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Post by Fawn on Jul 14, 2018 0:12:15 GMT -5
HARESTRIKE
40 MOONS LIGHTNINGCLAN SENIOR WARRIOR There's only one king, and there's only one crown Three figures took center stage in the trampled clearing. One was a tabby tom with a white throat, chest and underbelly, dark brown and black stripes gleaming in the morning light. Though the tall grasses around the battle area would provide them with some shade, it was still better to train now, before the high midday sun began bearing down on the three LightningClanners.
The other two were apprentices, denoted by their smaller sizes and the way he held their attention. One was Nutpaw, Galestorm's apprentice that he had borrowed for today's battle exercise, and the other was his own apprentice, Bluepaw. They were siblings -- Bluepaw and Nutpaw -- as it turned out, but that shouldn't make a difference.
He'd fought Thrushwhisker almost constantly, when he couldn't find Blazefang or Gustclaw or Sunblaze to spar with. Maybe it was more of his mother's twisted machinations to pit her kits against one another, but he never saw the issue with fighting siblings.
"Bluepaw, I want you to practice stalking and ambushing. Nutpaw's going to know you're hunting him, but treat it like a real situation. You can keep your claws unsheathed," Harestrike saw the flash of alarm in Nutpaw's eyes, and added "but don't get carried away. Nutpaw, you're allowed to defend or try to anticipate Bluepaw's movements."
Harestrike prided himself on his battle prowess. He wasn't as tested as Redscar or Nightstep, but he'd become known for his strength and speed in combat, and the exileration in his eyes whenever he got the chance to properly flex his claws. Not every cat was like that, though. Bluepaw had quick reflexes and good aim (as seen with her brief conflict with Lynxpaw), but the true test of a cat's skill was seeing them adapt or strategize.
That was the point of this exercise. To see how Bluepaw maneuvered through the territory and ambushed a moving target.
 And it's looking like me |
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Post by neversky on Jul 18, 2018 13:05:50 GMT -5
 T he last few days had been rather strange for Bluepaw. Her little outburst in the meadow had made its way across the clan (thanks to Lynxpaw’s giant mouth) and though no one spoke about it in front of her Bluepaw was almost sure they were behind her back. Part of her was scared her behavior had chased Lakefur away and that Lakefur requested to have her apprentice given to another mentor. Bluepaw felt her chest clench in anxiety every time she thought about the possibility. She replayed her actions over and over again in her head and each time she did her embarrassment grew. Of all the cats to lash out on it had to be the one who would blab to the entire forest. Bluepaw’s first lesson with her new mentor, Harestrike, was battle training. He had picked Bluepaw’s own brother for her to beat up on, but that didn’t make the situation any less embarrassing for the gray she-cat. The two apprentices stood before Harestrike, dwarfed by his stature. She could see from the corner of her eye Nutpaw looking at her, timidly, Bluepaw’s expression must have been something grumpy or irritated but she didn’t feel like that on the inside. She assumed Nutpaw was mentally preparing for hell but Bluepaw’s recent history made her want to strip all of her personality away and be a hollow, emotionless being. She didn’t want to ruffle any more feathers. She didn’t want anything to do with battle. Bluepaw would rather die, she thought, than have to ever look at another cat again. Harestrike’s instructions were for Bluepaw to effectively stalk her brother as if he were prey. “ Don’t get carried away,” her mentor said. She mocked him in a high-pitched voice in her head and began walking away from Nutpaw and Harestrike, off into the light and shadows that dotted the afternoon forest. She nestled herself behind a tree and half of a bush and looked up, apathetic, towards Nutpaw. He was just standing there, confused, but Bluepaw tried to be patient with him. After Nutpaw hadn’t moved in a few breaths she took the exercise in her own hands and decided to sneak up on him even though he was standing in the exact same position as when she left. Almost like a snake, Bluepaw kept her body as low to the ground as she could and prepared to slide quickly against the grass to the next nearest bush to Nutpaw. One quick glance to the direction she wanted to go and then back to her target, the she-cat stretched out her front legs and with one quick movement slid into the underbrush, scrambling to get her legs hidden behind leaves as quick as she could so no one would notice. She could feel her movements were clumsy but Bluepaw wasn’t used to sneaking around, she was trying to do what felt right at the moment. Nutpaw’s head whipped around as the leaves crashed into Bluepaw’s body, she tried to remain silent so her brother wouldn’t know where she was coming from. She stared at the back of Nutpaw’s head as he began to move around the clearing, listening to Harestrike’s instructions, visibly uncomfortable. |
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Post by Fawn on Jul 22, 2018 12:36:46 GMT -5
HARESTRIKE
40 MOONS LIGHTNINGCLAN SENIOR WARRIOR There's only one king, and there's only one crown Harestrike had to bite his tongue to keep from snorting. How hard was it to follow instructions? Nutpaw was freezing up, looking as uncertain as a young rabbit fresh from its warren. "Don't just stand around, Nutpaw." Harestrike called, not concerned with being overheard. If this was a hunting exercise, Bluepaw's noisy movements would have scared off any prey by now.
