[lone]

Originally Posted by Thistledawn

Cherrypaw tried to remember everything that she'd learned from this training session so far. She was hoping that she'd be able to apply what she'd learned during the battle. The apprentice's blue eyes widened the slightest bit when Blazingcomet headed towards her with the fastest speed she'd seen so far. Determined not to let that throw her off, the white apprentice ducked and dashed to the side, making sure that side was the one with her mentor's good leg. Her rushed dash had kicked up a small cloud of dirt. She stuck out her little white paw hoping that she'd catch the ginger tom's side. Cherrypaw turned to face her mentor, careful not to let him catch her with her back turned towards him.

The little she-cat was enjoying this feeling she had. She felt far more confident now than she had minutes ago. Everything was so much more fun when she knew how to do it. For a heartbeat Cherrypaw felt like she could do this all day without a worry. She wondered if she'd be able to get one of the other apprentices to spar with her after this training session ended. The apprentice had to remind herself that she'd probably feel tired by then despite how energetic she may have felt now. It was adrenaline that was fueling her movements now. Every swipe and dodging movement she would make would be fueled by that power. It would be this way in real battle too. It'll be pride and passion as well as adrenaline fueling me in real battle, Cherrypaw thought. Real battles were fought to defend something. In Cherrypaw's case she'd be defending SkyClan. Knowing that there was a home to protect would surely give her the might to defeat every cat who may have threatened her Clan.

Blazingcomet leapt through the air, his timing a little bit off, but for the most part he was headed in the right direction - his eyes fixed solely on Cherrypaw’s smaller frame. Problem was, the she cat was so small, he almost landed right over her - instead, he landed where she had been only moments before, and had just managed to regain some of his balance when it was thrown off again by the she cat trying to catch him in the side. At the moment her blow (thankfully) didn’t do much, but it was enough to shake him and cause him to stumble just a little bit. The orange tom narrowed his golden eyes, and whirled around, sending up a cloud of dust as the turn was a little too sharp - a shame, but there was nothing to be done about it.

He struck out with his own paw, aiming for her shoulder - his claws were sheathed, of course, but he had to make sure the movement wasn’t so fast she didn’t have time to think… that would come later. Perhaps he wasn’t doing her any favors by slowing things down, but if he made it too fast, what would happen? Would she get discouraged because she wasn’t able to keep up with him? Would she go ask Grousestar for another mentor because Blazingcomet was too hard on her? Irrational fears, perhaps… but they were very real possibilities for the tom. He hadn’t realized just how hard being a mentor could be.

Thankfully he didn’t know the ups and downs of parenthood, either… not yet. Perhaps he never would. The tom might make a good friend, but being a father definitely wasn’t for him. Moving away so that he could get a clear shot again, the tom charged for Cherrypaw, this time checking his speed and distance away before he leapt. It was harder than it looked, executing a good jump like that - he hadn’t thought it would be that difficult back in his own apprentice days.