Hunting Lesson

[Wolfy//June]

Wolfstar padded the forest with Gladepaw, Sprucepaw and Birdpaw. Sleetmask, Batflight, and Flameclaw had been on the midnight patrol so he took over for them. He stopped and sat down, looking at all three apprentices. "Ok. It is time to review an important lesson. Gladepaw, what is the difference when you are hunting a mouse and a rabbit?"

[Gladetail]

Gladepaw thought for a second before replying... Something about speed... at least that's what I hear from the warriors den... Waving her tail, Gladepaw mewed, "You have to stalk a mouse as quietly as you can using the hunter's crouch, but for a rabbit it depends on how fast you are to catch it."

[Wolfy//June]

Wolfstar shook his head. "Close. But, what I'm looking for is that a rabbit will hear you before it sees you and a mouse will feel your pawsteps before it even hears you. Good try though. You were partially right. It is true what you said." Wolfstar praised her, and he didn't give praises lightly.

[Spruceburn]

Sprucepaw walked at the back of the group behind Birdpaw and Gladepaw, who were behind Wolfstar. Oh great, a hunting lesson with the one and only Wolfstar! The apprentice thougt sarcastically to himself. He listened as his father asked Gladepaw and question and she was off only by a bit, but yet he still praised his sister. Sprucepaw rolled his eyes, If I had gotten it wrong he would scolded me... He thought angrily to himself.

[Wolfy//June]

Wolfstar turned to Birdpaw. "Birdpaw, next question, and one you should know. When a bird calls an alarm, you should prepare to what since the bird is about to fly away?"

[Birdsong]

"You should prepare to jump," she mewed. It sounded like a question. She was distracted by Sprucepaw, who was staring moodily down at the ground. She wanted to ask him what was wrong and comfort him if she could, but the three cats she was with were related, and she didn't want to embarrass him--or herself--in front of them.

[Wolfy//June]

" Yes! Very good!" Wolfstar purred enthusiastically. The apprentices were keen learners. Finally, he turned to Sprucepaw, the appprentice who seemed to always have a rain cloud above his head. "Last question. If you chased a squirrel up a tree, how do you get down properly without hurting yourself?"

[Spruceburn]

Good for you Birdpaw... Sprucepaw thought moodily to himself. When are we going to actually hunt? Or at least go back to camp? The apprentice thought to himself. Sprucepaw came to a stop, Gladepaw, Birdpaw, and Wolfstar were looking at him. Oh fox dung, did Wolfstar ask me something? Instead of looking like an idiot, the tom thought of a smart remark. '' Why don't you show me, oh great Wolfstar? '' he said testily.

[Birdsong]

Birdpaw had to stifle a mrrow of laughter. It had been obvious in his eyes that Sprucepaw had been unaware of being asked a question. Luckily for him, his tart response worked perfectly. She only bothered to stop herself from laughing because she knew how disrespectful he was being. She noticed Wolfstar's darkening expression and quickly decided to step in. "Yeah, Wolfstar, why don't you show us what we should do? I don't think Batflight went over that with me yet."

[Gladetail]

Gladepaw sat quietly as the response from her brother came. Sigh... no surprise. Gladepaw saw Birdpaw agree with her brother and still she watched just looking back in forth at the expressions on Wolfstar and Sprucepaw.

[Wolfy//June]

Wolfstar rolled his eyes. "Yes, very well." He climbed the nearest tree with ease and meowed to Sprucepaw, "Now, I was chasing a squirrel and I managed to climb up here. What is the proper way to get down? You tell me and I'll demonstrate. But, only if you get it right."

[Spruceburn]

When Wolfstar turned away to climb up a tree, Sprucepaw smirked. He winked to Birdpaw grateful for her help, and then watched his father climb a tree. '' I dunno, just jump down? '' he meowed nonchalantly.

[Birdsong]

Birdpaw flushed under her fur when Sprucepaw winked at her, and was grateful that he turned his attention to Wolfstar before he could notice. It's just a harmless little crush, she tried to convince herself, after a while it should go away. The thing was, she'd been telling herself that for quite some time now, and every time her feelings had never changed. She shook her head to clear it and returned her attention to Wolfstar to see if Sprucepaw had gotten the answer right.

[Wolfy//June]

Wolfstar shook his head. "Not even close. Did you know that one of your former clanmates snapped his neck when climbing down from a tree? Did you know how he snapped his neck? Doing exactly what you just said. Gladepaw, please tell me the correct way."

[Gladetail]

Gladepaw rolled her eyes of in dismission. Why am I stuck with these two love birds? She started even wondering what Goldenblaze was doing... Once Wolfstar asked the questions Gladepaw's mind shot back to life. "I believe you unsheath your claws and slowly back down out of the tree as your claws dig into the bark."