[t] A Little Patch of Clear Skies

[Abyssopelagic]

Once more, it seemed like Havenfade's paws brought him to the apprentice's den. It seemed like there were always new apprentices needing training lately, and less and less paws available to train them.
He doesn't remember how the Medicine Cat's daughter came to ask him about training, but he very clearly remembers that he promised to take her out of camp. She was just so sweet, and the idea of upsetting her had tugged at his heart.
He doesn't know, either, when he became the responsible one. So far, he's quite enjoyed his time teaching the little munchkins, and their bright little personalities, so he couldn't really complain.
His mother would certainly be happy to hear that he's stepped up.

Havenfade doesn't find Littlepaw in the apprentices Den when he ducks his head inside to call for her. He almost thinks he sees her for a second, but realizes it's Windpaw.
Huh, he hadn't realized how similar the ladies looked. Well, at a glance they did, and if you hadn't met one or the other before. Something about their little patterns.
Or maybe he was just terrible at distinguishing his Clanmates.

Havenfade back tracks, and begins to wander the clearing, hoping to find her. It's always a possibility that she's gone, either on a patrol or being taken for training by someone else.
He hadn't really given a clear plan of when to expect him to take her, so it was fair to assume she might have asked other warriors as well, and simply been the slower one.
Oh well, they can always go on a different day if that's the case.

[ @SuspiciousMindz ]

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Littlepaw]
​WindClan Apprentice Tunneler
No Purrks

Scrith, scratch, shuffle, shuffle
Huff.

Littlepaw was busying herself lately in the snow. She'd found a corner of the camp where the snow ran thick and had begun a tunnel system within it. The snowy walls were surprisingly warm, and the snow texture was easy for her claws to dig into. Unfortunately, that meant her paws were cold and she often had to give them a break so her MedicineMa wouldn't kill her for making her pads bleed, again.

Actually, the dilute calico was in the middle of one of those breaks, half-dozing beneath the surface of the snow when thumping noises of an approaching clanmate echoed around her. Eyes fluttering open, the she-cat would begin to panic, scrambling backwards as they drew closer. Some snowflakes would flutter down around her and she broke through the entrance of the tunnel just in time to stop them. "Wait! Freeze!" Littlepaw hollered in a panicked breath, relaxing when Havenfade would pause.

"You were about to walk on top of my tunnel! You could've fallen in!" Littlepaw spoke, half-way out of the system. She wiggled the rest of her body out and darting across the frozen surface. With the top layer of snow frozen over, there really wasn't much of a threat for a cat to fall through. Most of them weren't heavy enough to crack the surface of the frozen snow. "Oh! It's you! Hello!" Littlepaw would speak as she approached and recognized which warrior this was.

@Abyssopelagic - Havenfade

[Abyssopelagic]

Freeze!

Havenfade's paws immediately glued themselves to the ground, halting his progress. Ears a-twitching, he dipped his head to look for the cat that had called out to him, and was promptly met with Littlepaw's head poking out from her cover.
She was quick to explain her outburst, and the warrior nodded.
"My hero!"
He lifted a paw and rested it on his chest.
"Saved me from more than just a fall. My pride would have taken a hit, too!"

Havenfade waited as Littlepaw wiggled out of her little.... Cave? Tunnel? That she'd built into the snow. He tilted his head as he stared in, eyes scanning the hollow she'd left.
"Huh, that's neat. Never took an interest in tunneling, but that's really cool, Littlepaw."
His eyes flicked back to the apprentice.
"Although, perhaps let's keep our camp tunnels to a minimum, okay?"
He wouldn't ask her to get rid of it, she obviously put a lot of work into it, but it wasn't just a tripping hazard. Any number of the overwhelming hoard of kittens could crawl in and get lost, and no one would know to look for them there.

