Partner Hunting

[Yoko]

Bristlepaw glided confidently across moon-swept moor. He was not the most silent creature by any means. His breathing was a bit labored due to all the work he had done today, and now on top of that Harewhisker has sent him partner hunting with Ripplepaw. Er...Not that I'm displeased. the short-furred tabby glanced back at his hunting partner, her light-patched fur seemed brighter in the moonlight. His ears burning, Bristlepaw turned forward immediately. No, the problem was not his hunting partner.

The problem would most likely be the apparent lack of prey. Was tonight too still and quiet, or was he simply turning out to be a bad hunter? He hoped it was not the later. His mother had been an excellent hunter. Some say she was the best in WindClan in her time! How would it look if her son was talentless?

To his luck, he finally spotted a rabbit. A young healthy one, brown with white spots and dark pits for eyes. Bristlepaw beckoned Ripplepaw over.

"Do you know how this works? Did Thistlefrost ever teach you, I mean? I'm going to chase the rabbit over towards you, and you'll hide in the shrubbery until it comes by then catch it."

[Amber]

Ripplepaw was glad to be out of camp and doing something that didn't involve sulking. Even though it had been her specialty lately, the brown spotted apprentice had good reason. The kits were now moving around, and yet her brother still wasn't training her. What was his problem? Stupid kits, by the time they were apprentices she hoped to be long away from the apprentices den. The rate it was going, they would be warriors before her, and they weren't even a moon old. Hissing at the thought, she remembered the last thing she had seen before she left camp. Her brother's kits were being brought out of the nursery, and the little silver one was staring straight at her. Ripplepaw had been so excited when Bristlepaw had asked her to go out of camp with him, and it took no time for her to be out of the entrance and following after her friend.

And that is exactly what she was doing at this moment, following after Bristlepaw. He stared back at her, and the she-cat was confused for a bit, but shook it off. She wondered what he was thinking, but the thought was soon dismissed as the mission began with Bristlepaw signaling her closer. Nodding she came closer and spotted the rabbit. It looked similar to herself, well the opposite, she was white with brown spots.

It hit her then just how inexperienced she was. Thistlefrost had barely even thought about training her. Shortly after she was apprenticed, the kits were born, and that is when the instruction had stopped. Ripplepaw had been given the tour of the territory, and a few hunting lessons, possibly a fighting lesson, but that was it. She looked toward the ground. "I really haven't been taught how to hunt with someone other than myself. Thistlefrost was gonna teach me how to hunt properly the day those stupid kits were born. Sorry that you have me to hunt with, I probably won't be much help at all, but I can try."

[Yoko]

Bristlepaw looked down at his paws. He really did feel sorry for Ripplepaw. Afterall, he would be totally lost if it weren't for Harewhisker. But Ripplepaw was smart and he knew she would be fine if she just got enough training in.

"Well, let's not put you in the shrubbery then," Bristlepaw mewed briskly and stalked a little closer to the rabbit. "Crouch here, and be perfectly still like a stone."

He was fairly sure Ripplepaw knew at least this much. WindClan was best known for hiding in plain site. So long as the younger apprentice was still, the rabbit would take no notice.

Crouching beside her he whispered in her ear,"It's no different than hunting solo. The prey just comes to you. When its close enough, you chase it and pounce on it with your claws."

He started to crawl away from Ripplepaw, but paused. He looked back at the white and brown cat. "And don't put yourself down. You're a fine hunter, it's not your fault Thisltlefrost is acting like he has bees in his brain."

He smiled kindly, then continued crawling away, edging around the rabbit so he was opposite the plump creature. In the darkness, he could not make out Ripplepaw's shape, but he was confident she was still there. After a few moments, he darted out at last, his small paws thundering against the ground and alerting the rabbit that danger was there. The rabbit streaked across the grass and towards Ripplepaw.

I have faith in you! That rabbit doesn't stand a chance.

[Amber]

Ripplepaw blinked at her friend. She didn't know what he meant by not putting her in the shrubbery. Why would that make a difference? She would ask her brother, but no he was too busy to even think about her. Hissing to herself she ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach. Any other cat she would have ignored, telling them to go away or probably just not acknowledged them at all. She did her best crouch, which wasn't too bad, considering she hadn't been trained much. She didn't have trouble with sitting still either, she never was one of those who had issues with that. Her issues were with other cats.

It felt a little weird having Bristlepaw teaching her instead of a warrior, but at this point she didn't care. And she would listen to the tom better. He wasn't a warrior who thought he knew everything. "Sounds easy enough." she murmured, half to herself. In theory, it sounded easy but how would she fare when it came to actually having to do it? This also would be perfect for her aggression issues with her brother, not that she had any.

She watched him leave and then turn around. His words had actually sunk in a little. "Thanks, I guess a little encouragement helps." Now all she had to do was pretend the rabbit was Thistlefrost. Pretend it was her brother, and she needed to chase it and sink her claws in it. Grinning the she-cat realized it wouldn't be hard to pretend that scenario.

When Bristlepaw made the noise she shuddered realizing it was her turn. She had to do it, she couldn't let him down. And she wanted to prove to her brother she could catch something. As the rabbit came closer Ripplepaw remembered to think of it as Thistlefrost. Her eyes glared at it, and like Bristlepaw had said, she chased it, and pounced when she realized she was closer to it than she thought. Landing on the creature, her claws unsheathed and sunk into the rabbit. Ripplepaw let out a little mew a bit taken aback at how big the rabbit was up close. She had never caught a rabbit before, and when she had eaten one it was usually small. Racing through her mind were thoughts of her brother, and her claws sunk deeper until she felt the prey become lifeless. Even then, Ripplepaw wasn't about to let go. She had beaten Thistlefrost! "Take that you no good brother!" she purred.[/color]

[Yoko]

Bristlepaw walked briskly in the after the rabbit, assured that it had fallen right in the path of Ripplepaw's claws. His eyes followed the smaller apprentice as her paws skimmed the ground, speeding over the grass, valiantly chasing the prey. His heart pounded as if he were the rabbit, as she closed in on it. She seemed so determined. How any cat could bear to abandon her training astonished him! The leap, Great StarClan, she caught it in one pounce!

The noble apprentice raced over to her side and skidded to a halt just one whisker-length away from his friend. "Wow! What a catch! Keep working on that pounce and you'll be a warrior in no time!" he purred.

His grin faltered a bit at the mention of her brother. She still couldn't stop thinking of him? Well, how could she? He was her kin, her mentor. She should be rejoicing in Thistlefrost's praise, not his own. Even if she managed to become a warrior...would she resent never having Thistlefrost with her? Perhaps he ought to have a little chat with the new father!

"Hey Ripplepaw," he mewed,"It's getting dark. Let's pick up the prey while we can still see our noses." He mrrowed in amusement, wrinkling his nose in emphasis, then suddenly aware of how close he was standing to her. "Sorry," he whispered.