The tom was right in his assumption. The apprentice was quicker than he and soon a weight landed on his back. Hawkbite allowed himself to be pushed down to the ground. Out of his own curiosity, he waited to see what Darkpaw would do now that he was there.
Darkpaw bared his teeth. “If this was a real battle, I would’ve
probably tried to aim for the neck for a more devastating effect.”
He explained. He didn’t actually want to try it out, out of fear for his lack of self control.
__________________
Soul or Addy
bump me after 48 hours//going offline due to hurricane milton cat bios plot prompt!!
Last edited by SoulJoy; July 2nd, 2023 at 07:49 PM.
The tom smirked while the apprentice spoke and in one swoop, Hawkbite rolled. Maybe Darkpaw moved out of the way in time, or maybe not. If Darkpaw wasn't able to move, the tom would simply squish him as he rolled before getting to his paws.
"You're smart. However, this is training so don't tell me what you'd do, just do it next time. When your assessment comes, there will be no holding back. Keep that in mind," The warrior warned.
"Now, do you want to continue? Or would you prefer waiting and practicing those moves on your mentor later? I'm open to anything."
Darkpaw chuckled. “Yeah, I figured that second part
when you rolled me over. We can keep practicing, you give good tips.”
He responded, training kept him from getting all depressive.
"Wha- Gah! No! Bad Starry! Bad!" Mousepaw shrieked, chortles and snorts getting in the way as he begun to shuffle in his paws, a miserable - and fully ineffective - attempt at half attempting to dodge the strikes and half attempt to pin her down.
Mischief clear in the apprentice's face, he finally backed off, his tail twitching energetically. After having taken every hit his friend had to offer, he had every mind to pounce again, playtime fully initiated as far as he was concerned, when he heard Starry's mentor call once more. Rounded ears perked up as he turned to stare at Hawkbite, alert and giddy as he heard the new attacks being explained. Gasp. It seemed... it seemed that his super special jump, twist and slam down move was actually a thing that already existed! Alright, fine. It wasn't exactly the way he did it. But it was close enough! Did that mean he could practice his twist and slam on Starry?
Verdant eyes alight at the prospect, he was completely aware that this was not what the dark tabby tom had spoken of. He was also one hundred percent aware that he would be fully using his twist and slam on Starry as his sneak attack. Just like Hawkbite had done with Woollyfeather. Hmm... he supposed that meant he couldn't announce his attack. Or ask Starry if she was ready. Something about that fell off to Mousepaw. Unfair. He didn't know if he was cut out for sneaky attacks, although he suspected there were benefits to it. You wouldn't want to announce yourself if enemies were invading your territory, would you? They were already being stinky themselves, no need for a super fair fight there. They already weren't being fair in the first place.
Before he could ponder upon his feelings on the matter much further, Hawkbite approached them. Turning his attention to Starry's mentor, Mousepaw puffed up with giddiness at the kind words. Starry was very, very lucky. She had such a nice, attentive mentor, that not only was he taking care and making sure both of them were getting their training done, he was going to make sure Darky was also getting his own training done too! Wait... didn't Darky have teammates? Did Darky's teammates leave him? Well... he knew who he would be practicing sneak attacks on in the future. Hmph, hmph!
At this thought, a devilish grin played on Mousepaw's lips as he turned to Starry, his tail giving another little twitch. Hoping the black and white molly wasn't paying attention to him, the young tom bunched up his muscles, readying for a powerful jump. Moons of rough playing in the nursery, slamming down upon the ground and destroying nests had built him for this. Prepared him for this! Maybe he should not aim to slam down as hard as he did for breaking through the nest's twigs, actually. Yeah, that was probably best. He didn't really want to hurt Starry, after all. Even though she kept smacking him. A lot. Maybe he didn't need to be so careful after all...
Without warning, Mousepaw leaped in the air, aiming solely at Starry. In midair, the gray feline twisted, his elbow aimed below as he would attempt to knock the wind out of his friend with his surprise attack. Guilt eating at him the moment he jumped, he flickered his ear, warning Starry of the impending attack the only way he knew how to do so. "SNEAK ATTACK!" True, it might not be very... productive in actual combat, but this was Starry. It wasn't like he was going to be yelling this at every other clan cat he met in the field of battle. Most likely. Probably not. We'll see.
