Closed Thread Rats & Regulation

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧

Sootpaw sprang around his mentor his ear occasionally flicking off to the side; taking in all the sounds of the territory. Despite this being his 10th moon, he hadn't seemed to lose any of his kit-like energy. Palestar's question did go in one ear and out the other... at least for a moment. The apprentice came to a halt - staring at his mentor as his brain caught up with what she had said. Rats? He knew about them. Who had told him.... he couldn't remember now.

"Rats are common in Shadowclan - so we learn to hunt them when other clans don't." He paused to stretch, his body only now growing into his long legs, and his kit fluff having been completely replaced by sleek short fur that shone in the afternoon light. "They are like most rodents, but smarter. Sometimes they even keep watch - and they have clans of their own. And, just like fighting another clan, you have to divide your target from their friends."

He paused, thinking. "Uh." Why was it that you shouldn't get bitten by a rat? He blinked - clearly thinking but his attention was divided between the question and the nice day - and closed his eyes momentarily to enjoy the breeze as it passed him.

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
✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧

While the other clans occasionally had to deal with rats, Shadowclan had a more prominent population. Not only did they hunt the animals, they needed to do so efficiently without falling to the dangers of their bites. Many jaws could hurt, and nasty ones brought infection, but first jaws needed to bite into you and a good warrior kept them at bay while bringing them down.

Palestar nodded, accepting the information given by her eager apprentice. Sometimes a bit too eager, but she believed there was some patience to instill to temper that reckless determination. "Rats are smart and the number of them in their clans can be numerous as well as dangerous. A deep bite can cause infection to set in - so we must do well to make sure that rats don't have the opportunity to, or swarm us." She added, a soft murr of appreciation at his suggestion. It would be good to separate targets to make hunting them easier to manage.

"We'll stop here for some training. Before we set out for some rats let's refresh some dodges and blocking of attacks. Drop into a readied combat stance. Once you're ready I'll try some simple attacks and you try to avoid or block them." Countering would be the next step, advanced tactic as it was, it wouldn't be beyond Sootpaw's capabilities at this point. In a couple moons she would consider assessing them both officially.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧

Finally. Finally. Sootpaw's grin somehow got wider at the mention of combat training, and he skipped a few fox-lengths away from Palestar before dropping into a readied stance.

It was obvious that combat was Sootpaw's favourite subject - not necessarily because of the violence or strength associated with it, but because of the elegance. Although his first attempts at combat in the nursery were a fever dream away from warriorhood, his love for the practice hadn't been dampened even after his disastrous attempt with his sibling all those moons ago.

He double checked his form as he waiting for Palestar to react. His weight was evenly balanced around his core - a tip he had gotten from his father in the nursery. He was resting on his toes; something Petalstorm has purred at him as she watched him shirk his chores in the elder's den. "Breathe in though your nose, not your mouth, mousebrain! Do you want your opponents or prey to hear you?" His brother's scolding rung in his ears and he snapped his mouth shut in response.

And of course; his eyes were glued on Palestar - not her paws or her eyes, but on her shoulders and haunches. That was where a cat's power came from; and where he should watch if he wanted to predict his mentor's movements. 

He would be sure to use Palestar's own advice against her.

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
✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧

Palestar knew that while combat training was necessary, it wasn't her favorite, at least the blunt aspects of it. Fighting was much more than throwing around your weight and hoping that by some amount of dumb luck you'll win - no, fighting was a progression of learning about your opponent and finding your footing. Breathing, even.

She assessed his form with a practiced eye, forming a half circle as she eyed his readied muscles. She only gave a nod, expression neutral while his seemed as excited as ever. Only time would tell if he would really be prepared for the lesson. Palestar stopped in front of him, the length of her long tail sweeping in the action. She, too, fell into a readied stance, odd eyes flitting to the various points of his body.

While she wouldn't go all out on her apprentice, she wouldn't necessarily hold her strikes back either. When Palestar lunged forward, it was a low sweep, sheathed paw swipe hoping to disrupt his balance by aiming for his legs. An unbalanced foe was an opportunity.

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
✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧ ⭒ ✧

Like many of her interactions, she kept her face focused and the pinnacle of neutrality. She rarely let her emotions get to her, much less express themselves on her face. Rarely was she ever moved, and it proved a good technique to leave her opponents in the dark as to what she might do next. They'd have to keep good watch on her stance and posture and how she distributed her weight, but one couldn't get caught up in watching paws lest they trip over their own.

"Good."

Her next strike was aimed high, as she had thrown her forelegs up in a half pounce, but this was a test. A feint to draw out a scramble of paws and then a low sweep to counter. Tricks that could save a cat or disorient, and she hoped that Sootpaw would understand that some lessons were harder than others.