"I won't make you get rid of it. I just want you to be.... Conscientious for the future."
Havenfade cleared his throat, remembering why he'd sought her out, and it wasn't to lecture the poor apprentice.
"I was looking for you, actually. Dustbunny has obviously started your training, but I wanted to take you for some hunting, if that's alright with you."
The training itself was obviously doing wonders. He still couldn't get over how cool the little tunnel she'd made just really was.
Maybe he should have taken more of an interest in it when he was younger.

[ @SuspiciousMindz ]

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Littlepaw]
​WindClan Apprentice Tunneler
No Purrks

"Oh~" Littlepaw cooed, canting her head to look over at her masterpiece hidden beneath the crunchy snow. Her blues blinked a couple times before looking back at Havenfade. "It doesn't expand that far, mister. I'll make sure no one's fallin' in!" the dilute calico chimed happily, waving her tail behind her. "Can show it sometime if you want!" she chirped before her ears perked up with interest.

"Huntin'?!" Littlepaw bounced once before she'd land and think for a moment, her brow raising. "Wait," she spoke, her gaze wandering for a moment before refocusing on the warrior in front of her. "Mister, I need some battle trainin'... can we do that instead? Bunny 'n Crowtooth showed me some hunting things. We can do that if you want! Can still learn some cool things, I think!" Littlepaw remained optimistic, waiting for a response from the warrior.

@Abyssopelagic - Havenfade

[Abyssopelagic]

The Safe Harbour - Havenfade
WindClan | 24 moons | he/him


He didn't know how she'd be able to make sure no one fell in, but he wasn't of the mind to be doubting Littlepaw, or squashing her interests. He considers the matter laid to rest for now.
"Maybe when we come back. My curiosity is thoroughly piqued, for sure."
It couldn't be that cold in there if she'd been able to stay down there for so long.

Huh, battle training?
Ah, he must have let his eagerness to get the prey pile filled make the decision rather than actually listening when he'd asked around, it seems.
"If you need battle training, that's what we'll be doing, kiddo! I must have misremembered which of my apprentices needed hunting. My bad."
He dipped his head, ears drooping to follow the motion.
"We can head out whenever you're ready!"

[ @SuspiciousMindz ]

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Littlepaw]
​WindClan Apprentice Tunneler
No Purrks

Hope glimmered in her eyes as Havenfade didn't mind skipping the hunting this go around and focus solely on battle training. "I'm ready when you are, mister!" She'd chirp, bouncing on her toes a couple times before beginning to race towards the entrance, doing a loop or two on the way. A good way for him to catch up and for her to burn off her never ending energy.

"This is one of the last things I gotta do before my assessment! Gonna be a warrior soon! A tunneler!" Littlepaw spoke when he would catch up at the camp entrance. "I dunno why I haven't done battle yet, but I can bring ta info back to Windpaw! My sis needs some training, she started late, did ya know that?" Littlepaw would ask, but didn't linger on it long. She was known to be a yapper. Havenfade was in for a world of chatter if he didn't cut her off with training first.

[kinda short, am sorry, didn't know how to reply with anything else ahah]
@Abyssopelagic - Havenfade

[Abyssopelagic]

The Safe Haven — Havenfade


Havenfade would later pride himself for the fact he barely even flinched as the apprentice rocketed herself towards the camp entrance. With a startled chuckle, he followed after her, his long legs allowing him to quickly shorten the gap with each step.
He stepped past her and out into the territory, only then waiting to make sure she was keeping up. His back paw tapped the ground as he listened to the apprentice.
Huh, that was her sister? No wonder he mistook one for the other. He suddenly felt much less guilty for the almost mishap from earlier.
"So soon? It felt like just yesterday you were made into an apprentice."
He actually didn't know when Littlepaw had become an apprentice, but it felt like it wasn't so long ago.
"Congratulations on getting through your requirements so quickly, though."

