Closed Thread Protocol & Prey

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw’s mind was racing a mile a minute as he bounced after his mentor. There were new kits in the nursery, a gathering was coming up, and he got to go hunting! Things seemed looking up, even with the extra work the clan had to do with all the hungry mouths.

He barely heard Palestar as she stopped at the base of the tree – but managed to catch her words as he alternated between standing and a hunting crouch, practicing his form.

“Uhhh Um.” He stopped for a moment to ponder his options. “Oh! Frogs. And…. Fish!” He crouched and slunk across the ground towards his mentor – looking up at her owlishly. “And you hunt them… with speed!”

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Waiting for an answer had never been so nerve wracking, and despite her best efforts to regrain she couldn't help but give a sigh, both brows lifting as her pointed tabby face turned towards his in turn.

"Partially right, but in Green-leaf many creatures limit their activity to the dawn or twilight hours. Such things we could find would be - yes - frogs, but also water vole, muskrat, and bats." Giving Sootpaw a moment to catch up, or perhaps recall their earlier lessons, Palestar shook her head.

"But what comes before hunting them with speed? First comes scenting and tracking, then stalking, then speed. And patience throughout." Starclan wishes she had a paw full more of that when dealing with her young apprentice, but nothing short of a drill would get it through his thick, fluffy head.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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"Right!" He didn't quite settle, his gaze flicking out across the waters. "Do water voles bite? If they jump into the water, should we chase them or is there no point? Is a muskrat just a rat that smells bad? Oh-oh! Bats can fly, right? Are they different than hunting birds? How big are they? One of the warriors told me a bat could carry me away if I wasn't careful - " Sootpaw shifted from one paw to the other, excited to be out and doing something.

 At the reminder of scenting, Sootpaw instinctively opened his mouth and took in the scents of night. He loved Shadowclan territory; everything was so interesting and smelled so nice. Why would any cat want to travel somewhere else when they have the best territory in the world? Although, maybe that's why border patrols were so important - because everyone wanted to be in Shadowclan.

He turned to Palestar, about to ask but finally -finally- noticed the look on his mentor's face. Sootpaw snapped his mouth shut.

"...sorry."

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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With careful paws, Palestar lowered her pointed body closer to the ground. The ground was becoming cooler now that it was getting dark, and compared to the day, any relief from the heat was welcome. The slide of her ears widened her hearing as she broadened her attention to the territory around her. Indeed this was a beautiful place to call her home, but this place needed to be respected as much as it needed to be cared for, and she had more or less resigned herself to waiting until her apprentice out winded himself with his ambitious droning. At this pace she wouldn't make him a competent hunter, but the night was young.

"Take a deep breath." She urged once his appology had set in. She was neither angered nor frustrated by his outburst, but she hardened herself to the possibility they'd have to double their lessons together. Not an easy feat to couple with leading an entire clan, but somehow she'd manage. They both would manage. "Take in the scents around you and try to focus on what is nearby. Tell me if you can identify these scents - and we'll begin from there. If you're not careful you can easily miss the details around you, and you're clan will go hungry." Surely he didn't want to disappoint her, so Palestar allowed him a moment to follow her instruction.

She wondered if he could also smell a water vole close by, or the large muskrat in a grassy thicket by a large puddle. The frogs were everywhere, and perhaps a lizard or two still scurried around in the diminishing heat. Lizards were a favorite of hers - you didn't even have to worry about defluffing or defurring the prey.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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At her request, Sootpaw tried his best to focus on the task at hand. It was hard, he had questions he wanted to ask but he couldn't say anything with his mouth open! After a moment, his eyes flicked back to his Palestar.

"There's a... vole." He stopped again, wandering around the tree - as if the movement helped him smell before returning to his mentor's side. "And a muskrat...and..."He paused.

He don't know that scent. Sootpaw turned and scanned the area around them, hoping for a hint. It didn't smell like prey that he knew of - but maybe Palestar did. "It smells... like a bird. But... also a fish." Not very descriptive but there was no other way to describe it. "Like a water-sparrow.....thing."

He at least had the good graces to look embarrassed.  

