[Phoenix]

Despite the amount of interest that had formed concerining the black kit, it had not taken long for the small thing to be wiped completely from this thoughts. And then, just as he barely considered the little, surprisingly philosophical creature, Redstar had deemed him worthy enough to become a mentor. In the end, he was not only a mentor, but the mentor to the little black feline that had attracted his attention those many days before. It was an odd twist of fate, but he could not bring himself to care enough to do anything about it. If anything, it only made it easier to communicate and mold the little thing into something worthwhile.

It was that peculiar time of day when everything was in limbo between the day and night. Sunlight slowly disappeared in a blaze of red and orange glory as darkness stretched across the sky, pierced only by the occasional pricks of light. Even the creatures - what little survived the harsh leaf-bare climate - seemed confused during this time of day. Return to the den to sleep? Or continue foraging and struggling to find more food? The shadows were long and dark, providing cover not only for the prey but also for the predator. Even if his own white pelt stood out against the gathering gloom, his apprentice would have an easier time trying to catch something due to the inky blackness of his own fur. Crimson eyes glanced around the area before rotating back to pin the smaller feline behind him.

"One more thing before we return to camp, Nightpaw," He spoke firmly, voice leaving no room for an argument. Chances were that the new apprentice was nearly dead on his paws after a day of patrolling and chores. Frankly, he didn't care. As a warrior, the tom would not be able to tell his opponent to stop attacking just because he was too tired to continue. It was better to learn how to ignore exhaustion when the skill was unnecessary, rather than having to fight through it the first time when it really mattered. "Hunting. During the milder seasons, this area is frequented by various birds and rabbits. With that in mind, what should you remember when hunting here?"

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[BlooRey DVD]

Nightpaw
~~~~~~~

The black and white apprentice trudged along behind his mentor, blue eyes dull with exhaustion. He'd spent a long day following after his mentor, doing mindless chores and patrolling what seemed to be a never ending border. They were slowly making their way towards camp now. And by slowly, the kit meant Whiteshade was gliding along as though it were nothing, and Nightpaw was bounding after him, desperately trying to keep up to the ghost of a tom. Nightpaw's ears pricked up suddenly as he heard his mentor's voice addressing him. "Hunting. During the milder seasons, this area is frequented by various birds and rabbits. With that in mind, what should you remember when hunting here?"

The black and white apprentice forgot to breathe for a moment as he desperately scrabbled to find something to say to the older tom. What in the name of StarClan could the white tom possibly want him to say? Come on Nightpaw... Think.. He willed himself, before offering the first thing that came to mind. Birds and rabbits. "... Keep your paw steps light... Or you risk giving yourself away..?"

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[Phoenix]

Seeing Nightpaw, so fresh out of the nursery, gasping for breath like a rabbit with its throat slit only strengthened his opinion that kits were weak creatures. Throwing the little beasts out into the open world after six moons of doing nothing but laying around camp and participating in the occasional play fight was nothing short of harsh. They were completely unprepared for the amount of work demanded of the average apprentice, and though their bodies eventually adapted to the pressure, he believed that the first moon was almost a complete waste while the young felines struggled to keep up with warriors considerably more acclimated to the amount of work. Much to his distaste, it had been the same for him. But he did not care enough to suggest a different method. Not only would he be suggesting the changing of a time-old tradition, but he would be removing the first challenge of being an apprentice. If a cat couldn't shove his way through, then he was far from ready to learn how to become a warrior.

Inclining his head slightly, he acknowledged the point. "Good. That holds true for any kind of prey." White limbs shifted slightly as he sat, the setting sun at his side to allow the apprentice to look at him without blinding himself at the same time. Regardless of his frowned-upon hobbies, the tom had no desire to permanently damage the young cat who was now temporarily under his care. "In general, hunting requires fast reflexes, patience, and an awareness of your surroundings, particularly when it comes to staying downwind and avoiding any loose twigs or pebbles." His tail curled through the air behind him before wrapping neatly around his paws. Red eyes did not leave his apprentice as he instructed his apprentice, tone even and steady, "Just as there is a variety of prey, there is a variety of techniques that must be utilized to catch each one. Rabbits, I think, will do for today. As I am sure you have inferred, these creatures, in particular, have very sensitive ears."

The tip of his tail flicked to the apprentice as the warrior reiterated his suggestion. "Stay downwind. Step lightly. Keep quiet. Wait for the right time to strike. Pounce." It was a painfully simplified version of events, but it covered the most basic steps. "Every movement counts. You have only one chance to attack on your own terms. Should you miss, your prey will flee, and then you will be forced to chase it if you wish to add it to the prey pile back at camp." He paused for a moment, letting the apprentice comprehend the wall of information he had just been given. "Show me your hunting crouch, Nightpaw," He instructed. "Then perhaps we will test it out later."

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[BlooRey DVD]

Nightpaw
~~~~~~~~~