He gestured for Littlepaw to follow him a bit further into the territory, wanting to find a decent place to do battle training. She hadn't mentioned anything about previous basic training, so he would be assuming he'd be starting from the very start with her.
"I did not know your sister was apprenticed later than you. It seems to happen quite a bit, where one or a few siblings are promoted ahead of one or more of their littermates. Hope the little bug has been doing okay, though. She has a thoughtful sister like you, after all."
He was only half paying attention at this point, but chose his words very carefully.

He allowed Littlepaw to get her thoughts out before he continued.
"I'm going to describe several attacking techniques, show them to you, and I want you to try them on me. Once you show you have a grasp on those attacks, we'll move on to more complicated moves."
Havenfade's gaze lifted as a large, withered tree, bark crackling with age and coated with frost came into view. He indicated with his tail for Littlepaw to follow and sprinted the last few tail lengths until they were beneath the weathered, bare branches.
"We'll train here."
The dark furred warrior's fur puffed up as a breeze swept through, biting his sensitive skin. He quickly switched to a more professional persona.

"The first move we’re working on is the Front Paw Blow." He paced a few steps in a half arc, his steps firm and measured, different from the light jaunt from earlier or even the energetic burst.
"This is a simple but potentially game changing strike. It’s all about the force you put behind it. When you deliver the blow, you want to bring your front paw down sharply onto your opponent’s head. You don't need to lash out with your claws exposed—keep them sheathed. The goal is to disorient your opponent, or even daze them for just a heartbeat, giving you the chance to follow up with another move."
He crouched low, positioning himself as if preparing for an attack. "Now, watch me closely. I’ll move forward, raising my paw above my head. Then, with all my weight behind it, I bring it down directly in front of me. The force should feel like a rock hitting water." Havenfade lifted his front paw, letting it hover briefly above the ground, before he swung it down in a controlled, sharp arc. His paw landed with a thud against the earth.
His paw stung from the unnecessary amount of force he exerted on the frozen ground. He flexed his claws, but otherwise ignored the pain.
"Now you try it, Littlepaw. Move forward, then strike hard with your paw. Remember, no claws. Just a clean, solid hit."



There was a brief moment of silence as Havenfade waited for the apprentice to take her place. Once Littlepaw attempted the move, Havenfade nodded, eyes calculating the apprentice's form.
Havenfade gave a tilt of his head before continuing, the next move on his mind. "Next up, the Front Paw Strike, or the Forepaw Slash. This is a similar motion, but instead of simply hitting down, you’ll be slicing downward with your front paw." He stood straight, removing himself from his half-crouch in the process, extending his front paw as he explained. "You want to use the full length of your claws, aiming for your opponent’s face or body. Here, it's about precision, not raw strength."
Havenfade demonstrated, extending his paw to the side before drawing it in a controlled, downward arc in front of him, the claws lightly skimming the air.
"The motion should be swift, almost like a flash. You want to catch your opponent off-guard, especially when they’re coming at you head-on. It’s not just about damaging them—if you time it right, you can distract them long enough to leave them open for a follow-up strike."
Although these were the simplest of attacks, he found that phrasing them like some sort of ultimate finishing move, reminding them that battle is as much about timing as it is about dealing damage, they learned better, and were more excited. He fully planned to allow Littlepaw to spar him, either now or at a later time, to show what she'd learned, but that would be after he got around to some of the more complicated attacks.
Maybe they'd spar when she finally became a warrior, to make sure she stayed sharp and on her toes.
He glanced over at Littlepaw again. "Your turn. Remember the angle—start from above, and when you slash, do it like you're cutting through the air, not just pushing your paw down."



