but some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. |
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STAFF MistClan Leader
INVENTORY
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Post by Katara on Mar 29, 2021 21:24:04 GMT -5
[googlefont=Unica One][googlefont=Share Tech Mono][googlefont=PT Sans] SPIDERBITE TOM /// 44 MOONS /// NIGHTCLAN WARRIOR EVERY TIME YOU CROSS MY MIND YOU GET RIGHT UNDER MY SKIN | | AND IT GETS HARDER JUST TO BREATHE FEEL LIKE THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN | | GIVE ME ANXIETY | » |
L osing sleep over how he was going to train his apprentice probably hadn't been any other warrior's problem, but it was Spiderbite's. He, Icepaw, Mothlight, and Dawnpaw had gone out for a tour of the territory shortly after the ceremony, leaving the two young cats exhausted by the time they got back to the cave as the sky began to turn purple. Spiderbite had thought about asking Mothlight to train their apprentices again the following evening, but as he'd been having his dinner he'd noticed Blackstag looking at him with a distinctly amused expression. When he'd padded over to ask him about it, the older warrior turned dismissively to Buckfur, leaving Spiderbite confused and fearful. What had that look meant? As the sun rose over their territory, Spiderbite found himself wide awake in his nest, anxious about Blackstag. Had he done something wrong? He'd rushed through all their interactions in the past couple days, but couldn't think of anything he'd done that might have so amused his friend. A jolt of adrenaline had coursed through him when he imagined what Blackstag would say to him if he asked his sister to train their apprentices together again. What, you can't even train her by yourself? What kind of a warrior are you? The realization had made him stay awake for a long time after that, planning what to do for his training session with Icepaw the next night. When he emerged from the warriors' den at dusk, he was exhausted and anxious. He just wanted to do something that would impress Blackstag... He'd fetched Icepaw from her den, and the pair of them had left the cave for the forest, where night was just beginning to settle over the valley. Spiderbite forced himself not to yawn, or think too hard about how amazing it would feel to sink into a bed of moss and doze off right now. " Okay, Icepaw, we're going to the Ambush Pond tonight. We should find something there for you to hunt!" He had scented a water vole there for the past moon, and wondered if it was still there. It had been particularly elusive. If they didn't manage to find it though, he knew it would still be a great place to find a decent mouse, or a frog. His heart pounded as a silence stretched between them, and wondered frantically if he should be saying something. What would Blackstag... No, he thought quickly, as a wave of anxiety washed over him just from thinking about the other tom. What would Mothlight do? Oh, yes, that was much better! " Have you learned the basics of the hunting crouch yet?" he asked, pausing and realizing only now he'd been quite a bit ahead of Icepaw, whose legs were much shorter than his. " Sorry," he apologized. " I forgot what it's like to be small! Don't worry, I was pretty much your size when I started my training too," he reassured her, hoping he hadn't made her feel bad. Was he beginning to babble? His fur turned hot, but he made himself backtrack. " So the hunting crouch! Have you seen the other apprentices do it before? Show me what you've got," he invited, making his eyes round and patient. Spiderbite couldn't be intimidating if he tried, but he still wanted to make Icepaw feel more at ease.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2021 7:53:34 GMT -5
Icepaw NightClan- 6 Moons - Female Icepaw was nervous. This very feeling radiated from her core and pulsed through her entire tiny body, like an icy current of electricity. It numbed her limbs, and flattened her ears against her skull and heightened her breath in her throat. It hadn't been enough that she had just been out with her new mentor, Spiderbite, the previous night to explore the new openness and freedom that came with being an apprentice. Oh, no, in fact she barely recalled the evening's events but she had felt happy. But now, after learning that this new adventure was supposed to be something different altogether. Well, it was to be understood that the paw's nerves were on edge. She had barely slept the day ahead, in fact. She lay tossing and turning in her new nest in the apprentice's den. Too lost in all the thoughts that plagued her mind that she had completely forgotten to sleep. So once the night had came, and her mentor had roused her from her endless day of not sleeping, the apprentice was quiet as the two walked. Spiderbite had mentioned going to the Ambush Pond...to hunt?! The apprentice almost choked in response but held back the edge of bile that almost spilled from her maw. Instead she managed to throw wide and icy blue eyes in his direction, in