[PATROL-FIN] Double Up (Fawndance/Sandpaw & Flickerfly/Stagpaw)

[belloblossom]

MountainClan, Opponent: Eagle
1. Battle
2. Battle
3. Scent Identification (all apprentices roll 1d10, if they land on an even number, they're able to correctly identify the scent as (insert prey type here, ex: a mouse). If they roll an odd number, they cannot identify any specific prey nearby.)
4. Battle
5. Oops! Encounter (While scouring the not-so-dry woods, thanks to the recent rainfall of the warmer months, your patrol stumbles upon a large mud pit! Your cats struggle a while before they manage to escape the heavy murk, but their pelts are too clotted and heavy to do any productive patrolling. Time to find a stream to rinse off in and head back to camp for the day.)
6. Battle
7. Battle
8. Stealth Training (all apprentices roll 1d10, if they land on an odd number, they're able to sneak up on their mentors successfully. If they land on an even number, they make too much noise and alert anything nearby to the patrol's location.
9. Hunting Training (apprentices roll 1d20 to determine if they are able to catch the prey or not, any numbers 13+ indicate a successful catch!)
10. Loner

 

[belloblossom]

Fawndance had been a long time member of MountainClan now, she'd watched the Clan grow and now, she was watching her and Tigersun's first litter grow before their very eyes too. It seemed appropriate to her that Flickerfly, who had been mentored by Tigersun himself, would now be training Tigersun's son, Stagpaw. As for Fawndance, she had been asked to mentor Sandpaw, a kittypet who had only recently joined the Clan. Palestorm, one of the Clan's original members prior to the split, had vouched for the kittypet. Fawndance wondered sometimes if Sandpaw would've managed to get into MountainClan without that recommendation. Well, it hardly mattered now - for Sandpaw was apart of MountainClan and it as Fawndance's duty to make sure she was trained properly and that Sandpaw could feel like a part of the community.

It's why she'd suggested to Flickerfly that they train their apprentices together. That, paired with the threat of the influx of eagles flying about, anyway. Flickerfly had already had an encounter with one when he was out with Goldenfreckle. She wasn't enthusiastic about the idea of having any more of her Clanmates going out without more back up. Flickerfly had agreed to her proposal, which made her suspect he was grateful for the extra paws - apprentices or no.

"Alright everyone, we're headed out to the dry woods today." She'd told the gathered trio with a smile. "The eagles have been making every cat uneasy, and nothing soothes an uneasy cat like fresh prey. We'll keep our eyes on the sky and I want our apprentices standing close to their mentors. Once we get out further into the woods, we'll see if we can't hunt up some prey for the Clan. Let's get going." She said, before turning and exciting the camp entrance, her tail held high.

 

[belloblossom]

Sandpaw had taken this whole, Clan joining thing in stride. She enjoyed Palestorm's company and didn't want to say goodbye to the she-cat anytime soon, so rather than saying goodbye at the borders, she'd walked right in. Granted, they'd talked previously about the pros and cons of Clanhood, but at the very least, they'd all sounded better than what Sandpaw (previously known as Purrfect) had known in her kittypet life. Sometimes she still stumbled when she introduced herself, even after taking on this new name and the idea that her name would change again from Sandpaw to Sandsomethingelse, baffled her. Clan cats got so many names! How was she meant to keep track of all of them?

Luckily for her, her mentor, Fawndance, had said that it was fine if Sandpaw got names mixed up. Her mentor had reassured her that she went through much the same when she joined from being a loner. Sandpaw thought it was decently romantic, that Fawndance had joined to find community and for love of Tigersun. Now they had a litter of their own, apprentices already and Sandpaw found herself growing envious. The image of Palestorm flashed in her mind as she followed after her mentor through the camp and out into the dry woods. Her fur became warm at the thought, but she wondered if kits were even something that were on Palestorm's mind.

Or if she'd even want them with me. Sandpaw thought with a sigh, before her shoulder got jostled as the younger apprentice, Stagpaw, passed by her. Stagpaw was Fawndance and Tigersun's kit, one of four, if Sandpaw remembered correctly. She caught the young tomcat glancing back over his shoulder at her and she purred her amusement. Was he jealous that his mother was training Sandpaw, over Stagpaw? She wondered and hung back to walk alongside Flickerfly, who sported a healing wound after his own encounter with one of the eagles that had been swooping in lately. Pesky things.

"You know, if it scars, it'll suit you. Many she-cats appreciate the rugged look of battle." She commented, hoping to make him feel better.

