As Swift as the Crow flies...

[Tiabirb]

Swiftfire
-----------------


Ugh. Asking about this was like asking for help removing a tick from behind her ear; Up close and uncomfortable. But....well she needed to get on some good sides for a change, and even though she thought the rambling raggedy tom was a lot to swallow, he was still experienced. And respected, even by herself. She wasn't arrogant to think she deserved to be a Fury and not him. But she wasn't going to fade into obscurity and wallow in isolation.

If she wanted something, she needed to show she earned it. And to do that, she would earn it.

She took a good bit to groom herself down, thinking out her plan of 'attack'. Subtle wasn't her style, and she didn't feel like dancing with her words. Best to approach with her usual vice; Blunt and outright. With a hint of politeness. She wasn't totally mannerless, but she wasn't about to act like a scared kit to a fellow Clanmate. And the experience she needed? He had it.

That's right. Rising to her paws, Swiftfire walked right up to Crowtooth, and quite flatly stated, "I want to learn tunneling. You're the best tunneler we have, so, will you teach me? Yes or no?" She stared at him intently, her expression a mixture of annoyance (mostly at herself for even having to ask) and bemusement while she waited for his answer.

@Rani

[Rani]

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler/Fury | He/him | 51 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

‘See this mess is why there’s just no point in grooming my fur. It’s impossible, never lasts, and my black fur hides the mess anyways, all anyone generally ever knows is that Im a bit dusty and it’s messy.’

The tom was frowning hard as he fought with a gnarled knot of fur that’d clumped with some mud to form just an impossible matt, growling low as he internally continued to complain when he failed to groom it out and was now tugging more forcefully at it with a claw. It wasn’t a nice feeling (it rather hurt) but it got the thing loose at least just in time for Swiftfire to show up.

Frankly he was expecting yet another fight but had been pleasantly surprised today when she instead was after his skill set.

The tom blinked a couple of times, rasping out an “Uhhhhh..” For a couple of seconds until his brain snapped too and tacked on a hesitant “Im happy ta teach anyone in the clan who wants ta learn tunnelin’. Never tacked ya fer one interested in the deep thought, struck me as more o’ a moor runner. Any specific reason fer the ask or are just lookin’ fer new skills?” Despite his words the tom still got up and lead the Molly out of the camp with a flicked tail to follow, padding to the nearest entrance to the deep. If Swiftfire took his curiosity as suspicious that was on her but honestly he didn’t really care to try and twist his words to make them less prodding.


@Tiabirb

[Tiabirb]

Swiftfire
--------------


She expected the delayed response; She came to expect it nowadays. But, he didn't say no. Which was what she wanted. Well, needed mostly. He made a comment on her preference for open skies and ground, to which she replied, unable to keep the sarcasm from dripping in, "Really? I could have mistaken you for a squirrel," She let out a snort, turning to follow Crowtooth out of camp.

She mulled over her response, then she spoke without the sarcasm, "Figured with my build, I'd have better luck underground than that high above it." She had climbed a tree. Once. She hadn't liked the feeling of it whatsoever. Not the splintery bark, not the swaying sensation whenever the wind blew too hard. Not to mention, if she fell, she could easily snap a leg; They were long and thin, and meant for speed and agility. One heavy impact, one poor landing, and she'd be lucky to run ever again. "Besides, you were pretty impressive, getting a whole warren out of their burrows." It was a genuine compliment, and she tilted her head in his direction, "And I'm not easily impressed." Which was true.

"I want to learn something useful." The tortoiseshell said after a while, "Screw swimming, I've tried climbing. I should keep my paws on solid earth and learn skills that allow me to do so. And, well, I'm skinny and quick. And believe it or not, smart enough to catch on just as fast as I can run." She added the last bit with a bit of a growl.

@Rani

[Rani]

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler/Fury | He/him | 51 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

Well.... Huh.

Crowtooth had honestly never expected Swiftfire to admit anything nice about him, not after his failed attempt as mending bridges, even if he internally was able to do the same. She beat him in this at least, the tom wasnt sure he would be able to do the same for fear it'd be taken badly. Which felt petty and childish now, so he offered a raspy. "Ive learned ta not assume ones build based on their build. I mean Im built like a rock an' still squeeze myself down there an' Bravebird is tiny and Im pretty sure she could choke slam me if I pissed her off.
Kinda figured ya'd do the same really, ya struck me as the hidden strength type."