With a determined flick of his tail, the LightningClan apprentice pushed back the exhaustion that had been plaguing him for a while. He should be able to push it back for a while, right? He had to. For Whiteshade. He was painfully aware of how pathetic he must look. He was small for his age, and he was still fresh out of the nursery. Still a kit to most. He would have to fight to make it to being thought of as an apprentice, rather than a kit. His eyes were glued to his mentor, nodding his head slightly at every word, mentally scrabbling to register it all somewhere, somewhere he could access it later. Blue eyes sparked slightly in the fading light as finally Whiteshade asked him to do something.

The little tom got to his paws, recalling the information head learnt on the hunter's crouch earlier. He let himself sink down, swaying slightly, flicking his tail to catch his balance. He stance was small, and though it was a good start, he was a bit off balance, forced to catch himself with his tail.

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[Phoenix]

Critical red eyes analyzed his apprentice's crouch, watching as the small black form shifted itself into a proper stance with some difficulty. Waiting until Nightpaw had regained his balance, the ghost of a tom uncurled his tail from around his paws, standing and moving forward. His intent was not to intimidate or emphasize the height difference by looking down on the younger cat, but rather to find and correct the faults that no doubt existed. Raising a paw, he gently tapped the flicking tail, gesturing for the younger tom to still its movements. "I would nip that habit at the bud, Nightpaw," He explained, moving closer to the black cat's head. "When you hunt, nothing should move without your conscious consent. You may be aware of the nearby bush, but your body, and its habits, are not."

With his tail, he nudged Nightpaw's right shoulder. "Your weight is not evenly spread; therefore you're unbalanced. Do not put so much weight here, move that paw forward half a step--" He gestured to the tom's left forepaw. "--and you can fix that." Crimson eyes flicked over the apprentice's form once more, judging it while he waited for the younger cat to act on his advice. There were still a few more parts that could be improved, but those were minor in comparison. They had time, and there was no need to be so picky this early on in the game. Overall, he found that he was not disappoined. It was a pleasant feeling, one that he was normally quite lacking in, particularly when it came to dealing with cats in his clan.

Inclining his head slightly, he meowed, "Good job, Nightpaw. There is promise. Now, before you attempt to hunt here, let me see your stalking technique." For the first time since addressing the younger cat, he shifted his gaze away, analyzing the surroundings. Picking out a nearby rock, he instructed, "To here." It was a little farther away than most prey would be once a cat began to hunt and stalk, but if Nightpaw could manage this, then he could survive stalking something closer.