"Pretend you're patrolling," said Harestrike to the jumpy apprentice. Especially if it'll get you to stop dragging your paws.
"Watch your feet, Bluepaw. Don't overthink every little movement. If Nutpaw was a mouse right now, you would have ruined your chance. Do better." Harestrike withheld a more sarcastic comment. It was their first real training session together; his mother had been less than merciful in her critiques of him and his siblings - and Sunblaze had been even less so. Harestrike had been shaped by both of these mentors, but he had become more conscientious of others' feelings after the Maplebrook fiasco.
There was still so much room for improvement in his life. He had to keep pushing forward. He owed it to himself - and to Dovecloud, who despite everything, forgave him - to be the best version of Harestrike that he could be. Like Bluepaw, there was always room to do better.
And it's looking like me |
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Post by neversky on Jul 23, 2018 17:17:16 GMT -5
T he apprentice’s ears twitched as Harestrike’s comments hit her, and she scowled. Angry comments she wanted to yell ricocheted around the inside of her skull and quieted at once as her brother began to approach. Nutpaw was walking softly around the border of the clearing, around in a large circle, his expression rather pained and scared as if she was actually going to hurt him. Bluepaw’s green eyes followed him with intense focus, she didn’t seem to notice as birds chirped behind her, the clicking of leaves against the afternoon wind, the world fell away and the only things in existence was her and her prey. Nutpaw padded closer to the bush she was hiding within and Bluepaw’s back feet began to dig their claws into the earth, preparing for the lunge as Nutpaw approached. As the tom paused to face the bush where Bluepaw was hidden she launched herself off of the ground, through the shrub branches and straight into Nutpaw with her front paws straight out in front of her--claws sheathed. Her brother hit the ground with a dull thud and a grunt escaped his chest, Bluepaw stood over him with one paw on the ground beside him and another pinning him down by his shoulder. The gray she-cat looked up at Harestrike, but it wasn’t pride on her face, no smug aura or smile, just a confident neutrality. She knew she could beat him no matter what the contest, it wasn’t hard. Bluepaw backed off of her brother and looked at her mentor’s feet. “ He knew where I was hidden,” she mumbled dryly, as if she had let her mentor and herself down, “ he looked right at me before I jumped.” A scowl found itself back on her face and she sat down, tail curled around her paws as Nutpaw stood and shook the dirt off of his pelt. this is blue, my angry baby |
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Post by Fawn on Jul 25, 2018 4:53:49 GMT -5
HARESTRIKE
40 MOONS LIGHTNINGCLAN SENIOR WARRIOR There's only one king, and there's only one crown Bluepaw didn't hesitate when she pounced. Good, Harestrike praised, having watched that familiar scene play out before his eyes. How many times had he done the very same, with an added bite or the hook of a claw to let his brother know how fierce he was? Oh they had fought many times, under their mother's ever-critical gaze.
But this was milder, with a lesson at its core that wasn't so twisted as the ones he'd been taught.
"You can't control everything. Sometimes your enemies will catch your scent or hear you regardless." Harestrike approached the littermates, looking from the slightly ruffled Nutpaw to the confident she-cat he now mentored. "We're changing things up a little. This time, I want both of you to hide. I'll be hunting you." Harestrike's eyes, green as the moorland grasses, glinted.
