Training Batpaw (BF)

[[Hea]ther[/sky]]

Jetmoon stepped lightly and jauntily through the thick foliage of ForestClan's territory. Leafbare leaves littered the ground, and occasionally he would step on one, which would crackle softly. The young warrior entered the clearing in the center of the oak grove, jet-black pelt blending in with the shadows a bit. It was just approaching sunhigh, and as he had prodded Batpaw awake that morning and instructed the apprentice to meet him in the Oak Grove, he hoped Batpaw would arrive soon.

Dew still rested on the leaves and it was slightly misty in the air. Perfect for what I have in mind. What he was planning to do was to instruct Batpaw to scent out and locate a squirrel, and catch it. This was perfect weather for it, since the squirrels would be out and about, gathering and hoarding food for the harsh leafbare to come. They were never easy prey, but they would not be as difficult a catch as some, considering the fact that they were so plentiful. He crouched in the shadows of one of the oaks, waiting and intending to surprise Batpaw.

[| .s. u. s .hi. s .hi. r. o. |]

Batpaw stumbled through the forest, his paws as light as a feather. Finally, he was about to train with his mentor, Jetmoon. He had talked with him before, and Batpaw remembered the scene clearly. Batpaw sniffed the air appreciatively. The air smelt of dew and old leaves, but no Jetmoon.

Confused, he wandered into the clearing. He didn't know he was early. If anything, it should be his mentor that is early. Settling down, he waited, unaware of the scent behind him...

[[Hea]ther[/sky]]

The black-pelted warrior was right behind where Batpaw waited in the middle of the clearing. Perfect! He leaped out at Batpaw, tangling with the apprentice and then lightly jumping backwards. "Always remember to scent the area, to make sure it's safe. A rogue could be lurking in the dark." He crouched and snarled jokingly, then stood back up and said seriously, "What can you smell?" The squirrels were everywhere, so he figured that even with the mist, it shouldn't be too hard to smell them.

[| .s. u. s .hi. s .hi. r. o. |]

ooc//Sorry it took s olong to reply! I kinda forgot about his thread...

Batpaw lazily closed his eyes, sure of his nose. Then, a weuight thumped onto him, and he let a out breathless gasp. When the weight was lifted, he spun around, to see his mentor, Jetmoon, grinning.

Batpaw quickly stammered out an apology. "I-I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time."

"What can you smell?"

Batpaw opened his jaws a bit, and let the scents roll in. He smelled the clear cent of water vapors in teh air, the scent of Jetmoon, and... Squirels! "Squirels!" He said proudly. He hoped he would be hunting squirels, as his long legs helped him catch the fleet-footed treeclimbers.

[[Hea]ther[/sky]]

<sub>Jetmoon grinned, nodding. "Right. There are squirrels all around us now. They're plentiful, because they're gathering acorns for the harshness of leaf-bare." He glanced around, trying to spot one of the squirrels. Looking at the base of a nearby oak tree, he caught sight of a small gray-brown shape, scrabbling in the dirt.

Flicking his tail towards it, he continued, "The best way to hunt a squirrel is to creep up from upwind. A squirrel is not like a mouse in that it will not feel your pawsteps, but it will scent you, so you have to make sure that it can't." He began to creep up on it, feeling the shift in the wind so he could put himself in proportion to where the squirrel scrabbled. The nimble tom was easily able to slide into a hunter's crouch, and slowly, pawstep by pawstep, approached it. Positioning himself right behind it, since the breeze was blowing towards him, he jumped.

The squirrel was a second too late in reacting. It saw his shadow, so it started to run, but Jetmoon easily tagged it with his paw and felt his claws meet in its neck. Picking up the catch and setting it down beside Batpaw, he said, "If a squirrel tries to run, don't give chase, they're much faster than cats. Now you try."</sub>

[| .s. u. s .hi. s .hi. r. o. |]

Batpaw watched with awe as Jetmoon expertly stalked the squirrel. He caught it, and plopped it beside the wonder-filled apprentice. He bubled with joy when he heard the words:

"Now you try."

Batpaw looked around for a squirrel. Sadly there weren't any in sight, so he used his nose. There, behind that bush! He judged the wind, and crept forward slowly. Then, I whirl of paws, and Batpaw had the unlucky squirrel trapped between his paws. Quickly, he delt his prey the killing blow, and he sat up proudly.

[[Hea]ther[/sky]]

<sub>Jetmoon watched approvingly as his apprentice, despite being unable to see his prey, scented it out easily. His green eyes glowed with pride for Batpaw. Then, in a flash he had the squirrel, seeming to have remembered what Jetmoon said about staying downwind of the squirrel. "Well done!" The dark-pelted warrior called to his apprentice. He stood, scratching earth over the squirrel he had caught to return and collect it later, and giving thanks to StarClan for the prey.

Padding over to where Batpaw sat proudly, Jetmoon flicked his tail to beckon his apprentice. Gesturing towards the largest oak in the area, Jetmoon spotted several squirrels scrabbling along the base of the trunk, scuffling in the soil among the roots. Acorns fell all around, and when the wind picked up, shaking the tree, a shower of acorns spun to the ground. The squirrels squeaked in delight and moved faster. "Now is our chance, while they're occupied. We need to catch as many as we can; I'll take the left side, you take the right."

Moving so that he was downwind of the squirrels again, Jetmoon snuck up behind a gray squirrel. Spotting his chance, he slid out of the hunters' crouch and jumped out, pinning the squirrel to the ground and cutting its throat before it could emit a squeal that would alert the others. Feeling a bit like a rogue, he scratched leaves over it before continuing the hunt, again praising StarClan for the bountiful hunt.</sub>

[| .s. u. s .hi. s .hi. r. o. |]

Batpaw purred with delight as his mentor praised him. He burried his prey and covered the ground with leaves to pick up later. He followed Jetmoon as he padded towards a bunch of squirrels at the base of a tree. He tried to copy Jetmoons crouch, but was a bit off. As Jetmoon pounced, the rest of the squirrels fled. Right into his paws!

He mewed in alarm, and backed up. THen realizing his mistake, he paw shot forward to catch a slow squirrel on the tail. He dispatched it quickly. Batpaw felt satisfaction in his heart, and purred contently.

[[Hea]ther[/sky]]

<sub>Jetmoon caught another squirrel that practically ran into him. This was too easy today! Burying the new kill with the other one, he trotted back around the tree to where Batpaw was. Seeing that his apprentice had caught, Jetmoon nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent job today, Batpaw. It's time to round up the prey and bring it back to camp."

Unburying the two squirrels he had caught just then, he picked them up by their tails, and unburied a couple more they had buried. Grinning through the furry tails, he headed back to camp towing the fresh-kill.</sub>

[| .s. u. s .hi. s .hi. r. o. |]

ooc//I won't be replying here anymore because Batpaw is about to made warrior, k?

"Ok," Batpaw mumbled through a mouthful of squirrel. He found the spot where he buried his catch and started to dig them up. He had caught 2 squirrels today, and was immensely proud. Wait until he tells the other apprentices about it!

He quickly grabbed the other squirrel and chased after Jetmoon, tail held high.