winter's breath [open]

[Sakura]

tigermoth

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The midday sun burned softly through the veil of wispy, transparent clouds that painted over the oceanic tinted sky. A lissome figure skulked within the shadows of the elongated grass that flowed and ruffled to the mercy of the slightest breeze. A succulent scent rode along with the wind and exposed itself to the young female's acute sense. The figure instantly surrendered herself to huntress mode, allowing her natural instincts to opt to override. Ears strained for the merest noise, eyes narrowed for every movement, whiskers quivered in anticipation, fangs and claws unsheathed in excitement: she was ready.

Tigermoth trailed silently after the fresh avian scent till the scent unveil the location of the young prey. The avian locked into place, sensing a disturbance in his surroundings. Tigermoth mirrored her prey, waiting for the tense moment to lax once more. After a moment's breath, the crow unsheathed his onyx wings and shifted the movements required for him to surge through the heavens. Tigermoth clenched her teeth in frustration: it was now or never. Bundling up her strength to her rear legs, the huntress launched herself toward the prey, fangs and claws bared. The crow cried out a warning song as he pumped more power to his wings in desperation as raw adrenaline spiked through his veins. Tigermoth felt her claws engrave into his flesh in midair. The crow shrieked in pain as his strength began to fail him and consequently allowing him to gravitate back to the ground. Once the black avian descended, Tigermoth snapped his neck with her powerful jaws, forcing the crow to become ominously limp and silent.

Tigermoth withdrew her jowl from the miniscule beast and coughed out a couple of lingering feathers. She studied the carcass and disappointedly found the bird to be somewhat scrawny and lean. Of course, one should be grateful to even come across prey, especially in a bitter winter such as this current one. Though the bird failed to be much, it was a gift nonetheless. Hopefully this will keep someone's stomach quiet for the night. Tigermoth thought to herself, attempting to keep herself from being grim and a pessimist. Tigermoth knew clearly that this fresh-kill would be distributed among the queens and elders. Tigermoth thought nothing of it, but her hungry stomach disagreed. Oh great stars, the sooner spring comes the better. [/blockquote]

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"No, no. Slower and quieter. The mouse would have heard you before you smelt it." Goldenwatcher meowed calmly. Her apprentice, Swanpaw, was a quick learner, but she seemed to want to move to fast sometimes. She watched the young cat walk back to her starting point again. She moved cautiously moved across the ground, and looked as if she was floating.

"How was that Goldenwatcher?" Swanpaw's ear perked. She was eager to learn, but didn't enjoy doing things as many times as she had done this.

Goldenwatcher sighed. "You're moving a little to quick. Mice can feel the vibrations you paws let off as you walk. If you walk softer and slower, he'll never see you coming. Now try it again."

The small apprentice let out a growl of annoyance. They had been working on her hunters crouch all morning, but she couldn't get it right. "Yes Goldenwatcher." She said, and the once again walked back to her starting point. She glided across the ground, her paws sweeping quietly through the air. Once she was near her mentor, she stopped. "Now?"

Before the golden cat could speak, a shriek split the near-silence. "Can we go see what it was? Please Goldenwatcher!"

"Very well. We'll work some more tormorrow." She purred.

The two cats walked through the trees until they can across their clan-mate, Tigermoth. "Nice catch." Goldenwatcher mewed at the tortoiseshell she-cat. "I take you are having the same thoughts as I am on the weight of the bird?"

[Sakura]

tigermoth

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As a rustling echoed not far off into the distance and began to enclose the space, Tigermoth flicked and perked her ears up as she gazed out toward the heart of the sounds. After moment's breath, Goldenwatcher appeared along with her apprentice, Swanpaw. "Hello Goldenwatcher, Swanpaw." Tigermoth purred in greeting. "It's nice to you two out here."

"I take you are having the same thoughts as I am on the weight of the bird?"

Tigermoth paused momentarily to steal a glance down at her recent victim and noted again how gaunt the little fellow was. The tortoiseshell turned her focus back to her clan-mate and nodded. "Yes, it has me really concerned. I've been out since a bit past sunrise and this was all I've been able to find. This has been one of the most awful winters I've ever endured. Either spring has to come or we might have to be creative for a new food source." Tigermoth sat down and curled her tail neatly over her paws. Sensing that the prey topic was bringing her spirits down, she shifted the focus to her comrades. "So, what have you two been working on out here?" [/blockquote][/blockquote]

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"Hello Goldenwatcher, Swanpaw. It's nice to see you two out here."

'I could say the same. I would still be back there practicing my hunters crouch!' Swanpaw thought, trying to keep a friendly look on her face. She shook her head. "Hello Tigermoth." She said, bowing her head in greeting.

