Darkpaw & Icepaw - Training

[Undertaker]

@Star - Icepaw | @Rowan - Darkpaw
Oh! She could talk! Dawnstar swore Icepaw talked less than Quietpaw, and her granddaughter had quiet in her name. Perhaps she was one of those selective mutes, regardless so long as they came to an understanding about speaking to her, all was well.

Her eyes turned to follow Darkpaw as set out to do as tasked. He did blend in incredibly well, his paws stood out a bit, but unless cats were staring at the ground they weren't noticeable. A Shadowclan cat was most likely the only clan to pick up on that since the rest of the clans weren't as attended to the shadows as they were.

She could track him, but he wasn't making it easy and it was only when he was moving. She could see the slight shift of silhouette and his paws when he moved positions, but all in all, he did pretty well.

As for Icepaw, Dawnstar could still hear her, but again, it wasn't obvious. Her paw steps weren't loud and she wasn't stepping on anything. The leader had to focus and hear her paw steps hitting the forest floor. When she turns back around to look at Icepaw after Darkpaw returns, she sees the white she-cat's head over the bush.

"Good enough," She meowed to both of the apprentices. She didn't need them getting big heads from over-praising them. "I didn't hear you step on anything, you were very quiet. Work on your speed and you'll have stealth down in no time, Icepaw. Darkpaw, you blend well in the shadows, nearly seamlessly. You'll be set once you learn the territory better and do not look at your paws so much when you stalk." She didn't have much feedback for either of them as they hadn't done much of anything wrong.

"Now, I would like you two to fetch me a mouse. Even if you can't scent them, you should be able to hear and spot them. You'll need to be extra careful when hunting they can feel and hear you approach. Your paws need to have as little impact on the forest floor as possible, so when you crouch make sure you put more weight on your haunches. If you bring me back a mouse, I'll teach you how to flay it. Whether you use the skill or not it's something most ShadowClan cats learn these days."

[Star]

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Icepaw
White she-kit with very pale, barely visible rosette spots and mint eyes.
She/Her | 7 Moons| + every 6th | ShadowClan Apprentice | Selectively Mute
[33/100]

Purrks:
Well Insulated [Permanently Active] • Mind Reader [Permanently Active]
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.

. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
Nice. She didn't completely mess up everything. She wasn't expecting herself to, but it would have been quite frustrating and embarassing if she did. She nodded at Dawnstar's words, making sure to keep her feedback in mind. Next thing, catch a mouse. It was pretty straightforward and Icepaw didn't have any questions. Questions would only waste more precious time and she didn't need that to happen.

She then quietly crept through the greenery, ears alert. Her sight was never the best. In fact, it burdened her more than she let on. So she'd simply have to utilise her sense of smell and hearing. It wasn't very convenient, to have less sight than most other cats. But that only meant her other senses were more keen.

It did not take her very long to catch a faint scent of rodent in the air, and sure enough, a small yet plump mouse was scuttling around, stopping every now and then to sniff or pick at the ground. Instinct took over her and the white-furred feline lowered herself to the ground, gaze fixed on the unsuspecting prey. And just like before, she made sure each paw was carefully placed in front of the other, and before she knew it, the distance between her and the mouse was decreasing.
Don't hesitate. Don't hesitate.
She didn't. With a quick leap, just when the mouse completely had its attention to something on the ground, Icepaw caught it in her claws. It wasn't the best catch, but hey, at least she caught it! Her claws dug in further into the mouse, killing it. It wasn't the ideal way of killing, but it did the job. With the now limp mouse hanging from her jaws, she made her way back to Dawnstar, plopping it down by her paws as she turned to see if Darkpaw was anywhere near finishing.

(( Ignore how late this is ))

{ @Undertaker - Dawnstar | @Rowan - Darkpaw }
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[Rowan]

DARKPAW
Posts: 75 | Male | 10 Moons | ShC Apprentice Aid
Purrks: Silvertongue T1
___________________________________________

He nodded, intently listening to the leaders advice. “Yes DawnStar.” he replied to her next instruction. Catch a mouse. Easy enough. He didn’t waste time, he carried himself to the forest of ShadowClan, keeping his steps quiet as he entered the forest. Deep breaths. Okay. DarkPaw slightly opened his mouth, carefully scenting the air around him. For a few moments, all he scented were squirrels and frogs. That’s when the scent of mice came to him. Now, he had to be super quiet. This was his chance. DarkPaw neared the mouse a bit more before getting into the crouch that he had learned, carefully slinking forwards. He was aware of the ground around him, but he made sure to not check it every other second. His blue gaze narrowed as the mouse came into sight. He had to work with precision. The only thing currently hiding him were tangled, dead branches…as well as the shadows.