an almost, "Are you serious? Am I even good enough to do anything like that yet?" kind of expression. Thankfully her mentor seemed more concerned with their surroundings and getting to the place they were supposed to go, instead of watching her. The silence that stretched between them was almost deafening. Did he regret getting her as an apprentice? Her tail lowered and her ears already pressed against her skull, flattened even more against her skull, almost as if they were trying to become one with her head. The edge of doubt was quick to override the sense of nervousness, just a bit. Was his silence because he already believed she was too incompetent's in becoming a warrior? What would her siblings think of this? Would this make her father believe she was an even bigger failure than she already was? The soft echo of her mentor's voice and words were enough to draw the apprentice's from her sprawling form of self depression and back to the present. Her head turned and she eyed him carefully, her ears flicking in an effort to catch what he had said clearly. She hadn't even realized she had fallen behind, a bit from him, and had been lagging behind. Until he had stopped and had called back to her. Heat came to her cheeks in her embarrassment and she quickly pulled her legs towards him, mending the distance between them easily. Once at his side, she looked up at him this time, and mewed an answer to his questions from before. That she had barely caught, but it was best not to add that detail. " I learned the basics like most kits..." She mewed with a soft but blunt echo of her voice. Of course she failed to mention that she hadn't been very good at it, but Spiderbite would find that out soon enough. Realizing he wanted to see how she could do it, the apprentice nodded her head. The desire for her mentor's approval, pulled her limbs forward. Her back legs shifted and her front followed suit, until she was in a half crouch position. She let out a breath, afterwards and returned her glaze back to her mentor. " How's this?" Hopefully it was a little better than her nursery days, but even if it wasn't, hopefully it would still make Spiderbite proud of her for at least trying. Icepaw Talking
hehe protect these cutie beans! <3 • Katara • 625
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but some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. |
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STAFF MistClan Leader
INVENTORY
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Post by Katara on Mar 30, 2021 17:59:13 GMT -5
[googlefont=Unica One][googlefont=Share Tech Mono][googlefont=PT Sans] SPIDERBITE TOM /// 44 MOONS /// NIGHTCLAN WARRIOR EVERY TIME YOU CROSS MY MIND YOU GET RIGHT UNDER MY SKIN | | AND IT GETS HARDER JUST TO BREATHE FEEL LIKE THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN | | GIVE ME ANXIETY | » |
M aybe it was just him overthinking everything, but he thought Icepaw seemed a little distracted tonight. Her blue eyes were trained on him as he spoke, but he didn't feel as if she were really looking at him - almost like she was looking through him. Maybe she's trying to forget about the fact that I'm her mentor, a small voice in his head told him. He was sure most apprentices dreamed about having a mentor who was powerful and confident, like Blackstag, not someone anxious and sensitive like Spiderbite. " I learned the basics like most kits..." she responded, sounding quiet and subdued. Was she upset? Should he ask her? He shifted his paws, wondering what he might have done wrong. He'd called her small, but he thought he'd made up for that. Surely he hadn't said anything else wrong already? Icepaw sank into a crouch, and after a moment he realized he was supposed to be critiquing her hunting crouch. " Th-that's really good!" he said a little too quickly, before noticing the few areas where she could improve. " Oh, I would sink down just a little lower, so your belly fur is barely above the ground. You want to keep yourself as low as you can without making yourself unbalanced. And make sure you always keep your tail low and still too." Spiderbite demonstrated, falling into his well-practised hunting crouch with ease. " And then when you're stalking your prey, you'll want to keep your paws light and move slowly. That's the best method for stalking a mouse or a water vole, because they'll feel the vibrations of your pawsteps through the earth before they'll hear you." The black tom glided forward, moving his legs through the movements smoothly and soundlessly. " You give it a try!" he encouraged her, flicking his tail at her as he sat up again. " Move as slowly as you like - it can be hard to get your body balanced right at first. I'd rather that you feel balanced and slow rather than unbalanced and moving at a normal pace. The balance will come with practice." As Spiderbite spoke, he began to feel more confident little by little. He was good at hunting, he knew he was. He'd never brought back too little prey, and it wasn't often that prey escaped his claws anymore. He had very solid skills as a warrior - maybe Darkstar hadn't been crazy to choose him for a mentor after all! TAGGED | @jen | NOTES | just trying their best!! <3 |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2021 8:05:15 GMT -5
