->> rookpaw <<-
[ they/she | shadowclan | 14moons | purrks ]
a scarred dark blueish grey cat with minimal white markings and grey eyes
rookpaw had been walking in circles, waiting for a particular cat to show up, not quite willing to bother anyone just yet. a birdie had told her the deputy would be open to teaching rookpaw and especially after the move she was determined to finish up her training, catch up to what a majority of shadowclan apprentices had already finished and prove that she wasnt here to sit around.
when the large black feline entered rooks view she broke the pattern of her walk cycle and nimble white tipped paws quickly carried the apprentice to where she had spotted the deputy.
now that she was almost standing in front of the older cat she briefly regretted not thinking about the specifics of what she wanted to say. sure, she was just asking for training, but it still made her irrationally..nervous? no that was a word too heavy for this..it made her uncomfortable to speak to her leader or deputy unprepared, preferring it to have it scripted out word for word so she could more directly control the impact. but whatever, it was too late for that anyway so she slowed to a stop, "hey, mistlewhisker are you busy right now?..i was wondering if you could help with my training?" she enquired, white tipped ears twitching towards the deputy.
Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 40 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye (left gouged out)] Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend
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[Rookpaw - @alec ]
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The scent of fish mostly swallowed by pine and moss reached Mistlewhisker's nose moments before a vaguely familiar voice piped up nearby. The deputy slid her gaze to meet Rookpaw's, the request for training one she had heard many times before. Rookpaw was already older than most apprentices, though she seemed to be taking initiative in her training. Her current ask was an example. "Yes. I am willing to help anyone with training." Her long tail brushed the ground behind her. "What lesson did you want."
"i was thinking flaying, but im alright with anything else if that would be more convenient for you" she mewed, white tipped ears briefly flicking in discomfort at her own oddly chosen words. rookpaw knew it wasnt necesarry to complete this kind of training, but she had gotten the impression shadowclan held it in high regard..or at least magpiepaw seemed to do so. and besides, she wasnt particularly thrilled about the thought of trying to catch up on training after having already earned her warrior name.
__________________
"i wish things were different, but it werent us who changed."
Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 40 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye (left gouged out)] Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend
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[Rookpaw - @alec ]
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Flaying? Now wasn't that interesting. The deputy eyed Rookpaw contemplatively for a moment. If she could handle flaying, then she'd be more than she seemed. Mistlewhisker looked Rookpaw up and down once, gauging if this was even worth wasting her time on. She must have seen something she liked, because she silently pushed herself to her massive paws and gestured for Rookpaw to follow her out into the territory.
They walked for a little while, passing new territory until something familiar came into view. A part of the territory that hadn't been taken by the Twolegs. Mistlewhisker's favorite training spot.
"We will need squirrels or rabbits." While working with rabbits was ideal in comparison to cats, squirrels would work just fine. Hunting for them wasn't hard, especially now that it was Greenleaf. Eventually, Mistlewhisker and Rookpaw both had a sizeable squirrel they could work on.
Setting her squirrel down, Mistlewhisker waited for Rookpaw to show she was ready before beginning.
"First, splay the squirrel out like a star. Then, take your claw and cut circles around each of the legs, just above the paw." She did so, waiting for Rookpaw to follow. "After that, cut two large arcs from the innermost point of each bottom leg. One over the lower stomach--" she drew her claw through the soft flesh of the squirrel's stomach, the sickening tear of skin the only sound in the forest. "Avoiding the butt, do the same on the back of the squirrel. Just below the tail." Once she was done demonstrating, she took a step back to look at Rookpaw's progress.
Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 40 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye (left gouged out)] Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend
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[Rookpaw - @alec ]
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Flaying? Now wasn't that interesting. The deputy eyed Rookpaw contemplatively for a moment. If she could handle flaying, then she'd be more than she seemed. Mistlewhisker looked Rookpaw up and down once, gauging if this was even worth wasting her time on. She must have seen something she liked, because she silently pushed herself to her massive paws and gestured for Rookpaw to follow her out into the territory.