Not in a bad way though, as awkward as it was that was a compliment in Crowtooth's mind.



"Well Im wit' ya on how swimmin' and climbin' sucks, I cant even get inta Twi's den no matter how hard I try, damn tree. An' learnin' new stuff is always good, Ill admit I wish I could learn moor runnin' myself but wit' my breathin' theres a reason I never did."
Mainly the horrible gasping fit that'd sent him to the medicine cats den every time he tried, ruined lungs unable to process the air he needed to manage speed. He'd found a niche in the tunnels in the end, but it did still sting.




"Alright here we go. Before we go in, yer nose is gonna be less useful then ya think. Scents stick down there, an' dont travel so ya cant track em an' find an exit. Instead I scent mark the right wall as I travel in, so if ya ever get turned around or lost as soon as ya find my (or any other tunneler's) scent as long as ya keep it on yer left you'll find the surface.


Focus on yer whiskers an' ears. Keep yer head low an' whiskers brushin' the floor, this way you'll feel roots and rocks before ya trip an' can follow turns before ya run inta walls. Once ya get the feel ya can even 'see' things movin' around ya by how the air moves.
As fer ears they can tell ya how open the area yer in is. If ya chirp and it sounds 'hollow' yer in an open area that might have a high roof so ya can stand or a tunnel that continues further. If its muffled yer facing a dead end, wall, or tight spot.


I'll give ya a moment ta get orientated, fer now lets just get used ta the dark."


With that the tom ducked in, keeping slow and making sure Swiftfire was close as he padded through the dark until he reached a larger more open spot where Swiftfire could practice and try things out.


@Tiabirb

[Tiabirb]

Swiftfire
--------------


Well, now she was left a little speechless. A compliment in return? Even if it was delivered in a strange way. Alright, she could work with this. Warrior to warrior, despite their differences, they could be civil. It was a step in the right direction.

"Maybe. Maybe I just haven't had an opportunity to show it." She rumbled out a response, the smallest of hints that Swiftfire had a hunger to prove herself. With the disappearance of Dunecall, she had allowed herself to focus again on her warrior duties. One of which was finding Dustypaw and giving him another battle training session. With war on the horizon with RiverClan, she didn't want his training to fall behind.

She let out a snort of amusement, trying to picture Crowtooth trying to haul his mass up into Twilightstar's den. It didn't seem like it'd end well.
Uh-oh. Her mask cracked a little, and she shot Crowtooth a long, sad look. She didn't like the idea of feeling sorry for him, he wasn't the type to look for pity. Instead, Swiftfire was a little surprised to find her reluctant admiration building. "You're a tough one. You didn't wallow and complain, you adapted to survive. Knowing that, you probably have more courage than me." It wasn't an easy admission, and the faint smile turned into an uneasy frown, and she looked away.

He explained the basics to her, and she gave him her full attention. Scenting was the least reliable means, though she was a little impressed with his strategy of scent-marking one side of the tunnel to assist their navigation in and out. She would need to focus on her senses of touch and sound, got it.
The tortoiseshell was quite and attentive until the end. She was here to learn, and the best way to learn was to shut up and listen. He had explained it pretty well in her opinion.

"That's some clever thinking," She said just before he ducked to enter the tunnel. And more to herself, she added, "I like it." With that she ducked and slipped into the darkness of the underworld.


She had been in tunnels before; The tunnels with the minks, but they had been tunnels within a cave. This was significantly different.

The walls were tighter, winding more and twisting. How could a cat as big as Crowtooth be down here so darn much? She was nigh petite and even her shoulders would squeeze and press against the walls on either side of her once in a while.
Swiftfire took her time making progress. She wanted to familiarize and desensitize. Her discomfort with being underground, the anxiety of all the possible what ifs that could go wrong. She was pushing through it, one paw at a time. She kept her whiskers brushing the wall to her right, pausing at various turn-offs before chirping down one and waiting. She found it was easier to determine a dead end than it was an opening. She wasn't sure what a 'hollow location' sounded like yet, so she simply avoided the ones where the sound didn't travel as far. Luckily, Crowtooth wasn't about to ditch her in the dark either, and she kept at least a rabbit's length between him and herself. If they needed to turn around, she wasn't about to make the rookie mistake of being trampled or blocking the way.

