A Trip Down the Darkest Path (p)

**Toya Todoroki** · #1 August 7th, 2023, 12:50 PM

@FrostyGalaxy

Blackpath stood silently at the entrance of camp, the time had come to start training his Apprentice Deerpaw. "Deerpaw!" The Large Tomcat boomed "It's Time for Your training To Begin!"

**Neptune.** · #2 August 7th, 2023, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connor

@FrostyGalaxy

Blackpath stood silently at the entrance of camp, the time had come to start training his Apprentice Deerpaw. "Deerpaw!" The Large Tomcat boomed "It's Time for Your training To Begin!"

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*
16/100
he/they | 6moons | Agatha Kitty
fluffy brown tom with a bobbed tail and patches of white on his muzzle and chest

Apprentice training! This was going to be so fun! He could already picture his warrior ceremony, gaining his new name and feeling the prideful eyes of his clan on his pelt, ready for him to prove himself and bring glory to their clan!

"Yes, Blackpath!" He said, unable to keep the grin from his face as he trotted up to stand in front of his mentor, ready for anything, and excited for everything.

**Toya Todoroki** · #3 August 7th, 2023, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrostyGalaxy

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*

Apprentice training! This was going to be so fun! He could already picture his warrior ceremony, gaining his new name and feeling the prideful eyes of his clan on his pelt, ready for him to prove himself and bring glory to their clan!

"Yes, Blackpath!" He said, unable to keep the grin from his face as he trotted up to stand in front of his mentor, ready for anything, and excited for everything.

Blackpath Looked at the Tom-cat very hard, looming over the apprentice. "Relax. Excitement will only Scare away Prey. Today Your Gonna Learn to Hunt"

**Neptune.** · #4 August 7th, 2023, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connor

Blackpath Looked at the Tom-cat very hard, looming over the apprentice. "Relax. Excitement will only Scare away Prey. Today Your Gonna Learn to Hunt"

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*
17/100
he/they | 6moons | Agatha Kitty
fluffy brown tom with a bobbed tail and patches of white on his muzzle and chest

"Yessir!" Deerpaw nodded, trying to tern his expression stern like Blackpath's but not quite managing to keep the thrilled glitter from his eyes. He was excited to listen and soak in everything he had to teach, to learn properly how to hunt without being seen or heard. He already knew the most basic knowledge of hunting from things he had overheard in camp. A mouse will feel you before it sees you, and a rabbit will see you before it feels you. At least he thought that was true. Maybe it wasn't a rabbit? What about smell? When could a mouse smell you? Did they have a stronger sense of smell than a bird or a shrew? What about a squirrel? Well, he could ask later.

**Toya Todoroki** · #5 August 7th, 2023, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrostyGalaxy

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*

"Yessir!" Deerpaw nodded, trying to tern his expression stern like Blackpath's but not quite managing to keep the thrilled glitter from his eyes. He was excited to listen and soak in everything he had to teach, to learn properly how to hunt without being seen or heard. He already knew the most basic knowledge of hunting from things he had overheard in camp. A mouse will feel you before it sees you, and a rabbit will see you before it feels you. At least he thought that was true. Maybe it wasn't a rabbit? What about smell? When could a mouse smell you? Did they have a stronger sense of smell than a bird or a shrew? What about a squirrel? Well, he could ask later.

Blackpath Waved his tail for the apprentice to follow him as he trudged out of camp "Stay Close. We're Going to Go Over the Basic's, then We'll catch some Real Prey"

Blackpath finally stopped when they were a ways away from camp.

"In Hunting The Most Important things to keep in mind Is The Wind Direction and Your Surroundings. You Want to try to Stay down wind of yoour prey so they don't catch your scent before you catch them. See if you Can Use Your Surrounding to your Advantage. but Most important, You Need to Watch and Listen. If you make the slightest of Noises theres always the chance of scaring away your prey"
#air

**Neptune.** · #6 August 7th, 2023, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connor

Blackpath Waved his tail for the apprentice to follow him as he trudged out of camp "Stay Close. We're Going to Go Over the Basic's, then We'll catch some Real Prey"

Blackpath finally stopped when they were a ways away from camp.

