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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Nov 26, 2006 21:44:36 GMT -5
Dewstar sat alone in the moors. Her blue-silver pelt shone in the warm sunshine. Berrypaw was the cat she was waiting for, she was her apprentice after all. Dewstar's blue eyes looked around for her. Where is she? she murmured to herself.
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Post by berrypaw on Nov 26, 2006 21:49:25 GMT -5
Berrypaw bounded through the grass. Am I late? Am I late? I hope I'm not late! she thought frantically. The apprentice skidded to a stop and looked out across the grass. Where's Dewstar? she wondered. A familiar scent drifted toward her on the breeze and she turned in its direction. "Oh!" she exclaimed. Dewstar was sitting just a few foxlengths away. Berrypaw bounced over and sat down before her mentor. "I hope I'm not late," she meowed anxiously.
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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Nov 26, 2006 21:53:29 GMT -5
Your not late. I was anxious for our first lesson though. So would you like me to teach you hunting or fighting? Dewstar asked. My second apprentice. Second... Dewstar thought. It pained her to say that word, second. Her first apprentice disappeared, and he never returned.
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Post by berrypaw on Nov 27, 2006 19:05:40 GMT -5
Berrypaw blinked. I get a choice? she thought, surprised. As usual, she spoke without thinking. "Well... I've always wanted to learn to hunt. I don't really want to fight. It seems stupid," the apprentice mewed impulsively. She realized what she had said and quickly added, "I mean, I'm sure fighting is a good skill and all, and I know I'm going to need to learn eventually, but if I get a choice..." Berrypaw stopped, blushing.
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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Nov 27, 2006 21:44:43 GMT -5
Dew star nodded in understanding; when she had been Dew paw her mentor gave her a choice. She always chose hunting, but her two last lessons consisted of fighting. Well to start you need to learn what a hunting crouch is. She meowed. Dew star dipped to the ground; she skimmed the forest floor, without making a sound. Now you try. She mewed.
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Post by berrypaw on Nov 28, 2006 18:30:12 GMT -5
Berrypaw watched her mentor carefully, then dropped into an inexperienced crouch of her own. Something about her balance didn't feel right, but she took a few tentative paces forward anyway, slipping out of the crouch and into an awkward limp on the last step. She straightened and looked up at Dewstar. "That doesn't feel right. What am I doing wrong?"
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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Nov 28, 2006 18:47:04 GMT -5
Your tail, it is not correctly placed. Your tail gives you balance; in other words, it’s so you don’t fall. Dew star explained. She plunged into the hunters crouch. Her tail was held in line with her spine and neck, perfectly straight. She pretended to stalk her make-believe prey, no stumbling. Try it for yourself. She insisted.
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Post by berrypaw on Nov 28, 2006 20:51:38 GMT -5
"Okay..." Berrypaw mewed hesitantly as she tried again. This time she paid special attention to her tail, holding it as flat and even as she could. Despite her best efforts, the tip of her tail twitched reflexively. Berrypaw hissed quietly at it as she fought to keep it straight, as if it were a living creature that could hear her and be intimidated. After struggling with it for another moment, she finally managed to hold it still long enough to take several steps forward. This time her balance felt better, and she smiled in satisfaction.
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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Nov 29, 2006 16:34:07 GMT -5
Nicely done. Dew star praised her. She inhaled the cold air. A mouse. She thought. Now watch. She commanded. Her nimble body slipped into the proper hunting position. She stalked the mouse with unconditional silence. She made a dash for the morsel; with one bite to the neck it was dead.
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Post by berrypaw on Nov 29, 2006 18:51:55 GMT -5
Berrypaw watched with wide eyes. Her tail began twitching again as Dewstar crept up on the mouse and continued this time, despite further efforts to stop it. Stupid thing, she thought. Do you see Dewstar's tail twitching? No! Gee, I wonder why? the apprentice thought sarcastically. Maybe it's because she KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING. Berrypaw's ear twitched in annoyance with herself. Dewstar pounced, and Berrypaw smiled. Her mentor could move so smoothly, even in a crouch. I wish I could do that. "Wow," she said out loud. "Why didn't it know you were coming?"
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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Dec 1, 2006 11:56:07 GMT -5
Well, it’s all about patience, silence, and timing. You have to be patient when stalking your prey, you have to completely silent, and you have to know when the time is right to pounce. Dew star explained, hoping she would understand. She sniffed the air, expecting to find another mouse. A smirk spread across her face. Now, you see that mouse over there? She meowed pointing to the creature; afterwards she continued, I want you to catch it. Dew star asked of her apprentice.
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Post by berrypaw on Dec 1, 2006 18:58:45 GMT -5
Berrypaw gulped. "Already?" she blurted out, then blushed again. "I mean, I didn't think I would have even a chance at catching a mouse during our first lesson. But if you think I might have a chance then I'll try." The apprentice dropped into a crouch, keeping her tail level...sort of. She crept forward slowly toward the mouse, trying to move the same way Dewstar had. She drew closer... and closer... she was almost close enough to jump... and then the mouse looked up, nose twitching. As it saw her, Berrypaw leapt forward, landing just behind it as it slipped into a hole in the grass. "Awww! Mousedung," she meowed, feeling irritated. "I almost had it!" The apprentice looked back toward Dewstar, meowing," I was close, wasn't I?"
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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Dec 3, 2006 20:42:11 GMT -5
Well, you sure did give it an excellent try. Dew star replied to Berry paw. She coiled her tail contentedly; her apprentice did reasonably well on her first try. Now, you have to learn how to categorize different scents. What do you smell? Dew star asked her.
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Post by berrypaw on Dec 4, 2006 17:43:39 GMT -5
Berrypaw beamed, relieved that her mentor had not been too disappointed. She padded back as Dewstar spoke and sat close to where she had been before. "What do I smell?" she repeated Dewstar's question. "Hm..." Berrypaw thought for a moment. "Well, I smell us. I smell mouse." She glanced down at the dead mouse by her mentor's feet. "Um..." she meowed, opening her mouth a little to smell better before she replied. "I smell a lot of grass and dirt." Berrypaw shrugged. "Is that what you meant?"
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Post by Miss Midnight|| on Dec 4, 2006 20:37:16 GMT -5
Not exactly, but you’re doing fine. Dew star meowed to her. She smiled pleasantly. This was your first time. You can’t get everything right. She explicated. She let out a playful mrrow of laughter. Dew star looked at the horizon; the sun was setting, making the sky look especially gorgeous. What do you say we quit for the afternoon? She asked Berry paw.
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