Once again, Havenfade gave a moment of silence, watching for the apprentice to demonstrate the technique.
"Finally, we’re going to work on the Duck and Twist. This is a defensive move, used to get you out of a tight spot. When your opponent lunges at you, you’ll need to duck, then twist around, rolling onto your back, and springing back to your paws. It may seem simple, but the trick is in your speed and fluidity. You need to move in one smooth motion, before your opponent has the opportunity to retaliate."
He crouched low, demonstrating the move slowly. "I duck down, then twist my body, rolling onto my back. My paws will touch the ground to help propel me upward, pushing off so I can spring to my feet as quickly as possible." Havenfade dropped into the motion with grace, his body moving like a ripple of wind. His back arched as he rolled fluidly and then sprang back onto his paws.
"Now, you try it. When you move, don’t hesitate. Commit to the twist and the springing motion. Get up and be ready to fight again."
Havenfade stood still for a moment, his tail flicking as he patiently waited, giving Littlepaw the time to perform the moves.


[ @SuspiciousMindz ]
A caterpillar,
this deep in fall –
still not a butterfly.
- Matsuo Bashō

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Littlepaw]
​WindClan Apprentice Tunneler
​48/100
Lucky Duck T1 | The Collector

Littlepwas was practically springing along as they went to the location he wanted to train at. The calico eyed him carefully as he spoke of her sister. She was rather protective of Windpaw and took anyone's words about her very seriously. Thankfully, there was nothing negative detected here, so she could let him off without a smack. "She's the best sister. My best friend, even," Littlepaw chirped before the tone of the conversation changed.

There was a more serious tone, now. He was definitely becoming the teacher right now and she was fine with that. "I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready!" She chirped, inhaling deeply before calming down. She had to refocus. Had to contain that energy and redirect it on the lesson that was sure to wear her down quickly.

The first move seemed rather simple. The she-cat copied Havenfade. Her sheathed paw came down on the ground roughly. Her form lacking, but before he could move on, she adjusted it. She'd try again and again until she wasn't almost falling over and the movement felt more natural. The focus was there and it was finally paying off. "Okay, now what."

Her rhetorical question was quickly answered with a similar move. Again, she'd have to work on her posture, adjusting it to make the movement fluid. Littlepaw struck outwards, keeping her claws sheathed just in case she accidentally smacked the warrior. She didn't want that, no. It didn't take her quite as long to get this move down, mimicking what she'd learned from the last one and applying it here. "I think I got it!" She grinned, trying it one or two more times before the warrior would move on.

The last move was more complicated. She watched Havenfade demonstrate, swallowing hard when her turn came. Her tail swished and she focused on her breathing, calming down the nerves she tried so hard to hide from everyone. The only time they'd almost broken through was her first time in the tunnels. She nodded to herself, it was one of determination, confirming she was ready to try this one.

The first attempt was sloppy. Her legs flailed about and she groaned from the impact of rolling over. She kinda just tossed herself to the side and prayed for the best. Learning from that, the second attempt was somewhat successful. Her legs still flailed in the air, but she completed the full movement, only slow to jump back up to her paws. The third attempt was even better, she kept her legs closer to her, but was still slow on the follow-through. The frustration with this fact was starting show on her face and she looked at the warrior for guidance before she'd attempt one more time. It was faster, more put together, but not perfect. She hated that it wasn't perfect and her body was tensing from the frustration.

"How do ya make it look so easy!" She half-complained, staring at the ground where she'd been rolling in. There were marks in the snow now. She sighed, calming down her nerves again and looking back up at Havenfade. "Not doin' awful, am I?" she'd ask, trying to seek some sort of praise to booster her energy. This was hard! It was hard learning how to fight!

@Abyssopelagic - Havenfade

[Abyssopelagic]

The Safe Haven — Havenfade

Havenfade listened to Littlepaw talk about her sister, and wondered wistfully if he would have been so close to his own siblings had he not been an only kitten. He doesn't dwell of the thought for very long, and returns to the lessons at paw.

He carefully watches Littlepaw go through each move. She had the first two down quite splendidly, he had to say. He patiently waited as she indicated she wanted to try again, nodding for her to go ahead.
Her form on the second try was much, much better. More fluid and smooth, and clearly less uncomfortable than her first attempt. His tail swished behind him, a happy movement as he continued to watch her.
"You're doing good, Littlepaw," he encouraged.

