Practice Makes Perfect

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Ravenfeather took the lead as she left camp. She headed for the forest on the top of the gorge's cliffs that would be the best place to find prey. Cats often hunted there more than anywhere else. But she promised herself that she wouldn't do any hunting while she was there. She was strictly observing Smallpaw to see how well he could remember his training and would leave the hunting to him. The hunting patrols would be sent out later on and she could join one of those if she wanted to hunt.

Soon enough they reached the forest and Ravenfeather looked around at the trees, some of them with claw marks on them from cats climbing up the trunks. Branches and leaves blocked out the view of the sky, yet her eyesight was keener in the darkness like most cats'. "Let's start, then." she said to Smallpaw. "Don't worry about catching a huge amount of prey; I'm just watching the technique for now." She would leave it up to him to find the prey on his own, as well. She could smell several preys-scents but didn't give him any hints.

[Yoko]

Frostwing easily made the climb to Cliff Forest. Afterall, he had trained as a warrior and hunted here very often only two moons ago. He smiled kindly at Grousclaw. "I apologize for startling you earlier," he mewed. "I seem to do that a lot these days."

Now that he was a Medicine Cat in training, he did not seem able to mingle with the other warriors as well. He knew they still respected him, but it irritated him whenever a cat looked suprised when he came back from hunting. What was he supposed to do? Lay around and sniff herbs all day? It wasn't as if he had any patience!

He sniffed the area. They were not alone, but he saw no other cats. "I think Ravenfeather and Smallpaw are up here," he mewed suddenly. "Are you sure you want to hunt here still?"

Ahhh, Smallpaw. The fun things that Frostwing had planned for the sickly little apprentice! Frostwing smiled cheerfully at the thought.

[Ki]

Smallpaw scented the air carefully and unsheathed his unusually long claws. He could detect many prey scents as well. He almost didn't know where to start. Finally the apprentice singled out the scent of a nearby mouse, hidden somewhere in the foliage. The apprentice glimpsed a few dead leaves rustling. His prey had given away its position. Smallpaw couldn't help but grin. Hunting always thrilled him. The mouse was probably a few harelengths away, but Smallpaw cleared the distance with a single leap and brought his paws down upon it. Claw pierced mouse flesh, and blood hit his nose. The apprentice smiled and turned his head towards the tree tops. Thank you, StarClan! At least he wasn't extremely rusty. Smallpaw began to cover the mouse with dirt for later.

Suddenly the scent of other cats hit him. Frostwing and...Grouseclaw, maybe? Smallpaw looked at his mentor and smiled. "We might have a whole hunting patrol on our paws, Ravenfeather!"

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Ravenfeather watched with attentive eyes as Smallpaw stalked the mouse. It was still quite a distance away when he pounced but with a skillful leap her apprentice managed to catch it. Impressed, Ravenfeather smiled, but then remembered she was also supposed to be teaching, not just watching. "Very good. That was a nice catch, but you won't always be so lucky. Try to get a little closer before pouncing next time."

She looked over as two more cats approached and she recognized Frostwing and Gorseclaw. What the new medicine cat apprentice was doing with the senior warrior she didn't understand. She didn't even know why he had wanted to become Sandcloud's apprentice in the first place, after being a warrior most of his life. Watching the white tom, she nodded a greeting and waited to see if they would stay or go on somewhere else.

[Ki]

Smallpaw nodded. He scented the air again, trying to get past Frostwing and Grouseclaw's scents. The tiny apprentice had great respect for both cats. Grouseclaw was a senior warrior, which always called for respect. Frostwing had suddenly decided to become medicine cat apprentice. That had taken practically the whole Clan by surprise. (Even more so than Spottedsky having kits, Smallpaw silently joked.) Smallpaw respected Frostwing since he had been a good warrior. And since Smallpaw was often sick he was getting better aquainted to Frostwing. Apparently, he'd been mentored by Smallpaw's own father! The apprentice briefly wondered what it would have been like to be trained by his father. He always imagined Ravenflight as very stern, like his aunt. Yet somewhat warmer and more patient.

Bringing himself back to reality, Smallpaw scented the air again. As he lifted his head he spyed a fat robin on a branch. The apprentice licked his lips and began to scale the tree as silently as possible. He balanced on a rather thin branch. But he was so small it could support him. He moved from branch to branch, watching the robin as it hopped along a thicker branch below him. A breeze went through the tree, moving a thin bough back to reveal a nest and a brood of little birds. They'd gotten their feathers but seemed still dependent on their mother. The robin he was preparing to kill. Feeling a sudden sense of connection to the hatchlings he turned away, looking for another catch. If he killed the robin mother they would be as good as dead. And Smallpaw just couldn't do that.