She glanced around the open area nervously, the fur along her spine lifting and bristling. The last time Crowtooth had led her into a tunnel, there were minks. Lots and lots of minks.

But there was no mink scent here. Swiftfire let herself relax, brushing off her moment of unease with a shake. "First time jitters," She said brusquely, "So where do I start?"



@Rani

[Rani]

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler/Fury | He/him | 51 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

It was.... weird how nice and comfortable this conversation felt given past circumstances. These two had fought nearly every meeting before this and now they were trading thoughts that went beyond surface conversation like old friends. Perhaps it was a similarity in thought processes, in goals and aspersions but really Crowtooth had no clue why things had turned this way and was downright confused at it, deciding to pick the interaction apart later to try and understand.


For now he simply gave a awkward chuckle and an admitted "What some call courage others smarter then me call bull-headed stubbornness. Though I thank ya fer regardin' me on the kinder side o' that balance." ever watchful to make sure she was coping well with the new environment.


Really Swiftfire was doing well, and quickly moved on to pushing forward with learning, to Crowtooths pleasure.


"So ya got most o' the knowledge ta navigate an' now its time ta focus on the tunnelin' portion o' tunnelin'.

The diggin' itself is easy. Ya find a spot where the ground is firm (so not crumbly) but soft enough ta dig an' driver yer paws in. Use yer claws an' make scoopin' motions before packin' the dirt in ta the walls an' dirt around ya, this helps strengthen the passage ya dig.

However, soil matters.
On the moors we mainly got dirt. Its good fer diggin' an' rarely needs support but there are patches o' other types (more common on other territories) that ya need ta mind.

Clay is mostly in thunderclan, it supports its weight well but doesnt compact fer some reason? Also downright impossible ta get outta fur once dried I hate it.
Rocks are stable too an' usually near the pines but ya wanna tunnel above them 'cuz if they do fall yer deader then normal.
Riverclan has tons o' sandy ground an' it falls if ya sneeze wrong around it I swear. Dont trust paths through sandy spots unless ya supported the roof an' walls wit' sticks an' I dont recommend tunneling there.


This can also help navigation 'cuz ya can kinda determine where ya might be by the soil."


Frankly it was a fascinating subject to Crowtooth and he could ramble on it forever, days upon days spent by the tom digging and creating new passages, a task that lead to his bulky and muscles figure. However, he'd bored cats to tears talking about this before, so made sure to keep this short and simply add a raspy.


"Now ya can actually learn ta intentionally cave in tunnels. However I dont teach that ta cats until they're fully confident in their skills down here fer how dangerous it is."
It was the skill that'd made Crowtooth loose his memory and go missing after all, leaving him half insane and trapped in the tunnels for over a year.
"So once ya got any questions about tunnelin' squared away yer choice on if we go over tunnel huntin' or fightin' first."

@Tiabirb

[Tiabirb]

Swiftfire
------------


Was it really so odd for her to be..nice? She could be nice! The nicest cat ever...if half the dingbats around her didn't absolutely irritate her with their nonsense. Okay, maybe she hadn't been the nicest as of late, what with Twistedpaw's savaging at the RiverClan border, RiverClan trespassing and RiverClan murdering their deputy, and the minks...and the alliance with ShadowClan...


She just didn't feel as though 'nice' was the proper mindset for all the troubles plaguing WindClan.

Swiftfire tilted her head toward Crowtooth as he explained tunneling. Not just navigating, but making new tunnels. That part of the job, she hadn't been aware of, and her fur began to bristle involuntarily as the anxiety of being buried alive resurfaced. She had been in a cave-in once. A rat infested badger set had collapsed beneath her apprentice, Wildpaw, and Swiftfire had plunged into the chaos to save them. Some old roots and her wits amidst a torrent of dirt and rats was all that saved them from a horrid death.

