The art of hunting (for Mosspaw)

[silvermask]

[sorry... couldn't think of a good name XP]

Moongaze trotted happily toward the creek, her apprentice by her side. The back and white she-cat slowed to a steadily walk as her ears pricked at the sound of running water. Flicking her tail for Mosspaw to follow, Moongaze padded silently toward the stream.

As the warrior arrived, she could scent the close armorer of prey. Her eyes spotted a mouse crouched in the bushes, nibbling at something with its back to the cats. Moongaze angled her ears in its direction to warn Mosspaw to be quiet before creeping up toward it. The mouse didn't notice the danger until the she-cat sunk her claws into its tiny body.

Moongaze smiled in satisfaction, quickly dipping a whole in which to bury her prey. "Your turn now", she meowed to Mosspaw, giving her apprentice an encouraging smile as she scrapped the last of the dirt over the hole.

[moonleaf]

[Yeah always happens to me lol]

Mosspaw trotted behind her mentor, her grey pelt weaving gracefully through the ferns and grasses, then paused with her mentor. She could hear the stream gurgling down the rocks, and the smell of prey filled her nose. She watched in awe as Moongaze snuck up on an unsuspecting mouse, pouncing and killing it easily.

Hearing that it was her turn, she quickly lowered her belly to the ground. Her mouth was slightly open, and she soon scented a vole. Quietly, she slunk close to the ground. Her back legs tensed as she got ready to pounce, seeing the small animal a few tail lengths ahead of her. She jumped quickly, but landed a bit too far away, and the vole scuttled hurriedly away. Angry with herself, and also embarassed, she walked back to Moongaze. Too far away.. She mumbled.

[silvermask]

"That's alright", replied Moongaze. "You know where you went wrong and have learnt from this, which is the main thing. You'll know what to change next time." The she-cat began to pad down the stream, halting a few tail-lengths away.
"So then Mosspaw", she meowed, "What can you scent?"

[moonleaf]

Mosspaw followed her mentor a few pawsteps and then opened her mouth, new scents streaming into her senses. There's some type of herb near here... I think it's yarrow... And, She lowered her voice down to a whisper, Squirrel. She was determined to get it this time. Creeping slowly, she got closer tot he squirrel than she did to the vole. Her haunches were tensed, and then she pounced, landing on it swiftly. She bit down on it's neck and the small animal lay limply between her paws. She looked proudly back at Moongaze.

[silvermask]

"Wonderful", purred Moongaze. "The elders will love a share of that. Bury it for now and we'll return for it when we've done."
It was her first day as a mentor, and she was already enjoying it.

Moongaze padded down to the stream, lapping up a few droplets of the clear water. As she lifted her head, she spotted a vole further along the bank. Her whole body froze as still as stone, with the exception of her tail that signaled to Mosspaw to keep quiet.

The black and white she-cat crept slowly up the bank, trying not to alert the vole. Once she thought she was high enough, she began to crawl back down again. But this was one hunt a cat couldn't manage. Moongaze's paws sank deep into the mud, her desperate efforts to free them making enough noise to scare the vole away. The she-cat sighed, freeing her final fore paw and she bounded back up to Mosspaw.

"That was one catch that isn't worth the effort", she laughed, beginning to clean her paws. "Let this be a lesson for you."

[moonleaf]

Mosspaw dug a small hole and dragged her squirrel into it. She covered it with dirt while watching Moongaze. She giggled as the vole got scared, and Moongaze came back with mud all over her paws. Soon her nose caught the scent of a mouse. She followed it and heard rustling. She saw it, and then crouched down and sprang. She let out a yowl of terror when she landed. Although she landed perfectly on target, her front paw landed hard, and then twisted. She crumbled in a heap on the ground. She looked down at her foreleg, and saw that it didn't appear to have broken. She tried to get up, but held her injured leg up gingerly, and then mewed for Moongaze to come.

[silvermask]

Moongaze gasped, bounding to her apprentice's side. "Mosspaw, are you okay?" she asked, her voice full of worry. She looked at where the mouse was scurrying away. Forget it; it's long gone. She concentrated on helping Mosspaw. She nudged the young apprentice encouragingly, helping her to her paws. The she-cat sighed in relief that the limb wasn't broken. "Try walking", she instructed, covering her doubts.

[moonleaf]

Mosspaw nodded to her mentor, and slowly put her paw on the ground, wincing as pain lashed through her leg. I think it's really sprained or something. She stretched it out in front of her, angry that hunting had to be cut short because of her. When will you learn to do anything right!? An angry voice sounded in her head. But it wasn't herself thinking, it was more of a memory... Piercing blue eyes suddenly filled her sight, and she stood shakily. It had gone in a split-second, and she had no idea what it was all about. Sighing, she turned to Moongaze. I guess we need to go back to camp now..

[silvermask]

"Only if you're sure. If you believe you can manage, we can stay, but from the way you've going, I think the hunting's over." The she-cat sighed, padding over to the spot where she'd buried her first mouse. A neat pile of dirt formed at the side of a small hole. Moongaze bent down and picked it up carefully, trotting back over to where Mosspaw stood waiting. "Take that", she meowed, "and I'll carry the squirrel."

Moongaze bounded back to where her apprentice had left the squirrel. Her paws scrapped along the ground, quickly unearthing the squirrel.

[moonleaf]

Mosspaw picked up the mouse in her jaws, feeling like an idiot. She ruined their first training session. Oh well, she thought, there's so many more to come. She walked towards Moongaze, stepping lightly on her injured forepaw. Do you think Nightmoon'll be able to fix it? I don't want to miss any training sessions. She asked hopefully.

[silvermask]

"Of course she'll fix it", Moongaze reassured her. She realized that she'd dropped the squirrel to speak. The she-cat picked it up again, continuing to walk at a slow pace to allow Mosspaw to keep up.

[sorry it's short.. ]