Stars damn it, the kid WAS faster than her. Deadmoon did her best to keep ahead of the apprentice, because she would need to get up to at least this speed to actually catch a rabbit, but with every passing moment Duckpaw pulled closer and closer and closer to her, until she could practically feel the apprentice's breath on her heels. She wasn't quite sure how Duckpaw was managing to chatter even as she ran about over the moor, she herself was panting a bit more than was seemly, but the child did seem to have something of a gift for gab. An ability to chatter on and on and on in an endearing manner, which had not stopped now even during an ostensibly focussed exercise designed to turn her into a useful member of Windclan.
Deadmoon did manage to drag enough air into her lungs to toss a somewhat challenging (and untruthful)
No you're not! back behind her, but beyond that she focussed on running. Stars she hated this. She was probably going to be all sore afterwards too, because she avoided it when possible. Ugh ugh ugh and ugh again. Sometimes, she was fairly certain she was in the wrong clan. Not that any other clan would be more amenable to a cat who couldn't run well and wasn't particularly strong, Twilightstar was the nicest of the leaders and Windclan was generally the most welcoming about things like that. So perhaps, if not in the right clan, she was in the best option. Most of the time she just settled for hunting....other things.
And then she was dragged out of her circular, self-pitying thoughts by a thump, as her hind legs buckled with the sudden addition of a whole cat on top of them. Duckpaw slid somewhat down her haunches, but wrapped herself enough around Deadmoon's legs that she couldn't shake her off easily, and was forced to slow down as a paw swung up to slap her on the shoulder and the victorious crowing began. Eventually coming to a stop and turning to bat away the irritating paw, Deadmoon snorted at the sight before her. Duckpaw was draped all over her like an annoying limpet, covered in dirt from being dragged a short distance but smirking like she was the best warrior ever.
Sure you win. she mewed indulgently, patting Duckpaw only slightly condescendingly on the head.
You took down the big 'ol grumpy rabbit. Shaking her hind leg a bit more forcefully, just to ensure the leech detached itself relatively promptly, Deadmoon decided it was time to get on to the actual, real life hunting. She didn't really want to real-life demonstrate, she'd just suffered a tackle to give Duckpaw an idea of what was going on after all, so she figured she'd just......send the child off to see what she could do. She had enough enthusiasm that a failure now wouldn't crush her the way it might have done to Snowy, so there was little danger in this approach. At least as far as Deadmoon could see.
Alright, I want you to have a go on a real rabbit now. There should be some a bit farther away from camp they surely hadn't scared ALL of them off
and I'll let you lead the way. Once you scent one you can start stalking till you're relatively close, ideally between it and it's burrow, and then run it down. Alright? That should be enough instruction to give Duckpaw a chance anyway. @
Marycat006