Lightingpaw: Training at Twilight

[Moonraven]

[So I'm just carrying their previous conversation over here]
The WindClan leader made a mental note of all the locations and everything Lightingpaw did and had already seen. So he's visited the Starry Meadow, Twilight Falls, Sunset Grove, and Sedgewater Valley. For someone so far behind he's been keeping busy.

"You've been keeping your paws moving, good work." Twilightstar purred and then waved her tail beckoning the apprentice to follow her. "We might as well start on your training. let's head to the Sky Glade, we'll see if we can find any rabbits there and visit the Whispering Wetlands while we're at it."

Twilightstar glanced at the sky for raptors as soon as they reached the prairie. "I'm not sure if you've already been taught this, but you're out here you'll want to keep one eye on the sky for raptors like hawks or vultures. Hawks are most common out here, vultures you usually on come about if there is crowfood around."

Twilightstar picked up her pace slightly into a light trot as they cut across the seemingly endless sea of green to reach the lone pine tree standing several fox lengths in front of a pine forest. "This is the Sky Glade, we had quite the battle for this chunk of territory some seasons back." Twilightstar stayed well away from ShadowClan's border for the time being and focused on scenting the air.

"Can you smell any fresh rabbit trails? We can practice hunting them if you find one." She told the paw. He said he had a hunting lesson before and she wanted to see what he could do.
@Lightningpaw666 [Lightingpaw]

[Lightningpaw666]

Lightningpaw- He/Him, 10 moons old looks like he is 7.5 moons old due to being a runt has a defining Lightning bolt shaped scar on his flank, no purrks, Windclan Apprentice.

When Twilightstar herself praised Lightningpaw for keeping busy despite not having what one would call a normal training period he couldn't help but swell with a bit of pride. "Well I mean.. I wanted to do what I could to serve Windclan even as an Apprentice with little Training." Lightningpaw would admit to his leader. When Twilightstar wanted to get started on his training immediately he was pleasantly surprised and would nod respectfully as he followed her across Windclan's Territory. Lightningpaw smelled the fresh open air of the Territory enjoying the smells that was until Twilightstar mentioned those dreaded words for the Apprentice. Lightningpaw slowed down but wouldn't stop beginning to look around more worrisome. "R-Raptors..." Lightningpaw would repeat with a shaky voice it was obvious his experience as a kit when he was attacked by a Hawk and given his scar still haunted him. Thankfully Bravebird was there to save him then but the experience had stuck with him and now formed into something of a PTSD for the Young Tom. Lightningpaw managed to snap out of it though when he heard Twilightstar tell him about the battle with Shadowclan over this land. Twilightstar asked him if he could smell Rabbit. Lightningpaw would open his mouth allowing the smells of the moor to waft through his scent glands he would work hard to pinpoint a rabbit. Concentrating hard using both smell and sound. He would soon smell it a wonderful botanical, slightly sweet with background notes of flowers and grass. Then he also heard the heavy feet of the running he would watch it run and he took off after it running with all the speed his legs could muster after it but no matter how fast he was moving he couldn't catch up. It veered off towards the left to a burrow and he tried diving vainly at it but fell short obviously. He would fall on the ground with a thud with nothing to show for his efforts but a mouthful of dirt he would spit it out. "Pt pt pt! Mousedung!! If only I listened to Rabbitpaw when he talked about hunting rabbits!" Lightningpaw would meow frustrated. He would pad back to his leader with a discouraged look. "Sorry Twilightstar.. I only know how to hunt Mouse and Voles. I never learned the technique for rabbits." Lightningpaw would tell his Leader. @Moonraven

[Moonraven]

Oh? Twilightstar blinked her single eye as confusion showed through when Lightningpaw seemed to be able to catch the scent of a rabbit, however, instead of informing her he bolted off after the critter. She hadn't even explained the best way to go about catching them. Instincts could only take a cat so far when catching certain creatures. Rabbits, often required some form of technique when hunting them, especially out here where they had holes everywhere to hide.

She wasn't surprised when Lightningpaw returned, out of breath, and nothing to show for his effort. "Valient attempt but I'm sure you'd have better luck if you used your ears and listened. I said tell me if you can find a fresh scent trail, not find a scent trail, and then recklessly chase after the first rabbit you see." The leader's tail tip twitched behind her.

"Hunting rabbits is not like hunting other prey. Rabbits are fast prey, WindClan usually has to chase them down to hunt them. Being able to pounce while the rabbits are in motion can be difficult, and usually, a technique one develops as they age and get used to hunting down rabbits. Be silent enough and you can catch them without chasing them down or far." Lightingpaw needed more experience before catching a rabbit in full sprint. He'd need to build up his endurance and his speed.

"Let's try this again, find a new rabbit to hunt, and wait until I instruct you on what to do." They'd be out here till moonhigh if he kept acting before thinking.
@Lightningpaw666 [Lightningpaw]

[Lightningpaw666]

Lightningpaw would once more smell the air he wanted to make his Leader proud and prove he was a quick learner. Lightningpaw would prove he was he just had to! Lightningpaw caught scent of only a single more rabbit the rest seemed to shelter in burrows after his commotion of trying to catch the last one. He would point his tail in the direction of it. "There's one that way a bit ways away but it's the last one above ground." Lightningpaw would mew to Twilightstar. @Moonraven