Master the shadows or let them swallow you whole

[Spookez.]

Hawkpaw
Dark brown shortfur tabby Tom with amber eyes.

Hawkpaw's eyes widened as he realized he was talking to the same Ashpaw he saw at the meeting! How could he possibly forget? How rude of him. "Oh! Your right I was at your ceremony! Sorry I forgot.. Anyways, me and Fireflight did go on a territory tour. With leafpaw! She shares a mentor with me as well. She's pretty cool." He didn't know much about the young She-cat he was partnered with, but that's okay. Soon he'll learn aaaaallll about her and they'll be the best of friends! Maybe me and Ashpaw can be friends too! "Herondive hollow is probably my favorite. Its this place with a GIIIANNNNT gorge in the middle and forests surrounding it. Firefight told me you'd totally die if you fell, so when you go on your territory tour PLEASE don't fall!" He grinned at the younger apprentice glad he found someone who would listen to his rambling and not instantly shut him down. "Im really looking forward to the stealth training! That'd be really fun. I hope it's an event where we work with each other. If so, we can help each other! Imagine we win! That'd be SO cool! " He chuckled before adding. "Of course, its all for improvement. Yes yes, improvement."

| @namen_roodles |

[namen_roodles]

Base by Cocoroll, color by Cloverspring
ASHPAW
Shadowclan Apprentice | 6 Moons | A fluffy, pale grey tom with green eyes and a black-tipped tail.
Silver Tongue T1 | Mind Reader
~~~

Ashpaw definitely didn't mind if Hawkpaw had forgotten his ceremony; It's not like he, himself, always remembered everyone who was promoted every moon! Fireflight, Leafpaw... He would have to meet them! It was so nice talking to someone who talked as much as he did! This was great! Ashpaw was definitely making Hawkpaw one of his friends!

Ashpaw's mouth went wide as he heard about Herondive hollow. What, he wondered, was at the bottom? He would have to find out, someday! Not by falling, of course! "Wow! That DOES sound super cool! I hope I get to meet Fireflight and Leafpaw sometime! They sound fun!" He replied excitedly. "And I won't fall in! But... well, we gotta find out what's at the bottom sometime! There's bound to be a way to climb all the way down..." Ashpaw puzzled for a moment. What a great story that'd be!

"I'm excited, too! And we definitely have to be a team if we're allowed to! We'd be an unstoppable duo! We'd even sneak up on Flytail! I bet we could hide right under his nose if we practiced hard enough!" Ashpaw laughed and grinned.

Of course it was all about improvement! "I don't know a lot about stealth right now, but I'm sure we'll learn so much and become the best! What do you think? Wanna be the sneakiest shadows in all of Shadowclan together?" Ashpaw was practically bouncing with excitement. It took most of his willpower to stay planted on the ground as his tail twitched back and forth.

@Spookez.

[dino.]

Grottopaw strolled up to the crowd, ears perked in interest. He'd gone over hunting and had done quite a few patrols. If he could get stealth under his pelt, he was one step closer to his ceremony.

[Tallstar]

Event [#event]

Flytail
48 Moons
He/Him
Purrks:Shadow fiend (Active)

The fading light of dusk cast long shadows across the clearing as Flytail stepped forward, his posture straight and calm. His blue eyes scanned the group, making sure he had everyone’s attention. “Listen carefully, everyone,” he said, his voice firm but steady. “Before we begin the game, we need to go over some basics of stealth. The key to winning this event is knowing how to move without being seen or heard. Whether you’re the prey or the hunter, the principles are the same.” He paused, taking a moment to gauge the group’s focus before continuing “Let’s start with the basics of movement. Quiet movement is essential. You need to be aware of every step you take.” Flytail lifted one paw and set it down carefully. “When you move, don’t just drag your paws or stomp. Think about how your paw lands. You want to place it softly, with control, and avoid stepping on dry twigs or leaves that might snap. If you do step on something that makes noise, don’t panic. Stop, reassess your position, and choose a different route. Never keep moving forward and hope for the best. You’ll be caught.”

He moved a few steps forward and crouched low to demonstrate. “Next, keep your body low to the ground. The lower you are, the harder it is to see you. If you're standing tall, you're an easy target. Stay crouched or low to the earth, keeping yourself hidden behind whatever you can—trees, bushes, rocks. Only stand when you absolutely have to. The more visible you are, the more likely you are to be spotted.” Flytail glanced around at the group, ensuring everyone was following his movements. “Now, about cover. If there’s anything around you—a tree, a rock, a patch of tall grass—use it to stay hidden. Always move from cover to cover. If you’re exposed in the open, you’re a sitting duck. Plan your route carefully and make sure you’re always behind something that can shield you. If there’s no cover, you need to wait. Wait for the wind to shift, wait for a sound in the environment that you can use as a distraction. Timing is critical.”

