quillpaw's training [p]

[phoenix]

QUILLPAW
he/him. 7 moons. dark grey tom; tabby markings; light grey markings, amber and blue eyes.
[ mind reader ]

quillpaw can't help but frown as mistlewhisker adjusts his crouch. he'd been hoping he had gotten it right on the first time, but clearly not. disappointing, he thinks before his attention is on his mentor once again. he keeps his tail low, like she'd suggested, before creeping forward. managing to keep his pawsteps light, there's a tiny grin on his maw. then, he notices the pinecones. "are we practicing on those?" he asks. jumping on pinecones..he's not sure how comfortable that'd be.

[ @Mica ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 40 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye]
Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Chariot ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
· · ────────────── · ·
[Quillpaw - @furrensic ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Quillpaw was the first of her apprentices/trainees to show active surprise at her pinecones. A smirk played on her lips. "Yes. They are weak enough to not stab your paw pads when you pounce on them." It wouldn't be as soft as prey, but at least he would gain callouses.

"Something we have to consider while hunting is airflow. If the breeze is behind you, it is pushing your scent towards the prey. If it is coming towards you, then your scent is being blown away. Always remain downwind of your prey."

She tossed a cone out in front of him. "Pretend this is prey. Using the skill you just learned, show me how you would hunt it."

[phoenix]

QUILLPAW
he/him. 7 moons. dark grey tom; tabby markings; light grey markings, amber and blue eyes.
[ mind reader ]

"ah." well, quillpaw certainly didn't have expect to be practicing on pinecones, but mistlewhisker's reasoning makes sense. he's not opposed to it, so he gives a simple nod. his ears are perked as the deputy speaks, indicating that he's listening silently. stay downwind - he personally feels that should be common sense. anyhow..practice time.

dropping into a crouch once more, he creeps a few steps forward. leaping at the pinecone, he manages to land on it, the cone squished underneath his paws.

[ @Mica let's ignore how this took a whole month sweats,,,my brain gave up half way through the reply, very sorry ;w; ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 40 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye]
Purrks: Killer Aptitude T3, Shadow Fiend, Mind Reader
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Chariot ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
· · ────────────── · ·
[Quillpaw - @furrensic ]
· · ────────────── · ·
As expected, Quillpaw understood the lesson immediately. Mistlewhisker nodded once he looked up at him. "Good. I think it's time we move on." She stood, brushing her cones back into the bush, and indicated for Quillpaw to follow. A few cat-lengths from the bushline she paused. "Scent for prey, then hunt it. Remember scents, stalking, pouncing."

[phoenix]

QUILLPAW
he/him | 12 moons | tall, dark grey tabby tom, varying grey markings with heterochromatic amber and blue eyes.
[ mind reader, silver tongue ]

quillpaw's going to be one of the greats. that's what thrush had said a few moons ago. however, it's a little hard to believe it with how slow everything feels right now. warriorhood is just in sight. he can practically taste it on the tip of his tongue with how close he is to getting the full name he deserves. at the same time, it feels so far away-- too far away. it's frustrating. however, there's one thing he wants to learn before he starts asking about his assessment.

flaying. the old shadowclan art. gory, yes, but a beneficial skill to learn in quillpaw's opinion. besides, it gives him a chance to go into the territory and scout around a bit. he doubts any of the herbs he was taught by thrush grows in the winter, however, sadly.

slipping out of the apprentices den, the tom's nose wrinkles in discontent when the bitter cold nips at his fur. the ground was wet and cold, probably from the earlier rain, much to his displeasure. heterochromatic gaze sweeps across the clearing, landing on mistlewhisker after a few seconds. with a small shiver from the temperatures, he approaches the deputy. when had he actually last trained with her, his actual mentor? honestly, he's not too sure. well, I'm sure I seem like an amazing apprentice, he thinks with a twinge of sarcasm. at least his cough was gone for the most part, that was good.

"mistlewhisker," quillpaw greets, voice still a bit raspy, but not enough that it'd be questioned - just a tad bit more than it normally sounds. "I'd like to learn flaying."

