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. : b u r n i n g l e a f : .

Burningleaf trotted through the tall grasses, the long fronds arching over his head. Every so often, he glanced behind him, making sure his apprentice was still behind him. The senior warrior had only recently been gifted the apprentice, but this wasn't his first rodeo. He had already brought two cats into warriorhood, and he was determined to do the same with Palepaw.

Upon reaching the star field, Burningleaf halted, turning to face his apprentice. "Today we will be practicing hunting. First, I will show you a hunting crouch, then you will try. After you and I are comfortable with your stance, we will put it to the test." Burningleaf cast his gaze around them, then continued. "Watch."

The ginger tabby and white tom took two steps back, before lowering his body into a generic hunting crouch. Tail stretched out behind him, body low, placing his weight in his haunches. Burningleaf stayed there for a moment, inviting his apprentice to observe his postion. After a short while, Burningleaf rose, shaking out his fur lightly. Golden eyes turned to his apprentice, a faint smile across his face.

"Now, you."

[Insidious]

P A L E P A W

There was an unusual spring in the stride of the pale furred she-cat's paws, this due to the small adrenaline rush that surged through her frame. Her first outing as an apprentice. Her first outing with a name that didn't signify kit-status. Well, her first law-abiding outing, anyway. Not that it was anyone's business other than her own what sort of rebel-like action she had taken to as a kit. Light blue eyes were fixated on the back of Burningleaf's head, following his motioning as precisely as she could manage to do so. He wasn't just a warrior, but a senior one at that. Therefore, he had twice the moons of experience over the heads of the general warrior. Palepaw was ecstatic of this; thrilled that someone with such a vast field of experience in warriorhood was chosen to pass down his knowledge to none other than herself. Palepaw hadn't spoken with Burningleaf before he was chosen as her mentor, though, she simply believed her assumption to be correct. She would continue to believe so unless Burningleaf happened to prove her false during training. She didn't think he would, though. After all, didn't he have an apprentice before her? Maybe, she would have gotten around to asking – hadn't his abrupt halt dragged her full attention away from the topic.

Palepaw was quite pleased in her hunter's crouch. Of course, there was room for infinite improvement. It was simply that egotistical, 'I'm always right' head atop of her lithe shoulders that forced her to constantly filter thoughts of supremacy. Still, she wore a confident grin, nodding once Burningleaf had finished speaking. It wasn't in her place to turn their first training session into an argument – time for that would come later on.

As Burningleaf dropped into his hunter's crouch, Palepaw fixated her ice-blue eyes upon him. She observed the positioning of his tail, from there, skimming her gaze over where his limbs and head were. Normally, she wouldn't be so inclined to perform an examination when she was already confident in her abilities. She simply knew it'd be best to gather some last-minute tips before she was required to try on her own. After all, her goal for today was to make a good impression on her mentor before they returned to camp. If anyone knew Palepaw, they would know she was entirely dedicated to what she set her mind to.

“Now, you.” Creamy, brown-white ears perked upward, the she-cat shaking out her limbs to expel of tight muscles that would affect her performance. Clearing her throat with a soft, inaudible cough, she lowered. At first, her front limbs were placed disproportionately from her hinds – causing her tail to dart outward in a frantic attempt of establishing proper balance. The disapproval briefly flashed through her ghostly blue eyes, though Palepaw was quick to gather up what she had just witnessed from Burningleaf, shifting her weight in hopes of mimicking what he had recently been able to do with such flawless ease. Thankfully, her position was found. With a quick re-positioning of her oddly set tail, the she-cat tilted her chin upward to meet the gaze of Burningleaf. Flashing a smirk, (bordering a trait that was almost cocky) she blinked pale blue eyes in wait of his input upon straightening her stance. “Was that any good? You know, if not to include the beginning where I got a little stuck.” She refrained from snorting at the very image of her prior inability, replacing this inward desire with a silent flick of her tail in minor annoyance.

[Deleted]

. : b u r n i n g l e a f : .

Burningleaf watched as his apprentice dropped into a crouch, momentarily losing her balance as she tried to place her paws. The senior warrior's whiskers twitched in the slightest show of amusement, but his face remained otherwise unchanged. He watched Palepaw as she corrected her stance, her crouch needing little improvement. He flicked his tail for her to relax, and her voice echoed in his ears.