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[BlooRey DVD]

Nightpaw
~~~~~~~

His balance wavered upon contact with his tail, and he thought for sure he was going to topple over. That was, until Whiteshade nudged his left forepaw, telling him he should shift its position forward. The younger tom obeyed the directive, and almost immediately, he felt himself steady. His blue eyes blinked in what could almost be described as excitement. He stayed still in this new found position, tail immobilized and low as he waited. He figured that Whiteshade would probably be analyzing his body positioning, and figured the easiest way to let him do that was to stay still.

And then a compliment. The apprentice had to stop himself from purring, focusing instead on just what his mentor was telling him. He was to stalk towards a rock. Alright... Nightpaw could do that, he was certain. Keeping himself low and shifting his weight to balance out his first step, the young tom lifted a forepaw, carefully placing it on the ground. Bit by bit, he began to move forward slowly, tail low, twitching only slightly as he fought to control it. His ears were back, making himself as small as he could as he moved towards the unmoving rock.

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[Phoenix]

All in all, Whiteshade could not say that he was overly disappointed with the apprentice's stalking technique. As with all beginners, there were certain areas where he could see the younger tom struggle - balance was one of them - but there were no points that needed immediate fixing. The black feline managed to keep accomplish the basics of the technique, which included keeping himself low to the ground while still retaining the ability to move forward, with relative ease. Crimson eyes watched as the movements became more natural as his apprentice continued toward the stone. Inclining his head slightly, the senior warrior rose to his paws, follow along beside his apprentice and appreciating that he was now practically looming over the younger tom.

The red-eyed demon brushed his tail delicately over his apprentice's shoulder, hoping to catch the other feline's attention. On the off chance that Nightpaw was denser than he had originally thought, he spoke smoothly, "Watch me." Waiting until he felt the prickling sensation that indicated that blue eyes had focused on him, he moved in one fluid motion, legs folding under him as he lowered himself into his own hunting crouch. A combination of diligent training under Sootfoot and numerous moons of practice, his technique was nearly flawless. Muscles moved with an ease born only of repetition, and his senses automatically began to spread into the surrounding area. An ear flicked as he briefly acknowledged the presence of some nearby creature - a rabbit, perhaps? - before reigning in his awareness. On silent paws, he moved forward, ghosting across the surface of the ground like a red-eyed wraith.

"See how I keep my weight evenly distributed?" He questioned after a few steps forward, head swinging around to pin his apprentice with another look. To demonstrate his words, he shifted his paws, smoothly transferring weight from one to the other. " Stay low to the ground as well, though do hug the ground so much so that your belly fur brushes along the surface." As smoothly as he had adopted the crouch, the tom rose back to his full height, returning to stand before his apprentice. "What you need to practice the most, I think," The tom concluded his brief explanation, "is keeping your balance. Technique is important and improves efficiency, but balance is key."

Silence fell as he paused, jaws clicking shut as he curled his tail through the air behind him. A short, relatively gentle wind blew, ruffling his short fur slightly. Suddenly, he changed the topic completely, questioning lightly, "Tell me, Nightpaw, what do you smell?"

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[BlooRey DVD]

Nightpaw
~~~~~~~~~

The black and white apprentice felt something brush against his shoulder, and glanced to the side in time to see his mentor's white tail pulling away. His blue eyed gaze flick up to watch his mentor just as the ghost of a tom demanded to be watched. Nightpaw's gaze never left his mentor as the tom seemed to float along the ground, as much a ghost as his white pelt would suggest. He found it all rather fascinating, hoping that one day he would be able to move just like that.

The young tom nodded his head as Whiteshade spoke of balance. He rocked back and forth slightly, testing his own, wondering how the white tom had managed to find an equilibrium in his stance. He'd find it one day, he was sure, hopefully soon. He didn't want to disappoint Whiteshade, especially now that the older tom was his mentor. He had been in the middle of playing with balance, when his mentor asked him a question. The black and white tom straightened, parting his jaws. It took him a moment but it came to him. He turned his blue eyes on his mentor, stating simply. "You, the forest, and a rabbit."

