[Rani]

Bleedingpaw
Shadowclan Apprentice | He/Him | 12 Moons

Just a Scratch | Shadow Fiend | Hulk SMASH! | Mind Reader

In some degree Bleedingpaw knew and had expected his unnecessary skills wouldnt really be of consideration in an assessment unless he brought it up. However.... Well he'd picked them up for a reason.


The golden bengal would, despite best efforts and extra training, be showing less skill in hunting and fighting then other clanmates. Or, he at least assumed that to be the case given Shadowclan held their cats to high standards, though it was possible maybe subpar warriors did slip through the cracks. Regardless. His hunting would take longer, he probably wouldnt be as effective, and against Dawnstar despite directly planning to fight her the leader would wipe the floor with him, fast. He knew his fighting was around the average level of a normal warrior with his efforts but still for shadowclan, that wasnt much.
Shadowclan didnt accept 'average'.


Hence so many extra skills that Bleedingpaw didnt necessarily 'need'. So yes, he would prove his value in other areas, just in case.
Tracking he could use in hunting, find something big and exciting to make up for quantity. Stealth would be there too. Predator combat and flaying had no place in assessments. Leaving- "Ill swim across that patch of bog and heal any wounds incurred in the combat portion myself at the end. It'll save Sleepysunrise the herbs and time for more dire cases."


It was a reasonable addition that did not interrupt the flow of things, and the tom waited, ears perked for the leaders approval. When he had it there was little use for words and got started, slipping into the mire with a small shiver at the lingering chill in the water (thankfully he'd warm up hunting and fighting after). For all the murky bog muddied Bleedingpaws pelt and scent (a benefit for later fighting) and he found that unpleasant he was indeed rather good at swimming.


With the water cushioning him and supporting him, countering for any poor balance, the tom in this environment didnt risk tipping over for once. Any rogue lashings of limbs, wobbles, wiggles, and twitches were obscured by the water and in fact assisted his swimming. Here, in the water, for once he appeared without disabilities at all, easily navigating current and obstacle, finishing with ducking under a fallen log that hovered above the water, slipping out of the mire and flicking water out of his ears the dive had incurred.

Comparing his movement on land compared to the water, he looked like a clumsy duck, waddling on flippers not suited for walking.


At least now he was closer to the other bank where some pond turtle he didnt know the name of was sluggishly trying to warm itself on a rock, slamming into it to pin it so it couldnt bolt into the water and fishing a paw into grab its retracting head. It took some paw wiggling, but eventually that was his first catch down as a errant claw pierced its eye, reptile unable to retract its head enough to escape death.


@Undertaker (+1 turtle, will knock out the rest of a hunting in a single post next post)