Throwing Shade (Private)

[gs29513]

Oh SHADEPAW! Shrewstep yowled, as impressively as such a small cat could yowl. He was being melodramatic again (partially because he was fairly certain it would piss his apprentice off and he was nothing if not contrary at times), but they were going to get down to the serious business now. Shadepaw might need to use hunting skills sooner but Shrewstep was fairly certain she would put any natural fighting ability to the test and attack him if he didn't get a move on with her battle training, so they were going to get started with that. Started. Then they could do a bit of hunting, but some basic striking and whatnot could also help her in dispatching her prey. Also he wanted to see if she'd be a bit more cheerful if she got to throw her claws around a bit.

Actually, that was something to consider. Maybe he ought to let her try a bit of claws out stuff eventually. Not right away, not before he'd sort of casually inquired with Mossfreckle, but certainly at some point. She seemed the type to enjoy it, and whether he had enjoyed them or not his not-so-friendly (read: actively hostile) fights with Frogfang had improved his skills measurably. So yeah! Battle training! We're going to head out into the forest a bit and try a bit of fighting. Maybe that'll brighten your grumpy face up! he purred, before turning to head out of camp. Oh, she DEFINITELY hated him. But like....it was funny. Sue him! (he was lucky cats had no judicial system, otherwise he would owe serious child support and also have several restraining orders)

When they got to a decently secluded spot, he spun to face his apprentice. Stars, she was going to be bigger than him soon, wasn't she? Ugh, he hated this. Alright! The first thing we'll work on is just...hitting. Claws sheathed until you know what you're doing, and I want you to just...try and hit me. I'll dodge a bit, and then I'll start hitting you back once you whack me a couple times. Also known as 'once he got fed up of being a living punching bag'. Regardless, whacking would be done by both parties and he was ready for it, hopping slightly on his toes in something like a sports ready stance as he got ready to try and dodge. Oh, and remember you can swing both paws at once! he added hastily. You might be able to catch me off guard that way! Shrewstep really wasn't helping his case, now was he? @snowflake.

[snowflake.]

Shadepaw
Pure black pelt; dark mackerel markings; amber eyes
She/her || 7 moons || ShadowClan Apprentice
Agatha Kitty - Silver Tongue [T2] - Shadow Fiend
Mentor: Shrewstep • Post Count: /100 • Profile • Bio

Shadepaw was in her nest, thinking. Thinking about Clovepool, mostly, or occasionally Silentpaw or Firepaw. Firepaw seemed... Nice enough, she supposed, but she hardly even knew Firepaw at all, from that one encounter. Can't underestimate her. She did see Firepaw talking with Silentpaw during the gathering, which... She didn't know what that meant. Mostly, though, she was thinking about Clovepool, and how she'd be disappointed to see her in her nest, doing nothing. The tour was all right, she supposed, but that wasn't actual training. Once again, she remembered her most recent encounter with her mother. "You've been assigned a tour of the territory instead of proper training. How... Typical." Her burning amber eyes narrowed in fury, remembering the soft voice of Clovepool, somehow accusing and concerned at the same time. She also remembered her mother's other words. "The other apprentices may seem like distractions now, but they are part of your path to becoming a true warrior. If you think you can merely leap into training without understanding your peers and their weaknesses, you are sorely mistaken." And she knew Clovepool was right. She would-- A loud shout made Shadepaw scramble up out of her nest with fur bristling, snapped out of her thoughts, effectively startled. Until she realized it was her mentor. A ball of fury slowly burned inside of her as she made her way into the clearing, her eyes like molten slits. She would not give Shrewstep the satisfaction of a reaction. She flexed her claws in the dirt, imagining ripping off his tongue. That would be satisfying. And it would shut him up. But she just stood there, glaring at Shrewstep, her tail tip calmly and slowly flicking back and forth, her fur smooth once more. She inclined her head when she heard what they were doing. Battle training... Finally. Ignoring the jibe at her, she started making her way across the clearing, following Shrewstep. Finally. And she would not fail. Clovepool would be... dissatisfied if she failed. Oh, yes, she could imagine all the things Clovepool would do to her if she failed. She simply could not. For Clovepool. To show Silentpaw. For the clan, and for herself. There was only cold determination in her as she slid into place at the opposite side of the clearing, facing her mentor. She flicked her ear, annoyed. Would Shrewstep ever stop talking? When he got to the last part, she scoffed. Catch him off-guard, when he literally just announced she could do that? No, he'd be expecting it. She'd have to do something... Unexpected. To get the upper hand. Almost unconsciously, her brain shifted gears, no longer thinking about Clovepool, but only at the battle. She sized up Shrewstep. He was bigger than her, but smaller than most other warriors she knew. Advantage. There was a fallen log behind him, and boulders off to the side. Potential advantage. The ground was sandy in some places, mossy in others. There was a slight rise in the ground, and Shrewstep had the high ground, however slight it was. Disadvantage. Maybe if she could get to the log... What then? She shook her head. She could cross that bridge when it came to that. This was just practice... And she hadn't even gotten any hits in yet. Enough thinking. She began slowly creeping towards Shrewstep, her muscles tensed, anticipating. She knew plenty about stalking, self-teaching herself, observing how her pelt blended in with the shadows and how other cats didn't seem to notice her. She could stay near the camp walls, or in the nursery, slip out to get a piece of prey, then going back to her spot without being seen as a kit. It was a skill she prided herself in. Though now, she wasn't sneaking, she was getting closer to her mentor... Shrewstep had said he wouldn't strike back until after she got used to hitting, though he could still be surprised... After she positioned herself she darted forward abruptly, like a snake striking, tensing her muscles and propelling herself forward, and thrust out her paw--sheathed, sheathed, she had to remember to sheath them-- aiming for his side, hoping to unbalance him.

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@gs29513 - Shrewstep

[gs29513]

Grumpy as ever. He'd been hopeful, though not delusional enough to be certain, that battle training would improve Shadepaw's mood. It decidedly had not. If he had to guess, he'd say she was resenting the fact that they hadn't got to this sooner. He supposed that made sense, he might have been the same when he was an apprentice. Who knew! Shrewstep wasn't exactly young anymore, he didn't remember a lot of things beyond how much he had hated (or loved) certain cats at the time. Apprentices brains were now an inscrutable thing to him, a bumbling place which contained who knew what.

Apparently in Shadepaw's case, a lot of anger which she seemed interested in channeling into beating him up. Her initial stance was very snakelike, low to the ground and initially almost motionless. It was somewhat predictable that this pause was a ruse of some kind, designed to reduce his guard before she would attack quickly. It was a good plan for a fresh apprentice, but he had been fairly confident she was smart for a while. Driven, intelligent, she would definitely be a good warrior. Though maybe not a popular one, if she had a stick up her tail all the time.

Slightly distracted by his pondering, Shrewstep was startled by Shadepaw's sudden lunge. Just because he was pretty sure she WAS going to lunge didn't mean he knew WHEN. He may or may not have squeaked slightly, not wriggling away quickly enough. He flinched backwards fast enough not to get completely clobbered, but Shadepaw still struck his shoulder. If her goal had been to knock him off balance a bit, she had succeeded. He wasn't sent sprawling by any means, but he stumbled to the side. Rather irritated with his general existence, Shrewstep swung his other paw in the direction of her head in an attempt to cuff her ears. Annoying little pest. @snowflake.