Havenfade had come to expect there to be a greater learning curve when it came to ducking and twisting. He wasn't surprised when it took more than one try, but each attempt after the first was closer and closer to the ideal. The little calico was clearly out of breath when she turned to him, and asked how she was doing.
"Really good, actually. This one's really hard, especially when you're not used to it, but you're correcting yourself without needing my input, which shows you have a strong understanding."
He slowly approached the apprentice.

"Let's take a quick breather, okay? You've made good progress, but we don't wanna end up wearing you out."
The dark furred warrior searched the immediate area for a place that would be mostly out of the wind. When he found it, he motioned for Littlepaw to follow.
He occasionally looked back to the apprentice, making sure she wasn't sinking into the snow. His long legs kept him from being buried in the stuff, but he knew a shorter cat might have trouble with the deeper parts of the snow.
He sat on his haunches with a sigh, his tail curling over his paws to brush the snow from them. He allowed himself to yawn, the cold making him ever so sleepy.
"So, how's training with Dustbunny going? I remember being interested in tunneling as an apprentice, but I never ended up pursuing it. How different is Tunneler training to regular training?"
He was simply fascinated by the ability to navigate and create tunnel systems. He doubted Littlepaw was at the creating part in an official capacity, but honestly, anything she could share would be news to him.

.

After a few minutes of idle chatter, Havenfade stood, stretching his legs. "I think we should get back to our training. Picking up where we left off, the Duck and Twist."
He led Littlepaw back to where they'd originally been training, the ground more traveled in this part of the Grove, making training easier.
"You were of the right path with your corrections. Before you can complete the move with speed, you first need to know how to execute it correctly, and how you might need to adjust the move for yourself and your body. You're trying to copy me exactly, and while this is no fault of your own, we have very different body types, making the working parts of this move different for me than it will for you."
Havenfade beckons Littlepaw closer.

"Instead of twisting wide as I do, try a sharp, compact roll, and place your front paws beneath yourself for stability as you rotate. Don't forget to use the momentum you've gained from the roll when you're trying to spring to your paws. Try to do it in a way you can use this to help propel you up."
He hoped that made sense, at least!

[ @SuspiciousMindz ]


A caterpillar,
this deep in fall –
still not a butterfly.
- Matsuo Bashō

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Littlepaw]
​WindClan Apprentice Tunneler
​54/100
Lucky Duck T1 | The Collector

The calico was huffing a little, catching her breath over time and beaming at Havenfade as he spoke. So, she was doing well! Good! This was hard work, and it was nice to hear she really was accomplishing things to become a warrior!

When he offered to take a break, Littlepaw blinked a couple times, hesitant before nodding. She'd sit her rump in the snow, huffing still but contemplating how to answer his question. Training had been doing great! "Dustbunny has been ta best mentor! Tunneling was scary at first! It was dark 'n new, but I'd gotten better. She didn't think I was cut out! So, I proved 'er wrong! I wasn't gonna give up that easily!" Littlepaw trilled.

Her ears flicked a couple times, tail flicking as she thought about a couple of her experiences already. "Soon I'll be'a full Tunneler... that's ta crazy part. I can get through the tunnels pretty easily now, even if I can't see down 'ere. They're even lettin' me train my sista some n'it," the calico spoke with a smirk. Well, now that the small talk was done, she had clearly caught her breath and was feeling much better to continue.

The calico jumped to her paws and trotted over to where she was tumbling around a moment ago. She'd listen to the warrior again, giving him a quick nod before ducking back into the rolling motion. This time, she tucked her legs in, focusing more on her form and springing so when she rolled, she was qucikly back on her paws. After a time or two of successfully pulling this off, she beamed in Havenfade's direction. "Did'cha see that!?!?" She squealed.

@Abyssopelagic