 

[belloblossom]

Flickerfly had been filled with so much pride when his former mentor, Tigersun, chose him to take on one of the new apprentices. Stagpaw had in turn seemed happy to have Flickerfly mentor him, at least initially. Half a moon later, when Fawndance received a newcomer, Sandpaw, as her apprentice, Stagpaw's attitude had begun to sour. Had he not considered that his parents were able to take on apprentices? Was he missing the undivided attention of his mother from kithood? He could sympathize, surely, SunClan that's why he'd agreed to Fawndance's proposal about training their apprentices together! Yet it seemed the wrong move, for Stagpaw only hurried up to walk next to his mother, leaving Flickerfly bringing up the rear. He let out a long sigh and wondered if his mother, Silverstreak, was having this much trouble with Stagpaw's sister, Badgerpaw. His mother was always a nuturing, kind soul, so he couldn't imagine that she wouldn't somehow have the solution for every training mishap that came her way. If this patrol didn't change anything, maybe he would seek out Silverstreak for advice.

He'd been contemplating his fate as a mentor when Fawndance's adult apprentice, Sandpaw, approached him. She stared at him for the span of a few heartbeats, before seeming to come to her senses and mentioned the strangest of things. Scars were a mark of handsomeness? What a thought. It didn't really matter to him much, anyway. He only wanted Goldenfreckle to think he was handsome. He worried that when his mate looked upon his wounds, if she would only remember the hardships they'd gone through. He certainly remembered the eagle's attack well. His stomach tightened at the memory. There had been so much blood and while the eagle had been killed and the Clan feasted on eagle meat for days after, he would never forget how terrified he was at the thought of watching his mate be carried off by the large talons of his enemy.

"Um, thank you." Is all he managed to come up with in reply to Sandpaw, before he changed the topic. "How're you settling in to Clan life? I imagine it's quite the adjustment." He remarked. There, that was much more comfortable of a topic.

 

[belloblossom]

Stagpaw had feelings that he didn't know how to process and he certainly didn't feel good about sharing them with their mentor. All his other siblings seemed to like their mentors tons and sure, at first, Flickerfly had been cool enough, but... Then he had to go off and get injured by that darn eagle! When the dusk patrol came back, hauling Flickerfly and Goldenfreckle's bodies to the medicine den, Stagpaw's heart dropped into his stomach - he'd been certain that his mentor had been dead! He hadn't been able to go on training sessions with Stagpaw for a few days after the attack, with Fernfire and Starpaw insisting that he needed his rest to heal. Stagpaw had gone along with Badgerpaw and her mentor to make sure he didn't fall behind and Silverstreak had been a fun mentor! When Flickerfly recovered enough to go training with Stagpaw again, he hadn't wanted to stop his double lessons with his sister and her mentor. Of course, no matter how much he begged Badgerpaw to switch mentors with him, she wouldn't go for it. She was so selfish!

At least he could see his mother on this double training session, he figured. He couldn't stand to look at his mentor - to see the scar on his pelt that had yet to fade under his tabby fur. Scampering up next to his mother's side, pushing aside Sandpaw - she was a grown cat, why was she still an apprentice? How embarrassing for her! He purred at his mother's side, rubbing his shoulder against her legs and she'd looked down at him with a smile. Yeah, this was gonna be an okay training session, so long as he could look at his mother and not those wounds that reminded him about the futility of life.

He perked his ears as his mother came to a stop and they both waited for the other two to catch up to them. He felt something zing through him when he saw how easily Sandpaw spoke to his mentor - didn't she feel freaked out by his scarring? She was so weird! Must be a kittypet thing, he reasoned, before turning and looking back to his mother as she began to explain the tasks of the apprentices and the warriors, for that day.

 

[belloblossom]

Fawndance had been observing the patrol carefully, taking note of Stagpaw's reluctance to spend time with his mentor, Flickerfly. She was happy to see Sandpaw and Flickerfly getting along, to whatever extent they could. Better that her apprentice seek out companionship in her Clanmates sooner than later. Still, there were hungry mouths to feed and it was time to begin the purpose of the hunting patrol. Stagpaw stood dutifully next to her, though it was difficult to ignore how he glared at Sandpaw. She would address that presently. Fawndance was admittedly curious to see how Sandpaw might react to conflict, even from a younger Clanmate. They were both apprentices, when it came down to it, both cats learning how to fight, hunt and socialize well amongst one another.

