[Deleted]

i'll always keep you inside, you healed my heart and my mind

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Fifty-seven moons, and his fourth apprentice. Shortly after Palescreech's warrior ceremony, Redstar had given him a new apprentice, Spottedpaw. The tortoiseshell she-cat was currently following him, as he led her away from LightningClan's camp. Having already trained three apprentices, Burningleaf was beginning to become weary of the daily training habits. Sure, it kept his mind sharp and his skills from slipping, but sometimes he just wanted to lie next to his mate and rest.

As he padded toward the training area, Burningleaf let his mind wander to Flashbrook, wondering if the other tom ever felt neglected. He had been gone so long, and now Burningleaf was busy training apprentices back to back. They didn't have near as much time together as either would like, and the ginger and white tom was beginning to worry. The last thing he wanted was Flashbrook to be upset about the lack of time they spent together.

Burningleaf's brow furrowed as he thought; he had never been any good at hiding his emotions. It made him weak, and girly, as his mentor's mate had told him. Venomspirit had tried to beat the emotion out of him, to no avail. Burningleaf's mentor Willowsong was powerless to protect her apprentice from her mate's abuse. His apprenticeship was an uphill battle, one fought and one with Flashbrook by his side. Tragedy had separated them, but also rid the world of Venomspirit, the one cat who gave them hell through it all. But now Flashbrook was back, and that made Burningleaf happier than he could ever express.

The tom's thoughts evaporated as he stepped through the grasses and into the trampled clearing, the grass pounded flat through generations of training paws. The fact that the grass that attempted to grow in this area couldn't was a testament to the dedication of generations of LightningClan cats, training hard to fight for their brothers and sisters, their Clan.

Burningleaf strode into the clearing, pushing aside his weariness and falling once again into the routine of mentorship. He turned toward his newest charge, smiling at her warmly. The senior warrior was used to the challenge of raising an apprentice to becoming a warrior, but each apprentice brought a new challenge and a new experience, and the journey to warriorhood was the greatest of trips.

"This, Spottedpaw, is the trampled clearing, where the majority of your training will take place. Hunting basics are taught here first, before we travel out and actually begin hunting. Almost all of your battle training will take place here, though we may move into different parts of the territory, in order to give a variety of battle fields and situations." He paused, giving the new apprentice time to ingest his words.

He flicked his tail lightly, still smiling at her. "Today we will cover the basics of hunting, beginning with a general hunting crouch." He took a few steps back, turning that his flank was facing Spottedpaw, at an angle. He lowered his body, his legs bent elegantly. He held his weight in his haunches, steadying his breathing to a slow, even rhythm. The tom's tail straightened out behind him, hovering inches from the ground. He focused on a point somewhere ahead of him as his entire body stilled.

Burningleaf held the crouch and turned his head to his apprentice. "You want to stay low to the ground, and hold your weight in your haunches. Keep your forepaws light, and don't let your tail touch the ground." He reached a white forepaw forward, showing her how to carefully and silently place a paw on the ground. He crept forward a couple steps, again focused on empty air. "Focus your breathing. Slow, even breaths are best, just try to remain silent and mostly still."

Still focused on empty space, he settled further back on his haunches. "When you're close enough to pounce, shift your weight to your hindlegs, and spring forward.." He burst forward, forepaws bending beneath him for a moment before unfolding, stretching out in front of him. He landed steadily, his body fluidly moving from the air to the ground. "..using just enough force to get you there." He stood straight and fixed her in his golden gaze. "Your strength comes from your hindlegs. How much power you use will vary depending on the distance, the prey, and the situation."

Burningleaf offered Spottedpaw a smile. "I know it's a lot to take in all at once. But don't worry, we'll take it slow, one part at a time. Start with a hunting crouch." He flicked his tail as a signal to begin, and watched her movements with a calculating, but not unfriendly, gaze.

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B U R N I N G L E A F

[Deleted]

Spottedpaw

~*~

Steady pawsteps followed behind the orange tabby tom, an excited bump in her step. Spottedpaw had been waiting forever for this time to come, dreamed of it for a very, very long time. It was the dream of her whole life. Preferably she wanted to be the best hunter, fighting just wasn't in her nature, though of course, she would defend her clan with her life. As she bounded a tail length or so behind her mentor, she wondered what was running through his mind, or what it was like to be a senior warrior in general. It must have been fun, but did it ever get old? The young apprentice wandered on the question for a while, wondering if all the apprentices were the same. It was somewhat true, they were bound to make similar mistakes and they always started from scratch. But then again, it must be an honor to be able to know that once they have become a warrior, to know that you were the one who taught them everything they know today. For a few more moments, Spottedpaw flicked her ears, wondering what it would be like to someday have her own apprentice.

Ears perked in excitement as the ground changed from squashed grass into a trampled clearing that she assumed had been used over the moons to train many apprentices to become warriors. She could feel the excited bounce in her paws and knew she would need to calm down and be serious for this. So, with a deep breath, the small tortoiseshell she cat closed her eyes; reopening them to a steady and calm body. The apprentice lowered her eyes to meet Burningleaf's listening to them as determinedly as she had learned the warrior code. She wanted to know this like the back of her paw. When the tom mentioned hunting, her ears flicked in a newly found excitement, she would be able to learn the crouch today! It was like a life-long dream being brought into reality and taught paws on. She knew every cat learned it, but for her, it was extra special. She had also learned, that here is where she would learn her battle movements but would also be taken out to learn other techniques. 

As he concluded that they would be working on the basics of the crouch today, Spottedpaw's tail curled excitedly behind her, the tip twitching against the ground. But as her mentor began to demonstrate the movements, she froze, determined and bright green eyes focused on every detail of the tom's body. She noted down how his legs bent with such ease, moons of training and practicing had left the toms movements looking almost natural, like he could do it with his paws tied...If only. She also focused on how his weight was on his haunches and that his tail was straight out and held above the ground. When he spoke again, she figured if his tail was down it could scuffle the leaves, scaring the prey. Spottedpaw curtly nodded her head, though she hadn't caught that his breathing had slowed until he mentioned it. She watched the pounce and listened to what he had to say, when it was her turn, she felt her heart quickening, this time with both nervousness, but also more determination. She wanted to make him as proud as she could, even if he had felt it a hundred times before.

When he moved back to the spot, Spottedpaw made her way to a cleared spot that seemed decent enough. Her tail was twitching anxiously, but she shoved it aside. She could feel the toms gaze on her, watching her every movement, judging her. She wanted to hiss at how kit-like she was being, but once again, shoved it away. She was better than this. With another deep breath, she inhaled, closing her eyes. She reopened them as she exhaled, allowing her legs to bring her neatly into a crouch. For a moment, she wobbled, wondering if she was going to fall, but after a few tense seconds, she had her legs steadied out. The she cat felt her tail brushing the ground and raised it slightly. Just enough so that it wouldn't brush the ground underneath her. Now with a steady stance, she took a few more deep breaths, eventually catching a slow, almost relaxed but not quiet, rhythm. With the main steps done, she found a spot in the clearing and fixed her green-eyed gaze on it, staring intently as though stalking prey in the undergrowth. Not a single movement took place, not even the twitch of a whisker as she stood like a statue, waiting for Burningleaf to call her out, or give her another command.