Post by OAKSTAR on Feb 6, 2017 18:12:19 GMT
A large paw sliced through the water’s surface with all of the grace and fluidity that could be expected from a RiverClan warrior, and in seconds flat, it returned to dry ground with a fish in tow. Oakstar wore no signs of satisfaction as he inspected his apprentice, Frostpaw, from the corner of his eye. When cats mentioned him by name, he wanted strength to come to mind long before grace ever did. However, he understood that fishing was far from a test of brute force. He could be graceful when he needed to be, but seldom otherwise.
“You have to be quick, and you have to be confident. The fish will more than likely escape if you second-guess yourself mid-strike.” He was always one to get to the point, but that was because he couldn’t grasp the purpose behind sugarcoating. Fishing was a skill, as most things were in the life of a Clan cat, and skills were acquired through practice and determination. Frostpaw would make a fine warrior yet, and that was because he had a mentor who accepted nothing less.
He was assigned Frostpaw as deputy, but little had changed between them since he ascended to the position of leader—and that was just as well. He was the same cat, and the same mentor, if not for the extra lives in his chest. His expectations hadn’t changed in the slightest, but there was a new, more profound desire to flesh out his apprentice if not only because it felt like the successes of Frostpaw would be a reflection of his successes as a mentor who also led a Clan. Resolved to keep his thoughts on the task at hand, Oakstar’s lip tightened in a sign of annoyance—towards himself, not Frostpaw, but the distinction was never made aloud. “The fish will return to this spot if we’re patient, and when they do I’d like you to mimic what you just saw. If you don’t feel like you’re ready, then speak up.” Oakstar lifted his eyes to his apprentice’s, unreadable. “It’s more embarrassing in the long-run to try and make a fool of yourself then it is to admit you’re unprepared.” If he didn’t feel like he was ready for the hunt itself, then they didn’t need to wait for the fish to return; they could practice swipes through the water for the time being, but Oakstar would let Frostpaw be the judge of that.
He preferred to give his apprentice the benefit of the doubt, in that he would know his own limitations and work at a pace that suited him best. He wouldn’t necessarily be surprised if Frostpaw could catch a fish at this point in his training—he was RiverClan, after all, and Oakstar firmly believed they were unsurpassed by the other Clans—but it was unlikely, and the leader was just intrigued enough by what his apprentice would choose to give him his undivided attention. How the lesson proceeded from here would go a long way in determining how they worked together in the future.
Tag: mark
Notes: training #1
Notes: training #1