The hunting part was what they were here to focus on.
"We'll be splitting up in pairs here. Sandpaw, you and Stagpaw will be together for this patrol. I know that you both know how to hunt individually, but Flickerfly and I will be watching and evaluating from afar to see if you can both work as a team." She looked pointedly at her son for a moment, a soft smile on her maw, before blinking at her apprentice, Sandpaw. "More paws catch more prey." She intoned and looked to Flickerfly. "Flickerfly and I will hunt alongside you once we meet up again. Until then, good luck, apprentices, may you hunt well and be stronger together." She glanced at Flickerfly and blinked an apology at him - she really took over the training patrol there, but he smiled openly at her in response, echoing well wishes to the apprentices, who hurried off, Stagpaw in the leap with Sandpaw following behind. Once the two cats were out of earshot, she looked to Flickerfly once more.

"Let's follow along - but if any prey comes our way as a result of being scared off by our apprentices arguing, well, we shouldn't let it go to waste." She mewed with a smile.

 

[belloblossom]

(Sandpaw successfully catches prey!)

Sandpaw had been surprised that she wasn't going to be doing direct training with her mentor, Fawndance, but she hadn't been upset to hear that she'd be working together with her fellow apprentice, Stagpaw. Stagpaw didn't seem to have the same reaction, his tail positively drooped at Fawndance's instructions. She tried to catch Stagpaw's eye, to shoot him a reassuring look, but he avoided Sandpaw's gaze entirely and started off through the dry forest. Casting a final glance over her shoulder, Sandpaw followed the younger tomcat. By SunClan's name, Stagpaw was fast! He was already out of her line of sight!

"Stagpaw-" She began to call, but then lowered her voice. It wouldn't due her any good to call his name and scare off all prey in the area. She wanted to make Fawndance proud, but how was she supposed to do that when her team mate was leaving her in the dust? She stretched out her legs and sprinted after him, only to come up short, skidding to a halt. Stagpaw was crouched in the natural hunter's pose, but his tail was held straight up - a clear signal to her for her to wait, and, as he flicked his tail in a half-circle she glanced further ahead and saw a rabbit with its back turned to them. Stagpaw flicked his tail in a half-circle at her again, insistant that she be the one to creep around to the side opposite him and spook it his way. She stifled a sigh - he would be the one to catch the prey, but they were supposed to work as a team and while she felt as though she was being bossed around rather than consulted, she couldn't ignore the chance for them to work together and make a catch.

So, she slunk down on her haunches and moved into some nearby grass. With her crouching low and the ease of her coat's striping, she was able to move unnoticed by the rabbit until she was nearly in front of it. Her excitement had been growing all the way, distracting her focus and making her giddy. With one too-eager step forward, she crunched down on an unseen twig and the rabbit's head shot up, its eyes meeting hers. For a split moment, the two creatures were frozen, looking at one another, before a louder crunch from behind the rabbit caused it to bolt - in an entirely different direction than where Sandpaw or Stagpaw were crouched in wait.

Sandpaw watched a brown blur dash by her and she too joined in the chase - its burrow couldn't be too far away, they had to catch it before it escaped! Sandpaw, with longer legs, had begun to gain on the quick-footed prey and stretched out her claws to try and catch it. She swiped out with her front claws and caught it barely by its back foot - she fell on her face, bad luck! - but Stagpaw was darting beyond, leaping and then - yes! He landed squarely on the rabbit's back! He crushed it, more than he caught it, really, but Sandpaw breathed a sigh of relief as he looked up with pride, holding it by its neck and dragging it back over to where she lay.

"That was awesome!" He mewed around its fur, before dropping it at her paws. "Clawing at it while you were running - I could've never reached it, but you -" He looked away from Sandpaw for a moment, taking the time to catch his breath and lick his chest. "You did okay, ya know. For a former kittypet." He said and Sandpaw's whiskers twitched.

"You were pretty cool too. I don't think I've ever seen someone run that fast - though gee, Stagpaw, thanks for the heads up on what you were plotting - not! I've never been flung into such a disorganized hunt before! Maybe let me know before we find prey, next time, what our hunting plan is?" She replied sassily.

"Only if you stop cracking on every twig in the forest!" He shot back, but the two apprentices were smiling when their mentors emerged to congratulate them in their hunt. Sandpaw turned her gaze to Fawndance and was rewarded with a warm purr. This hunting patrol hadn't gone at all like Sandpaw expected, but the result was a success and she hoped more training sessions could be held with Stagpaw and his mentor in the future.

 

[belloblossom]

(Stagpaw successfully catches prey!)

Stagpaw had wanted to be paired with his mother, but at least he didn't have to get paired up with his mentor, Flickerfly, either. At least with Sandpaw, he knew he was better than her. She might be an adult, and sure, she was being trained by Fawndance, who was excellent in all that she did, but Sandpaw had been a kittypet before she was a Clan cat. Surely he couldn't rely on someone who used to eat twoleg slop every day to be able to hunt down prey.

