Dew meets Nightshade {p}

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Dewpaw made her way over to Nightshadepelt. She sheepishly asked, "Could you perhaps teach me water combat?"

The white-flecked tom tilted his head, "Oh? Sure." He stood up and off they went! He didn't know this apprentice, but he might as well teach her something. He made his way through the territory, finding a nice spot to perform combat. Not too deep, but enough that both of them could fight against a slow current.

Dewpaw nervously looked at the warrior, "I can't see very well, so please be patient with me!" She stepped into the water.

His gaze softened as he listened to the albino apprentice. He knew her eyes looked a lil funny, but couldn't pinpoint what it was. In that case, he'll just have to be extra careful with her. He demonstrated, "In water, it is harder to move. You must be careful not to get swept away in the stronger currents. Show me how you fight, first. And we'll go from there."

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Dewpaw raised an arm to make a swiping motion at the tom's face. Claws staying sheathed of course. She then waded through the water. It was hard to move with the water pushing against her. She then swiped for his throat.

He eyed her movements, they were clumsy and nervous. Something he expected. "Good. We'll do more battle training outside the water as well. But I want you to learn how to strategize and plan to move with the water. Moving against the water will only make it harder to fight." With this he mewed. "I will be actually fighting you now, claws staying sheathed and no biting too hard. I don't want any accidents that may happen."


Dewpaw nodded, preparing herself. She dove to rake the toms side. He moved with the water, easily swinging himself around and aiming a blow for her throat. Dewpaw panted, trying to get used to the strength of the current.

"You can easily get pulled down and drowned if you aren't careful. When that happens, just relax and don't fight it. I know your reaction will to be that. Try again."

Dewpaw tried to move with the water, pouncing onto the toms back. She mimicked a biting motion to the back off his neck. Suddenly, the tom turned and rolled, kicking her off of his back! Dewpaw shakily got back up, eyeing the blurry figure. When he went to swipe for her neck, she dove to bite at his throat. Obviously she didn't, it was just training.

The tom panted slightly, "Good!" Most of this Dewpaw had learned from seeing other cats fight in the war. She herself had never actually tested it, it was clumsy at best. "Now. I want you to try and knock me off balance. Maybe even pin me. I won't land too hard, the water will soften my fall."

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Dewpaw readied herself, slowly sprinting her way over. She acted as if she was going for his neck, but twisted to his side. She slammed her body into his, in an attempt to push him down. It didn't work but it did knock him off balance. So again, she slammed herself into him. Down falls Nightshadepelt. He landed in the water with a splash.

Dewpaw didn't pin him, she didn't want to drown him. So she let him get up. She watched the tom shake off his pelt, he panted heavily. "Well done. Let's go again."

The two separated to get into fighting positions. Dewpaw was nervous, she couldn't see well but all she needed to see was that blurry blob of Nightshadepelt and his scent. With that, Dewpaw pushed through the current, a paw outstretched to look like she was going to hit a blow to his neck. He brought up a paw, ready to paw at her before she got him. She twisted her body and hopped to the side, pawing at his eyes. While he acted like he was blinded, she hopped back, panting. "I need.. A break. Feel like goop." She got out of the water, laying down on the bank of the river.

Nightshadepelt nodded, getting out of the water and laying beside her. "Build up your strength more. We'll focus on that next. Let's head back."

With that, the two made their way back.

(TO be continued til tomorrow. More water combat training or swimming to build up her muscles.)

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Nightshadepelt brought Dewpaw back out to the same spot on the territory. He spoke, "We will be performing both water combat and fishing. We'll bury the fish before we start combat training. I want you to try to down me when you're extremely tired."

He brought her to the water, instructing, "Since you cannot see very well, we're going to down the verbal teaching path. When you.. Ah. Let's practice our form. Outstretch your paw. Claws unsheathed you want to slam your paw into the water as fast as you can and hook the fish. Pull it out and bite the back of its neck to kill it. Since there is no fish currently and you cannot really see them.. We won't press this any further besides form."

Dewpaw attempted to fish, it was clumsy at best. But if her eyesight isn't going to get any better, it is much easier to land hunt than to fish. She looked at the blurry figure. "Good. It is sloppy but I don't expect you to be able to fish very well. Due to your eyesight and all." He then spoke, "Since I realized you may not be able to fish good, we're gonna do some land combat as well."

They moved away from the water. He instructed, "Keep claws sheathed and teeth to yourself. If you do bite, don't sink your teeth in. I know you wont but just in case, I do have to remind you. I'm going to pin you, I want you to think of anything that may get me off of you."

The two begun to fight. Dewpaw immediately was pinned. She mimicked raking her claws against his belly. When that didn't get him off of her, her head shot up to bite for his neck. She acted out a tearing motion, which got him off of her. "Good!" Nightshade complimented. "The neck is an easy way to heavily injury other cats or other animals. Now, I'm goin' to pin you again. Want ya to get out from under me. Try to go for the back of my neck."

Nightshadepelt pinned her again, she wriggled out of the hold. Hopping up, she leapt over him. Clumsily, she made her way onto his back. She 'bit' down and 'tore'. He shook her off of him, she landed down on the ground with a soft "oof." Nightshadepelt nodded, "Good job! We want you to push yourself, to fight through exhaustion. You alright? Did I knock ya off to hard?" Dewpaw sat up panting, "Nah, might be a little sore the next day but otherwise I'm fine."