[ Very short / sloppy reply because hiatus + laptop charge is running out (also its 2am oops ) ]
Starrypaw
She/Her
[ Upright Lock ]
"Eeeeep!!" Starrypaw couldn't help the squeal that tore itself from her throat as she realized that Mousepaw was about to jump her! And super sneakily, too! Eyes wide, the molly quickly reared up on her own two backlegs to execute the hugging-move her mentor had demonstrated. "Take that, Mossy!" Starrypaw yapped, attempting to wrestle her bigger, older, and stockier companion and getting nowhere with it.
Woollyfeather was.... not expecting the jump, though she should have, in hindsight. They had so far demonstrated every move explained, where did she get the idea this was any different?
She let out an undignified squeak as the tabby smooshed the smaller warrior as he landed on her back, crushing the breath out of her.
She wheezed for further dramatic effect as he re-itterated the no claws rule. "That's.... good and all, but.... do you think... you could get up pl... please."
She would have laughed to herself if she'd had the air to do so.
Once Hawkbite had let her free from his prison of a tush, Woollyfeather shook herself before turning back to Hawkbite, a gleam in her eyes. "It's also a good move to destroy smaller opponents not paying attention."
Oh, she'd get him back for that. Not just yet but.... soon, she promised herself.
She was quite familiar with the lock and collapse, it was even something she'd taught Wildshore. She did love this move so.
She lifted her front paws off the ground, settling her weight onto her haunches and paws stretched to meet Hawkbite. She had to suppress a chuckle, thinking she could turn this on him and toss him into the ground, and yet, as she went to pull him down with her full weight, the tabby rolled beneath her, his pull and her collapsing launching her right over the tom and to the ground. She was barely able to get her front paws beneath her to keep her torso from crashing into the ground, but the same could not be said for her legs, leaving her in a weird upwards dog sort of pose.
If the flop wasn't bad enough, her assailant had the nerve to put his paw on her back!!
The nerve!
With a playful glare, she pulled her front legs out from under herself, rolling as she fell the short distance and lightly flailing a hind leg in Hawkbite's general direction before picking herself up and stuck her tongue out at him like the very mature adult she was.
Whiteheart briefly glanced at Dogpaw. He sidled closer and whispered to the apprentice "hey, let's try to sneak attack Woollyfeather," he grinned mischievously.
He swished his tail excitedly. "how first shall we attack her with? A cranial blow? or an upright lock?" he glanced quickly at the she-cat, who hadn't appeared to have heard.
Gratefully, Mousepaw's announcement of his plans had been enough. While his friend had not been trying to dodge his very sneaky - the sneakiest, really - attack, the gray tom was met by a hug. Not dissimilar to the one he had accomplished earlier when he'd practiced bites on her ear. It was still very similar to the playtime they'd enjoyed as kits, and even during Mousepaw's earlier apprentice moons. Back when he'd had the time and energy for frolicking games. Games that he now realized how much he'd missed.
There was only one problem with Starry's attempts. It was a small problem, really. Minute, if Mousepaw was to be honest. She was... not being able to fully wrap her forelimbs around him. Now that he thought about it, Mousepaw had been getting... bulkier. Heavier. More muscle-bound, so to speak. At least in looks. He was still spry and flexible as ever, as that earlier leap had displayed.
Still, that didn't change the fact that the black and white molly was still trying to overpower him, and maybe he could help? This was training, after all, wasn't it? What kind of a clanmate would he be if the didn't at least try to let her practice the move on him. Shaking himself slightly to catch the young apprentice's attention, Mousepaw attempted to tap his friend on the shoulder with his tail, assessing the situation. "Wait wait, Starry! Wait! I think! Listen! Listen. I think you might need to aim higher? Because! My shoulders are thicker than yours. So I can wrestle you easier, like this, see?"
To prove his point, Mousepaw attempted to grasp at Starry in a hug of his own, wrestling her into place if she allowed it. His forelegs could easily encircle the younger apprentice, despite not being the biggest of cats. He was fairly certain the leader was the uncontested champion of massive cats in the forest. But it didn't change the fact that there were bigger cats, and that both he and Starry would no doubt find bigger cats that they had to fight in the future. Perhaps learning how to implement this move when there was a size disadvantage as quickly as they could wouldn't be such a bad idea. Especially while they were both still growing.
"See, see? If you are bigger, you can aim for that hug. But! But. I think if you can aim for the neck instead, it might be a super awesome idea. What do you think. Like this, like this!" he chirped, letting go of the younger apprentice's shoulders and raising his limbs to her neck in a neck lock of sorts. Eyes thoughtful, Mousepaw frowned, realizing there was one flaw with his plan. "Well... I guess you would still have to be bigger to do that. Hmmm... I wonder I wonder..." he mumbled, tapping at his chin with his white dipped toes, deep in thought as he debated how to best have Starry use the lock against him, leaving himself wide open to an attack.