Still, his mother insisted that they work as a team and so with a resigned look, he had agreed with a nod, and then set out at a fast-pace. Teamwork? Sure, he'd be a team with her - if she could keep up. Stagpaw ducked around corners and wanted to put as much distance between him and his new "team mate", only to slow down rapidly and crouch into a hunter's crawl. He'd caught the scent of rabbit in the air and stilled, his eyes scanning the surrounding area until he spotted a rabbit with its back to him. He could hear Sandpaw following with heavy paws - did she intend to crash through every twig and leaf on her way here? So he held up a tail. Fine, if she wanted to help, she could go around and lead the rabbit right into his awaiting paws.

It took some repeated tail signaling once she arrived - had she forgotten tail signals already? But no, eventually she started towards the rabbit. Just when the older apprentice (much older, if he was being honest) was nearly in place, she crashed her paw down on another twig and the rabbit spotted her. She froze, as did Stagpaw, but when a crunching branch broke somewhere behind him, the rabbit took off and Stagpaw was close behind it.

Everything else passed by him in a blur, from Sandpaw barely tripping the rabbit to him leaping at it - squishing it sooner than delivering any proper death bite to it - but the rabbit had been killed and caught! He breathed heavily, letting the adrenaline rush subside, before he engaged with Sandpaw - okay, he had to admit, she'd may have messed it up, but she was really on it when it counted. Kittypet or no, she couldn't be that bad... probably cause his mother was the one teaching her all about how to be a warrior.

Shortly after he'd recovered, his mother and mentor approached and Stagpaw took the rabbit over to the two of them, grinning around the thick fur of the rabbit. Their praises warmed his fur and he glanced at Sandpaw. He wouldn't mind hunting with her again, he thought... so long as he got to be the one in charge.

 

[belloblossom]

Flickerfly and Fawndance spent some time talking amongst themselves - how training each of their apprentices was going. Flickerfly had felt comfortable enough to share his concerns about his apprentice with Fawndance, though some part of him wondered if she might become overprotective. Instead, Fawndance had shared with him some knowledge of her kit that Flickerfly hadn't considered. Stagpaw valued family, certainly, and the Warrior Code that MountainClan followed, but beyond all that, what he sought after was stability. Change didn't come easily to her son, Fawndance had told him.

"I imagine he must've been more startled than most when you were nearly carried off by that eagle." She mewed, gesturing to Flickerfly's eye. He'd stepped back, unsure of himself, before following along with the tan and striped she-cat. She'd continued with a part of advice. "Set a specofic time you train him, build it into a routine on the daily. Always tell him in advance what you intend to train him on after each session, for the following day and go through with it. You both may find it easier to set your expectations for the upcoming day's training."

Flickerfly had taken this into deep consideration, before falling quiet as they found Stagpaw and Sandpaw. Sandpaw, who was circling around a rabbit, only to catch it's attention at the last moment. Flickerfly's eyes darted to Stagpaw, who looked infuriated, his eyes narrowed in fierce, frustrated concentration, when a stick broke in half, spooking feline and lapine alike into motion. Flickerfly turned his head to see Fawndance's eyes dancing as she held a small branch between her claws. She then glanced to Flickerfly and gestured for him to follow her, before they followed alongside the rabbit chase.

He watched his apprentice surge forward and ultimately catch the rabbit - heavy landing or not, and found himself happily impressed. More to his delight was when Stagpaw and Sandpaw engaged in conversation with one another, bantering and quipping at one another like most apprentices would. With a wide grin on his face, he stepped out into the clearing that the apprentices were chatting in.

"Well done, Stagpaw. It's becoming clear that we should focus on enhancing your speed skills - you may turn out to be the fastest warrior in MountainClan at this rate." He mewed, while Fawndance spoke briefly to Sandpaw, giving Flickerfly time to add. "I think we can take a break from hunting training for a while, so tomorrow, let's go over the basics and if we have enough time, I maystart you into the more challenging battle moves of our clan." He told Stagpaw, who's eyes sparkled at the mention of advanced fighting techniques. With a rumbling purr coursing from her throught, Fawndance gathered the patrol's attention once more. It was time for them to bury this rabbit and continue the hunt as a group. After they each had something to bring back, they could return and relax the rest of the day.

Looking at his apprentice, then at Fawndance and Sandpaw, he grinned and nodded. This patrol already felt like a success, but really, they were all just getting started. (Fin.)