Failure to Hunt [Aspenpaw]

[Nightpaw]

The mouse nibbled daintily on a seed, seeming to be unaware of the danger it was in. It was still thin from the long leaf-bare, but it was prey. Hopefully it was soon to be fresh-kill. Nightpaw had been made an apprentice only a few days ago, but so far he hadn't been able to make a single catch. It was disheartening, but Nightpaw could be patient. He couldn't be this terrible at hunting for forever, right?

Nightpaw tried to remember everything Foxthorn had taught him. He kept his paws light as he traversed over the ground. Rule number one of hunting mice: keep your weight on your toes. Mice can feel your paw steps through the ground, and any sudden shift from normalcy would sent it running. He drew closer, excitement growing in his chest. He was so close! He could do this!

Unfortunately, he forgot rule number two of hunting: always be aware of his surroundings. Crack. Nightpaw's paw stepped right on a twig. It snapped in two, and in a flash the mouse was gone. "Mousedung." he sighed, rising from his crouch. He knew he wouldn't find anything else around here. Common sense trumped experience this time. That broken twig would have warned whatever prey was in the area that there was danger about.

What could he do now? He didn't know the territory well enough yet to try anywhere else, but he also didn't want to return to camp with nothing to show for his efforts. Perhaps he could simply return to the mossy clearing and wait it out?

aspenpaw

[aspenpaw]

Aspenpaw needed some air. She had originally been stretched out in the camp, grooming her pelt and trying to make plans for what to do, when she'd heard a familiar chuckle from the far side. Of course, it was Smoketalon, who cast her a casual, uncaring glance before going back to whatever conversation he'd been having. She knew if she sat there for too long, he'd come harass her, and Aspenpaw simply didn't want to deal with it. Instead, she stood and trotted out of camp, as cowardly as she always was. The small she-cat wandered for a while, before she heard the snap of a twig and the sound of rustling towards the clearing where she'd often met her mentor for training. The she-cat trotted towards it, catching the scent of one of her clanmates. Stepping into the clearing, she spotted Nightpaw - one of the new apprentices. Aspenpaw hadn't gotten to speak to him too often, as she was busy playing catch-up with her brothers, but she'd been around for his ceremony.

"Nightpaw!" The she-cat greeted, and then realized that she probably shouldn't be so loud, and immediately her ears swiveled back and she ducked her head. "Sorry." She murmured, her tone sincere, as she padded over to him and glanced around. "Are you not training today?" Aspenpaw wondered if she'd interrupted some sort of lesson, and the young tom's mentor was going to come jumping out, angered and bothered by her interruption. Immediately, at the thought, Aspenpaw drew an apprehensive step backwards. "Oh, have I interrupted something? I can leave, if you were busy. I was just about to go hunting." She added, anxiously, her tail tip twitching as if it were a nervous tic.

With all the strength of a raging fire

shiny Nightpaw | SO HYPE

[Nightpaw]

Yes, that's what he would do. Go back to the clearing and practice his stalking. Clearly he wasn't as good at is as he thought he was or else he would have had that mouse. Nightpaw padded in the direction of the mossy clearing and, once he got there, dropped into a hunting crouch. Without anybody there, though, it was difficult to tell if he was doing alright. Were his paws placed okay? Did he have his weight distributed evenly? He felt like he did but he wasn't sure.

He didn't realize he wasn't alone until his fellow apprentice blurted out his name. "Nightpaw!" Nightpaw jumped and ducked his head instinctively, backing away from the sudden appearance of Aspenpaw. Her ears lowered sheepishly and she apologized quietly but sincerely. It took a moment for Nightpaw to relax, but he eventually forced his muscles to unclench. He wasn't used to being snuck up on, not any more at least. Back when they were younger, Ravenpaw used to-

Nope, not going there. Just the thought of his brother made resentment burn in his gut for a moment, but Nightpaw shoved it away. Aspenpaw hadn't done anything to deserve his ire. "No, not training. I'm actually not all that sure where Foxthorn is right now. She said something about going out on patrol and doing something to amuse myself but staying out of the way. I came out here to practice, but I can't say if I'm doing well or not."

He twitched his tail uncertainly, glaring off to the side at nothing in particular. He hated that, hated not knowing. If he was failing, he could fix it. If he was succeeding, he could celebrate it. Not knowing if it was either or? Arg, it was frustrating him! If he at least had someone to help... Well, Aspenpaw was there now, wasn't she? And she was the eldest apprentice so she had to be good at it, at least better than he was, right?

