Training Session

[Darke]

Darkpaw shook with excitement. My first training session! Though he was excited, he was nervous too. He wanted to good so that he could impress Coilsnake. Darkpaw took a deep breath in to try to clear his mind. The damp, muddy smell was feeling more familiar everyday and sometimes Darkpaw felt like he'd lived here his whole life. The reality was, though, that the only time he had been outside of the camp was when he was first brought to it. Darkpaw tried to ignore the fear that was progressively bubbling up and focus on his training.

[Brambleclaw]

Coilsnake was stoney-faced and silent as he spotted his apprentice.
"Hunting or fighting?" The tom asked almost monotone, but not quite there. He was thinking about his kits, both litters, and his sister and her kits. And all his life. But he was no more removed than usual.

[Darke]

Darkpaw's fear washed away as his excitement took over. Coilsnake doesn't look very excited, he thought briefly. But thats OK! I'm excited enough for the both of us! Darkpaw debated which one he should choose. On one paw, he thought he would be able to impress Coilsnake with his fighting. But, on the other paw, I need more work on hunting. "Can I hunt?" Darkpaw's question came out sounding much more intimidated than he meant. "I mean... I would like to hunt if that is OK. With you. Is it?" Darkpaw's tail swung back and forth in embarrassment. Way to go, mousebrain!

[Brambleclaw]

Coilsnake shrugged.
"Whatever." He said, standing like a statue. He looked at his apprentice, wondering why he was forced to work with this cat. He liked being the mysterious, stoney tom he had a reputation for being. He wasn't a social cat, and he may just hurt this apprentice emotionally.
"What first?" He asked, not really caring what Darkpaw wanted to do.

[Darke]

Darkpaw tilted his head in confusion. Isn't he supposed to be telling me what to do? Darkpaw shook the thought off. If Coilsnake wanted him to be involved in choosing what to do, then he would choose. Darkpaw was determined to be the best apprentice anyone had every had. With the new thought in mind, he was more excited than ever. "Well, could you show me some hunting techniques?" If I want to be the best warrior I can be, then that means I have to be the best apprentice that I can be, too! Darkpaw was pumped up and ready to learn. I just hope he'll teach me!

[Brambleclaw]

Coilsnake nodded.
"First tell me how much you know." He said, still almost toneless. He blinked, watching his apprentice quietly. He had no expression about him, but inside was truly boiling in thought.

[Darke]

"Well, I don't know very much," replied Darkpaw. He thought back, trying to remember something that might impress Coilsnake. "I once caught a rabbit! But it was really slow." Come on Darkpaw, think! What would you do? "I know you have to be quiet. And that you hunt different animals differently. But that's just about it." Darkpaw felt ashamed of how little he knew. I should of listened to the warriors' hunting stories instead of always playing around the nursery! His negative thoughts didn't last long though, as he imagined himself being a warrior someday, hunting and fighting. I can't wait! I guess I'll just have to learn to hunt! Maybe it'll be fun!

[Brambleclaw]

"Mice require a much softer approach. Watch." Coilsnake crouched low, sliding his fur silently across the ground in perfect silence. He sat up, looking at his apprentice.
"Silence is key. But don't forget that small animals can also feel your pawsteps." He said.

[Darke]

Mice- quiet and light paw steps. Darkpaw made a mental note. He felt a surge of warmth to Coilsnake. There was so much he could teach Darkpaw, and Darkpaw was so excited to learn that had to suppress the purr rising in his throat and the twitches of excitement that were building up. He tried to imitate exactly what Coilsnake did, but felt self-conscious. What if I'm not doing it right? Will Coilsnake be mad? No! I can't think like that. I just have to try my best and that's all I can do. Even if it's not right now, if I practice lots, I'm sure I'll get better! Darkpaw sprang up from his crouch, and asked hopefully, "Was that close right?"

[Brambleclaw]

"Crouch again." He said plainly. He pushed Darkpaw's front paws on, lifted his tail, and lowered his head with gentle nudes from his paw.
"You can't have a wide stance or you are less agile. Your tail is dragging a bit, and if it sags the mouse wil hear it. Head dow, or it will spot you. That's it." Coilsnake said approvingly. He nodded, proud of his work. Maybe an apprentice wasn't so bad. It gave him an excuse to forget about the happenings. It was nice.

[Darke]

Darkpaw concentrated on staying in the right crouch. Head down, tail up. Darkpaw hoped that Coilsnake was happy with him; Darkpaw was trying his hardest to be a good apprentice. Head down, tail up, head down, tail up! He was determined not to forget this. Darkpaw tried slinking around in this crouch, but found he was quite off balance because of his small stance. He concentrated on treading lightly and staying balanced, but then he realized that his head had slowly begun to creep back up and his tail was dragging. Darkpaw sighed with dis-contempt. "There's so much to remember and do at one time!" How am I ever going to become a great warrior if I can't even hunt?