They walked for a little while, passing new territory until something familiar came into view. A part of the territory that hadn't been taken by the Twolegs. Mistlewhisker's favorite training spot.
"We will need squirrels or rabbits." While working with rabbits was ideal in comparison to cats, squirrels would work just fine. Hunting for them wasn't hard, especially now that it was Greenleaf. Eventually, Mistlewhisker and Rookpaw both had a sizeable squirrel they could work on.
Setting her squirrel down, Mistlewhisker waited for Rookpaw to show she was ready before beginning.
"First, splay the squirrel out like a star. Then, take your claw and cut circles around each of the legs, just above the paw." She did so, waiting for Rookpaw to follow. "After that, cut two large arcs from the innermost point of each bottom leg. One over the lower stomach--" she drew her claw through the soft flesh of the squirrel's stomach, the sickening tear of skin the only sound in the forest. "Avoiding the butt, do the same on the back of the squirrel. Just below the tail." Once she was done demonstrating, she took a step back to look at Rookpaw's progress.
[ wowzers sorry im suuuper late. i had a response prewritten like a month ago but i lost the paper somehow and then i was severely unmotivated so here i am, like 1 1/2 months late ]
ROOKPAW
now, with her stealth training pretty much done, or at least she fulfilled the requirements to become a warrior and didnt really have to worry about being kicked out for old age anymore, she had turned her attention to shadowclans second unique bit of training. once again a reminder just how little riverclan really had to show for themselves, honestly, if they only taught swimming as an extra besides battle and hunting, they might as well do it properly and not leave her wnadering the dark trying to find a teacher that wont disappear. whatever, back to the topic at hand, rookpaw finding herself left to stand still with the deputies sharp green eye seemingly burning holes into her, for what felt like far too long.
mistlewhisker mustve seen something in her because she quietly lead the apprentice into the territory before once again splitting ways to each hunt down a rabbit or squirrel. this particularly wouldve made her shiver a few moons ago but what could she say? performing under the ever present threat of execution was surely a good motivator.
with their squirrels placed down, mistlewhisker began explaining and while rookpaw was prepared for what she would find inside the animal (they did eat them after all), the sound of claws through skin was almost uncomfortable to a irrational degree. she replicated the deputies instructions step by step, cuts a bit rough from her paw shaking (not her best reaction outwardly, but she knew it was probably because trying to control how fast one was going with a paw off the ground was quite odd). by the time mistlewhisker stepped away from her own squirrel, rookpaw had the process layed out in her mind, and the position of the cuts made relative sense so replication wasnt, despite the obvious lack of practice, much of an issue.
__________________
"i wish things were different, but it werent us who changed."
Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 40 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye (left gouged out)] Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend, Mind Reader
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Chariot ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
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[Rookpaw - @alec ]
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Rookpaw seemed to take to the lesson well, and Mistlewhisker had little to say as she watched the apprentice finish her work. Once she did, Mistlewhisker nodded and continued.
"Next, snap the tail." A sickening snap. "Then cut around the throat of the squirrel. Once that is done, tug the skin over the head." It was easier to pull the pelt off than it felt like it should have been. Mistlewhisker had been surprised when she was an apprentice at how easily it came off. Once it was off, Mistlewhisker looked to Rookpaw. "Now all you need to do is clean the pelt in water to rid it of blood." Mistlewhisker sat back. "Any questions?"
the sound of bones snapping was far more uncomfortable than the process prior to this had been, a noise so fleeting yet discomfort inducing. it wouldve probably been worse if rookpaw hadnt realligned bones herself and heard a variation of this noise multible times in doing so. while mistlewhisker pulled the skin over the animals head, the apprentice watched, marvelling at the ease that this appeared to happen, before finally following along by breaking the tail. then tracing her claw along the animals throat in a shallow half circle before getting a grip on the loosened pelt and tugging. it did come off easier than expected, some part of her mind had still been convinced it was just mistlewhiskers skill, but even unskillfully and stocking, rookpaw has been able to remove the pelt. "err bigger animals work similarly i suppose, right?"
flaying, the old american art [p]
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