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This was it! The moment he had anticipating the most! Stemmy always assumed he would tag-teaming Newtbelly with Silentpaw, especially now that their relationship had…changed. But so had Silentpaw. He was training to be a medicine cat now. Guess I’ll just have to be a powerful warrior for the both of us! He huffed confidently at the thought. He was still a bundle of attitude after all. But at least now he acknowledged his arrogance. Well…to himself anyway.
Stempaw shook out his pelt from the bits of his nest from his messy pelt, not bothering to groom it because it was just going to get messier again. The pale yellow tom emerged from the apprentice’s den, anxiously and impatiently pacing in a tight circle in the clearing as he waited for his mentor. Glancing up at the warrior’s den every now and then to watch for when Newtbelly emerged.
This was it! The moment he had anticipating the most! Stemmy always assumed he would tag-teaming Newtbelly with Silentpaw, especially now that their relationship had…changed. But so had Silentpaw. He was training to be a medicine cat now. Guess I’ll just have to be a powerful warrior for the both of us! He huffed confidently at the thought. He was still a bundle of attitude after all. But at least now he acknowledged his arrogance. Well…to himself anyway.
Stempaw shook out his pelt from the bits of his nest from his messy pelt, not bothering to groom it because it was just going to get messier again. The pale yellow tom emerged from the apprentice’s den, anxiously and impatiently pacing in a tight circle in the clearing as he waited for his mentor. Glancing up at the warrior’s den every now and then to watch for when Newtbelly emerged.
Here they were. His first apprentice to make it out - provided he didn't miraculously manage to mess this up. He felt a little sadness as he exited the warriors' den, contemplating the fact that his other two never made it this far. Tickpaw basically blipped out of existence, never to be seen again - and Silentpaw, he supposed, had other dreams he'd never known about. It was a momentary sadness though, as it was quickly clouded by the pride he felt as he strode up to Stempaw, who was ready and waiting. "Let's go. We'll begin with stealth, then a spar - finishing with a hunt." He still hadn't seen Stempaw fight - though, he believed he trained with Owlthroat so he didn't doubt the 'paws ability.
He led the apprentice into the territory, and came to a standstill. "We're going to stalk toward the dawning Woods, just like in the lesson. This time, though, I want you to walk without me detecting you. Then, once we reach the woods, ambush me. Got it?" The tom began to walk, not bothering to be too stealthy as he padded on. His slow skulk gradually came to a standstill, as he reached the Dawning Woods - waiting, with ears lifted in anticipation.
Stem rounded in a leap, turning excitedly as he heard the familiar foot fall of his mentor. Grinning with anticipation, he let out a little chuckle and nodded. "Yeah!" He mewed. Well, manners were never really his thing anyway. He followed Newtbelly into the territory until he stopped. Stempaw turned to listen to the instructions closely, gaze now serious. Narrowed. Focused. He flicked an ear to show acknowledgement to Newtbelly's words, watching as his mentor sauntered off. Casual, not a care in the world. But then, this wasn't his assessment now was it? It's my assessment. And I will prove myself.
Stempaw felt his claws dig into the ground beneath him a little, feeling the tension from the task at paw. He crouched, wrapping his tail close to his body, and turned. Trying to catch as little of Newtbelly's attention as possible as he stepped into the shadows and cover. Thanks the stars it was newleaf now, he wouldn't stand a chance doing this in the snow. Stem stayed back from Newtbelly, but kept his mentor within his range of his senses. Now that he was hidden, he unwrapped his tail and corrected his stance. Keeping his body low all the while before moving forward cautiously. The pale yellow tom remembered his lesson with Newtbelly, patience was key here. He didn't try to rush himself, even if his pelt felt like it was on fire from moving so stars-damned slow.
Stem kept a careful watch on his steps and movement, he was sure to keep his steps quiet and his body low. His eyes flickering from his target to his surroundings. Finally, Newtbelly stopped. And so did Stempaw. He considered his options here carefully. Last time he did this, he took Newtbelly off guard by coming from directly behind him. So that probably wasn't going to work this time. Stempaw's gaze looked around at his options...if only he could swoop in from above! But he had never learned to climb formally, and he didn't want to risk his assessment trying some toad-brained stunt like that. Maybe when he was a young -paw he'd risk it...or if this was like, an actual enemy, but not now. This was a test of his skills.
