Aeolus (Hawkpaw/fur Past Training) [p]

[Mica]

Skywhisper
WindClan Warrior
he/she | 48 moons
[White and grey dappled tom with green eyes]
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Hawkpaw was growing up, and as such he needed more training. He was hesitant in hunting and downright miserable in battle, so Skywhisper decided to take another approach. She was lucky because she had been formerly ThunderClan and knew a skill most WindClanners did not. There were very few trees on the moors save for the lonely pine and in the Sunset Grove, but along the ShadowClan border there were several willows that would make excellent practice ground. "Hawkpaw!" He barked, waiting for the skittish red apprentice to show. While the kid's nervous tendecies frustrated him to no end, the eagerness behind his eyes made Skywhisper take a sort of brotherly pity on the young tom. At least he had his sister. Rootpaw seemed intent on protecting her nervous brother, and by the stars did he need it. Skywhisper hoped in her time training Hawkpaw she'd be able to bring up his confidence. But all would be revealed in time.

[Mica]

Hawkpaw
WindClan Apprentice
he/him | 8 moons
[Russet tabby with tuxedo markings and sky blue eyes]
Purrks: Flock Together T3, Killer Aptitude T1
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Hanged Man ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
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[Hawkfur]
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Cripes! Hawkpaw's ears shot up when he heard his name called, fear sluicing down his spine. Had he done something to get in trouble? Had Sunpaw blamed one of his tricks on him? The russet tom tripped out of the apprentice's den, desperately trying to smooth down the fur on his shoulders so he didn't look as ruffled.

But instead of his fears awaiting him, all it was was Skywhisper. Hawkpaw visibly relaxed when he spotted his mentor, trotting up to her. "Hi, Skywhisper! Did ya need me for somethin'?" He couldn't help the excitement that lilted in each word and sparkled in his gaze. Training with Skywhisper was fun, even if he struggled. She was patient with him, keeping him focused and teaching him techniques to get past his own anxieties.

[Mica]

Skywhisper
WindClan Warrior
he/she | 48 moons
[White and grey dappled tom with green eyes]
· · ────────────── · ·
· · ────────────── · ·
The warrior suppressed a groan when he saw Hawkpaw come careening out of the apprentice's den scrambling to look presentable. How this tom had survived to his apprentice ceremony, she had no idea. But she put on a smile of comradery, tail flicking with amusement as he asked what she needed him for. "I think it's time we teach you something new, Little Wind."

Skywhisper flicked his ear to gesture for Hawkpaw to follow him, padding out of camp and into the territory. The ShadowClan border loomed over them as they approached, tall pines stretching far past where their vision could render. Like any WindClan cat, Skywhisper despised the feeling of her access to the sky being broken. Even in ThunderClan, he had felt constricted and suffocated under the oaks and maples. But those trees had allowed him to be taught something that had saved her life more than once.

"Today, I'm gonna to teach you how to climb trees." At Hawkpaw's shriek of dismay, the warrior held up a tail for silence. "Predators like badgers and coyotes struggle to climb trees. Twolegs' dogs seem unable to climb, either. These are all threats you must be able to deal with." Skywhisper padded in a slow circle around his apprentice. "If you cannot--" the accusation of "will not" went unsaid, "--fight them, you must be able to escape."

Skywhisper faced his apprentice again. "Climbing up a tree is one thing. Climbing down in another. If you find yourself up in a tree, having escaped there in a moment of blind panic, you need to know how to get yourself down without shattering every bone in your legs." Skywhisper did not particularly care about the way Hawkpaw shrunk back at the image. He would have to grow up one way or another. "Watch."

A running leap had Skywhisper soaring up towards the gnarled trunk of the closest willow tree. His claws gouged into the wood, back paws finding purchase on knots in the wood. With moons of practice she hauled herself up onto a sturdy branch, dropping to her stomach and letting her tail hang below. "Simple." He delighted in the shock clear on his apprentice's face. Perhaps some of the haughtiness trademark to ThunderClan hadn't left him quite yet. "Let's see you try."

[Mica]

Hawkpaw
WindClan Apprentice
he/him | 8 moons
[Russet tabby with tuxedo markings and sky blue eyes]
Purrks: Flock Together T3, Killer Aptitude T1
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Hanged Man ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
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[Hawkfur]
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Hawkpaw was going to die. Absolutely, assuredly, one-hundred percent going to die. Scaling a tree?? No way! He wasn't strong enough to pull himself up like Skywhisper did! Hawkpaw swallowed, wondering if he could suddenly fake a stomach-ache and go back to hide in the apprentice's den. Though... he didn't think Skywhisper would fall for the same trick twice. Ooohhhhhhkay. He could do this. He had to, otherwise Skywhisper would report to his dad and then Nightwalker would berate Hawkpaw and call him a disappointment again. Even though Hawkpaw hated literally any training except hunting and rabbit chasing, he had to get his warrior name at the same time as Rootpaw. She'd never let him live it down if he didn't!

And Nightwalker might never let him live if he didn't.