"If I catch either of you once, that's a learning experience. If I catch either one of you twice, then you're going to bed tonight without any food." This wasn't just a game. It would provide the would-be-warriors with a chance to put their stealth skills to good use. It took effort to successfully hide from another cat, especially one who knew the territory as well as he - but it wasn't impossible.
The observant apprentice, however, would witness the other getting caught - and learn what not to do. It was a contest to see which one adapted, which one managed to avoid him the second time around. Harestrike stretched his front limbs, arching his spine in preparation.
"Go to the Star Field. I'll give a count of fifty, then come after you." Harestrike spoke generally, not going to give away which apprentice would be his first target. The picture of relaxed confidence, he sat, watching the two before they headed off to find a suitable hiding place. Let's see if you have what it takes to be warriors.
And it's looking like me |
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Post by neversky on Jul 27, 2018 20:55:19 GMT -5
H arestrike’s reassurance was heard but she didn’t respond, still scowling at the dirt below their feet. Bluepaw heard many times from many different warriors ‘practice makes perfect,’ but she would rather be born perfect than have to work for it. Failure was Bluepaw’s least favorite part of learning and she felt that with every misstep she propelled herself backward, that all her progress was lost. As Harestrike’s new method was explained Bluepaw’s ears twitched and her eyes flicked to look over at Nutpaw, who was watching the mentor’s face with what looked like fear. Harestrike’s threat of an evening without eating made Bluepaw’s stomach feel hollow, it was late afternoon and she hadn’t eaten anything so she knew if she didn’t eat she probably wouldn’t get any sleep, her empty stomach would cave in and she would be miserable and in pain. Bluepaw scolded herself, told herself to try harder this time. She would much rather be tired and full than a hungry failure. The apprentices were dismissed and Bluepaw began walking away before Nutpaw, after she passed him he seemed to be following her. She watched him from her peripheral vision for a few pawsteps before stopping in her tracks and kicking a back leg forward, pushing him away with her back foot to his chest. “ This isn’t a group activity, mouse-brain. Find your own place to hide.” Bluepaw’s push made Nutpaw lean away from the direction she was headed, he wandered to the west of her while she continued straight, disappearing once more into the bushes, brambles and leaves grazing across her face and back, she made sure to assess the branches around her to find the best opening for escape instead of making so much noise like she had before. Behind her was a small opening in the branches, a rat-length away from her was a solid oak tree. Bluepaw was nervous about acting on her feet, but as she turned herself towards her mentor to watch him begin the hunt she took a deep breath. Somewhere in her heart, she knew she could do this. |
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Post by Fawn on Aug 26, 2018 18:42:23 GMT -5
HARESTRIKE
40 MOONS LIGHTNINGCLAN SENIOR WARRIOR There's only one king, and there's only one crown Nutpaw was a means to train Bluepaw. Despite this, Harestrike still snorted in mild disbelief as the darker, slighter tom made a mess of this first round. Nutpaw had followed his sister, and Harestrike had followed them both - until she was smart enough to separate and the faint noises of apprentice paws traipsing through the moorlands was lost to him.
That other paw is almost as nervous as Tigerpaw. Harestrike found it amusing (in a mean-spirited sort of way) that the second son of Firestar was about as sturdy as a half-bitten moth. If Tigerpaw was doing this exercise, Harestrike had to wonder if the stub-tailed tom would have fluttered from place to place, desperate for a hiding spot - or if he'd simply freeze where he was, and sink into the earth in hopes of escaping Harestrike's critical eye.
Nutpaw seemed to be bark from the same tree, though to his credit Nutpaw had skittered into the sedge and brambles in an act of hasty decision making. Harestrike frowned, cocking his head as he caught a painful squeak like a troddened mouse.
"H-Help," said a voice from the prickly heart of a gorse bush. Harestrike held his composure, even with the poor apprentice trapped so awkwardly and looking so foolish. "Mossbrain," Harestrike replied. "I can't catch you, but you can't get out. If you can get through there without losing half your pelt, go see Kindleflare."
