maybe the lesson will stick to you... [p]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Enforcer
she/her | 37 moons
[Large black cat with a half-white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
· · ────────────── · ·
[Goopypaw - @Poprock ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Mistlewhisker wondered why the cursed apprentices flocked to her like sparrows. First Gutspaw showing up in the dead of night at the scene of her apprentice's trouble, now Goopypaw approaching her for more battle training. It was a little unnerving, if she was being honest. Gutspaw was... terrifying. Goopypaw was... sticky...? She wasn't entirely sure how things kept getting stuck to his fur, though she was certain his odor prevented anyone from grooming it away. She took a deep breath of the chilled forest air, letting it clear the thoughts from her mind. She was supposed to be an objective party, just here to train Goopypaw and turn him into the best warrior he could be.

That being said, how good of a warrior he could be had yet to be seen.

Mistlewhisker paused in a bit of a clearing. Watery sunlight filtering down upon them. "You've had basic battle training, yes?" She asked, stretching languidly. "Is there anything specific you want me to teach you?"

[She doesn't know how to feel about Goopypaw yet but eventually she will shred anyone who looks at him wrong]

[Poprock]

Goopypaw
Apprentice || He/him || 8 Moons || Purrks: Bewitched: Goop

"Yes, I've learned the basics from Hawkbite." The apprentice truly appreciated the head enforcer. If it weren't for cats like him and Mistlewhisker, Goopypaw would be doomed. Despite his shy demeanor he did in fact love to learn. It was a shame his mentor didn't seem to pick up on that. Maybe that's why the apprentice seemed to have an extra pep in his step now. Knowledge is the greatest gift after all; and to Goopypaw it was Christmas. "And I um... just want to thank you ma'am. Not too many take on the challenge of both m-me and my siblings." A small smile as he thought of Gutspaw. He'd only picked up bits and pieces of that night from overhearing Squirrelpaw and others, but it sounded.... silly. Shadowclan wasn't too keen on silly. It's a wonder he had made it out of camp with someone who knew that ran through his veins.

Figuring the dark molly's stretch was something he needed to copy, he stretched his comparatively shorter limbs out too. Hopefully Mistlewhisker didn't hear the way his shoulders popped.

His eyes lit up at her question. No one asked the calico what he wanted to learn! "I want to learn c-confidence! Um... please." Perhaps puffing out his chest as he spoke was a bit too much. No one was going to buy that... "If um... if that's alright. I don't have confidence in m-my abilities as a warrior to be. I'd like to be l-like you or Darkfall someday. A protector of Shadowclan." If Mistlewhisker could help his friend (??!!) Squirrelpaw out of her shell, why couldn't she do the same for him?
---
@Micanomancy I simply think that Curse magnet Mistle is the cutiest patootiest ever

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Enforcer
she/her | 37 moons
[Large black cat with a half-white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
· · ────────────── · ·
[Goopypaw - @Poprock ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Surprise etched itself on her long features at his expression of gratitude. Gratitude for... taking on him and his siblings? Mistlewhisker shifted uncomfortably, not entirely sure how to process that. "I am merely doing my job." She hedged, relieved when the topic was dropped.

Confidence, hm? Well, Mistlewhisker certainly had experience there with her apprentice. However... "If you wanted a confidence lesson," she meowed, whiskers twitching with amusement, "Silverlark would have been a better teacher." Mistlewhisker wasn't really known for instilling confidence in others, unlike the perky enforcer she had come to like over the last few moons. She didn't question him further, however, merely beginning the lesson.

"As ShadowClan warriors, we must learn to use our stealth and strength to our advantage. If you do not go into a fight aiming to win, you will lose." As simple as that sounded, Mistlewhisker knew many warriors who had gone into skirmishes and never returned just because they had not considered how high the stakes really were. The giant black cat circled Goopypaw as she spoke, not unlike a crow circling carrion. "One of the best ways to be confident in a battle is to have something you can rely on to get you through it. For some cats, it's their speed. Others, brute strength. Some, witts and charms. I rely on my strength in battle." That was definitely believable, with how imposing of a figure she made in the watery afternoon light. "What would your best quality be in battle?"

[Poprock]

Goopypaw
Apprentice || He/him || 8 Moons || Purrks: Bewitched: Goop

"O-oh! Yes your... your job." Was that... disappointment that tinged his pelt? For what? He tried not to dwell on it. Besides, it seemed she would have preferred not to have been bothered by him at all. It seems Silverlark should've been the one he annoyed, not her. His shoulder's sunk. How stupid he was to get excited.

Well, he would enjoy the new knowledge while he could - pushing aside his sadness to instead listen to the enforcer speak. You must aim to win. He repeated quietly, nodding along. Aiming to win honestly had never been in his mind during training. It was more... aiming to be praised. Perhaps he should forget that goal all together.

"M-my... my best quality in battle?" He repeated the question dumbly. Did everyone just... automatically know what their skillset was?? If so, did that mean he had nothing? The calico couldn't list a single thing he was good at - let alone anything he was good at with the art of battle! He wasn't called the disappointment of the clan for nothing after all...