So Hawkpaw stared up at Skywhisper, holding back tears, before focusing on the trunk. With significantly less grace than his mentor, Hawkpaw began to scale the tree. He kept his claws out, digging them into the bark to pull himself up. He winced at the pain that lanced through his forearms at the motion, his claws not appreciating being the sole force that held his body-weight.

For a moment, he thought he might be able to do it. Then that notion was shattered when his back leg shifted wrong and he was suddenly tumbling to the ground, landing with a soft thud that had him groaning.

[Mica]

Skywhisper
WindClan Warrior
he/she | 48 moons
[White and grey dappled tom with green eyes]
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Stars above, this tom was pathetic. Skywhisper stared down at her apprentice, brow raised as Hawkpaw struggled to get his scrawny little body up the tree. He tumbled down, landing on the ground and groaning weakly. Skywhisper sighed, resting his chin on his paws where he lay on the branch. "You gonna let the tree insult you like that? C'mon Little Wind, try again!" Even if Hawkpaw was doomed to be an apprentice forever because he was incapable of the most basic training (other than rabbit hunting--Skywhisper was thrilled to see Hawkpaw excel at that), Skywhisper wasn't going to give up on him. Not yet.

[Mica]

Hawkpaw
WindClan Apprentice
he/him | 8 moons
[Russet tabby with tuxedo markings and sky blue eyes]
Purrks: Flock Together T3, Killer Aptitude T1
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Hanged Man ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
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[Hawkfur]
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Pain bloomed along Hawkpaw's side from where he landed on it, making the apprentice wince as he stood. Augh... Owch... Azure eyes squinted up at the tree where Skywhisper waited, the tom's white tail twitching with amusement. Shame burned Hawkpaw's ears, and he felt those hateful tears build up behind his eyes again. No! He wouldn't cry! Hawkpaw steeled his nerves and sniffled, his watery gaze turning stony as he glared at the tree. He would not fail!

Taking a deep breath, Hawkpaw launched himself at the tree again, digging in his claws and tensing his hind legs before pushing himself up-up-up all the way to the branch where Skywhisper waited. With each push, Hawkpaw chanted his mantra. I will NOT fail! I will NOT fail!

And finally, Hawkpaw stood on the branch where Skywhisper lay, staring at his mentor with wide eyes. He--he did it! He climbed a tree! HAHA!!! Hawkpaw grinned, excitement mirrored by the pride in Skywhisper's eyes. See, Hawkpaw knew Skywhisper could be a hardass, but he did care about Hawkpaw's success.

[Mica]

Skywhisper
WindClan Warrior
he/she | 48 moons
[White and grey dappled tom with green eyes]
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"Heyy there you go, squirt!" Skywhisper cheered, reaching a paw out to ruffle Hawkpaw's head. "You made it! That was the easy part." The warrior chuckled at the horror that crossed over Hawkpaw's face. "Now we've gotta get down."

Hawkpaw's terrified expression would keep Skywhisper going for seasons to come just from amusement alone. "Relax, kid. C'mon, watch me." Skywhisper maneuvered around the frozen Hawkpaw and tilted her body over the trunk, aiming face first. "Seems counterintuitive, but you wanna go face first. Keep your chest and head tilted away from the tree, slowly let go of your grip, aaaaand--" Skywhisper skittered down the tree, tossing himself forward and onto the grass below with an elegant leap. He turned, looking up at Hawkpaw. "Easy-peasy!!"

[Mica]

Hawkpaw
WindClan Apprentice
he/him | 8 moons
[Russet tabby with tuxedo markings and sky blue eyes]
Purrks: Flock Together T3, Killer Aptitude T1
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Hanged Man ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
· · ────────────── · ·
[Hawkfur]
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"Easy peasy??" Hawkpaw shrieked, staring down at Skywhisper. "You just said it was the hardest part!"

Skywhisper's response fell on deaf ears, the blood roaring through Hawkpaw's veins as he stared at the ground. Ohhhh no, no no, he was well and truly stuck, now! There was absolutely no way he could get down!! M-maybe being stuck up here wasn't too bad. He could catch birds! A-and sleep in the leaves. Yeah... that wasn't too bad. Anything to avoid going down...

But Rootpaw would miss him. She might visit him at first, but eventually she would tire of going all the way to the ShadowClan border just to meet with him. He'd be alone. And if there was one thing that Hawkpaw could not fathom more than climbing down this tree, it was being alone.

So, mind made up, Hawkpaw braced himself against the tree like Skywhisper had shown him, and began slowly letting himself down, inch by inch, until he was able to drop onto the ground in front of his awaiting mentor. His legs shook from adrenaline and fear, but... "There--I did it."

[Mica]

Skywhisper
WindClan Warrior
he/she | 48 moons
[White and grey dappled tom with green eyes]
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"You did." Skywhisper meowed at her apprentice, giving him a nod. Well then, he had learned a new skill. Good for him. Maybe he wasn't as pathetic as he originally thought.

The pair traveled back to camp, Hawkpaw chattering about how he was going to show his sister everything he learned, and that like the tunnels, WindClan was going to gain the skill of tree climbing and no one would see it coming! Skywhisper shook his head, chuckling. This kid was one of a kind.

[Training complete]