He wasn't going to stop this training exercise just because Nutpaw had gotten himself into a mess. Harestrike left the apprentice to his sorry situation. Now to concentrate on Bluepaw. His demeanor changed to accomodate a savvier kind of prey than Nutpaw, and Harestrike found himself lowering into a slight crouch, scenting and pausing to pick up any kind of trail.
And it's looking like me OOC: If you need me to add more, please let me know! |
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Post by neversky on Sept 6, 2018 16:38:51 GMT -5
[nospaces] 
bluepaw
Fawn up to you whether or not she is stealthy enough, or if she knocks him over! (:
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She figured Nutpaw would be dumb enough to get caught first, but this was a new low. That mouse-brain caught himself, when Bluepaw saw the leaves rustle in the corner of her eye she could see his soft brown fur through thorns in the distance, with her brother’s small squeak of distress Bluepaw squinted in distaste but then decided to use Nutpaw as an excellent distraction to move into better hiding. As her mentor scolded her brother a few fox-lengths away Bluepaw backed out of her bramble-covering as silently as she could muster, then turned her back on Harestrike for a split second to dash silently to the next group of bushes nearest to her, avoiding where the tom saw her disappear before the hunt began. [break][break]
Bluepaw crouched between weeds just in time to see Harestrike crouch down, stalking. To see him so serious made her paws start to sweat, the knowledge that she couldn’t be caught, that he was hunting her was suddenly rather terrifying. Is this what prey felt like? Bluepaw swallowed but kept her eyes locked on her mentor as best as she could while still surveying the advantages around her if she needed to make a quick getaway. Eyes flicked from clearing to mentor, from overhead canopy to mentor, from near bushes to mentor, and he still edged closer. There was nothing else she could do, if Bluepaw stayed put she risked him ambushing her, the apprentice needed the element of surprise in her paws, if this was a real battle and she stayed put she would surely be killed. [break][break]
Harestrike was close enough to smell her now, she knew she had to move. With soft paws she reversed out of her cover and gently circled around the tree, she was no longer in front of Harestrike, but behind him. She dug her back claws into the dirt, ready to launch herself onto his back, hoping to knock him over or at least to startle him enough to prove she could outsmart even a seasoned warrior.
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Post by Fawn on Oct 9, 2018 8:52:30 GMT -5
HARESTRIKE
40 MOONS LIGHTNINGCLAN SENIOR WARRIOR There's only one king, and there's only one crown Bluepaw's movements gave her away more than her scent had. As Harestrike had drawn closer to the apprentice's hiding spot, the faintest shift of small cat paws through scrub-brush caught Harestrike's sensitive hearing. The tabby-and-white tom smirked, impressed that Bluepaw had circled around to attack him rather than try to flee. She was clearly using her head, which was a lot more than her brother had.
Harestrike deliberately paused, giving her the chance to pounce. Bluepaw took it; with a surge of haughty pride, Harestrike deftly stepped aside, feeling their pelts brush in a faint rush of movement as her pounce landed on empty space. Quick as lightning, Harestrike tossed his shoulder into Bluepaw's flank, intending to send her sprawling as her forward momentum took her the rest of the way off balance.
"Nice try," Harestrike mewed approvingly. "You've got guts." You're going to need them. Harestrike wasn't the most empathetic toms; his social awareness was ego-centric, but even he understood the importance of traininng the next generation. Their rivalry with StoneClan wasn't going anywhere. StoneClan didn't have the reputation for battle prowess that LightningClan did - but they were the ones holding the Sun Stones right now.
If LightningClan ever intended to get them back, they were going to need stronger warriors. Especially with the older generation fading with each passing season. Nightstep was the picture of vitality and cool aggression - but for how long?
Harestrike gave Bluepaw a chance to collect herself. "Your situational awareness is good. Your stealth needs work, though. This time, I want you to sneak around me. Try to get to the crystal creek without me noticing." It wasn't much in the way of fighting, but it was important. She had to be in control of the situation - or else she'd be the one purely reacting, while someone else called the shots.
And it's looking like me OOC: I hope it's okay that I had her pounce! Don't be afraid to tell me if you want that changed to something else. ^^ |
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