking down the cliffs for ledges like the one Tallfern went down. @Larkstripe

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

@Phoenix Fire

Tallfern huffed in exasperation. She wondered briefly if she was cut out for this, but pushed the thought aside, trotting after her wayward apprentice, “Larkpaw, I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but the ledges are too steep—“ she trailed off, and lifted her dappled nose to the wind. There was a familiar, musky scent on the wind that chilled the warrior to her bones. A flash of brilliant orange in the undergrowth confirmed her fears, “Larkpaw!” She called, bounding towards the apprentice, her voice tinged with panic.
Before she could reach him, the fox had prowled out of the undergrowth, filaments of salova suspended between its gaping jaws, hackles raised, Copper eyes fixed on the apprentice it hoped would be an easy meal.
However, the Fox let out a snarl of alarm when a massive, calico dappled blur plowed into it, “Larkpaw! Climb one of the pines! It’s easy, I promise, use your hind legs to propel yourself up! Don’t come down until I say so!” She ordered desperately, her voice strained, as the Fox turned on her, and grabbed her by the neck. The calico warrior was typically fairly evenly matched with a Fox, but she was distracted, trying to keep an eye on her apprentice, and the fox gave her a vicious shake, sinking its teeth into the scruff of her neck.

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

"Wha-" Larkpaw started to growl, but stopped. A pair of hungry copper eyes were fixed on him. He suddenly felt scared, an emotion he didn't feel often (which wasn't always a good thing). But he felt something else, too. Determination to prove that he could do this!

Completely ignoring Tallfern's cries to climb a tree, Larkpaw dropped, ready to pounce on the orange creature now attacking his mentor. He walked forward on quiet steps, until he thought he was close enough. Locking his emerald eyes on the fox, he waited until the right second, then jumped.

The apprentice didn't know what to expect, but when he landed on the attacking animal's back, all his instincts told him to hold on, and he wasn't so mousebrained that he would ignore his gut. He dug his claws into the fox's back and struggled to get some skin in his mouth, and clung to the orange animal. He was barely clinging on, and felt more helpless than he would've liked. @Larkstripe

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

@Phoenix Fire

“NO!” Tallfern cried, hitting the ground hard as the fox dropped her, and whipped its head around. In an instant, it had locked its jaws around the apprentice’s midsection with a vice-like grip, and all but plucked the young cat from its pelt. It snarled in what might have been satisfaction as it shook him viciously, eyes ablaze with primal hunger. However, the fox let out an unearthly wail as Tallfern rebounded, and slashed her claws across its nose, shredding the sensitive tissue. The fox haplessly dropped Larkpaw, and staggered backwards, blood dripping from its nostrils. Tallfern advanced, bristling to her full height, roughly the size of an adult lynx with every hair on her pelt standing at attention. She lashed out again, this time raking her bloodied claws across the beast’s eyes, and bounding backwards before it could retaliate. Another chilling keen echoed through the forest as the fox staggered, its eyes raked with brutal gashes. It whimpered and stumbled blindly, it’s head wagging and bleeding aimlessly. Tallfern let out a low, threatening snarl, and the now sightless fox spun, tail tucked, and clumsily loped off into the forest, it’s steps disjointed and panicked. Tallfern turned, her ruff coated with blood and saliva, “Are—are you alright?” She panted.

Re: ShadowClan Training Cliffs
 

That was unexpected. One second, Larkpaw was hanging onto the fox for dear life, the second, he was sure he would never become a warrior as he thrashed and clawed while the fox held him in it jaws. And the third, he was on the ground, panting as he watched Tallfern handle the fox. Part of him wanted to get back up again and fight, but the other was like WHEEZE listen to your body you CANNOT go on! The other part won. He laid there, learning something in that moment: if you ever fight a fox, don't go for its back. Then the fox was tripping himself away, and Tallfern was asking him a question. It took a second for him to interpret what she said. "Of course I'm alright!" he hissed, hopping up with a wince. He would be fine, but in a little pain for a bit. He turned and stalked away to the ledge that led down to the cliffs. After what he just experienced, he decided to momentarily let go of his determination to find his own way down. But what was Tallfern thinking? He wasn't some helpless kit that had never left the nursery! He could've gotten down those ledges just fine! He didn't realize he had just said his thoughts out loud. @Larkstripe