Flytail paused, letting those basics settle in, before continuing with the more advanced techniques . “Now, let’s get into some advanced techniques. The first thing you need to know is the wind. If you’re downwind of your target, they’ll smell you before they see you. Always be aware of the wind direction. If it’s blowing toward your target, you need to adjust your position so you’re upwind, where your scent won’t give you away.” He stopped, letting the information sink in, then continued. “Timing is just as important as movement. Don’t rush when you don’t have to. Wait for a distraction, like the wind rustling the leaves or a bird flying off. Those are the moments when you can move without being heard. If everything is still and silent, you need to wait until you have something to cover the sound of your movements. You can’t just act on impulse.” Flytail looked over the group, making sure they were following.
“Next: don’t fixate on just one thing. You’ll hear me say this a lot. Your eyes need to constantly scan the environment. If you focus too hard on your target or a specific area, you’ll miss the little details around you—where your cover is, where your escape route might be, or where your prey might be moving. Always be aware of what’s going on around you.” He gave a quick nod and then took a breath before giving his final piece of advice. “And the most important thing—patience. If you rush, you’ll make mistakes. You can’t win this by moving fast; you win by moving carefully. Wait for the right moment to strike or to escape. The longer you wait, the more opportunities you’ll have to move without being seen.” Flytail stood up straight again, his tone becoming more direct. “Alright. Now, here’s how the event will work. You’ll be split into two teams. One team will play as the prey—the rabbits. Your job is to stay hidden, stay quiet, and avoid being caught. You need to be alert at all times, ready to move at a moment’s notice. The other team will be the hunters—the cats. Your job is to find the rabbits and catch them. But remember, if you’re detected first, you fail.”

He paused to let everyone absorb what he had said, then continued. “You’ll have five minutes to get into position. Cats, that means you need to get to your starting point and find cover. Rabbits, you need to spread out and find good hiding spots. Use the environment, use the techniques I showed you. Practice your movement, your awareness, and your timing during this five minutes. Make sure you’re comfortable before the game starts.” Flytail glanced at the group, making sure they understood. “Once the five minutes are up, I’ll start the event. Rabbits, if you’re caught, you’re out. Cats, if you’re seen or make too much noise, you fail. The last rabbit standing wins.” He gave them a sharp nod. “Alright, get to your positions..” Flytail stepped back and allowed the group time to practice, his eyes watching them carefully as they prepared for the event.

 

@dino. @alec @Streamtail @Craneflight @Snowflake @Purely_K2 @Johrog @Moondew @Nacht_Mango-_- @NikAri3-21 @Mica @Spookez @Watson. @Idiotic.Bean101 @namen_roodles @Moonraven @seeingstars @GreenTheGreat

[Johrog]

@talltail
How do i know i am a cat or prey. (Will edit this post when i know)

[Spookez.]

Hawkpaw
Dark brown shortfur tabby tom with amber eyes.

Hawkpaw was about to respond to Ashpaw when he heard Flytail start to talk about the event. Wow, he really knows a lot about stealth! Hawkpaw listened carefully to what he was saying. Hoping Ashpaw was gonna do the same. If they were gonna be on the same team, they had to both know exactly what to do! Maybe I'll be on the Hunters team? That would probably be too hard.. Im not that skilled yet and i'd probably suck. But the Rabbit team is gonna be VERY scary.. Imagine getting attacked by some warrior! He shook his head, not wanting to focus to much on negative thoughts. Once Flytail was finished, he turned to Ashpaw.

"I'm so excited! Imagine we win the event! I wonder what prizes we get... But it'll be totally fine if we don't get any. But.. What if we do such a bad job Flytail yells at us? Or maybe we do such an amazing job, we instantly get promoted to warriors! I bet your warrior name would be... Ashtail! Cause it looks like the end of your tail got burned." He chuckled at the last part, happy to have made a new friend.

| @namen_roodles |

[Watson.]

Shiverpaw didn't mind in which team she ends in. Both are good practice.