Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2013 0:36:40 GMT -5
The black and white she cat gave her mentor a wide smile as she watched her come over and observe her find. Sparrowpaw, silent and growing more confident by the second, moved away from the freshly fallen feather and, ears perked, moved away from the feather and began to look for the thrush on her own, without Briarshade's heed. The she-cat remained roughly in the same place, moving only a step or so away from the place where the thrush feather lay, so to not make too much movement. Plus, the she-cat knew that approaching the trees to observe them would only restricted her sight of the air and the upper levels of the trees more. Briarshade seemed to be particularly thrilled about her find and Sparrowpaw happily agreed. The freshness of the scent surrounding the feather suggested that the thrush was still alive and well, and, more importantly, within reach.
Briarshade turned around to face Sparrowpaw and her large ears perked forward, hoping she had found something. The apprentice watched her mentor quietly move forward further into the woods and she curled her tail for a moment before following her mentor to check out unscoured territory. The apprentice's tread was light and matched her mentor's for the most part. The apprentice's movements were so focused and predetermined that her joints became stiff and her mind mechanical. Sparrowpaw, who was paying more attention to stalking through the forest carefully, did not spot the thrush like her mentor. When her mentor whipped around and instructed the apprentice to catch the bird, Sparrowpaw felt mixed emotions. While she was excited that the bird had been found, particularly thanks to her handiwork, she did worry that since this thrush was all they had been able to find, there was pressure in her efforts.
Sparrowpaw's fearful gaze locked with Briarshade for a moment and she seemed to ask her whether or not Briarshade could do it instead, through her eyes. Watching Briarshade's urgent look flash back at the black and white feline, her mind became more focused on the task she had been assigned rather than trying to get out of it. The apprentice crept forward in the best stalking position she could and got her first good look at the small, unaware bird perched on the tree. Sparrowpaw halted once she had gotten close enough and flattened her body against the earth. Ears perked back and tail tucked away, every muscle in the apprentice's body tensed. She then made her move, back legs pushing against the earth and claws outstretched. Her pounce gave herself quite a bit of air, but such was planned because the apprentice figured that the bird would be attempting to fly away before her claws actually made contact with its feathers.
The apprentice was thankfully correct -- the bird began to fly into the air and straight into unsheathed claws. A wing caught in Sparrowpaw's grip, the she-cat bounded back to the ground, the impact of her movement breaking the bird. Sparrowpaw stood in the exact position she had fallen in upon making the pounce for a good several moments. The apprentice's mind was very excited and was working very quickly, while still not coming up with the proper understanding that she indeed had made the first kill of her life. Green eyes fixed on the thrush's body and observed it up and down.
The apprentice turned to face her mentor, grinning. "I did it," Sparrowpaw breathed, voice incredulous.
Briarshade turned around to face Sparrowpaw and her large ears perked forward, hoping she had found something. The apprentice watched her mentor quietly move forward further into the woods and she curled her tail for a moment before following her mentor to check out unscoured territory. The apprentice's tread was light and matched her mentor's for the most part. The apprentice's movements were so focused and predetermined that her joints became stiff and her mind mechanical. Sparrowpaw, who was paying more attention to stalking through the forest carefully, did not spot the thrush like her mentor. When her mentor whipped around and instructed the apprentice to catch the bird, Sparrowpaw felt mixed emotions. While she was excited that the bird had been found, particularly thanks to her handiwork, she did worry that since this thrush was all they had been able to find, there was pressure in her efforts.
Sparrowpaw's fearful gaze locked with Briarshade for a moment and she seemed to ask her whether or not Briarshade could do it instead, through her eyes. Watching Briarshade's urgent look flash back at the black and white feline, her mind became more focused on the task she had been assigned rather than trying to get out of it. The apprentice crept forward in the best stalking position she could and got her first good look at the small, unaware bird perched on the tree. Sparrowpaw halted once she had gotten close enough and flattened her body against the earth. Ears perked back and tail tucked away, every muscle in the apprentice's body tensed. She then made her move, back legs pushing against the earth and claws outstretched. Her pounce gave herself quite a bit of air, but such was planned because the apprentice figured that the bird would be attempting to fly away before her claws actually made contact with its feathers.
The apprentice was thankfully correct -- the bird began to fly into the air and straight into unsheathed claws. A wing caught in Sparrowpaw's grip, the she-cat bounded back to the ground, the impact of her movement breaking the bird. Sparrowpaw stood in the exact position she had fallen in upon making the pounce for a good several moments. The apprentice's mind was very excited and was working very quickly, while still not coming up with the proper understanding that she indeed had made the first kill of her life. Green eyes fixed on the thrush's body and observed it up and down.
The apprentice turned to face her mentor, grinning. "I did it," Sparrowpaw breathed, voice incredulous.