Icepaw NightClan- 6 Moons - Female Icepaw was confused. Okay, surprised and confused all at the same time. It all stemmed from her mentor's previous words. Had he really said what she had thought he said? Wait huh? The fluffy kit turned her head and cocked it to the side, her eyes wide. She parted her maw, once, twice and then a third time trying to find the words, any words to come out. For the record, the apprentice wasn't use to hearing such...praise (was that the right word? yes, it seemed like it was) in fact it was a foreign word for a kit who had been raised the way she had been. Her father, Frostjaw, idolized strength and pushed his kits to want to be the best that the could be. With being one of the weaker kits of the bunch, Icepaw hadn't been exactly what he had been looking for when it came to his legacy. Yet Icepaw was too stubborn to give up on herself. She wanted to prove herself to her father, to Spiderbite and namely herself, and prove herself she would. It was just, her mentor had taken her by surprise, that's all. " Ok....thank you...," She mewed out a simple in response to her mentor. Her body in reaction, shifted and lowered itself to the ground at her mentor's suggestion. Her thick and already course white fur, barely brushed the length of the ground with her shift, and her tail that had been propped up a moment before, shifted down as well. Her fluffy tail stiffened with a single command of her mind and another sigh shifted from her mouth. Her icy blue glaze looked up at her mentor then, as he demonstrated his own well balanced crouch. As he sat up, the apprentice moved to do as she was told. Light. Light. Light. She shifted on her own paws, taking a few steps, only to pause when she made it to his side. The pace had been slow and yet effective, and she was happy that she had finally managed to get it right. Maybe, this would get her father's attention! " Was that okay?" She asked returning her blue glaze back up to meet her mentor's eyes, " Do you think Frostjaw would be happy with the progress?" The edge of nervousness had made its reappearance in her voice but beyond that, lay a small thread of happiness. It looked like she was finally making some sort of progress! Icepaw Talking
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but some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. |
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STAFF MistClan Leader
INVENTORY
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Post by Katara on Apr 21, 2021 21:11:39 GMT -5
[googlefont=Unica One][googlefont=Share Tech Mono][googlefont=PT Sans] SPIDERBITE TOM /// 44 MOONS /// NIGHTCLAN WARRIOR EVERY TIME YOU CROSS MY MIND YOU GET RIGHT UNDER MY SKIN | | AND IT GETS HARDER JUST TO BREATHE FEEL LIKE THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN | | GIVE ME ANXIETY | » |
T he way Icepaw's eyes widened at his words made him worry for a moment. Was Frostjaw's kit perhaps not used to being instructed what to do? He thought that was what Sootpaw was like, and did not envy Hollystorm the task of mentoring the very... headstrong kit. He hoped Icepaw would take training well, but he just wasn't sure sometimes from her reactions. His worries slipped away just as quickly as they'd come when the white she-cat murmured a, Thank you before shifting her position according to Spiderbite's advice. She fell into the correct stance wonderfully, and the black warrior purred at her. " Very good! That's perfect form, Icepaw." Then he watched her demonstrate her stalking. She took it slowly, just like he suggested, and to his pleasure she remained well-balanced the entire time - each movement of her paws smooth and fluid. " That was great!" he answered her. " A mouse would've never heard you coming! We're lucky we live in a pine forest too - the layer of pine needles makes it easier to keep our pawsteps nice and silent. But when we're in other areas, like closer to the Ambush Pond, there might be sticks and other debris lying around so be sure to look at your path to make sure you don't step on anything either." "D o you think Frostjaw would be happy with the progress?" Spiderbite hesitated, swallowing when he realized he wasn't one-hundred percent certain of the answer. Frostjaw seemed to have high expectations of others, and his kits were probably no exception. He wanted to tell Icepaw it didn't matter what her father thought, but then he'd be a hypocrite - he cared what Frostjaw thought, so why would he tell the white warrior's own daughter that she shouldn't care? " I think it will be hard to make your father happy," he told her honestly. " He's never struck me as a cat that's easy to please. But," he went on, praying he'd not dashed his apprentice's hopes, " when you do impress him, you will feel truly accomplished. Remember, you've only just started your training. You're doing great so far, but go easy on yourself whenever you might find things harder." His tail-tip touched her shoulder lightly. " Now, should we see if we can find you something to catch?" Paws-on learning was often the best way to learn, in his opinion.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2021 21:54:17 GMT -5