"Clay, sand, basic dirt..." She repeated quietly, something to show she had been listening, sort of, and a matter of clearing the experience from her mind. "Right. So is there a way to know if the ground above is unstable?" The question hadn't been the one she had intended, but she marked it up to her anxiety, so she followed it up with another, "And if you were to fall into a collapsed tunnel...or some badger set, for example, what are your tips for the best chances of survival?" A practical question, one more rooted in a sense of reasoning, and not just her worst case fears.


"I am not quite sure if I'm ready to fight in tunnels," Swiftfire frowned, "It'd be reasonable for me to learn my way around first and how to secure a tunnel's strength." She hesitated. Some ideas had come to mind, but for...reasons, she wasn't entirely comfortable with sharing them. Yet if she didn't, was she truly going to learn anything? She wasn't a clueless apprentice after all, she was capable of suggesting her own training ideas. "What if we set some small tests on what I learn today? For example, I'd like to be tested on reaching the surface through navigating on my own.... Afterwards, another test could be making a new escape tunnel from here to the surface, or linking tunnels...." She felt her voice trail away, the discomfort of sharing her thoughts returning. Yeah, the last few times haven't left her feeling very confident...

@Rani

[Rani]

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler/Fury | He/him | 51 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

Right he'd forgotten to go over signs of an eminent tunnel collapse which was kind of important information. Ooops but at least Swiftfire caught it!


"Ah, right if a tunnel yer in is unstable then ya'll feel it goin' in, debris will fall like dirt raining down, the ground will feel squishy an' non compacted an' tappin' the wall will result in a mini landslide. A good tunnel is a firm one, if its soft an' squishy an' wet (not damp that can be fine but wet) beat a quick retreat.

But once thin's really go bad it'll.... vibrate(?) no better word really. Ground shift beneath yer paws, yer whiskers feel thin's movin' when ya aint touched nothin' an' ya'll hear crackin' or rumblin' dependin' on the soil type.
Ya wanna run at that point.


As fer fallin' inta a badger set...."
Crowtooth trailed off, thinking. He knew badger sets well enough, he'd never won against any of the beasts but after enough tussles with them he considered not dying to those small monsters winning regardless.



"I suppose similar thin's? If yer on the moor an' the ground feels crumbly or 'bouncy' it aint good, an' generally yall hear the ground crunch or shift before it gives 'way. But beyond that, try an' latch on ta a wall, some o' the tunnels go deep and ya can never tell how long you'll be fallin' so if ya can catch yerself or at least slow yerself its good. Badgers cant climb also. They hit like nothin' else sure, but even Im faster an' jumpier them so bolt an' if yer fallin' inta a sett from above try an' climb out.


Best advice I can give but its advice, its a weird situation ta be sure."
Where it came from the tom had no clue but he wasnt going to pry and ask.



The mollys idea about a test sounded good, it wasnt something Crowtooth would put his other students through but Swiftfire was generally harder stuff then most. She could probably manage.
"Sounds good ta me if yer up ta it. We can go over strengthenin' tunnels an' some advanced navigation (an' of course any questions ya have) and we'll run some tests.

First strengthenin' though." Padding along until he found a protruding root Crowtooth tested the dirt, explaining how he wasnt afraid of disturbing this area as it was compacted and rather hard to move, plus that the roots of whatever tree they were below was forming a sort of structure inside the walls of the tunnel, supporting its shape. The tom then removed the root, chewing and clawing in places until it was detached and lead Swiftfire to a new location he'd wanted to dig out (so what if he was lazy and wanted a faster path to the new fury field, shut up).


The tom instructed the molly to help him dig, showing her that if she stopped periodically to take the loose displaced soil and packed the walls roof and floor with it it'd be stronger. But stamping in the walls wasnt all and thats where the root came in.


"Now its not always needed if the soil is good but if yer unsure on stability a root is useful. Prop the bottom on the ground, maybe brace it wit' some rocks ya can find, an' press it inta the wall an' roof an' pack more dirt around it ta really keep thin's together. The root or stick or whatever ya can find will help keep the roof stable so the more ya add the more stable it is.


Any questions on that or more navigation before we run a mini test? Gonna ramble on about findin' yer way in a bit, but if there's anythin' specific ya wanna go over?"