But Mistlewhisker was expecting an answer, and something inside Goopypaw craved her praise. (Why? He had no idea). He had to give her something. Anything! "I- I'm an easy target! Um... I look like a drowned rat and have no experience in a-anything other than grossing e-everyone out. S-so um. To an enemy I'm an easy kill." He stopped for a moment, gaze stuck on his shuffling his paws awkwardly in the dirt. It was easier than following her circling movements. "S-so if I get really good at um... reading my opponents and p-predicting their moves, maybe I could defeat them with the e-element of surprise...?"

Oh stars as soon as the words left his grimy little lips he regretted them. His "skill" was being pathetic? UGH GOOPYPAW!!!! He mentally facepalmed himself, not looking forward to Mistlewhisker's annoyed response.

@Micanomancy no this isnt almost a month late <3 <3 <3

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Enforcer
she/her | 37 moons
[Large black cat with a half-white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
Purrks: Beefed Up T3
· · ────────────── · ·
[Goopypaw - @Poprock ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Mistlewhisker listened with increasing worry as Goopypaw rambled about his patheticness and worthlessness in battle, suddenly wondering if she was cut out for this after all. She grimaced a little when he wasn't looking, searching desperately for a response. She wasn't used to dealing with cats with a lot of emotional baggage...

But then he brought up a good point. "Well, your perceived incompetence aside," she began, "I think you have a lot of potential. Predicting an opponent's moves is an excellent skill to have, though one that hard to learn." She regarded him seriously with her one eye. "I believe you have the ability to learn it."

She stopped in front of him, dwarfing him in her shadow. "And don't call yourself a drowned rat. You have more honor than that." For some reason she disliked the idea of Goopypaw putting himself down like that.

"Today we'll focus on reading your opponent." She meowed, backing up a few paces. "I am going to attack you." She raised a paw, showing that her claws were sheathed. "I will move slowly, and I want you to guess my move before I reach you, and react accordingly. We'll start simple."

Once he was ready, Mistlewhisker strode forward and aimed a vertical swipe at his head.

[Poprock]

Goopypaw
Apprentice || He/him || 9 Moons || Purrks: Bewitched: Goop

Potential. He had potential. Mistlewhisker believed he - Goopypaw - had potential. Like she believed in him. HIM!!! For a second, Goopypaw felt his body shut down and restart. Lighting shot through his veins and boiled his blood - a feeling that made the apprentice feel so... so.......... ENERGIZED!! It was just so... !!!!!!!!

He didn't dare respond to her next comment about honor; much too scared his voice would squeak like a mouse. A curt nod would suffice. Besides, being drowned in Mistlewhisker's shadow felt oddly.... peaceful? Perhaps it was that surge of energy from her words that was acting a shield from her spooky aura. Perhaps later in his nest with Squirrelpaw he could ponder why simple words made him feel so alight. Like he could do anything. But now was time to show Mistlewhisker how thankful he was that she was doing her job.

Because that's all this is to her. A job. Don't forget that.

"I-I can do that." The apprentice took a few pawsteps back of his own, thankful she had flashed a sheathed paw his way. Had she not, Goopypaw would be a nervous wreck. Even more so than usual. A deeeeep breath in, paws adjusted into a battle stance, and Goopypaw was ready for action.

A blink as Mistlewhisker strode his way with a paw raised - aimed to bap him on the face if he didn't react. A roll to the side would be good! Wait! No, if I roll then my tummy is exposed! I'll do this instead!

"Hup!" An accidental mrrow as he leapt to the side - clear of any swiping paws. T-thank the stars this is only a mock battle!! I couldn't imagine facing her for real... A shiver. She could be truly menacing when she wanted to be... which was probably always.

"Y-you were aiming to hit me in the f-face, ma'am!" A nod accompanied his words, like he was reassuring himself of his answer. "S-so I moved to the left and um... if I were i-in real battle I would then t-try to ram into your side and p-push you over." That sounded like a good move right? Then he could uh... dispose of an enemy and skedaddle away. Ya!
@Micanomancy

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Enforcer
she/her | 37 moons
[Large black cat with a half-white muzzle and pale green eyes, one gouged out]
Purrks: Beefed Up T3
· · ────────────── · ·
[Goopypaw - @Poprock ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Mistlewhisker eyed Goopypaw as he sidestepped, a little mrrp of effort escaping him. He would grow out of that. Maybe. Then he did something particular.

Mistlewhisker almost snorted when Goopypaw called her "ma'am". StarClan, he was just as bad as Silverlark. Was she doomed to be considered the grandmother of the clan despite not even being that old? Apparently so. She imagined no one called Dawnstar old because she was so terrifying. That thought irked her a little. Was she not terrifying? Perhaps she should be a little meaner...

Moving on from her train of thought, Mistlewhisker found herself pleased with Goopypaw's assessment of their moves. Not only that, but he explained a good strategy for his next move as well. Mistlewhisker's tail swished behind her. "Good call. Bowling a cat over makes them vulnerable to attack." She nodded to the apprentice. "Let's try something else." The large molly backed up a few steps to her original spot. Then, without warning, Mistlewhisker sprang into the air, aiming to land on Goopypaw's back and crush his spine. Not really, though. If she landed on him, it would hurt like hell, sure, but it wouldn't cause him real injury. She hadn't jumped high enough for that.


[I LOVE HIM SO BAD]