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[Phoenix]

Accompanied by the slightest tilt of his head, he arranged his features into an expression of polite interest. "A rabbit," He murmured softly, making a show of scenting the air before hesitating, as if wondering how the apprentice could have come to that conclusion. "You are quite sure about that?" His amusement was still fairly easy to hide behind his mask of courteous skepticism and doubt, shielded by his interest in the younger tom's reaction. Contrary to his behavior, Whiteshade had instantly recognized the scent of the rabbit, but he had chosen to turn this into a test of sorts for his apprentice. How would Nightpaw behave when his words were doubted and uncertainty began to eat away at his heart? Would he cave in and second guess himself? Or did he have the strength of character to trust his own instincts and push forward to prove his point?

As intriguing as this experiment was, the fact still remained that there was a rabbit nearby. No cat in their right mind would pass up this chance, and flicking his tail in the direction of the hidden creature, the warrior gave the command, "Let's test out that hunting crouch of yours, Nightpaw. See if you can catch your rabbit." Crimson eyes moved from the black and white cat in front of him to look in the general direction of said rabbit. He knew that he would be able to catch the creature with little trouble, as he was both confident and practiced in his hunting ability. Nightpaw, however, was just beginning his training and did not have nearly as much confidence and practice as himself. The white tom was fully prepared to launch himself after the creature should his apprentice miss his mark; even if he had to make the catch himself and potentially wound his apprentice's pride, LightningClan could use whatever prey they could find. With New-Leaf's approach, the younger tom would have numerous chances to try again.

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[BlooRey DVD]

Nightpaw
~~~~~~~~~~

The black and white apprentice narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as his mentor questioned whether or not he was sure about his identification of the prey. Nightpaw gave a dip of his head, speaking quietly. "I'm certain it is a rabbit." As he spoke, the scent drifted by him once more, only giving him more certainty that it was a rabbit. Soon, the albino warrior gave the black and white tom more instructions, telling him to test out his hunter's crouch. Nightpaw gave a determined nod of his head, carefully slipping into a crouch. He remembered what Whiteshade had said about his balance and his paws, so he made sure to keep his white forepaw forward, even if it was his right, and not his left.

His right forepaw was his dominant forepaw, and it felt more natural to have it forward. The tom's jaws were parted as he searched out the scent of the prey once more. As he locked onto it, he began to move forward, paw steps careful and light. It was easy, because he was of a smaller, lighter size anway. Slowly, he advanced on the prey, until he could see if through the undergrowth.

Remembering the weight transfers he had been trying out, the tom shifted his weight back, before exploding from his position. The rabbit startled, but Nightpaw's claws were already hooked in its back. It tried to run, and Nightpaw could feel its skin ripping slightly. With another push, Nightpaw surged forward, grabbing the rabbit in his teeth and biting down hard. He felt its life leave its body as its breathing was cut off by his teeth. Still, Nightpaw didn't let go, feeling its blood pool in his mouth.

Finally, it was limp and the tom stepped back, panting slightly. His pupils were dilated and a sort of thrill ran through him as he stared down at the lifeless rabbit. The rabbit that had died in his hold.

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[Phoenix]

Critical crimson eyes analyzed the younger tom's form, unblinking as their owner lowered himself into his own hunting crouch. White paws moved forward, absently avoiding any debris while he shadowed his apprentice, watching as the black and white cat inched closer to the rabbit, which was now in eyesight. He was pleased to note that the other tom seemed to have taken his advice to heart, for Nightpaw's weight was more evenly distributed, thus allowing him to take lighter steps. The albino stopped when the apprentice launched himself forward, unsheathed claws curving into the ground while the other cat was preoccupied with the struggling piece of prey. It was a decent sized creature, and when his apprentice failed to instantly kill it, he found himself hoping that it would escape. Then he would have the excuse to launch himself after it and be the one to end its miserable life.

But it was not to be. Even though the kill was messy, it was effective, and far too soon, the rabbit had stilled, resting in a pool of its own blood. Breathing in the tangy scent of blood - nothing could match it - the tom sheathed his claws, drawing himself up to his full height and composing himself before approaching Nightpaw. An intense red gaze locked with a bright blue one, and he noted a certain glint he saw in the smaller pair. It was a thrilled look, and he was, perhaps, one of the few that could recognize it for what it was; others would mistake it as pride and excitement due to an apprentice's first catch. He recognized it as something more. The black and white cat was thrilled at something other than his recent success. If that quality was nurtured correctly, he could become a very dangerous and formidable warrior.

"Special, isn't it?" He spoke smoothly, eyes drifting down from the blue ones to the rabbit laying contorted at the apprentice's paws. His claws itched to unsheathe themselves and dig into a rabbit of his own, and the aroma of blood permeated the air, filling every fiber of his being with a need to experience the thrill for himself. It was very special. "Your first catch, so soon after your apprenticeship," The tom continued after a brief pause. "Very special indeed. Well done, Nightpaw." Inclining his alabaster head in a nod of approval, he gestured to the rabbit. "Bury that over there, by that rock, and we will continue hunting." With a flick of his tail, he gestured toward a stone that was more a boulder than a mere rock, before padding away smoothly. As much as he loved the way the scent of blood lingered in the air, it would not only attract other predators but warn away other potential prey. That meant, unfortunately, that they had to move away. "Do hurry up," He called lazily over his shoulder, tail curling through the air as he ghosted away.

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[BlooRey DVD]

Nightpaw
~~~~~~~~~