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar's head nodded in unison to Sootpaw's descriptions. His kitlike uncertainty could have concerned her, what was scented around here was commonplace among the marshes. As an older apprentice, he should be joining hunting patrols without having to worry if he'd be any help. Still, she encouraged him with a small smile. "You probably mean a duck." She replied bluntly. Another mundane waterfowl that graced the marshland shores. They flocked in groups, and required special tactics to capture one without getting whacked by their wings, or disoriented by their diving abilities. "Ducks tend to forage in groups in the water, and dive to protect themselves from a hungry cat. What do you think a warrior must try to do to kill one of them?" Motioning him forward, her body dipped into a hunter's crouch to get closer to the stretched marshland close by, dipping behind a clump of reeds.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw sat back on his haunches as Palestar spoke, thinking. A duck was a bird - therefore it could fly. But if it could also swim then it would have two methods of escape. He considered this for a moment before responding.

"I would wait on the shore- ducks probably have to come near land sometime. If we hide in the reeds they won't see us and birds can't smell like voles or mice." He snapped out of his musing as Palestar moved away, and instinctively joined her.

While a lot could be said about Sootpaw's practical knowledge his technique left nothing to be desired. He did take some pride in his combat and stalking skills; they were very much a physical activity one could practice. But hunting required running prey - something that was lacking in and around the camp.

If only he could focus enough on his mentor's words to remember what she told him. But for now - The hunt was on.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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If an apprentice couldn't utilize the bank of practical knowledge that was drilled into them by their mentors, they'd have a hard time coping with the duties of being a warrior. Sootpaw had yet plenty of time to turn his knowledge into practical application, and Palestar wasn't about to give up on the cat under her tutelage.

His instincts were good. "That's correct. It'd be no use splashing after a bird that can both dive and fly to safety. We must wait until they are done foraging until they go to shore. The reeds would be a good place to lay in wait." Together they had managed their way to the shore, a camouflage of grasses obscuring their pelts. Now they had to be patient - there was no telling when or if any would split off from the flock to take a break to preen on shore.

She kept still as if to not startle the flock and prayed that Sootpaw followed suit, taking her lead. It would be paramount that he heed her instruction or else they'd have nothing to show for their training.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw was nearly vibrating with nervous energy. Finally - Finally! He actually got to hunt something, with his mentor no less. He was basically holding his breath trying to follow Palestar's lead. It was agony; he hated sitting still on a good day and it felt like a lot was riding on him catching these birds.

He managed to still for a moment, before creeping forwards and peering at the brightly coloured birds through the reeds. They didn't seem all that scary - besides the fact they were just floating on the water like it was nothing...

Maybe Riverclan cats learned to swim from ducks? Or... no they would have learned from other creatures that actually swam... like muskrat. Did Riverclan territory actually have muskrat? If he got to go to the gathering he would ask someone.

Soopaw's form certainly deteriorated in quality as he lost his concentration - lost in his own thoughts...

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Unlike her apprentice, Palestar's form was nearly perfect, crouched low and unmoving. Her muscles were poised to spring at any moment, especially if that moment brought the ducks right into her paws. That was the whole idea of hunting waterfowl, after all. Ducks thought themselves clever, but cats needed to be moreso.

She didn't tried to keep tabs on Sootpaw. He wasn't a kit anymore and needed to be able to keep in touch with his surroundings. Whenever a duck's head shifted away from them, she inched perhaps just a bit closer until her toes nearly touched the surface of the water. A minute went by, and perhaps another until one of the floating forms began to swim along the surface towards them.

Closer and closer, it swam half circles, heading in the direction of the flock but going a bit closer every time. It would only be a moment more before it would be that exact moment.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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By the time Sootpaw snapped back into reality, the ducks were already so close he could almost taste them. But he froze.

He didn't know what was the correct time to pounce. He didn't know where to attack them - their wings? Their long, weirdly mobile necks? His yellow eyes flicked over to Palestar - but she was focused on the waterfowl; trusting him.

He couldn't ruin it now.

He crept closer to the waters edge just as his mentor did; yet one of his paws slid a bit too far and dipping into the cold, murky mud that settled from silt in the marsh. He froze - his forelimb still sinking into the water as the ducks turned back towards them.

Please don't see me. Pleasepleaseplease-

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Watching, and likewise, waiting for prey to come to them didn't seem to be a strength in her apprentice, but allowing him to wrestle with his flaws would eventually lead to acceptance. Even if they failed in this hunting trip, it would be a valuable learning experience. The ducks would prefer if Sootpaw never learned the proper way to hunt their kind and their ilk, but Palestar knew she could make a hunter of waterfowl of him yet.

She allowed her young ward to make his move, ears swerved towards him as he inched into the loamy soil up into the marshes. Water splashed as a female duck paddled towards shore, none the wiser, but if Sootpaw continued as he did - inactive and without initiative, the prey would get away. This is where Palestar struck.

