|
Post by Twilidramon on Jul 19, 2014 7:55:32 GMT -5
Lightningfoot kneaded his paws against the tree root. Though he had been Batpaw's mentor for four moons, he couldn't help but feel anxious. Ever since his apprentice's accident with the fox training had been difficult. It was hard to work around a missing limb!
I'll have to find a way though, he thought. Batpaw insists that he can be a warrior, and I'm not about to let his training go to waste. His wounds were finally, finally, healed enough for them to try tree-jumping. So long as they took it slowly, they ought to be fine. Lightningfoot didn't want this session to end with a visit to Cinderstep's den.
|
|
|
Post by Latias on Jul 24, 2014 19:40:48 GMT -5
Unlike Lightningfoot, Batpaw looked like he was about to burst with excitement. He was tired of sitting around doing nothing, and it was about time he learned to climb. After all, what self respecting ForestClan warrior didn't know how to climb trees? This should be easy, he thought to himself and he hobbled over to Lightningfoot and awkwardly sat himself down on a tree root beside the warrior. To the young apprentice, tree climbing seemed like a breeze. Walking with three legs was easy enough to figure out, so how hard could climbing be? "I'm ready to start!" he mewed, his chest puffed out confidently and yellow eyes gleaming with confidence.
|
|
|
Post by Twilidramon on Jul 24, 2014 21:50:03 GMT -5
Lightningfoot spotted his apprentice approaching. Well, he seems to have walking down, he thought. That was helpful.
His swagger and confidence made Lightningfoot regret his own worries - but they didn't go away.
"I... I suppose we'll start small then," Lightningfoot said. He knew that if he asked if Batpaw was feeling OK, he'd probably get a stinging reply. Besides, Batpaw would tell him if he was hurting, right? "All apprentices start small, and then work their way up to bigger trees. We'll do some climbing before we start jumping. That sound good?"
|
|
|
Post by Latias on Jul 24, 2014 22:01:06 GMT -5
He paused for a moment before giving a little shrug. "Sounds good." He was itching to climb up the taller trees in the woods, but knew he'd be pushing his luck to suggest climbing up those first. "So, what do I need to do first?"
|
|
|
Post by Twilidramon on Jul 25, 2014 10:42:06 GMT -5
Lightningfoot mewed, "There ought to be some smaller trees around here."
He got off his root and led the way through the undergrowth. Eventually, they spotted some trees that didn't go quite as high as some of the others in the territory.
Lightningfoot gave a smile. "These will do," he mewed. A fall from one of these trees would wind a cat, not break their bones. "Give climbing one of these a shot - don't go too high, though."
|
|
|
Post by Latias on Jul 25, 2014 12:16:04 GMT -5
"Okay!" The young apprentice bounced back up onto his three paws and hopped up to the base of the tree. Turning his gaze upwards, he studied the young maple. It's trunk was narrow and its branches thin, but it had grown past the point of being called a sapling, and would definitely support his weight. The bark was rough, with lots of little bumps and pockets that his claws could grip into. The lowest branch was not too far up, maybe four fox lengths above the forest floor. Once he had observed enough about the tree, Batpaw took a step back and crouched, his stare fixed on a spot a little ways up the trunk. The muscles in his back legs tensed up, and he pushed off from the ground, his front paw stretching upwards. His claws latched onto the bark, and he pressed himself up against the tree. Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw that he was about one tail length above the top of Lightningfoot's head. With a small purr of pride, he turned his attention back to the tree trunk. His back legs tensed once more, and he pushed himself upwards, his front paw momentarily letting go of his foothold to swing up and reach for another pocket to grab hold of. He did this multiple times, each bound successfully bringing him closer to the first branch. But just when he was only a few leaps away from the bough, he lost his grip and began to fall. Instinctively, he twisted his body around so he was right side up again, and with a grunt he made contact with the dirt, his legs taking the brunt of the fall. However, since he didn't have a left leg to support himself, he stumbled and fell onto his side. Muttering a few curses under his breath, he slowly got back up and shook the dust out of his pelt. So much for making it on the first try, he thought.
|
|
|
Post by Twilidramon on Jul 25, 2014 14:30:17 GMT -5
Lightningfoot winced as Batpaw fell to the ground. That was surely a blow to the young cats' pride!
"You're not going to get it the first time," Lightningfoot assured him as Batpaw pushed himself up. "You're climbing like you have four legs - I don't think that's going to work. Try again. If you can't get up there again, I'll see what I can think of."
What am I thinking? he moaned inwardly. I don't have three legs! How am I supposed to teach him how to climb?
|
|
|
Post by Latias on Jul 28, 2014 21:10:11 GMT -5
The apprentice didn't meet his mentor's gaze. Instead he muttered a little "okay" before trudging back up to the tree. He looked upwards and let out a sigh. I don't know what I'm doing. Suddenly he spun around and trotted about ten paces away from the trunk before turning back around to face it. He crouched once more, but instead of jumping, he broke out into a full on, wobbly sprint. Once he touched the first root of the young tree, he vaulted himself into the air and bolted up the tree using a similar motion as before, but faster. His momentum built up from the sprint carried him most of the way up, and as he slowed he went back to using the climbing method he used before to finally get himself onto the lowest branch. "I did it!" he yowled down to Lightningfoot between gasps, his claws leaving little scratch marks in the bark as he gripped for dear life. He didn't think throwing himself up the tree would work, but it did. However, it had left him exhausted, and his shoulder ached dreadfully.
|
|
|
Post by Twilidramon on Jul 28, 2014 22:42:43 GMT -5
Lightningfoot flicked an ear. "That you did," he said. He tried to keep the tremor of worry out of his voice. He'd seen how much effort it took to vault Batpaw up that tree, and it was plainly obvious that he was exhausted from it.
That's dangerous, he thought. If he gets himself stuck up a tree, he might not be able to come back down! And if he does that while climbing a tree that's too tall... He shivered at the thought of Batpaw's body lying broken on the ground for a second time.
There has to be a way!
"Do you think you can get down on your own?" Lightningfoot asked. "Or would you like my help?"
|
|
|
Post by Latias on Jul 29, 2014 18:27:37 GMT -5
"I... I'm not sure. I'll try." Carefully, he stepped off the branch and held tight onto the tree trunk. But before he could even take another step, he shook his head and scrambled back onto the branch. "I can't. My shoulder... I'm just gonna rest here for a bit," he called back. He hated seeing Lightningfoot this worried about him.
|
|