[ @Mica ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 47 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye]
Purrks: Killer Aptitude T3, Shadow Fiend, Mind Reader
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Chariot ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
· · ────────────── · ·
[Quillpaw - @phoenix ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Mistlewhisker glanced down as her remaining apprentice padded up to her. Oh, was Quillpaw looking for training from her? How rare, she thought dryly. Not that she really minded--it wasn't exactly like Quillpaw was falling behind, and she was a busy cat anyway. But she would always make time for her apprentices. "Flaying? Very well. Come, first we will hunt for squirrels to practice on."

Finding them in Leafbare might prove difficult, but as both of them were accomplished hunters she doubted it would be an issue. Mistlewhisker lead Quillpaw into the territory, the frigid air stinging her ears and nose. She paused to scent the air, taking considerably longer than usual with the overwhelming scent of snow permeating the air. Finding a squirrel to practice on was difficult in Leafbare, and Mistlewhisker was considering suggesting to Quillpaw that they wait until the snow had melted a little when she finally spotted the dusty grey fur of a thin squirrel. Lunging forward she snagged her claws in its skin and killed it with a swift bite.

Mistlewhisker lumbered back to where she split from Quillpaw, awaiting his return, hopefully with a squirrel to practice on.

[phoenix]

QUILLPAW
he/him | 12 moons | tall, dark grey tabby tom, varying grey markings with heterochromatic amber and blue eyes.
[ mind reader, silver tongue ]

quillpaw seems to visibly brighten up as mistlewhisker agrees to the lesson. with a nod, he follows her into the territory, grimacing at the burning sensation that consumes his paw pads. ears twitching, the tabby splits off into his own path, jaws parting to catch any scents. every scent is muddled from the recent snow, making it harder than he'd like it to be. brows knitting, his ears swivel, trying to catch any sound possible.

suddenly, he hears rustling from a nearby shrub, immediately looking in the general direction. dropping into a crouch, he stalks towards the shrub, spotting movement near the side of it. creeping closer, he notices that it's a squirrel. muscles tensing, he leaps forward and just manages to pin down the squirrel before killing it with a swift bite.

picking up his catch, he trudges back to the spot him and mistlewhisker had originally been, dropping the squirrel at his paws.

[ @Mica ]

[Mica]

Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 47 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye]
Purrks: Killer Aptitude T3, Shadow Fiend, Mind Reader
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Chariot ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
· · ────────────── · ·
[Quillpaw - @phoenix ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Luckily for them, it seemed StarClan was in favor of this lesson. Two squirrels were provided with relative swiftness, and Mistlewhisker sent up a quiet prayer thanking the squirrels for their sacrifice.

 

"Flaying is a delicate art." She began. "It takes practice, and should not be rushed. When you skin something, start with the legs. Cut around the base of each paw, then connect the hind-paw cuts together with an arch over the haunches." She demonstrated on her own squirrel, slicing slow circles with a claw around the base of each paw, then starting at the left hind leg and cutting just under the squirrel's tail to the right hind leg. Once that was done, she waited for Quillpaw to finish before continuing.

"You will do the same thing at the top, just around the head." A line circling the head like a necklace. "Moving back to the hind quarters, you are going to take the tail and break it at the base. If you do not wish to keep the tail, then you can carve up and over the tail rather than under." A sickening snap signaled the bone's break in Mistlewhisker's jaw.

The next step could be difficult, so she waited for Quillpaw to signal he was ready before moving on.

[phoenix]

QUILLPAW
he/him | 12 moons | tall, dark grey tabby tom, varying grey markings with heterochromatic amber and blue eyes.
[ mind reader, silver tongue ]

 

quillpaw's ears perk, listening intently as mistlewhisker explains the process of flaying. claws unsheathing, he taps them against the snowy ground as he watches his mentor demonstrate. it seems simple for the most part-- just make a few incisions around the paws, then connect them with another. with a nod, he pulls his own squirrel closer and slowly cuts circles around the paws. he glances between the squirrel at his paws and mistlewhisker's as he connects the incisions with another cut.

then, he pauses momentarily to listen to the deputy's further instructions. afterwards, he cuts a circle around the squirrels neck and leans down to break the tail at the base.

with that finished, he sits up straight again, throwing mistlewhisker a curious look. "what's next?"

[ @Mica apologies this took forever ]