As the duck rounded upon the inevitable lump that was Sootpaw, Palestar found her opportunity when their attention wasn't shifted towards her. The pale she-cat leaped forward just as the duck's wings started to erupt from their sides to send them upwards into the air. With her forward momentum, she came down hard into the shallows, sending murky debris in her wake. Both paws slapped the creature back down and closer to the shore and with the shrill quack, the duck was stunned.

Pelt dripping as she crouched for another spring in the shallows, soaked to her shins. The duck was now flanked by both cats and prime for the finishing blow. "Now strike while it's still stunned! Watch its wings and aim for its neck!" Her steady voice was peppered with measured adrenaline of the hunt. Even in the unlikelihood of a failed hunt, Sootpaw would learn the value of teamwork.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw managed to unstick his front paws from the murk as Palestar closed in on the duck, pushing the fowl creature into range. At her command, he leapt forwards; this is what he was good at.

No more waiting around! The time for action was now!

His claws sunk into the duck, and while he was successful in acting upon the opening his mentor gave him he also put all of his momentum into pushing the duck into deeper water - flipping over the creature and dunking himself in the marsh. As he sunk his teeth into the windpipe - and the body went limp - Sootpaw very quickly realized that he couldn't touch the bottom anymore.

 "WaAUgh!" He tried to keep his head above the water with the neck of the duck still clamped firmly in his jaws, and clumsily flailed towards shore. His swimming was... sad to say the least and while he was making progress he was also waterboarding himself trying to carry the dead weight of the duck at the same time.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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While his form may be lacking, his instinct was fine and heeded her call to strike once the oppertunity presented itself. As both cats revealed themselves the rest of the flock took to the skies in a storm of fearful quacking before they were quickly out of range. Only one such duck was fresh on her mind, and she gave an approving nod once a bite had been given and the creature life force seeped from its wound.

Yet the next ordeal would include bringing the prey to shore, and in this, Sootpaw looked like he needed some help. His smaller form bobbed barely above the water, and Palestar found herself paddling over to him, her lithe form shouldering the brunt of its weight before the silt of the shore touched her paws. Panting lightly from their efforts, the she-cat shifted her mismatched gaze over him. "You're alright." She self confirmed for him, giving him a quick once over before they fell to the duck.

"And that's your crash course on duck hunting, Sootpaw. More work will be needed to consider this lesson passed, but it wasn't a bad hunt, just an inexperienced one. We can try again another day." Now the only thing left to do would be to get the prey back to camp. Palestar began to swipe at her coat with her tongue to dry away the drippiness, and after a few steps onto shore, shook out her pelt in a manner that wouldn't drench her unfortunate ward.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Hacking up water wasn't pleasant, but at least he didn't lose the duck. Sootpaw stood for a few moments, sopping wet, his eyes closed as he breathed the fresh, sweet air of the marsh. He would never take it for granted again!

"How does Riverclan do that every day?" His question was genuine; he wanted to know why or how they put up with the feeling of water seeping into their fur, and swam well enough to catch anything other than a chest cold. "I bet, if we were better swimmers, the ducks would be easier to catch." Sootpaw imagined sneaking up underneath a duck, and dragging it underwater. Palestar could probably pull it off - but he might be a bit small. 

He coughed again, before he had a chance to run his mouth and trotted after his mentor, shaking his pelt with reckless abandon once she was out of range. "What would a hunt be like if it was 'passing' Palestar?"

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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"Riverclanners are rather strange, I'd say. If you get too close they always smell like fish." The critical inflection was offered in mild jest, the corners of her mouth turning slightly. "We don't need to be better swimmers when Shadowclanners are better hunters in general. We take advantage of any prey that we come across - ducks included. Hunting waterfowl comes with technique and patience. A passing hunt could look similar to the one that we just had, but smoother. It was your first try, so don't be discouraged." Her mew followed him before she picked up the duck and began to carry it back to camp, head held high as its wings half dragged along the ground. It would feed many in the clan, and perhaps, she'd have Sootpaw offer it to her sister and her kits.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw nodded slowly, considering her criticism. How could he get better at hunting... maybe he could convince Ashpaw to come out with him later and they could practice taking down waterfowl together? If teamwork was as important as Palestar said he should work on it with his brother. If he wanted to be the best warrior he could be he needed to make sure his form was as good as he could get it.

After zoning back in, he noticed Palestar heading off, and bounded after her - still peppering his mentor with questions and quips.