Coldgaze and Merrypaw (and potentially Otterwhisker)
Training Thread for Coldgaze/Merrypaw.
At the base of the Twinwillows
1
He didn't have any energy for this today if he was being honest with himself. Coldgaze had woken up - claws digging into dirt - from yet another nightmare. Of... well.
So he had no energy to train this day. Yet he found himself rousing Merrypaw from her nap nonetheless, just to make sure she was here. That his dream - ever so vivid - hadn't come true.
"Come." He would think of an excuse as they walked. Traipsing through camp, his eyes came to rest on the great dual-tree in the center. He would show her how to climb. That way they wouldn't have to leave camp and she would get a good escape tactic under her paws.
He couldn't look at his apprentice - not without seeing her terrified eyes as they dissapearing into the water. Dissapeared under the ice. So he kept his eyes looking up at the tree, stopping by the base and curling his tail around his paws.
"Tree climbing isn't a common skill. Why learn it?" He posed the question to her. Still not meeting her eyes.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Ruthless Riverclan Deputy
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Redpaw: (M) Thoughtful Shadowclan Apprentice
Sootbounce: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Warrior
Sturgeonpaw: (M) Altruistic Riverclan Apprentice
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Queen
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺
Merrypaw hadn’t appreciated being woken from her nap...not at first, anyway. She had blinked blearily at Coldgaze, grumbling under her breath as she stretched the stiffness from her limbs and trudged after him. But now as she stood at the base of the great twin trees her annoyance faded into curiosity.
She flicked an ear at his question, glancing from the sturdy trunks to her mentor. He wasn’t looking at her.
That was unusual.
Still, she wasn’t about to let that slip by without answering. She tipped her head, considering. “Because it’s unexpected..." She started with a yawn. "Most cats wouldn’t think to look for a RiverClan cat in a tree." Her whiskers twitched as she glanced up at the branches, noting the winding, almost absolute verticality of it all. It seemed imposing...but not impossible.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
Rimekit, ♀ Rowdy kit
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
"Correct". He wasn't about to announce to the whole clearing that the ability to climb trees was a great advantage on Thunderclan territory. But Merrypaw had a good point. Maybe he would request climbing lessons for all the apprentices.
"But cats are not the only thing that may threaten you. Dogs cannot climb. Foxes cannot climb. Many birds will find it difficult to snatch you from the branches." He hopped up onto the roots of the tree - in fact, the roots where he had first given Merrypaw training tips.
How time flies.
"Claws are necessary to scale wood of any sort." He unsheathed his own, and took a leap up at the slick bark, sliding a few inches until his talons found traction in the hard wood beneath the soft outer layer. In a few swift movements, he had reached the first set of limbs that held a grown cat's weight. "As is technique. Give it a try."
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Ruthless Riverclan Deputy
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Redpaw: (M) Thoughtful Shadowclan Apprentice
Sootbounce: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Warrior
Sturgeonpaw: (M) Altruistic Riverclan Apprentice
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Queen
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺
Merrypaw watched as Coldgaze scaled the tree, her sharp eyes tracking every shift of his muscles, every dig of his claws into the bark. It looked... deceptively easy. But she knew better.
Flexing her paws against the roots, she unsheathed her claws, testing their grip against the wood. It felt strange - even in places where she thought she could get purchase - but not impossible. Taking a steadying breath, she crouched and sprang upward, aiming for the spot where Coldgaze had first sunk his claws.
The bark was slick beneath her pads, and for a brief moment, she thought she might slide right back down. She started to slip, but she dug in, hooking herself in place, scrambling to mimic her mentor’s movements. Her tail lashed behind her, struggling for balance as she hauled herself up inch by inch.
Progress was going painstakingly slow and she stole a glance at Coldgaze, swallowing a huff.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
Rimekit, ♀ Rowdy kit
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