"Yes, it has me really concerned. I've been out since a bit past sunrise and this was all I've been able to find. This has been one of the most awful winters I've ever endured. Either spring has to come or we might have to be creative for a new food source."

Goldenwatcher watched the she-cat glance at the scrawny bird before looking back up at them.

"So, what have you two been working on out here?"

"Swanpaw's hunters crouch. She can't seem to get it right." The golden cat looked over at her apprentice who's eyes was focused on the bird. She looked back at Tigermoth, "The only thing I've caught today is a mouse, and he was a walking skeleton with skin." She tried to push her worries for the clan to the back of her mind.

"I haven't caught anything! I don't know why-"

Goldenwatcher cut her off with a swipe of her tail. "You know why, Swanpaw. We've been at this all day."

Swanpaw looked down at her paws. "Right." She looked up at Tigermoth, and then back at Goldenwatcher. "Maybe Tigermoth could help me with my hunters crouch? It would give you a break, and I..."

"Could have a break from me?" Goldenwatcher purred. "If Tigermoth agrees?"

[Sakura]

tigermoth

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"The only thing I've caught today is a mouse, and he was a walking skeleton with skin."

Tigermoth shook her head grimly. "Well, looks like yet another night without dinner. Maybe sometime later today I'll swing by the forests more up north and see if I can score another lucky catch. With Autumnleaf is expecting kits anytime soon and the elders are getting cranky over being hungry, pretty much anything we catch is gourmet at this point." Tigermoth sighed quietly as she ascended to a full stand. As the apprentice and mentor exchanged words, Tigermoth bit back a chuckle as she silently watched.

"Maybe Tigermoth could help me with my hunters crouch? It would give you a break, and I..."

"Could have a break from me? If Tigermoth agrees?"

"Sure," Tigermoth purred. "I wouldn't mind at all to spend some time working with Swanpaw." Tigermoth turned her head and glanced down at the apprentice. "So, it's the hunters crouch you need improving on? Show me what you have so far." [/blockquote][/blockquote]

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"Well, looks like yet another night without dinner. Maybe sometime later today I'll swing by the forests more up north and see if I can score another lucky catch. With Autumnleaf is expecting kits anytime soon and the elders are getting cranky over being hungry, pretty much anything we catch is gourmet at this point."

"I know what you mean. I was thinking of checking the river, hopefully is hasn't frozen over." She said, wondering if she could even fish.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind at all to spend some time working with Swanpaw."


"Great. I'll be heading back to camp then. I'll see how things are coming along later." Goldenwatcher bowed her head at the two cats. She then turned around and head through the trees, back to camp.

"So, it's the hunters crouch you need improving on? Show me what you have so far."

"Goldenwatcher says I'm moving to fast." The young she-cat crouched, walking her way forward. Although she actually knew she was walking to fast this time, she hoped Tigermoth would be easier on her than Goldenwatcher was.

"How was that, Tigermoth?"




Sorry 'bout the fail post. Muse has been off today. x.x

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[Sakura]

tigermoth

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"Great. I'll be heading back to camp then. I'll see how things are coming along later."

Tigermoth waved her tail in farewell as Goldenwatcher departed and aimed her way back to the encampment. With that, she altered her full focus back to the young apprentice. Tigermoth's acute amber eyes caught every detail of movement Swanpaw performed. One she completed, the tortoiseshell warrior silently evaluated her final conclusions in her head for a moment's breath.

"How was that, Tigermoth?"

Tigermoth slowly strolled in a circle around Swanpaw. "It's true that you are moving a tad too quickly, but it's only a couple of minor errors that are hindering you. First, try shifting just a little more weight toward your forepaws; that might help you with the speed problem. Next, align you center of gravity more evenly across your body by lowering you hips closer to the earth, but lifting your tail slightly as well. And instead of keeping your tail rigid and unmoving, go ahead and allow it to shift side to side just slightly, just be sure that it doesn't stroke against anything."

Tigermoth hugged herself against the earth and swiftly performed the crouch with grace. Her paws seemed to glide across the floor without echoing a single sound. When she completed, Tigermoth turned around and addressed the apprentice again. "Try the hunter's crouch once more, but with the changes I just said. I know some of it goes against what Goldenwatcher probably said to you, but everyone has a different style and swagger to their step. If you noticed from my hunter's crouch I just performed, it's a bit different from what they usually teach you. I learned from my own mentor that fitting the technique to the warrior, instead of fitting the warrior to the technique usually has better results, even if it's not the traditional standard. Anyway, enough of my blabbing, try it again and see if the changes help any."[/blockquote][/blockquote]