barking up the wrong tree

[Katiethewolfchild]

Sunleap climbs up a tree.

[MockingRabbit]

Woodpaw moved to a tree without much hast. He wasn't feeling any urge to move quickly. Scanning the trunk for the best paw-holds, Woodpaw felt doubt creeping in. Maybe this had been a bad idea. He wasn't up to his full strength right now, hadn't been for some time, and maybe this exercise would be too much for him. What if he passed out halfway up the tree, and fell to his death? What if he got stuck, then someone would have to come up there and get him down, and he would feel really bad. The was so much that could go wrong with this, he should leave now, before he did something stupid.
His legs started dragging him backwards, shaking from either nerves or exhaustion, he didn't know. A last glance up the tree, and he was fully turned away and heading back to the apprentices den. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He had even thought about climbing a tree, when even the thought of leaving his nest seemed daunting? Dragging in a shuddering breath and...
No. he wasn't going to submit to that stupid niggling voice any more. He could climb, but it was holding him back, he could train, but it was keeping him down. Spinning back, the malnourished tom stood again at the bottom of his tree, crouched, tried to spring to the lowest branch.
[Open]

[felidays]

..••°°°°••..
Cypresskit

A mute dilute calico she-cat,
with curled ears and ice blue eyes.
°°••....••°°

Watch? Aw, man!
That's boring!

Cypresskit turned around, frown on her face.

"Ready? First mark, go!"

Cypresskit froze in her place. They were climbing!
She started to jump around and squeal.

This was the best thing ever!

Cat's climbing trees, in front of her!

[iliri]

• Springpaw •
long-furred, oriental-shaped, gray-and-orange calico molly with blue eyes; torn right ear
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Well, it seemed that the completion had started, much to the calico’s liking. Sucking in a deep, shaking breath, the calico trailed her eyes around at the cats who had just begun to make their way up towards the first marker on the trees. At least no one seemingly fell off any trees… yet. Glancing up at her own tree, her eyes were quick to lock at the first marker that she was going to have to climb her way towards. A small stab of worry began to throb endlessly through her system, her paws growing numb against the ground. She hadn’t been much for a climber, and she hadn’t received any training on the specific course, so that didn’t really help with the matter. It wasn’t like she had much of a choice. She made the choice of joining the competition, so she might as well get started. Slowly inhaling and exhaling, Springpaw flexed her claws and tensed her muscles, leaning down and with the power of her back legs, quickly leapt her way up the bark of the tree.

She quickly grabbed onto the sides of the tree, sinking her sharp claws into the rough bark as she desperately held herself against the tree, her back legs scrambling to hold onto the bark just as her front paws were. A heavy overwhelming wave of panic and anxiety rushing through her system like a speeding train. Her chest felt undeniably tight as her heart felt like it was pounding uncontrollably against her chest. Her ears roared as blood rushed through them, her paws feeling like they were going to lose their tight grip against the bark as her brain screamed at her in rhythm for why she was even doing something as ridiculous in the first place. She had to make sure that she didn’t fall. This was only the beginning of the round, after all.

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[SuspiciousMindz]

[Treepaw]

The bengal marked she-cat dug her claws into the tree at the sound of start. She used what she had just learned to propel herself the best she could to the first marker. She would try her best! She'd make Alderstep proud! Maybe. . . Did he get proud moments? Now wasn't the time to think about that.

[narcissus]

unfortunately val lost his reply because his internet broke and then promptly forgot this. next reply will come once everyone else has posted since this is a small group

Alderstep watched those losers climb, wishing vehemently that they'd soon feel the burn in their muscles. Okay, maybe he should tone it down some. At least the kit was enjoying the show, from the looks of it. [ @RunningInTheHeather ]

The mental countdown reached its limit and-

"Out!" Alderstep called, eyes flashing in the sunlight.

