Snowpaw got back on her feet fast, and stood her ground in front of Heathernose, then lowered her head and rushed head-first into her mentor, only to jump up in the air, aiming to land on her back.
Heathernose couldn't hold back a grin of satisfaction, Snowpaw seemed to have a natural affinity for combat. She spun in a tight semicircle, digging in her forepaws so when Snowpaw landed they were facing each other. "Good!" She meowed, holding her tail up to signal a pause. "You have good instincts! Let's move on to learning some common moves."
Her whiskers twitched thoughtfully. Snowpaw already seemed to naturally understand the back kick. She crouched down in a fighting stance, waiting for Snowpaw to copy her. "When facing an opponent head-on, sometimes it can be helpful to bring your forepaw down on their head hard." She demonstrated by bringing an unsheathed paw straight down towards Snowpaw's head, but didn't land the blow as this was just to demonstrate. "Keep your claws sheathed when you do this. This will stun your opponent and open up opportunities for other blows. For example, if they turn their head to the side to shake," she turned her own head to show Snowpaw an example, "that gives you an opening to shoot forward and grab onto their leg, neck, or shoulder. You can then try to unbalance them or flip them."
She turned back to Snowpaw and stood up. "Understand?"
Heathernose couldn't hold back a grin of satisfaction, Snowpaw seemed to have a natural affinity for combat. She spun in a tight semicircle, digging in her forepaws so when Snowpaw landed they were facing each other. "Good!" She meowed, holding her tail up to signal a pause. "You have good instincts! Let's move on to learning some common moves."
Her whiskers twitched thoughtfully. Snowpaw already seemed to naturally understand the back kick. She crouched down in a fighting stance, waiting for Snowpaw to copy her. "When facing an opponent head-on, sometimes it can be helpful to bring your forepaw down on their head hard." She demonstrated by bringing an unsheathed paw straight down towards Snowpaw's head, but didn't land the blow as this was just to demonstrate. "Keep your claws sheathed when you do this. This will stun your opponent and open up opportunities for other blows. For example, if they turn their head to the side to shake," she turned her own head to show Snowpaw an example, "that gives you an opening to shoot forward and grab onto their leg, neck, or shoulder. You can then try to unbalance them or flip them."
She turned back to Snowpaw and stood up. "Understand?"
Snowpaw decided to demonstrate her understanding by jumping up and thunking her mentor on the head, as she had shown her.
Snowpaw decided to demonstrate her understanding by jumping up and thunking her mentor on the head, as she had shown her.
Heathernose almost let out a mrrrow of laughter when Snowpaw answered her question by demonstrating, she enjoyed how cheeky her apprentice was being in that moment. She's confident. She noted, admiring Snowpaw. Heathernose continued the demonstration, moving her head with the impact of Snowpaw's paw strike to see what her apprentice would choose to do next.
Heathernose almost let out a mrrrow of laughter when Snowpaw answered her question by demonstrating, she enjoyed how cheeky her apprentice was being in that moment. She's confident. She noted, admiring Snowpaw. Heathernose continued the demonstration, moving her head with the impact of Snowpaw's paw strike to see what her apprentice would choose to do next.
Snowpaw used the leverage to dive low and snag Heathernose's legs and try to make her tumble down to the ground.
Snowpaw bounced around behind her mentor, going after her tail.
Heathernose couldn't suppress another impressed grin. Clever. She had expected Snowpaw to try and pin her down, as most warriors would. But Snowpaw once more showed quick thinking and innovation. She waited for Snowpaw to almost reach her tail before shooting out her hind legs, using the momentum to pop back up on her paws and slid into a ready crouch.
Heathernose couldn't suppress another impressed grin. Clever. She had expected Snowpaw to try and pin her down, as most warriors would. But Snowpaw once more showed quick thinking and innovation. She waited for Snowpaw to almost reach her tail before shooting out her hind legs, using the momentum to pop back up on her paws and slid into a ready crouch.
Snowpaw acted like nothing unexpected had just happened. She almost tumbled, but caught herself in time. She looked at her mentor, and thought he battle was over. "Well? How did i do?"
Snowpaw acted like nothing unexpected had just happened. She almost tumbled, but caught herself in time. She looked at her mentor, and thought he battle was over. "Well? How did i do?"
Heathernose smiled and nodded, pride for her apprentice coming off her in waves. "You're a natural, Snowpaw!" She purred. "You have an innate talent and think well and creatively on your paws. You will make an amazing warrior." And she meant every word. If anything, it made her regret that she may not be able to finish out Snowpaw's training, but she was determined to get Snowpaw as far along in her training as she could.
"I think this was a good session for today." She meowed, sitting with her tail curled in the air behind her. "How do you feel?" Although she was still checking in with her apprentice, and knew some may see that as a lack of confidence, she felt perfectly calm and confident as she posed this question. She truly wanted to know what Snowpaw's analysis was of her own skillset.
Re: Snowpaw Combat Training Pt.1 [P]