Nightpaw took a deep, steadying breath before looking coolly back at her. "I wouldn't be opposed to a few pointers, though." It wasn't outright asking for help, but it wasn't denying that he needed it. Good, that worked well enough for him.

aspenpaw

[aspenpaw]

For a moment she thought she'd upset him and that he'd run her off with a sharp word or two, and Aspenpaw prepared herself to scuttle away apologizing. How embarrassing that one of the newest apprentices made her nervous - but then again, her own brother had been a young, cruel kit. It seemed that age didn't quite affect how mean a cat could be. Only, she watched as Nightpaw straightened up slightly, and responded to her questions with more than just a word. Aspenpaw watched the tom talk about how he wasn't sure what he was doing, and she couldn't help but sympathize. She still wasn't confident in her skills, and she was old enough to be a warrior by now. It was a shame, really.

Aspenpaw prepared to excuse herself and scamper off, intending to leave Nightpaw alone and get out of his fur, when he commented about tips. The orange and white she-cat perked up, tail flicking with delight. "Oh! Uh, yes, I can help." She nodded, though her voice seemed as if she were trying to convince them both rather than just herself. "And um, by the way, I sometimes don't even know what I'm doing so...don't - ah - don't feel bad. You're a brand new apprentice. It'll change once you get more experience." Her tone was hardly reassuring, but her words were once again sincere. She was pretty certain she was the only apprentice, who wasn't a medicine cat, who didn't have exemplary skills in either hunting or fighting. "So, hunting...well, there's the obvious. The hunter's crouch." Aspenpaw announced, lowering herself to the ground so that her belly fur just barely brushed the moss underpaw. Her paws probably weren't perfectly spaced, and the moment she crouched her tail flicked out behind her wildly, but she managed to still herself for a few moments so that she at least resembled the correct crouch. It just took some concentration - she hated remembered how natural Smoketalon had been at the crouch when he was an apprentice. "Since our territory is mostly forest, we stalk - get as close as possible before pouncing. But you have to be very careful where you step and what's around you. One sound and the prey will hide."

Sitting up, the she-cat gestured towards the foliage around them. "Would you like to show me what all you do know, and I can try to help?" She suggested, offering a small, supportive smile.

With all the strength of a raging fire

shiny Nightpaw | SO HYPE

[Nightpaw]

The abrupt shift in Aspenpaw's face, from melancholy dread to surprised delight, caught Nightpaw enough to blink. Was it such a big deal, him asking for help? Was her surprise because she thought he'd tell her to bug off? Did he come off as that disreputable? Or was she more shocked that he'd ask HER for help? Being the eldest apprentice, she probably should have been made a warrior before now.

Nightpaw listened with increasing doubt as Aspenpaw tried to convince herself as much as him that she could help. She lowered herself into a hunting crouch that looked right, but again, he wouldn't exactly know. He did his best to memorize her posture, at least those few seconds when her tail was still. New an apprentice as he was, even he knew the tail had to be still. Stalking as close as you could get didn't exactly mean much if you gave away your position before hand.

Aspenpaw suggested he show her what she knew, and Nightpaw blinked. "Do you want me to try catching something, or just show you my crouch? Because if you want to watch my form in action, it would probably be best to find a different place. I scared the prey around here by stepping on a twig, so there's not much chance of finding anything except the exceptionally stupid prey."

aspenpaw A month late and it's a crappy af post I'm so sorry.

[aspenpaw]

Aspenpaw hated being at the center of attention - and even though it was just her and Nightpaw, it felt like she was still under some sort of spotlight. As if her every action and word were being judged. The little orange and white she-cat hoped Nightpaw couldn't see just how nervous and insecure she felt about her own skills. She genuinely wanted to help him - she hated feeling like a failure, so obviously she didn't want him feeling the same way. The tom answered her request with important facts - she wasn't clear about what she wanted him to do, and there was also no prey in the area for him to test his skills on.

"Oh, right. Well, we can always head towards the lake. It's about mid-day, so usually there's plenty of prey near the forest's edge. On the way we can search for prey." She suggested, proud of herself for not fumbling too badly. With a decisive nod, the she-cat flicked her tail as a motion for Nightpaw to follow her as she padded towards the lake. Ears perked, and white paws seeking the best places to step, Aspenpaw was entirely focused on not making a fool of herself in front of the tom. "So, Nightpaw, how are you - you know, how is it with Foxthorn?" She asked, glancing over at the tom as she walked, with purpose and care, through the foliage. "She seems kind of.."

Shrugging her shoulders, Aspenpaw smiled softly. 'But I bet she's really smart. What have you learned so far?"

With all the strength of a raging fire

shiny Nightpaw | I'm the literal worst didn't even notice you replied