Dragonflycliff [ @dragonwind ] made it up the tree quickly with some time to spare, despite her rocky start. Good recovery, if anything. [rolled 18]

Sunleap [ @Katiethewolfchild ] seemed to have taken their time going up the tree, perhaps conserving energy? Either way, the warrior made it just in time, luckily. [rolled 6]

Woodpaw [ @RedLeif ], despite his apparent hesitation to join the competition, made it up the tree moments later than Sunleap after his final decision to partake in climbing. [rolled 17]

Springpaw [ @ares ] definitely looked like this was her first time climbing, but Alderstep wasn't concerned; the herb apprentice made it up the tree, not significantly fast but alright enough. [rolled 13]

Treepaw [ @SuspiciousMindz ] got up the tree in good time, not too fast, which was what her mentor expected. Not to be conceited, but he thought he'd taught her well. Maybe. [rolled 15]

What's disappointing, though, was that Alderstep didn't get to strike anybody. That was a party killer. Oh well, perhaps he'd have a chance next round. Speaking of...these cats had gotten well enough of a break to catch their breath.

"Ready? Back down, go!"

Hopefully, nobody plummeted back down. It was always easier to fall on the way down, for some reason. Hm. He'd have to count falling as an immediate disqualification, though he hadn't said it earlier.

Alderstep sat back some, watching the participants closely.

chances this round are: (rounds are one set of up and down)
paws: 10-20 made it
warriors: 5-20 made it
next round margin of success will get smaller

[Katiethewolfchild]

Sunleap climbed down the tree. He wanted to win. Sure he wasn't as competitive as he had been as a kit, apprentice and younger warrrior now that he was 61 moons, but that didn't mean he wasn't still competitive, just that he wasn't as aggressive about it. That was why he had climbed up slowly. He wanted to save his breath for later, when it would probably be harder. He guessed it was okay if he lost, but that didn't mean he didn't want to win.

[MockingRabbit]

Looked up. He could see the marker that Adderstep had mentioned. It wasn't that high up. His muscles already sore from climbing the first branch, he was again tempted to retreat to his nest, but somehow managed to push on. He had zero tree climbing training. It kinda scared him, but there was also a thrill to it, which he was surprised to find he enjoyed. He touched the marker before he even knew it, then glanced down, the rare feeling of pride tickling his chest. Woodpaw immediately wished he hadn't. He was sitting at the top of a tree, his legs shuddering with exhaustion, claws feeling like they were about to drop off. And now he had to climb down. He couldn't do it. He was stuck up here. The ground looked so far down. Come on Woodpaw,you can do this, he said to himself, voice raspy. He felt down with one paw, then the other.

[hermeswind]

Dragonflycliff
(Image by Pangoligon)
Down went the cat who made a great recovery. She tried to take it slowly. Would she fall? Who knows.

[iliri]

• Springpaw •
long-furred, oriental-shaped, gray-and-orange calico molly with blue eyes; torn right ear
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She had to climb… back down? Springpaw briefly eyed back down towards the ground, tightening her grip against the bark that she was trying desperately to keep ahold of. Stars, that was going to be something that’s going to be difficult. How was she going to get down when she had barely little knowledge of how to properly climb up a tree? Pursing her lips and flexing her sore muscles, Springpaw slowly began to unhook one of her claws from the bitter bark; quickly regretting the small decision as a sharp, frightened yelp escaped her maw, making the calico’s fur stand on end as her grip tightened once more against the bark. Her eyes squinted shut as she pressed her head against the hard bark, her breathing quickening as her heart-rate increased by a rapid state. The voices in her brain began to scream at her for even doing this in the first place. Why did she even do this? Why did she get herself involved in this mess? Right, it was from her own stupidity and not even bothering to take in the fact that she absolutely didn’t know how to climb at all. Shoving in another deep breath, Springpaw hesitantly glanced back down towards the ground before slowly moving her back legs to get her in a better position. This was going to definitely take a while to get her down.

Slowly exhaling, the calico began to slowly shift herself along the tree bark, making sure to keep a tight grip along the tree so that she could properly position herself downwards so she could try to climb herself down the tree. That’s going to be something extremely difficult to even properly grasp for herself, especially when it felt like she was going to fall when she would try to climb down the tree. Shoving in another deep breath through her nostrils, she began to slowly climb the tree. Her paws quickly grasped along the sides of the bark while she climbed down, although she almost slipped a few times while climbing down. She still had a stable grip along the bark, but it looked like it wouldn’t properly last for too long if she kept in this position for much longer. Hopefully she doesn’t fall…

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