"Was that any good? You know, if not to include the beginning where I got a little stuck." Burningleaf softened his gaze, a faint smile upon his features. "Your crouch is good. Just remember to mind your paws." The senior warrior cast his gaze around them, before flicking his tail in a signal for her to follow him.

He padded off a short distance, pawsteps silent, as he cast his senses about him, seeking out any sign of prey. A small scuffling sound stopped his paws, and he angled his ears off to his left. He could just barely spot the brown form of a small field mouse. He lowered his body, glancing back at his apprentice. Burningleaf pointed with his tail, pointing out the mouse. "Show me what you've got," he whispered. Burningleaf sat back as Palepaw took the lead, watching his apprentice to see how well she would perform.

[Insidious]

P A L E P A W

The pale furred she-cat followed directly at Burningleaf's heel, light blue eyes intent to examine his movements; how he maneuvered with such quiet precision. Palepaw certainly wasn't one to be considered ungraceful, but there was room for improvement in the field. She placed her paws roughly in the same areas as Burningleaf had, doing so until the tom-cat halted, the she-cat averting her gaze upward to see what had caused the sudden stop. Before Burningleaf was given the chance to explain, if he even had any desire to do so, Palepaw took to scenting the air; determined to identify a prey species in the atmosphere. Immediately, the pale furred she-cat captured the fresh scent of mouse – her pale blue eyes nearly as quick to pick out the tiny rodent scuffling amongst a tangle of greenery a few fox-lengths ahead.

Her heart rate increased, creamy brown ears pinning forward as a hunter's glaze cloaked her icy blue eyes. Didn't even need to ask, Burningleaf. A confident grin spilled across her pale jaw, sparing a sideway glance toward her mentor that had stepped back to allow Palepaw to take the lead and show him her best hunting performance.

Slipping into the hunter's crouch she had just moment's earlier showed Burningleaf, the LightningClan apprentice took to approaching the small mammal – the agile, lithely built structure that was often expected in those of LightningClan clear in the way her movements flowed with the same delicacy as silk. Halting abruptly, the she-cat's light pink tongue traced the outlining of creamy brown lips. Palepaw buckled to the terrain, haunches swinging to-and-fro in rhythmical notions in preparation to spring. With a final check of the prey's whereabouts, the she-cat released the energy from her hind limbs, bursting forth with sheathed claws aimed to pin the creature to the ground.

Palepaw landed, though not perfectly. Her calculations had been off by the slightest amount, paws colliding with the terrain just beside the mouse's body – ears now pricked up in alarm. She was quick to react, however. Twisting her small frame sideways, a forceful claw hooked into the mouse's tail. The rodent struggled vigorously against her grip, though it was no match for the she-cat's strength in comparison to what little of its own was possessed. Pointed teeth grasped into the tender tufts of fur along the rodent's spinal chord, clicking shut with immense ferocity until a tiny snap rung in her eardrums. Ever so slowly, Palepaw released, a wary eye observing the mouse's lifeless frame just in case the job hadn't been completed successfully. A sigh of relief departed from her jaw in a cloud of air, straightening her stance before pivoting, matching Burningleaf's gaze. “How was that?”

Her work had been somewhat sloppy. But, she had captured the mouse. At the end of the day, that was all that mattered. Right?

[Deleted]

Long overdue failpost. Sorry, Insi.

BURNINGLEAF

Burningleaf stood aside and watched as his apprentice stalked forward, LightningClan grace evident in her step. Her crouch was good, he noted, his gaze unwavering. Palepaw's body lowered haunches swaying as she collected herself. Gold eyes watched as she pounced, landing just short of her target. She moved quick, though, managing to catch the mouse, but not before the creature called an alarm to any others lingering nearby.

He settled down into a seated position, curling his ginger striped tail over white paws. Palepaw turned, the mouse lying limp beside her. "How was that?" Burningleaf blinked slowly, pondering his words carefully. "Your crouch was much better, though you still need to mind your paws. However, you did make up for the short leap with your speed in hooking the mouse. Unfortunately, the squeal has likely warned off any other prey nearby." Burningleaf watched his apprentice with silent eyes. His tailtip flicked, and he resumed speaking. "We can bring the mouse back to camp, and then you can decide whether you want to continue hunting elsewhere."