((He's so sensitive. XD))

[Yoko]

Frostwing repressed a sigh, more strange looks. He grinned brightly at Ravenfeather. "Well, Grouseclaw, we aren't going to let the apprentice out-hunt us are we?"

He padded off in the opposite direction of Smallpaw, he would have plenty of time to consider plans for that one, but first thing first. A small rodent caught his attention. They were much more fun to play with when they were smaller. Frostwing dropped into a long perfected hunting crouch and leaped in a much grander way than was necessary to pounce on the mouse. The prey was killed instantly with a swift downward slash of his claw. That was a good warm up.

[spike]

((sorry, i almost completely forgot about Grouseclaw!!))

Grouseclaw had gotten himself a bit lost in scenting the air. He just gave a nod here and there to his words and then shrugged when Ravenfeather and Smallpaw were brought up. He didn't mind the duo. Smallpaw probably was in desperate need of it since he had been confined to the medicine cat den due to another bout of sickness. The senior warrior just stood as the medicine cat apprentice walked away. Now he was alone minus the apprentice nad mentor.

The tabby wandered forward, away from Frostwing but accidently moving closer towards Smallpaw. The tom shook his body and the thin coat on his body fluffed just the slightest. THen he hunched down to prepare himself for the hunt. Mice and birds and other such things were alive and awake. It was just about finding them now. But a thought struck him as he stood up again.

"Smallpaw?" the cat mewed. He wandered in the direction of the apprentice he knew was there. Once finding him, Grouseclaw gave a small bow of respect. Though he wasn't a warrior, Grouseclaw knew nothing less than admiration for him. Always sick and yet still working to be a warrior, that was a tough life. "Are you h-hunting?" he stammered quietly. No reason to scare off the prey.

[Ki]

Smallpaw was slightly startled by Grouseclaw, and he looked down as the cat bowed slightly to him. His ears burned with embarassment. What respect did he deserve, he asked himself? He was much farther behind in training than the other apprentices his age. Casting one last look at the robins, he jumped on to a lower limb. It wavered slightly under his sudden weight, but steadied and held firmly. Smallpaw seemed to have all the confidence in the world, unafraid of falling. For a moment the resemblence to his aunt, and his father for that matter, was striking. It was gone in a flash and he smiled down at the senior warrior, nodding his head in respect. He mewed quietly, "Yes. Different colored eyes blinked in a friendly manner. "Not much in this tree, though." He looked at the closest tree branch. The limbs looked sturdy, and close enough for him to jump on to. With a single leap, the apprentice had cleared the distance.

A true SkyClan cat indeed! He spotted a squirrel on a branch a bit higher than the one he was on. It wasn't paying attention to him, rather it could see Grouseclaw through a gap in the leaves and was watching him attentively. Seizing the chance, he leapt. The branch was a bit higher than he'd thought. His front paws made it, but not his back. The squirrel was startled and racing farther up the tree in the blink of an eye. Smallpaw clawed at the branch and struggled until he'd pulled himself up. He looked up at the squirrel, which was now near the top of the tree. Where the branches couldn't support even skinny little Smallpaw.

"Mouse-dung." he hissed quietly.

[spike]

Grouseclaw chuckled slightly and lifted his head more when Smallpaw conquered the tree. "We win some and lose s-some," Grouseclaw stammered. "Frostwing wanted to get out of camp s-so I came out as well. I thought hunting w-would be nice but maybe I can s-stick around to help you out. Is that okay? I don't mind helping if y-you want it." Grouseclaw loved trees. He walked over and dug his claws into one. He then pulled them back only to replace them again. Sharpening claws was a past-time for him as well. Dark yellow eyes were on Smallpaw still. He wanted something to do and the apprentice could use some extra claws to capture prey. Why not?

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Ravenfeather kept her eyes on her apprentice as he climbed higher in the tree. Luckily he had good balance like most SkyClan cats, although she watched him just in case. She was aware of Frostwing going off by himself to hunt, and that left her more able to watch Smallpaw's hunting. "Nice, try," she called up. "You'll just need more practice." Indeed, much practice would be necessary if Smallpaw were to catch up in his training at all. Some of the younger apprentices were at his level and would be surpassing him soon. It might be a while before he'd be able to be made a warrior, she thought solemnly.

