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Posted by littlewing on Oct 25, 2023 17:55:02 GMT
C L O U D P A W
Fogclan apprentice
What was supposed to be a little hunting routine had quickly spiraled out of control, Cloudpaw insisting that he was ready for bigger, meaner prey. It had been two months of hard training after all, and he felt ready to tackle something larger than the average minnow. He believed that pouncing on a stronger target would be the hardest part. He had no idea how hard it was to hold the damn thing down. Water. Water everywhere. It’s in his eyes, in his fur. The usual fresh sweetness of Fogclan’s tributaries drenched all of his senses until they were pale and blue. The only thing he could smell was the fish flopping violently in his maw, its tail whipping against his cheek in a last-ditch effort at survival. Cloudpaw sunk his claws into the mossy river cobble, trying to hold onto anything he could to keep himself from slipping. Curse those smooth paw-pads of his, they were beginning to betray him, the little tom quickly losing his traction and his stance slipping to a wider, uncomfortable degree. His eyes wrenched shut, barely holding onto the fish. It’s much bigger than anything he’s ever caught before, and it’s evident in the way he can barely maintain control. He growled, a low-pitched sound tinged with uncertainty; both a battle-cry and a plead for help from his mentor. He didn’t know what to do. Should he smash it against a rock, or would that be disrespectful? Frankly, he felt disrespected, the slapping noise of fins on his face louder than the river’s babble. All of Starclan could probably hear him. STRAY
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Posted by STRAY on Nov 2, 2023 3:14:19 GMT
RAVENCHASE Ravenchase still wasn't quite so sure what caused Violetstar to pair her with Cloudpaw. It wasn't like she had particularly paid much attention to the nursery ever since she left it herself. Oh, but the other warriors certainly had a lot to say about the young tom─though, of course, in that euphemistic way FogClanners oft use. Perhaps his parents should speak privately with Violetstar, convince her that he'd turn around as an apprentice... if she'd give him the chance.
Well. Gossip was never really her thing, anyway.
Two moons of training had revealed to Ravenchase that Cloudpaw was just another growing apprentice. He would be alright, especially if she could help it as his mentor. Her brother, she recalled, was pretty similar in the first few moons of their apprenticeship. And two moons in, Cloudpaw, like any other young cat the minute they get used to training, overestimated his own ability.
Ravenchase watched Cloudpaw for a moment; could he manage this kill by himself? It didn't help that Cloudpaw was already a bit smaller than other cats his age. But he had to do this himself eventually. She wrinkled her nose at the water being flung everywhere. Despite her silent hopes that Cloudpaw would succeed, the back of her mind murmured, it'd be a shame to lose a catch this big.
A rock jutted out from the riverbank next to them. It'd do.
"Stun it against the rock," Ravenchase urged at the sound of Cloudpaw's growl. She unsheathed her claws, ready to leap in if he couldn't handle it. "As hard as you can to make it quick."
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Posted by littlewing on Nov 15, 2023 0:00:42 GMT
C L O U D P A W
Fogclan apprentice
Cloudpaw was barely able to hear Ravenchase’s instructions over his own noise. For a brief moment, he caught her gaze on him, and his own eyes steeled with determination. Stun it against a rock? He could do that. Make it there before the fish bruises his jaw? Maybe not. He began to hobble out of the river and towards the shore, taking slow, deliberate steps. He needed to make sure each of them were as stable as possible, especially with the way he was being thrashed around. Each whip of the fish’s tail made him careen to the left, and then he’d correct his course; a zig-zag struggle between hunter and prey, completely reducing the honorable duty of feeding one’s clan to a slapstick routine. Suddenly, as if the fish could read his mind, it began to struggle even more. Cloudpaw did his best to brace himself, yet it wasn’t enough. His claws grasped against the soft earth, pulling out chunks of waterlogged weeds as he began to slip backwards. Desperately, or perhaps stupidly, he used all of the strength he has to twist around, channeling the momentum of his fall to whip the fish against the shore. It was no rock, and he had no idea if it would be hard enough to finally take out the beast, but it was his best, and last, shot. STRAY
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Posted by STRAY on Nov 24, 2023 5:34:19 GMT
RAVENCHASE It was enough to daze the fish. It still flopped against the ground, its tail pathetically slapping the soil, but there was no force in its movements. If they stood here long enough, it may even recover. There was no way Ravenchase could expect Cloudpaw to finish it off himself. Firstly, fish were just a tiny bit different from terrestrial animals, and secondly, well... the poor tom had used his fall to stun it in the first place.
Ravenchase moved with purpose but without rushing. The fall didn't seem terrible, and it'd be a waste of Cloudpaw's efforts to not guarantee his kill--not that it would take long, anyhow. She placed a firm paw on the fish, lowered her head, and, with a quick prayer, bit down hard enough to feel a crunch. Once she released the fish, she made her way to her apprentice's side.
"Are you alright?" Ravenchase asked, her tail gravitating towards Cloudpaw as if to steady him. Comforting others was... not something that she normally did, nor did she think Cloudpaw would want it, so she opted for encouragement. "Using your momentum was smart. It's your catch."
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Posted by littlewing on Jan 2, 2024 18:55:12 GMT
C L O U D P A W
Fogclan apprentice
Cloudpaw laid in the water for a moment, the edge of the stream shallow enough to only submerge half of his body. Water flowed by him in a slow gurgle, moving past his body like he was one of the river rocks. Slowly, he raised his head. The fur along his crown sat like a heavy, wet mop over his eyes, the color-pointed strands obscuring his vision. His ears swiveled towards the sound of his mentor’s voice, and he smiled lopsidedly. “I call that move… the Tidal Wave Takedown,” he nodded to himself proudly. The lack of concern for himself was likely an answer to Ravenchase’s question on its own. Cloudpaw stood up, his already somewhat-smaller build deflated from the water soaking through his pelt. He began to approach her and the fish, only slipping once or twice against the cobble. “How many cats do you think this’ll feed? It’s gotta be like, twenty at least.” He looked up at her, flipping his hair back to reveal pale eyes sparkling with an inflated ego. The way he struggled with the catch had already been forgotten. STRAY
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