Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 23:03:11 GMT -5
leaving my fear on the danger line
Waking before the sun took discipline, practice, and will. Darkpaw had been rising to greet the morning sun since shortly after his apprenticeship began. Every morning, he would wake, extract himself from his nest, and leave the camp. It wasn't difficult to escape the confines of the apprentices' den, as his nest lay just inside the entrance. His need to protect had driven him to take the least desirable location, preferring to be the first to face possible danger, even though it meant he would be colder. He didn't mind; the safety of others came before his own comfort.
Darkpaw had just woken, his maw stretching into a yawn before his yellow eyes opened. He surveyed the den, making sure all was well before he rose and padded out of the entrance. In the dim light of the camp, he stretched the tension from each muscle, flexing his claws. With soft, silent pawsteps he headed for the entrance, exiting darkness and entering darkness. The transition from cave to forest was blurred, as there was only a faint light coming from the young dawn. The broad shouldered apprentice moved over the wet but solid ground, his paws taking him to the edge of the ambush pond, as it was called.
He lowered his dark-furred hindquarters, sitting at the edge of the water. A white tipped tail curled around his paws, and his white paws, slightly muddied, lifted and lowered, resting on his tailtip. He inhaled once, holding it in for a moment. When he exhaled, it was slow and controlled, the beginning of his meditation. His eyes closed, and his oxygen intake slowed to long, deep breaths. His dark head, splashed with white, tipped back, his muzzle pointing to the sky. Every thought drained from his mind, his senses opening. He took in everything around him, though focused on nothing.
Emptying his mind had become easier with time. At first, it had been a fight, where he would focus so hard on emptying his mind that the task became impossible. But with guidance from Frogsplash, he learned to simply relax, and focus on his breathing. The first time he was able to clear his mind, he was so amazed that it didn't last long. After a few sessions, he grew more comfortable with the internal silence, and began to enjoy the peace that swept over him. His mentor still meditated with him, though not as often as in those first few weeks. The early mornings had been his idea, and he trained himself to make it a daily habit. Now, he didn't dare face the day any other way.
The silence, both external and internal, had a calming effect. Meditating relaxed him; it was a way to escape the tension and stress. It was healthy, in more ways than one. Not only was he relaxed, but he was more alert and more focused, and it had made a big impact on his training. His battle skills where strong, and he rarely came back from a hunting trip empty-pawed. He would meditate sporadically throughout the day, when he had the time, but his morning sessions were most important to him. They prepared him, enabled him to face the world with a clear mind and a level head.
Sitting as he was, tail wrapped under his paws, eyes closed, and head tipped back, one on the outside might think him vulnerable. His meditation carried him into a higher sense of awareness, though, and in this state, he was far from vulnerable. If anyone or anything came near, he would notice, with enough time to take appropriate action if it was needed. However, he was rarely, if ever, disturbed from his meditation, and usually it was by Frogsplash, ready to take him out for training.
With the sun beginning to flood the valley, the Clan would wake soon. Once the orange light giver had completely risen, he would follow his normal routine of rising and reentering the camp, ready to face whatever may come. For now, though, he would rest, deep within the sheltered place of meditation, his secret sanctuary of silence.
D A R K P A W