There was a...tempting low-hanging branch but- wait. Stempaw used effort to keep his ears from flicking when an idea suddenly occurred to him. Newtbelly didn't train him in combat, so maybe he doesn't quite know exactly what Stempaw was capable of. Which would only work in his favor. A smirk spread on his maw, he looked around in the immediate area for what he needed, and quickly found it. Carefully, so as to make as little noise as possible, Stempaw leaned forward and grabbed the little rock between his teeth, setting it down near his paws. All those moons of being a mischievous little toad were going to pay off for something! Stempaw lowered his head to check his aim...careful now...then swipe! He smacked the rock with his paws, his swipe angling upwards a little too. His red eyes followed the rock closely, gaze hopeful.
-d20: rolled 18!-
thump! Stempaw grinned, yes! The rock he threw hit the branch above Newtbelly's head. The pale tom's plan was to hopefully make his mentor think that he was going to try dropping on him from above, or at least draw his attention for a moment, but he couldn't risk sticking around to wait to see if it worked. This would only give him a heartbeat of an opening. So, without waiting to see if his diversion was effective, Stempaw launched forward. Lunging at Newtbelly in full force in an effort to knock him off his paws. Maybe pin him down too if he was lucky.
Stem rounded in a leap, turning excitedly as he heard the familiar foot fall of his mentor. Grinning with anticipation, he let out a little chuckle and nodded. "Yeah!" He mewed. Well, manners were never really his thing anyway. He followed Newtbelly into the territory until he stopped. Stempaw turned to listen to the instructions closely, gaze now serious. Narrowed. Focused. He flicked an ear to show acknowledgement to Newtbelly's words, watching as his mentor sauntered off. Casual, not a care in the world. But then, this wasn't his assessment now was it? It's my assessment. And I will prove myself.
Stempaw felt his claws dig into the ground beneath him a little, feeling the tension from the task at paw. He crouched, wrapping his tail close to his body, and turned. Trying to catch as little of Newtbelly's attention as possible as he stepped into the shadows and cover. Thanks the stars it was newleaf now, he wouldn't stand a chance doing this in the snow. Stem stayed back from Newtbelly, but kept his mentor within his range of his senses. Now that he was hidden, he unwrapped his tail and corrected his stance. Keeping his body low all the while before moving forward cautiously. The pale yellow tom remembered his lesson with Newtbelly, patience was key here. He didn't try to rush himself, even if his pelt felt like it was on fire from moving so stars-damned slow.
Stem kept a careful watch on his steps and movement, he was sure to keep his steps quiet and his body low. His eyes flickering from his target to his surroundings. Finally, Newtbelly stopped. And so did Stempaw. He considered his options here carefully. Last time he did this, he took Newtbelly off guard by coming from directly behind him. So that probably wasn't going to work this time. Stempaw's gaze looked around at his options...if only he could swoop in from above! But he had never learned to climb formally, and he didn't want to risk his assessment trying some toad-brained stunt like that. Maybe when he was a young -paw he'd risk it...or if this was like, an actual enemy, but not now. This was a test of his skills.
There was a...tempting low-hanging branch but- wait. Stempaw used effort to keep his ears from flicking when an idea suddenly occurred to him. Newtbelly didn't train him in combat, so maybe he doesn't quite know exactly what Stempaw was capable of. Which would only work in his favor. A smirk spread on his maw, he looked around in the immediate area for what he needed, and quickly found it. Carefully, so as to make as little noise as possible, Stempaw leaned forward and grabbed the little rock between his teeth, setting it down near his paws. All those moons of being a mischievous little toad were going to pay off for something! Stempaw lowered his head to check his aim...careful now...then swipe! He smacked the rock with his paws, his swipe angling upwards a little too. His red eyes followed the rock closely, gaze hopeful.
-d20: rolled 18!-
thump! Stempaw grinned, yes! The rock he threw hit the branch above Newtbelly's head. The pale tom's plan was to hopefully make his mentor think that he was going to try dropping on him from above, or at least draw his attention for a moment, but he couldn't risk sticking around to wait to see if it worked. This would only give him a heartbeat of an opening. So, without waiting to see if his diversion was effective, Stempaw launched forward. Lunging at Newtbelly in full force in an effort to knock him off his paws. Maybe pin him down too if he was lucky.