Icepaw NightClan- 6 Moons - Female Spiderbite's praise of her precise balance, and excellent form, brought a wave of something coursing through the tiny kit's body. It was an uplifting sensation that Icepaw could only describe as being filled with warmth. Happiness. Was this what it felt like to be happy? To be praised for an accomplishment? She flicked her tail and dipped her head in his direction, " Thank you, Spiderbite," She mewed softly, not sure of what else she could muster in following up her thanks, she went silent. She slowly pulled herself to a sitting posture as he began to muse about how their territory was lucky to have pine needles. Now most apprentices would have been listening to every word that was being spoken to them. Intrigued by the soft misgivings of the landscape and how such things could help in the hunt and so on and so forth. Now Icepaw was listening but only vaguely, in fact the only indication that she was listening was the small twitching of her ears, and the small glances towards her mentor. Yet upon hearing the not so gentle swallowing of air from her mentor and the acknowledgement that he had heard that question she had asked previously, was enough to draw the apprentice's attention back to the over slightly larger feline. And his words of encouragement? Well, they didn't necessarily give her the ray of hope that she had wanted to hear. In fact, it down right confirmed what she had already suspected for a long time. Her father, was a hard cat to please and no one knew that as much as she did. The mere images of his disapproved scowl from her kit days in the nursery was enough to bring a sigh from her maw, and bow her head a bit. But from what Spiderbite continued, he did say there was a silver lining down the path. Like when, she finally got his approval, it would truly make her feel accomplished and the best part that really had her raising her head and looking at him in surprised? When he mewed that she needed to go easy on herself. She found herself smiling, an actual smile that pulled her to her maw, and lightened her features a tad. The touch against her shoulder by his tail only encouraged her more and at the mention of finding something for her to hunt, she perked up even more. " Do you think, I'm ready?" She asked the question before she could stop herself, clearly really excited about actually hunting something instead of just practicing. Icepaw Talking
- meep, sorry post is sucky D: • Katara • 433
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but some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. |
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STAFF MistClan Leader
INVENTORY
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Post by Katara on Sept 6, 2021 16:35:50 GMT -5
[googlefont=Unica One][googlefont=Share Tech Mono][googlefont=PT Sans] SPIDERBITE TOM /// 44 MOONS /// NIGHTCLAN WARRIOR EVERY TIME YOU CROSS MY MIND YOU GET RIGHT UNDER MY SKIN | | AND IT GETS HARDER JUST TO BREATHE FEEL LIKE THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN | | GIVE ME ANXIETY | » |
T he look of unmistakable happiness that spread across Icepaw's face actually warmed Spiderbite's heart. He could tell now that she was more than beginning to relax during their solo training session - she was actually beginning to enjoy it, if he wasn't mistaken. This also cheered the black warrior, thinking it was likely this evening would be a success. " Yes, I do think you're ready," he purred in response. " Follow me!" He flicked his tail, and began leading her closer to the Ambush Pond, until they were just on the outskirts of it. Now he turned to her, his voice lowered. " With your white pelt, I think you'll want to hide closer to the trees. Before approaching a potential hunting spot, you'll want to check for areas where you might be able to blend in more, if you can." This was an issue Spiderbite had never had to worry about, with his own night-black fur. But he had heard the same advice given to other apprentices with lighter coats before. He nodded at the paler trunks of the trees that surrounded the pond. " The reeds will also make good cover here. But, a hiding spot will be no good if you're not downwind of your prey. Can you tell me if we're downwind now?" After Icepaw answered, he went on, " We are downwind from here, so that's good," he confirmed. " Can you smell any prey around here?" he asked next. He could smell the faint trace of that water vole, but also mice and frogs, as he'd suspected. Duck scent was there too, but quite stale. He was curious what she'd be able to pick up on.
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