[Brambleclaw]

"Well, try this. Spread your paws out, and work with what you feel in comfortable. I'll correct it as best I can, and then you decide which is easier." Coilsnake offered with a rare smile of encouragement.

[Darke]

Darkpaw widened his stance slightly and found that the little change helped immensely. "Wow! That's a lot easier!" Maybe I won't be such a bad hunter after all, he thought hopefully. Coilsnake's encouragement made Darkpaw's pelt tingle with pride. Maybe Coilsnake will be a great mentor, after all! Darkpaw fiddled around with his stance until it felt completely natural. His head was a bit higher than Coilsnake had showed him, and his stance was a whisker wider, but he hoped it would do. "Does this look good?" He asked.

[Brambleclaw]

"For now. You'll adjust eventually." Coilsnake said. He then crouched down so that his paws were extremely wide and his tail was lower than Darkpaw's had been.
"Me when I started. You're already shaping up better." The tom purred with a smile, straightening up and sitting back down again. He flicked a leaf over in front of Darkpaw with his tail. The leaf was about three cats' lengths ahead.
"It's a mouse." Coilsnake said, hoping Darkpaw could guess the rest.

[Darke]

Darkpaw tried not to laugh when Coilsnake showed him how he looked when he first started learning to hunt. I doubt I look much better than that, though... he said, hoping it would choke down his laughter. Darkpaw brightened at Coilsnake's compliment.
What? A mouse? Oh... Now that he understood, Darkpaw was glad he hadn't voiced his confusion. First he checked to make sure that the wind was bringing the 'mouse's' scent toward him. It was, so he didn't have to worry about sneaking around to the other side. That's a relief! Darkpaw crouched back into his stance, and stepped lightly, watching to make sure he didn't make any noise by stepping on a twig or branch. He was a tail-length away when he shifted his weight to his haunches, preparing to leap. As his weight shifted, he could feel a twig that had been hidden within the grass begin to crack. Darkpaw quickly jumped forward and landed directly on the leaf, but not before the twig had cracked. Mousedung! Almost had it! But almost catches no prey, or leaves for that matter. "I have to be more careful next time! Other then the twig, how was I?"

[Brambleclaw]

"Incredible! I've never seen it done so well." Coilsnake said, baffled. He had been horrible when he had first started. Now, he had an apprentice who already almost had it.
"Try forcing your body to the ground a little more though. We're not in ThunderClan, so we don't have trees to blend into. We're not in WindClan where we can hide in the moors. We're not in RiverClan, disguised by reeds. We're ShadowClan, living on the open and empty marshes. That is what makes us so strong. We find our food much harder than any other Clan." Coilsnake said wisely. It was true though. Without much cover ShadowClan had to be quieter, quicker, and stronger. They couldn't use their surroundings to blend into, only open land. They had it much harder than the other Clans. That was why they were so strong.
"Try it again, but with your belly fur brushing against the ground. Silently, but lower still." He advised with a nod.

[Darke]

Darkpaw quivered with excitement at Coilsnake's encouragement. He felt a surge of pride as Coilsnake talked about hunting in ShadowClan. That's right! We're the toughest! Darkpaw lowered himself toward the ground and snuck forward silently. Well this isn't so hard! "Oh!" He straightened up, "My legs are burning!" Darkpaw didn't want it to seem like he was complaining and quickly added, "I didn't expect that! Hunting must be harder than it looks!" Darkpaw's respect for Coilsnake and the rest of the Clan's warriors grew enormously. Hunting and fighting are hard work, and the warriors really take care of the Clan! I wonder if it's the same in the other Clans. "Coilsnake, um, I was just wondering... are the other Clans like ShadowClan?" Darkpaw had heard very little about the other Clans, other than gossip between elders about old battles and how bad ThunderClan smelt.

[Brambleclaw]

Coilsnake smiled.
"Depends on what you mean. They share the same beliefs, naming ways, habits. So they are the same. But we are built differently, raised to act differently, and even hunt somewhat differently. For starters, WindClan are no good at catching fish and ThunderClan can't chase a rabbit. Simple differences, yes." He said with a smile, his mind racing back painfully to Icefire. He could scarcely believe that she was probably still in love with him. Hadn't they both moved on? He hoped so.

[Darke]

"Oh, okay." Darkpaw thought Coilsnake seemed distracted and slightly pained, but he shook it off as his mind returned to other Clans. I wonder when I'll see the other Clans! Maybe at a border fight! Or at a gathering! Darkpaw glanced back up at Coilsnake and was about to ask him how old he was when he went to his first gathering, but Coilsnake still seemed slightly lost in thought. "Coilsnake, are you okay?" I hope nothing's wrong!

[Brambleclaw]

Coilsnake shook his head, ridding himself of the thought and removing the trance.
"Yeah, just reminiscing." He said with a soft grin, flicking Darkpaw's ear with his tail. He smiled, wondering what next.