Applepaw's Training

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    Weaselheart


    Weaselheart padded through the entrance to the camp, her paws sinking into the marshy ground outside. Ugh! I may be a ShadowClan cat, but I still hate it when my paws sink into the marshy ground. She shook her paw when she lifted it to take another step. "Applepaw, come on. Today, I'm going to teach you to hunt." She mewed, twisting her head to see if the young apprentice was following. And, hopefully, without Pheonixnight or Paganight finding out that I took on the responsibility of mentoring Applepaw without telling them.

    Applepaw followed her unofficial mentor reluctantly, putting her paws down lightly on the marshy ground. "Ugh, why does the ground have to be all soft and moist?" She complained.

    Weaselheart


    She gave a purr as she continued to walk. "ShadowClan's ancestors decided long ago that they would take the marshes as their territory. Each Clan took the territory their skills were most used to. WindClan took the uplands because they were built to chase rabbits. RiverClan took the river because of their unique ability to swim and fish. ThunderClan took the forest because of the woodland prey they were used to hunting. And ShadowClan, of course, took the marshes because they were used to catching the prey that made the marshes their home. Although, some ShadowClan cats, like myself and you, don't take kindly to the marshy ground. Come, this way. I can see firm ground." Weaselheart mewed, her pace quickening slightly as she made her way toward the firm ground farther ahead. Oh, StarClan, please do not let Paganight(it's supposed to be Pagastar *rolls eyes*) find out I took Applepaw as my apprentice without confirming it with him. She sent the silent prayer up to the Warrior Ancestors, hoping it would be so.

    Applepaw nodded and followed. "Thank StarClan that there is a little hard ground!" She sighed. What was there to catch in this marshy land? There was frogs, that Applepaw knew well. Were there starlings? Voles?

    Weaselheart


    The warrior began to sniff the air once her paws were on dry ground. Turning to Applepaw, she spoke, her voice soft. "What can you scent, Applepaw?" She asked, wanting to test the young apprentice's scent glands.

    Applepaw opened her mouth, just as she saw other warriors do, and breathed in. "Other than the marsh, I can smell..." She paused, trying to distinguish what scent she smelled. "A frog?"

    Weaselheart


    The fawn tabby she-cat purred with amusement before she looked around at the marsh. "Can you pinpoint its exact location?" Giving a smile, she looked down at her unofficial apprentice and added, "That kind of thing is important, especially when fog settles over the marshes." She explained, her tail flicking anxiously from side to side.

    Applepaw's face grew deep with concentration. It smelled like it was coming from straight ahead, but the wind was blowing towards her. "Is it...over there?" She estimated, flicking her tail to her right.

    Weaselheart


    She lifted her head toward the right and opened her mouth to take in the scents. Sure enough, the scent of a frog filled her scent glands. "Good job, Applepaw. The best way to catch a frog to stay absolutely silent and try and get as close as you possibly can." With slow pawsteps, Weaselheart flicked her tail, signaling for Applelaw to stay put. Slowly and surely, Weaselheart began making her way toward the frog, sidestepping to behind it. With her belly fur a little wet with marsh water, she waited until the frog moved. When that happened, Weaselheart leapt into the air, claws unsheathed. Once she was on top of the frog, she sank her claws and teeth into it before she bit down hard. Once the frog went limp, Weaselheart returned to dry ground, where she dropped her catch.

    Applepaw watched the warrior stalk the frog, making a mental note of how Weaselheart stayed downwind. She recoiled at the stench of the frog as the fawn tabby brought it back. "Nice catch." She complemented. Smelling another frog, she kept downwind of it and crouched low. Placing each paw carefully in front of one another, she waited for it to move. Sure enough, it hopped and Applepaw leaped. "Ugh!" She said, as she lifted her head from the marsh. "I didn't get it."

    Weaselheat


    The fawn tabby warrior purred and, after hiding her frog in a hollow in the tree they were near, padded to stand beside her apprentice. "That was a very good stalk, Applepaw. But watch." Weaselheart crouched down, keeping her weight slightly on her hind paws. "Keep your weight on your hind paws, or most of your weight. Frogs are slippery creatures, so you have to be quick and light on your paws. Make sure your belly fur is completely still when you move through the marsh in a crouch and if it's not, then try and trick your prey into thinking its the wind blowing through the marsh grass." She mewed, giving a small demenstration by slowly sliding along the ground, her belly fur just barely making a soft noise that sounded to Applepaw like a gentle wind blowing through the marshy grass. Returning to her apprentice's side, Weaselheart nodded to her. "Go ahead and try it, Applepaw. There's a water vole a few tail-lengths in front of us." She mewed in a hushed tone.

    Applepaw nodded and crouched down towards the water vole. Lifting her belly up a bit, she padded forward, reminding herself about her distributed weight. As soon as she saw movement, she pounced, using the force from her hind legs. As she landed on the water vole, she gave it a quick nip on the neck, cutting through it's vital vein.

    Weaselheart


    The fawn tabby warrior nodded, a look of pride in her green gaze. "Well done, Applepaw! You're a quick learner." She mewed, padding over to join Applepaw. Another scent came to her nose. Another frog..hmm.. She looked down at Applepaw, a gentle twinkle in her eyes. "Applepaw, there's a frog a few tail-lengths to the right of you. Remember, try and trick them into thinking your belly fur moving across the marshy grass is the wind." She mewed, her mew soft.

    Applepaw nodded and padded off. She let her belly fur gently drag against the marshy land, hoping it made a smooth wind sound. As she saw the frog move, she pounced, landing squarely on the amphibian, giving it the killing bite.

    Weaselheart


    Weaselheart bounded over to Applepaw, purring. "Well done! Come on, let's get the prey back to camp." She mewed as she bounded toward her frog. Once it was in her jaws, she returned to Applepaw's side, waiting for the apprentice to pick her catch up. She is a swift learner.

    Applepaw gathered her prey and trotted back to her mentor's side. "How did I do?" She asked, muffled through the toad.

    Weaselheart


    The fawn tabby she-cat nodded her approval. "You did exelant, Applepaw. Come on." She mewed through the fresh-kill stuffed in her mouth and began to trot back toward the camp, her tail high.

    Applepaw smiled and trotted away with her mentor.


    [Sorry, low muse]

    (eh, you're fine. that happens to me often. hehe)


    Weaselheart


    Padding back into the camp, Weaselheart went over to the fresh-kill pile and placed her frog there before she turned to watch the hussel and bussel of her Clan. She spotted a familiar pelt bounding from the warriors' den and she mewed a hello. "Hello, Willowheart!"


    Willowheart


    The blue-smoke-and-white she-cat stopped in front of Weaselheart and gave a purr. "Hello, Weaselheart! How're things?"


    Weaselheart


    The fawn tabby nodded toward the camp entrance. "I've taken Applepaw on as my apprentice." Willowheart tensed her muscles and her fur was standing on end.
    "Without Pagastar's approval? That's dangerous, Weaselheart!" Weaselheart nodded and lowered her voice.
    "I know, Willowheart. But I really don't want to ask him to make me Applepaw's mentor."

    Applepaw put her kill down and padded over to Weaselheart. "Hi." She said softly.