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With this, Nightshadepelt smiled, "Lets use your front legs some more!" With that, they returned to the water. "Practice your fishing. There isn't any fish but if whoever you're mentor is going to be takes you fishing, you'll be prepared."

With that, Dewpaw spent her time slamming her paw into the water and pretending to pull out a fish. Her form slowly got better as she figured out how to do it. Still sloppy, but better. She'd just have to avoid fishing in the future if she could.

Nightshadepelt nodded, "Okay, get in the water." They both made their way into the water, the water was still and calm. "It'll be easier to push against the water now that the current has stilled, but you still want to push yourself. I want you to do your best. Just do anything that feels natural or anything you may have learned from past experiences."

With that, they begun. Nightshadepelt made his way towards Dewpaw. With claws sheathed he aimed for a blow to the face. She ducked. Something she wasn't able to do when she was fighting Rabbitpaw. She brought her head up and headbutted him! While he was disorientated, she mimicked a raking motion across his neck to his left side. A loud splash and she leapt, missing him completely. Her muscles were exhausted. She needed to push herself though. And that's exactly what she did. A sudden slam of a paw, Nightshadepelt brought his paw down upon her head. He stepped back and spoke, "Alright. Hold on. You did okay, I bet you're whole body feels like its burning right now. When fighting an enemy bigger than you, aka me. You want to look for weak points or openings. Which you did. But you completely missed your jump. I want you to get used to using your nose and ears to your advantage."

Dewpaw's legs were shaking intensely. He noted this. "We'll stop for now and give you a break." He helped the apprentice out of the water and let her lay down. He did the same, his muscles burned. But his were built up compared to the apprentices. So the two relaxed in the sun to dry off.

(to be continued later today )

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(forgor )

Nightshade gently nudged the apprentice up. "Gonna practice again to get your muscles tired. Swimming first." He watched as Dewpaw made her way into the water, she begun swimming. "Follow where I'm going and let me know when you're too tired, I'll pull you out." With that, he trotted along the water, making her swim further and further. He could see she was getting tired, so he grabbed her by her scruff and pulled her out. She laid on the ground, panting.

Dewpaw rested for a few seconds before she heard the words, "Stand up." And she stood, though shakily. As she got up, he launched himself at her. Dewpaw's eyes widened as she was pinned down. She shifted and reared her legs back, kicking at his stomach. She managed to shove the heavier cat off of her. She ran forth, ramming into his side to knock him off balance. Once he was off balance, she hopped onto his back, mimicking a raking motion across his eyes. "Good!" With that, he shut his eyes. He used the vibrations on the ground to find her. He launched himself at her. Dewpaw hopped to the side, seeing the blurry figure land and roll. He got himself back up just fine. The albino she breathed heavily, as she waited for him to charge. Once he started running, she tried to get away. As she splashed into the water, he followed after. Dewpaw dove under water. As he chased, he opened his eyes in surprise. She grabbed his tail with her teeth (GENTLY), yanking him down with her. When she let go, he grabbed her by her scruff and pulled her out, getting back to land.

"Don't do that when training, please. It is dangerous for both of us. Though I do have to admit that it was clever." He inhaled, catching his breath. "Now, as for how that went. You were sloppy in some of your movements. You need to be more precise. More confident. That's all for now, let's head back please."

With that, the two headed back to camp.

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Nightshadepelt lead Dewpaw through the darkened territory, illuminated only by the stars and fireflies. He brought her to a good hunting spot. Nice and wide open, often full of prey.

"We'll practice night hunting, yeah? Since your senses mostly rely on everything but your sight, this should be easy for you. I'm not too sure how much hunting you had to do when you were missing, but it'll be handy to know how to hunt in the dark."

With that, he instructed. "Feel for any movements on the ground. Take in the smells and the sounds. Generally try to find anything to your advantage when night hunting. I won't demonstrate, you already know how to hunt I presume?"

The albino she nodded her head as she got ready. It seemed like day hunting, the catch was it was pitch black outside. Nightshadepelt stuck by her. She stuck out pretty badly, due to her white fur. So he stayed by her side incase something decided to come and attempt to get a snack.

Dewpaw opened her mouth to take in the smells, getting into a crouch. She had used what Caveclaw had taught her stealth wise. Light, careful footing. Make as little noise as possible. She stalked upon a mouse. She didn't know the size of it and didn't really care. Slowly... Carefully.. POUNCE!! Her whiskers aimed at general direction of the mouse when she pounced, she grabbed it with paw before biting its neck. She picked up the mouse, carrying it over to the cat teaching her. "Good, your form is a little messy but you'll have time to perfect it. Now, hand me that mouse." And she did just that. Another scent picked up, and with that she begun stalking it. This time however, she completely missed. Her nose was overpowered with the taste of that mouse.

Nightshadepelt watched as she trotted along. As she made her way over to the same spot they were training earlier. She glanced at the water, looking for blurry ripples. She couldn't see any. She'd have to practice fishing later. With that, they went over the stream and continued. Another scent hit her, squirrel. She stalked forth, following the trail. Another fail. Dewpaw ran into a tree.

Nightshadepelt hid a laugh, setting down the mouse for Dewpaw to collect. "Lets.. Head back. You made an attempt and it's just not your night." With that, the two cats returned to camp.