Bonding with another child (Private)

[gs29513]

Deadmoon was......weirdly ambivalent when she woke up. One might assume this to be a bad thing, but, in fact, it was most welcome. She didn't dare pry too far into WHY she wasn't hopping mad or uninterested in anything life had to offer, not wanting to pry herself up off of her nest. But.....she wasn't feeling either of those things. She was feeling alright. Odd, but nothing else seemed wrong with her, so she might as well make the best of it. Pushing her way out into the clearing, she snagged a mouse (she always felt bad taking the rabbits seeing as she couldn't catch another to replace them) and sat down to eat. Soon it had disappeared down her gullet, and she was looking around for something to do.

And, well, Vinepaw just happened to be there. When she had taken him battle training along with Honeypaw and Duckpaw he had impressed her not only as quite skilled but very polite. Generally pleasant to be around, and not overly energetic like some of the other young cats (cough cough Owlkit cough cough Wildpaw) were. He was unlikely to drive her into a fit of rage, and she wanted to preserve this bit of peace for as long as it would stick around. Perhaps it was a bit selfish to try and pretend all was well when things very clearly weren't, but Deadmoon was a master avoider and had no plans of becoming more mature.

Hey Vinepaw. she mewed, once she'd gotten to her feet and made her way over to him. Would you be interested in going hunting with me? If you've not done any rodent or bird hunting we could try that out! Deadmoon was REALLY hoping he hadn't done any woodland style hunting, and would be amenable to doing the kind of hunting she preferred. She could suck it up and try to chase rabbits (though she'd probably come home with nothing) but seeing as he needed her to get out of camp not the other way around, she would be inclined to decide they were going to the thicket regardless of his response. @Tallstar

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Vinepaw
8 Moons
He/Him
Vinepaw had been sitting down grooming when he heard a familiar voice. Ah it was Deadmoon asking him to go hunting.He quickly stood up and nodded “Of course I’ve never hunted bird so this will be a cool lesson”he said while following her.”Where did you have in mind to hunt I’ve been everywhere in the territory except the Starry meadow,Thunderglade and the Sedgewater valley”he adds while his blue eyes look up towards the sky he secretly hopes to catch a huge bird one to feed the elders.

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Heck yeah! Deadmoon smiled a small little smile as Vinepaw agreed to stalking rather than chasing, sparing her grave embarrassment. She really didn't need to get humiliated in front of an apprentice in addition to all that was going on. Where they were going she didn't particularly knew, normally she just wandered until she could smell something other than rabbit, but she supposed Vinepaw might appreciate a fixed destination. Somewhere he could run ahead to if he so desired, seeing as she was unlikely to be fast in getting where they were going.

I think Sky Glade. Deadmoon mewed, turning to head on out of camp. No sense dilly dallying, goodness knows it'd take her a while to get there without any delays whatsoever. There're plenty of rodents and small birds to be found, and there haven't been issues with predatory birds there recently. She was aware that Leechscar and Crowtooth made a bit of a habit of hunting them, perhaps that had contributed to the decrease in sightings. Though she had been taught how to take them down she had little interest in doing so, especially as it increased in risk the smaller one got. She was by no means petit, but the two furys were certainly larger.

The Glade was relatively quiet when they arrived. Well, not arrived. Sighted it. She didn't want to go teaching the crouch in it, lest all the prey be scared away. Dropping into a crouch of her own (just in case he needed something to work off of) Deadmoon commanded Hop into your crouch for me before we do any actual hunting, alright? We're going to do a bit of stalking practice specific to not-rabbits. They had to actually get quite close now, rather than simply remain undetected until over the closest hill. @Tallstar

[Tallstar]

Vinepaw
8 Moons

Vinepaw nodded he had been to the sky glade with his mentor dustbunny though it had been a while since he had been out there with someone new he admired Deadmoon she was a loyal and fierce warrior.”Sounds good to me!” He says while trailing behind her allowing her to lead the way his white and black paws fall into a steady beat as deadmoon talks he listens slightly zoning out from lack of sleep but quickly focusing back up he watches as she falls into a crouch and he falls into one similar to hers “Like this?” He asks[ while staying close to the ground

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Vinegar seemed to have a solid crouch already, and Deadmoon nodded approvingly. It’ll certainly do for now. was what she said, which meant that it was really quite good for his presumed experience level. Whether or not Vinepaw managed to decode the praise within the comment was no concern of hers. I want you to practice stalking now. At intervals I want you to freeze. Say, whenever the top of that tree moves. The lone pine was clearly visible from their perch, it’s apex occasionally swaying in the breeze. You have to be able to hold still when stalking birds, because they’re sight prey.