She glanced at Grouseclaw and wondered if the senior warrior would be able to help Smallpaw. If anything he'd be able to show her apprentice a different way of teaching from what she normally did. But for now she just watched the two.

[spike]

The senior warrior laughed a bit to realize that Smallpaw was quite far behind. It wasn't a pitiful laugh but one of joy to see that Smallpaw was working for more than just a warrior name. He was working to keep up with others. Many younger apprentices came close to his level. His ears suddenly perked and he glanced towards Ravenfeather.

"Oh, R-Ravenfeather," he stammered. He hated that he had such trouble from that. It was getting better but he still couldn't get complete control, especially after a talk with Grasswhisker. "I hope you don't mind if I help S-Smallpaw here."

[Ki]

Smallpaw looked down and nodded to Ravenfeather. Practice. Ah, if that wasn't the story of his life! There were apprentices younger than him with more experince! He glared up at the sky. All his life, he'd blamed Finchwing for his sickly tendencies. She was always 'Finchwing' in his mind. Never 'Mother.' If she'd only taken care of herself when she was pregnant, his life could have been so different. Snowkit might have lived. Crowkit might have been able to see. He himself might be healthy. But no! Well, you live with what you get. Smallpaw leapt and sprang his way to the lower branches before jumping to the ground and landing easily on his paws. Hunting on the ground was probably a better idea today. Sandcloud had warned him to not strain himself, else he'd end up in the medicine cat den again. And StarClan knew he didn't want that!

"I wouldn't mind some extra help, Ravenfeather." Smallpaw mewed, looking towards his mentor and Grouseclaw. "StarClan knows I need the help!"

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Ravenfeather looked at Grouseclaw as he glanced at her. It didn't sound like a bad idea. Not only would they have more company, but Grouseclaw might have an easier time teaching Smallpaw and might be able to help him more than she could. "Sure, that sounds fine. I don't mind if you help, Grouseclaw." She watched as her apprentice made his way to the ground and mentioned something about StarClan. Some cats chose to believe in that, she guessed, but she brushed it off lightheartedly. "Okay then. Can you scent anything down here, Smallpaw?" she asked, and then tasted the air herself for any more prey. The Cliff Forest was plentiful with prey, and she could smell many scents in the area.

[Ki]

Smallpaw lifted his nose and scented the air. The Cliff Forest was abundant with prey. He could smell a mouse or two scuffling around in the underbrush. A squirrel was somewhere farther away while a bird was hopping around on the ground. He could also smell Frostwing somewhere nearby. Smallpaw listed all of the prey he could smell to his mentor and the senior warrior. Along with Frostwing, of course. Smallpaw hoped he would run into the new medicine cat apprentice. Frostwing seemed like an interesting cat. Smallpaw's different colored eyes were shining. He said, "I forgot how much prey there is in this part of the territory." It made him happy to be out and about again. The sunlight was streaming through the trees, it was a very warm day...plus he was out with his Clanmates.

[Yoko]

Frostwing lay in wait, patiently. His snow white fur blatantly shining amongst the green of the Cliff Forest. He was still, and quiet. Not walking around scenting for prey, but preferring that the prey come to him. Sure enough, along came a squirrel, fat and ignorant of the predator. The large brown creature nawed away at an acorn, tail-lengths away; its back turned on Frostwing. Frostwing began a slow crawl towards the prey, savoring the delight of suprising his victim.

One, two, I'm coming for you. Three, four, you're on the forest floor. Five, six, you'll be dead amongst the sticks. Seven, Eight, don't make me late. Nine, ten, time to murder again.

It was an old kit song, but all the queens would get angry whenever he and his "friends" sang it. He was not insane, but sang this in his head to make hunting more amusing than it was. Killing other cats was far more interesting, and exhilerating.

A single leap with his powerful legs, and he landed ontop of the squirrel was such ease that it was pitying. Such a dull task. He heard pawsteps elsewhere, and rather than burying his prey out in the open spot he circled around a tree and spotted Smallpaw. A tingly feeling went up his spine. The sort of thing one feels...when they spot a victim. He smiled kindly, and dropped the squirrel.

"Why, hello there, Smallpaw," he mewed, casually scraping earth over his prey. "How is your hunting going?"