The apprentice then pushed himself up into a pounce, using the power from his hind legs to bring his weight down into the mouse. His claws were unsheathed, and he was quick to bring his head down and deliver the killing bite. There. A mouse now dangled from his jaw, one that was shockingly plump for the time of year. Should be good enough, huh?

DarkPaw carried himself back to camp, dipping his head to DawnStar in greeting and giving the apprentice a glance before setting his mouse down.


@Undertaker @Star

[Undertaker]

@Star - Icepaw | @Rowan - Darkpaw
The leader waited patiently or as patiently as she could for the pair to return with a mouse. It felt like it took eons, but soon the pair rejoined her each with a mouse in their grasp. She scowled as she looked at Icepaw's mouse. The apprentice had caught the mouse but it looked like she had used her claws instead of the typical killing bite. Well, hers would have small holes in it now, but since this was a practice it didn't matter. She hoped she didn't damage anything internally, Dawnstar probably should have told her how to kill it.

"Good work, let's begin. We're going to work on flaying or skinning as most call it. Lay the mouse down on its belly, and use whichever forepaw you're most comfortable or dominant with to cut. The other forepaw will hold the mouse still by holding the legs or tail firmly. Unsheath one claw and make an incision along the spine, from the shoulders to the hips. The cut only needs to be skin deep, so very lightly, any deeper and you'll hit some organs and that will cause... problems." Dawnstar ordered them. "Let me know when you're done."

[Star]

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Icepaw
White she-kit with very pale, barely visible rosette spots and mint eyes.
She/Her | 7 Moons| + every 6th | ShadowClan Apprentice | Selectively Mute
[43/100]

Purrks:
Well Insulated [Permanently Active] • Mind Reader [Permanently Active]
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.

. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
Exciting. Skinning animals. Oh joy. It wasn't like Icepaw was completely appalled. Nowhere near appalled, in fact, but she simply found it... Weird? Strange? Perks of being a ShadowClan cat, she supposed. She was pretty sure none of the other Clans did this but did she care? Not one bit. Dawnstar's scowl also didn't go unnoticed. She probably did something wrong. Maybe she'd ask later. Or figure out what went wrong. But for now, the mouse.

As instructed, Icepaw laid the rodent on its stomach, and held its tail and one of its hind legs with her paw. With the other, she unsheathed her claws and hovered over the spine of the mouse for a few heartbeats, finding the correct place to cut.

Despite her usually shaky form, Icepaw's paw remained steady as she cut an incision along the spine, stopping at the hip. The eyesore white-furred cat lowered her pawand tucked it closer to herself, blinking at the mouse with a sliver of curiosity. Could this be done the same way with other cats?

{ @Undertaker - Dawnstar | @Rowan - Darkpaw }
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[Rowan]

• he/him • 13 moons • shadowclan/aid apprentice •
silvertongue t1

DarkPaw gave a quiet nod when DawnStar finished speaking, eyes unreadable as he crouched beside the mouse he’d caught. He didn't complain, didn’t react, just listened.

The dark-furred apprentice settled his mouse belly-down, planting a forepaw near its shoulders to hold it steady. His claws slid from their sheath with barely a sound, and he traced a line along its spine with his gaze before making the first cut. His touch was practiced — not perfect, but thoughtful — a shallow slice that followed Dawnstar’s direction closely. When the cut was done, he paused. His expression didn’t change much, but his tail gave a small twitch.

He looked to Dawnstar and murmured, low and even, “Done.”

Then a glance to IcePaw. Darkpaw didn’t speak, but his stare lingered for a moment before he returned his attention to his work, already preparing to continue if instructed. Something cold settled beneath his skin, but he welcomed it. Better cold than soft.

└> . . . @Undertaker @Star