For a moment, the black and white apprentice did not move, staring down at his catch, trying to control his breathing. It was then, however, that his blue eyes shifted slightly, noting that Whiteshade had begun to move away from him. The apprentice sprang to his paw, grabbing the rabbit in his jaws and bringing to the rock Whiteshade had pointed out. His paws worked furiously, making a spot big enough for him to deposit the rabbit. Once satisfied, he lay the rabbit down. He had to force himself to keep moving, however, his blue eyes being pulled to the limp carcass of the creature he'd killed.

Finally, he had the thing buried, and his was on his way towards Whiteshade. He had to move rather quickly, as his mentor already had quite the head start on him, but the apprentice was also focusing on moving as quietly as possible. If he made too much noise, he knew he would scare off all of the prey in the surrounding area. Soon, his paws had carried him to Whiteshade's side. He slowed his step, matching his ghost of a mentor's step so that they moved at relatively the same pace.

There was a definite excitement in the apprentice's eyes, something beyond the fact he had caught his first catch. In Nightpaw's mind, however, it was nothing more than that. He didn't understand the feeling yet, didn't realize it would follow him wherever he went. The black and white apprentice glanced up at him mentor, steadying his voice so that he could speak clearly. "Where are we headed off to now?"

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[Phoenix]

Though he did not acknowledge the younger tom's presense, he was not oblivious to the reappearance of his apprentice's smaller strides within his awareness. He refused to slow his pace to make it easier on the black and white cat, instead choosing to force him to adapt and work around it. Life as a warrior was not always easy, and the ability to adapt to situations was necessary. A higher pitched voice reached his ears, ending in a question as the younger tom inquired about his intentions. "Away," He answered silkily, subtly scenting the air as he paused. Figuring that one word did not qualify as a suitable answer in his apprentice's opinion, he prevented further questions by elaborating, "Though it was unavoidable, the smell of blood will act as a warning to nearby prey, alerting them to our presense. As such, we will travel away until the blood scent has significantly lessened--" He scented the air again "--which it has."

