Talons Are For Fishing! (Swimming & Fishing Lesson) - Talonpaw & Brokenstream

[korok]

☾ Brokenstream | 26 MOONS | HE/HIM ☽
header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper

The young Lionheart gave a big stretch as the pair finally approached the river. His green eyes glowed with excitement- how he loved swimming. Better yet, he loved teaching it! It's what made a RiverClan cat a RiverClan cat.

Brokenstream glanced over his shoulder at Talonpaw, the older apprentice who would be accompanying him today. He had yet to interact with the apprentice until now, when they had requested a swimming and fishing lesson, but he was pleased that they were taking initiative. "Alright, Talonpaw, are you ready? The water may be a bit cold as we're getting into to leaffall, but once you're in, you'll be fine." The bengal mewed kindly.

( @Ian - so sorry for delay! )

[Ian]

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Talonpaw
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Taking initiative for his own training feels good. Talonpaw knows he's become what he hates most, but it's hard when the two mentors he cared about died or disappeared. He hadn't liked Fadingstar, so training with him never worked. Now he has Stormstar, and he thinks they might get along. She's still the leader of RiverClan at the very least. At least he's mostly late on his training because of not having a mentor for a while, disappearing (he still regrets that every day), the entire Clan getting exiled only a few moons after he returns, and then breaking a leg on the mountains. Still, Talonpaw knows he's been a little lazy, but now he's trying. He just hopes it will be enough, something that he has never been and never will be.

Brokenstream's words snap him out of his spiraling thoughts and he gives the tom a stiff nod. "As ready as I'll ever be," Talonpaw says, eyeing the water as the fur long his spine prickles in unconscious nervousness. Would drowning be like freezing to death? Slow and painful? He doesn't want to find out.

@korok [sorry that this took 123485431005482 years to reply to]

[korok]

header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper



Green eyes studied Talonpaw with curiosity, but Brokenstream didn't pry. This apprentice was clearly...almost his age. He knew enough to know that Stormstar had basically "inherited" Talonpaw after Fadingstar's...disappearance, but what of before that? Well, it mattered not. They were here for training.

"Good." He mewed kindly as he waded into a shallow area of the river. "Okay, we'll start pretty simple." The Lionheart began. "Just get a feel for the water in your fur first." Brokenstream instructed as he backed further away. "Don't worry, you should still be able to touch the ground. Just try and walk to me."

( @Ian - no worries!! bump me anytime for this, i have a google doc for all my rps but i can still be forgetful xD )

[Ian]

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Talonpaw
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He watches as Brokenstream wades into the area, hiding his relief in the nod he gives the tom. Being larger than the average cat meant wading into the water wasn't as stressful as he expected it to be. Talonpaw easily touches the bottom, and his fluffy fur somewhat dilutes the chill of the water. It honestly isn't as bad as he thought it was going to be. He also feels he can trust Brokenstream enough that the Head Lionheart won't let him drown.

Talonpaw carefully walks toward Brokenstream, his claws unsheathed in an unsuccessful attempt to grip the bottom. Still, despite being slightly wobbly, he manages to make it without wiping out and embarrassing himself. "This isn't... as bad as I thought honestly."

@korok

[korok]

header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper

"Look at that- you're a natural in the water!"

The Lionheart praised with an encouraging jerk of his head to push Talonpaw to keep going. It seemed like the water didn't penetrate the apprentice's thick fur in the same way it did Brokenstream, so he hoped it help with the cold that came with leaffall. "It seems really intimidating at first," He agreed with a sympathetic nod. "If it makes you feel any better, I was actually a dry paw as an apprentice."

Not many knew this about him- not that he was ashamed. He was an apprentice who was scared and learning. "Floodsight actually had to save me because I fell in once. We learned how to swim together after that." The bengal purred at the memory (though inwardly he still shuddered at the remembrance of fear he felt back then despite being so comfortable in the water now). "So don't rush yourself- we can go at your pace. If you're ready, we can go slightly deeper into the river and we can practice paddling."

( @Ian )

[Ian]

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Talonpaw
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Normally he hates being comforted, but Talonpaw understands that Brokenstream is only trying to help. And for once, it does. He was afraid of being judged for his age and lack of training. Sure, some of it was his fault for not actively seeking it out, but it was hard when none of his mentors trained him (through no faults of their own, but it was still hard). Either way, now is not the time to be thinking of such things, and Talonpaw nods slightly at the comfort. "Thanks. I think I'm ready for the paddling," he says, finally used to the feeling of the water flowing around him as he pads deeper until he can barely stand.

@korok

[korok]

header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper

"Alright, let's do it!"

His tone stayed cheerful and his body language calm as he waded further into the river. He got far enough down that he was having to paddle slightly to stay afloat, but would still be able to touch the ground if he reached. "Okay, the ground is still reachable, so don't panic. Just watch what I do." Brokenstream began to demonstrate by paddling back to where they entered the river and then back to the spot he started from. "See how I use my back legs as well as my tail to keep me balanced? That's very important. When you dive, your tail won't matter as much, but we won't be getting into that right now." He made sure to add that last part quickly, lest Talonpaw get anxious.

"Alright, paddle to me."

( @Ian )

[Ian]

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Talonpaw
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He takes a calming breath, watching closely as Brokenstream demonstrates. Use my tail and hind legs for balance, don't panic, Talonpaw mentally chants to himself. He can do this. He will do this. He's pathetically late for his warrior ceremony, and not being able to swim will not be what delays it further. With one last deep, calming breath, Talonpaw walks forward until his paws no longer touch the riverbed. There's a brief surge of panic, but he pushes it away in favor of paddling like Brokenstream demonstrated. It takes him a moment, and he nearly tips over before he remembers to use his tail for balance, but he manages to right himself and paddle toward the warrior. It's cold, but not like the snow was. He's swimming, not dying, and the realization makes Talonpaw relax. "This isn't as bad as I thought it would be," he says, a smile flitting across his muzzle.

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@korok - Brokenstream

[korok]

header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper

The Lionheart's eyes watched intently as Talonpaw began trying to swim on his own. A slightly faulty start, but towards the end he seemed to get the hang of it- even commenting that it wasn't too bad. The tom returned the apprentice's smile with a grin of his own. "You're RiverClan! It's in your blood." Brokenstream mewed proudly.

"Keep practicing and you'll be able to swim in your sleep." He purred before swimming slightly away from Talonpaw. "Last thing for swimming that I'll teach you is using the ground to propel yourself back up- it's useful for fishing while swimming." He explained before diving under the water, pushing himself off the ground, and shooting back to the surface. "Also good for if you feel you're running out of air. You want to break the surface quickly." Brokenstream glanced at Talonpaw expectantly. "After this, I'll teach you how to fish off the riverbank."

( @Ian )

[Ian]

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Talonpaw
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Steadfastly focused on paddling, the comment about being RiverClan nearly washed over his head. Still, he only falters for a moment before he quickly recovers, tail lashing in the water to prevent himself from tipping over. Now isn't the time to be having an extensional crisis. He's been gone for seasons, it doesn't matter anymore, Talonpaw thinks. Focusing on Brokenstream's words instead, which is definitely the better option so he doesn't drown, he grunts affirmatively. "Should I go ahead and try? Do I just let myself sink or..." he trails off, not entirely sure how to go about diving.

@korok ; Brokenstream