@Tiabirb

[Tiabirb]

Swiftfire
------------

She could only stare at the utter horror story of what a collapsing would feel like on the inside. Her experience had been above ground, and imagining that
earth shaking sensation, but all around her, under, above, on either side...Her fur felt prickling sensations, ghost feelings of sand and earth trickling through her pelt. Her unease was growing evident. All of her bravado walking in was being weaned away bit by bit, the longer she remained still in the earth below. And maybe it was just her mind playing tricks, or some really suppressed PTSD she didn't know about, or want to admit to, but the shadows on the edges of her vision thickened and moved, and for a moment, she saw rats in one corner, minks in the other.


A sharp, startled hiss broke from Swiftfire, and before she knew it, she was pressing herself against the nearest wall, back arched, ears splayed and every single hair on her body was raised in fear. Her breaths came out in rapid, uneven gasps.
"I-I can't...I don't...I-I'm not sure...if...I can do this..." Swiftfire choked out. She felt trapped. The darkness was closing in around her vision, and as she sunk to the floor of the cavern, she could feel her heart pounding dangerously hard against her ribs. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, squeezing them shut so tight that she felt a throbbing ache in her temple and jaw. She focused in on the ache, letting the dull pain ground her again. It wasn't the pain of tiny claws and razor sharp teeth. It wasn't.

This was misery. This was humiliating. She felt embarrassed by her weakness. When she relaxed the muscles in her jaw and face, she felt very woozy and dizzy, but the ache had sharpened, and she let herself relax more until she was huddled on the earth floor, her breaths slow but ragged now. And what's more? Crowtooth had been present for all of that. That was simply great...
"S-sorry..." She half-stammered, half-snapped at him. "I thought trying to learn...this...I thought it would help...The first time I fell into the ground...I-I leaped in actually, to save my apprentice...and there were just...rats everywhere..." Her body involuntarily released a violent shudder, "And then we...we were ambushed by the minks...now that's all...it's all I can see. Waves of...of rats and minks."

A sob threatened to break free, but oh no. Swiftfire let herself choke that one right back down. Like hell she was going to have anyone say they saw her cry. Angry, ferocious, even rude and bossy? Fine. But a sad little she-cat? She'd rather die. It was bad enough her fear was on full display.

The slim tortoiseshell ran her paws hastily over her face and ears, and then over the thick crest of fur between her ears,"I-" She cleared her throat in shock from the literal squeak she had let out, "I'm alright. I'm fine...just...bad memories." She had asked for this, and backing out of it now would just be a waste of time and energy. Even if she never went into a tunnel again in her life, this was still a valuable skill, and her panic-riddle brain wasn't going to stop her from learning.

Strengthening the tunnels seemed pretty easy, and Swiftfire kept a little closer to Crowtooth than normal, peering at the roots while he explained the state of the soil was deemed safe to manipulate. It made sense to her; Trees provided a lot of structure and integrity to the ground beneath them, and above ground too. He worked the root free, and as they moved on, she was tasked with packing the dirt once in a while, compressing it into cracks and patting and shaping the soil. Her ear pricked as he explained the use of the root; granted she was unsure why he was carrying it up until this point.

"I never knew dirt could be so...flexible." Swiftfire said quietly, the nervous edge still lingering in her voice, "Both hard and soft, dangerous and yet provides in many ways....not unlike warriors." She was mostly talking to herself, but the sentiment was surprisingly comforting. It was a little of everything that made Clan life so constructive and yet safe. There was always a risk of something collapsing down the line if they didn't keep up with it, but it wasn't the end of the world either. They could rebuild, just like these tunnels.

She thought hard about her question. "Water." She replied, "How would I be able to tell if I'm too close or near a water source?" She glanced at Crowtooth, "Aside from the soil being damp or wet? Because that could be the case after it rains. But what if...there's a pocket of water in the ground? Just behind a wall of soil? Would you hear it? Smell it? What does water smell like underground? What if a tunnel is running along the river? How would you strengthen that to prevent tunnels from flooding?"
Phew, a lot more questions than she had intended, but each one came out before she could stop it, and when she did stop asking questions, she clamped her jaws shut and looked at Crowtooth both in awkward and expectant silence.

@Rani