Stopping abruptly, he turned to pin his apprentice with an even, if not intense, look. "This will do. See what you can find." Tail curling behind him, he raised a paw, gesturing lazily for the younger tom to obey the order and get started on his new - or perhaps not-so-new assignment. Having picked the area at random, he was not sure if it owuld be possible to find prey. Even though Leaf-Bare was winding down, their food source had yet to flourish as promised. In any event, it would test his apprentice's patience and awareness of his surroundings. Though he would much rather put his own skills to the test and see what he could find and catch, it would be more beneficial to allow the younger tom to gain experience from this. Ahh well. Crimson eyes surveyed the landscape as he scented the air before easily lowering himself into a half-hunting crouch. Nightpaw had had enough time to get a start in his task. He would simply follow at a distance and gauge his apprentice's success. It was simply hunting of a different sort.

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[BlooRey DVD]

Nightpaw
~~~~~~~~

"Away," The black and white tom blinked at his mentor, but didn't ask his mentor to explain further. He figured if the ghost of a tom had something to tell him, he would do so. Nightpaw wasn't about to bother Whiteshade just to get a silly question like where they were going answered. It seemed, however, as though Nightpaw were right, for soon enough, Whiteshade spoke again. "Though it was unavoidable, the smell of blood will act as a warning to nearby prey, alerting them to our presense. As such, we will travel away until the blood scent has significantly lessened----which it has." Nightpaw paused for a moment, glancing around, jaws parted to note that Whiteshade was right. The scent of blood was almost completely gone from here. He doubted the prey would pick up on it as much of a threat. "This will do. See what you can find." Nightpaw nodded his head slightly, stepping forward and parting his jaws once more, drawing in the scents around him more thoroughly than before. Soon enough, he picked up on a scent. His pupils dilated slightly and his body slipped low, but he hesitated, straightening back up. He looked towards Whiteshade, blue eyes meeting red eyes as he spoke quietly. "There's a mouse off to our left, not too far from here. However... Whiteshade, if it is possible.... Could I see you hunt?" The black and white tom would have loved to see a cat like Whiteshade hunt the little creature. He was certain that Whiteshade was an extraordinary hunter. If only he could get a glimpse of it...

[Phoenix]

Though the question at first struck him as odd - after all, he was the mentor, not the apprentice - the albino tom quickly reasoned out the benefits of complying and granting the black and white feline his request. Perhaps he was one of those cats who only needed to see something once before they mimicked it perfectly; after all, his stalking had improved greatly after he had given the other tom an example to follow. Crimson eyes neutrally glanced down at his apprentice, meeting the open blue eyes with ease. He thought he detected something like admiration in their depths, but the discovery did nothing to warm his heart. He was meant to be admired, and as a result, those looks should be expected, not spontaneous.

Inclining his alabaster head, he signaled his acquiescence, murmuring, "It is," before scenting the air himself. The mouse was not far. Easily forgetting the presence of his apprentice - all he had to do was dismiss the other cat as nothing more than a rock - he lowered himself into his hunting crouch in a fluid motion. He moved forward, silently ghosting across the terrain with delicate paw steps, daintily avoiding any obstacles with an ease born of seasons of practice. Red eyes flicked occasionally to the ground, always returning to the mouse ahead of him in an instant. Hidden by windswept brush that had poked up through the layer of snow, he gathered himself, letting hooked claws unsheathe themselves. Crimson eyes stayed locked on their prey, and in an instant, he saw himself catching the mouse, felt the flesh break beneath his claws. And then-- he pounced.

Delicious. As expected, he hit his mark. Claws sunk into the mouse's body, and it had no time to scream before his jaws clamped around its neck, snapping it quickly. Limp, it dangled from his maw as he raised his head slightly, revelling in the coppery taste of blood that was unmatched by any other substance. Red eyes were bright with the thrill of the hunt, moreso than they were due to his success, though it was easy to convince another that it was the latter. Particularly in these harsh times, when any prey was a cause for celebration. After regaining more of his composure, he drew himself up to his full height, red eyes casting about for sight of a different kind of prey. It did not take long for him to find the black and white apprentice, and the warrior strode over, the mouse still clamped in his jaws. "Questions?" He asked after setting his catch at his paws, slipping easily back into teacher-mode.