-
@Rose [Starrypaw]
| Powerplay permission granted by Rose. Also... powerplay permission granted for Starry! |
__________________
Lightningstorm is WindClan's current medicine cat.
She has a semi-closed den policy.
• × | Dogpaw | × • he/him
MIND READER : Inactive | Chill of death : Inactive | Ultimate Predator : Inactive
Dogpaw had felt Whiteheart slither under him and attack him from underneath though before Dogpaw could counter Hawkbite started to speak again. Dogpaw turned his attention to the tom as he spoke about two more attacks. A sneak attack and a upright lock. Dogpaw watched as Hawkbite showed both moves. Dogpaw gaze then fell on Whiteheart who offered the opportunity to surprise. attack Woollyfeather. While Whiteheart spoke the black and white apprentice slinked off a good tail length behind the tom. Before quickly running and leaping aimming to land on the warriors back in a form of a sneak attack.
Starrypaw
Post Count: 27/100 One With The Warren & Kitty Softpaws Purrk Active
After a couple moments of grappling with Mousepaw, Starrypaw realized that ... nothing was happening. She was just bear-hugging Mousepaw, and had her denmate been leaning towards her more, she would have been staggering under his weight.
Feeling rather sheepish that her Upright Lock hadn't worked out entirely, Starrypaw turned her attention on Mousepaw as he began.. explaining to her? Her eyes widened with delight at one of her best friends' help, and Starrypaw nodded vigorously at Mousepaw's instructions. "Okay, okay." She yapped, limbs loose as she allowed Mousepaw to wrestle her into an amicable position.
Reaching up on tiptoes, Starrypaw tried to wrap her forelimbs around Mousepaw's neck as he'd instructed. "Like this?!" She asked excitedly, craning her neck as if to turn around and look to see if Hawkbite was watching. Her mentor was super duper cool (and old), after all. "It's okay! I can grow tall quickly." Starrypaw offered, and then paused a moment to think, drawing back from Mousepaw. "No no, nevermind. I don't think I can grow that fast." Looking up, the black and white molly noticed that Mousepaw was deep in his own thoughts. She shifted on her paws, about to reach forward to bap him upside the head and bring him back to reality -- before she stopped.
[ Sneak Attack ]
Oh.
Hm... he looked pretty distracted. A wide grin spreading over her face, the ruffled-mess-of-fur of a molly suddenly leapt forward without warning, aiming to land on her companion's back. "Raaaaaa!" The female yelled a tad too loudly once she'd landed, scrabbling with sheathed paws on Mousepaw's back.
Except, ironically enough, with her featherlight paws and less-than-stellar weight, Starrypaw didn't manage to squish Mousepaw to the ground at all as Hawkbite had instructed. Whoops. In the end, when she'd failed, Starrypaw merely ended up letting loose her limbs and draping herself over Mousepaw like a cape, arms encircling his neck from behind. "Hullo!" She said cheerily, grin wide and full of mischief. "Maybe I'll do this to Pip the next time I see him. He can use some hugs." Forced hugs, at that.
It was time. Their training had gone on long enough. The warrior dropped what he was doing and took his place at the front of the crowd once more, loudly clearing his throat before he spoke. Hoping that was enough to catch everyone remaining's attention.
"This was a good session, I'm proud of what I saw," He spoke, looking between everyone. "Starrypaw, Mousepaw, Darkpaw, and Dogpaw. You four passed the battle training with flying colors! If you didn't necessarily need the training, then you've definitely improved your skills here and I'm happy to see it," Hawkbite spoke, blinking his appreciation towards them. His gaze shifted to Eveningpaw. "Eveningpaw, you got everything but the advanced moves, but that's okay. You learned something still. If you need more training, you're welcome to come see me anytime and we can do a crash course."
The warrior moved onto the others gathered. The remaining warriors willing to help. "Whiteheart, Woollyfeather, and Drippingpelt. I appreciate your continued help through this event. I couldn't have done it by myself, so thank you." Hawkbite spoke. He waved his tail in dismissal, turning to four apprentices that did pass one last time. "If you guys ever want to touch up on battle training, just come find me. I'll be happy to help," The tabby tom spoke with a small smile.
[Thanks for participating guys! Hawk will remember and mention the dedication from everyone who stuck till the end.]