"In Hunting The Most Important things to keep in mind Is The Wind Direction and Your Surroundings. You Want to try to Stay down wind of yoour prey so they don't catch your scent before you catch them. See if you Can Use Your Surrounding to your Advantage. but Most important, You Need to Watch and Listen. If you make the slightest of Noises theres always the chance of scaring away your prey"
#air

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*
18/100
he/they | 6moons | Agatha Kitty
fluffy brown tom with a bobbed tail and patches of white on his muzzle and chest

Deerpaw listened diligently as they walked through the territory, the perpetually dimly lit surrounding taking a few strides to fully adjust to. Stay downwind of your prey. Got it. He could remember that. Prey that can't smell you is easy pickings, theoretically. You'd still need to be careful, of course, he could assume that much. Keeping his ears pricked, he continued to pay close attention to the lesson, lighting up at the last sentence.

"Like how a mouse can feel you before it sees you!" He whisper shouted, happy to know something related to the topic and bursting with the need to share. "So that's why you have to be extra careful when catching one, right?"

**Toya Todoroki** · #7 August 7th, 2023, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrostyGalaxy

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*

Deerpaw listened diligently as they walked through the territory, the perpetually dimly lit surrounding taking a few strides to fully adjust to. Stay downwind of your prey. Got it. He could remember that. Prey that can't smell you is easy pickings, theoretically. You'd still need to be careful, of course, he could assume that much. Keeping his ears pricked, he continued to pay close attention to the lesson, lighting up at the last sentence.

"Like how a mouse can feel you before it sees you!" He whisper shouted, happy to know something related to the topic and bursting with the need to share. "So that's why you have to be extra careful when catching one, right?"

Blackpath flicked his ear in agknowledgement "yes, When Hunting a Mouse you have to be silent and quick. Mice have sensitive ears so they could hear your heart beat... they can also feel the vibration of your pawsteps on the ground beneath your feet"

**Neptune.** · #8 August 7th, 2023, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connor

Blackpath flicked his ear in agknowledgement "yes, When Hunting a Mouse you have to be silent and quick. Mice have sensitive ears so they could hear your heart beat... they can also feel the vibration of your pawsteps on the ground beneath your feet"

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*
19/100
he/they | 6moons | Agatha Kitty
fluffy brown tom with a bobbed tail and patches of white on his muzzle and chest

The apprentice let out a quiet purr of delight at being right about something. "So," he began, ear flicking in concentration as he recalled the details of the lesson so far, "it's best to be down wind, if the prey can't smell you coming then they're easier to catch, but you have to also remember to be quiet, too. For a mouse you need to be extra extra quiet and make your heart not so loud?" Well that was confusing. He didn't think his heart was something he could just tell to shut up when he was mice hunting. "How do you do that? Is it something vague like 'just slow your breathing'? Because that doesn't seem nearly as simple as it sounds."

**Toya Todoroki** · #9 August 8th, 2023, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrostyGalaxy

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*

The apprentice let out a quiet purr of delight at being right about something. "So," he began, ear flicking in concentration as he recalled the details of the lesson so far, "it's best to be down wind, if the prey can't smell you coming then they're easier to catch, but you have to also remember to be quiet, too. For a mouse you need to be extra extra quiet and make your heart not so loud?" Well that was confusing. He didn't think his heart was something he could just tell to shut up when he was mice hunting. "How do you do that? Is it something vague like 'just slow your breathing'? Because that doesn't seem nearly as simple as it sounds."

"there is No Cure for a Loud Heart beat... you just have to make sure to catch the mouse before it picks up on the sound" Boomed the large tom

**Neptune.** · #10 August 8th, 2023, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connor

"there is No Cure for a Loud Heart beat... you just have to make sure to catch the mouse before it picks up on the sound" Boomed the large tom

<><><><><>

*-Deerpaw-*
20/100
he/they | 6moons | Agatha Kitty
fluffy brown tom with a bobbed tail and patches of white on his muzzle and chest

The apprentice nodded, soaking the lesson in. So don't slow your breathing? He could do that. Just keep his breathing normal, got it.

"What about a bird?" He asked, unable to contain his curiosity and just listen. He was probably getting annoying by now, but he couldn't help it! There was so much to learn and so many questions buzzing around in his head to ignore!