Rabbits smelled you, rodents as well to some extent. Rodents also felt the vibrations of your paws. Birds did neither, just kept their beady little eyes on everything around them. They can’t smell well, but if they spot you they’ll take off instantly. Deadmoon summarized, regarding Vinepaw with an air of curiosity. He had been something of a natural at any moves or crouches she’d asked of him so far, and she was curious to see how his balance would be in his frozen moments. @Tallstar

[Tallstar]

Vinepaw-8 Moons

Vinepaw nods while he had enjoyed the chase of killing a rabbit he knew this was the true test anyone could chase something it took skill to be able to have stealth.Ah so rodents felt the vibrations of his paws the birds would see him he tried to slow his breathing he turned his attention to the pine and very slowly tried to creep by the third stride he fell off balance he grunted.He quickly got back to his paws frustrated he wanted to be good at this he was decent with fighting though he was more built for this he tried again keeping his tail low almost as a counterweight though he fell again. He looked up at dead moon and sighed “Could you show me again I think I’m getting the timing wrong.”

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Hmm, so this was where the youthful Windclan zest she do sorely lacked broke down. Deadmoon, as ever, took perverse satisfaction in being able to do SOMETHING better than the faster members of the clan, even if they would be able to acquire her skill if they desired and she most certainly could not acquire theirs. The issue with Vinepaw’s movement seemed to be his speed. He seemed almost to speed through motions, creeping quickly but loosing his balance when required to stop. That checked out.

Deadmoon returned to her own crouch, tail low and haunches well-supported by her hind legs. Her progress was much slower, each paw held suspended in the air for a moment before it was placed onto the ground. A halfway house between steps, easily enough held if the beady eyes of the bird turned your way. Try to slow things down a bit. she commented, finally addressing the problem with words. Balance as you go through steps, like you’ll have to freeze next, rather than worrying about it only when you do have to stop. Slow and stable will do. @Tallstar

[Tallstar]

Vinepaw-8 Moons


Vinepaw’s whiskers twitched with frustration as he tried to steady his breath, his paws still jittery from his earlier speed. He glanced over at Deadmoon, noting the meticulous way she carried out each step. Her advice resonated in his mind, and he could see the value in her approach.

“Got it, Deadmoon,” Vinepaw replied, his voice steadying as he tried to focus on her words. He lowered himself into a crouch, consciously slowing his movements. Each pawstep was deliberate, and he made a point to balance himself with each movement, envisioning the precise placement as if he were already about to halt. “I’ll work on keeping it slow and stable. Thanks for the tip.”

As he practiced, Vinepaw focused on maintaining balance throughout the entire motion, feeling a gradual improvement. He could see how this method might lead to better control, and he hoped that with more practice, he would be able to blend speed and stability seamlessly.

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There he went, much better! Deadmoon felt friendly enough to attempt a joke even, confident it wouldn’t come out angry and bitter. And if it did, only by a little bit. That’s sort of my job, huh? she commented dryly, before smiling a bit. If nothing else Vinepaw’s diligence was refreshing and enjoyable. Far more focused than Wildpaw was, or Duckpaw had ever been.

Once satisfied that her temporary charge really was getting the hang of it, she decided to move on to the slightly more fun part. At least in her eyes, anyway. The pouncing, and most importantly, catching. I want you to stalk forward a bit, then shift your weight back onto your hind paws and leap. Pick a spot to aim for, and try to have both front paws near that spot. That was the final bit of practice before they could sally forth into the brushy area, and try it out on some actual birds. @Tallstar

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Vinepaw took a deep breath, focusing intently on Deadmoon’s instructions. He had been working hard on his stalking technique, and her dry humor and slight smile made him feel more confident. As he began to move forward, he was determined to get this right.

He crept forward, each step as silent as he could manage, the ground cool and firm beneath his paws. When he reached the spot he had chosen, he shifted his weight onto his hind legs, feeling the familiar strain. He picked a small, inconspicuous tuft of grass as his target and tensed, ready to leap.

With a powerful push, Vinepaw sprang into the air, aiming to land his front paws precisely on the chosen spot. He felt the thrill of the jump and landed with a soft thud, his paws coming to rest exactly where he aimed.

He turned to Deadmoon, his eyes bright with anticipation. “Did I do it right?” he asked, eager to know if his effort had matched her expectations. The excitement of finally getting to try this out on real prey was almost palpable, and he hoped his practice had paid off.

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