So far so good - he hadn’t heard a sound. Either his hearing was deteriorating, or Stempaw was really good at this. A noise. Above him? The kid could climb? It just now occurred to him that he should have given him some kind of proper climbing training. Still - he’d made his was onto a branch now, hadn’t he? ears prickled up, and he lashed out at the branch with his claws, oly to find - ...Nothing? What? Before he could even think, the apprentice was on him, and he notced a small pebble tumbling on the floor next to him. Ah. Smart. His body thudded down to the ground, sucessfully pinned by Stempaw. “Good job.” He grumbled, a little dismayed at how quickly he’d been pinned. “That was a smart trick.” He was impressed - proud, even. "You know what's next then, a spar." Once he was out of this pin, what was...
Sweet! His plan actually worked! “Gotta stay on your toes, teach!” He mewed with a grin, his eyes glinting with a bit of a teasing light. Still, the pride in Newtbelly’s gaze felt…good. Stempaw nodded and stepped off his mentor, taking a few paces back. Now the hard part. He sank into a battle-ready crouch, flicking an ear to show that he was ready.
Sweet! His plan actually worked! “Gotta stay on your toes, teach!” He mewed with a grin, his eyes glinting with a bit of a teasing light. Still, the pride in Newtbelly’s gaze felt…good. Stempaw nodded and stepped off his mentor, taking a few paces back. Now the hard part. He sank into a battle-ready crouch, flicking an ear to show that he was ready.
Finally, free from that pin. He clambered up, and got into a crouch. He still iddn't know how Stempaw would fight. Seeing as he trained with Owlthroat, he'll likely have no fear of being ruthless - and perhaps fight with force over tactics? Still, he''d been increidbly tactical during his stealth assignment, so maybe not. Only one way to find out. He dashed out, running round to Stempaw's left side, reaching out his paws in an attempt to knock him off his paws. Considering the direction he'd ran, there was plenty of opening for Stempaw to attack.
Stempaw followed Newtbelly's movement with his gaze, and he knew that he couldn't hesitate. If he learned anything from Owlthroat, it was not to hesitate. He moved his flank out of the way and faced Newtbelly, taking a little bit of the blow in order move along Newtbelly's side and duck under his raised forelegs. Stempaw attempted to move underneath Newtbelly slightly and lifted his upper body, his goal to use his shoulders to unbalance his mentor.
Stempaw followed Newtbelly's movement with his gaze, and he knew that he couldn't hesitate. If he learned anything from Owlthroat, it was not to hesitate. He moved his flank out of the way and faced Newtbelly, taking a little bit of the blow in order move along Newtbelly's side and duck under his raised forelegs. Stempaw attempted to move underneath Newtbelly slightly and lifted his upper body, his goal to use his shoulders to unbalance his mentor.
Hm, looked like his size had worked against him once again. Within seconds, Stempaw was under him, shoulders throwing him entirely off balance. Not that he was upset, of course, he wanted Stempaw to succeed. A small smirk spread across his face as he found his footing - there was an opening here and he knew it.
There! With a grin, Stempaw followed the motion through, moving to get on top of Newtbelly and pin him down. If successful, he would put a hindpaw firmly on the enforcer’s stomach, just under the ribcage, to knock the breath out of Newtbelly further and try and prevent the usual retaliation of a belly rake.
There! With a grin, Stempaw followed the motion through, moving to get on top of Newtbelly and pin him down. If successful, he would put a hindpaw firmly on the enforcer’s stomach, just under the ribcage, to knock the breath out of Newtbelly further and try and prevent the usual retaliation of a belly rake.
Hah. Look at him go. Stempaw had him pinned easily- - he went to belly rake, but ah, looks like he'd accounted for that too. Short and sweet. It was a good showing. "You got me," he said, once he'd caught his breath. "You know what's next - it's time for your hunt. You need to catch at least 3 pieces of prey - I'll observe."
[ASSESSMENT] can the stem hold strong?
