|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 21, 2010 19:41:20 GMT -5
--Sorrelpaw's mentor puffed in pride as he spoke his next few words. "Of course, swimming is a vital skill if you're going to be a RiverClan cat. We all know how to swim, and we're the only clan that can." The continued, and then Sorrelpaw heard the rushing of water and they were at the river.
--Sorrelpaw and Frozenstream approached the stream and sat down. She was careful not to fall in. "This is the ThunderClan border. If you look into it you may see a few moving masses of silver - those are fish," Frozenstream meowed. Sorrelpaw leaned forward just a bit and saw a glimmer of light. "That is an animal?" she breathed in amazment.
--"Don't get too close or you'll scare them off with your shadow. You have to be patient and wait for the fish to come to you," he continued. Sorrelpaw shifted so that her shadow could no longer be seen from the surface and Frozenstream did the same. "Just wait until they come close to you and then you scoop them up with your paw. Sometimes cats put their tail in the water to bait the fish, and it helps from time to time."
--Sorrelpaw was very eager to try it. She waited for as long as she could bear, and then dipped her paw into the water. But the fish had already seen her and they swam away. "Darn," she said, disappointed. "Now they will be all scared and won't come back."
|
|
Sare «
moderator
[M:0]
Posts: 386
|
Post by Sare « on Jul 21, 2010 20:22:27 GMT -5
Frozenstream waited patiently for a fish to come to him. He looked over at his apprentice occasionally, but then quickly averted his gaze back to the stream. The white-furred tom cat couldn't help but notice as one of the fish slowly swam closer to his apprentice, and she attempted to scoop it out of the water. Her attempt failed and the fish were quick to be alerted of the danger of the looming cats, and were hasty to find a safer place to dwell. Frozenstream looked at the fish and sighed, "Oh well, it's never easy catching fish, especially without watching me do it first. It was very decent for a first try. But now that the fish are gone, I suppose I may as well teach you how to swim."
Frozenstream took a pawstep into the water, feeling as the mud sucked at it and as the cool water ran past it. The feelings were very soothing to him, but were sure to inspire panic in a cat who wasn't of RiverClan. "First just wade into the water and get used to how it feels. It's newleaf now, so the water shouldn't be too cold." Frozenstream thought back about the days he had been an apprentice. The leaf-bare water was cold and biting, and he remembered the shock of the moment that he had walked into the stream unprepared. Yet at the same time it felt so natural to him, something that would never be understood by cats of any other clan. [/size]
|
|
|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 22, 2010 6:11:24 GMT -5
--Sorrelpaw looked down disappointedly at the ground. Frozenstream looked over towards her and said, "Oh well, it's never easy catching fish, especially without watching me do it first. It was very decent for a first try. But now that the fish are gone, I suppose I may as well teach you how to swim." Sorrelpaw thought that it hadn't been a decent first try, that it was lousy, but she was so excitede to learn how to swim she forgot about it all.
--Frozenstram waded into the water and told Sorrelpaw to do the same. "First just wade into the water and get used to how it feels. It's newleaf now, so the water shouldn't be too cold." Sorrelpaw bunched her muscles together and, like a coiled wire, she sprang into the water, making a huge splash and water go everywhere.
--Sorrelpaw looked to her soaking mentor and giggled a bit. "Sorry," she muttered. She soon found that she loved every part of the water, she loved how it felt, and when she bent down to drink from it, she loved the way it tasted. She was soon running around in the shallow part of the river, her fur soaked but her morale high.
|
|
Sare «
moderator
[M:0]
Posts: 386
|
Post by Sare « on Jul 22, 2010 13:28:20 GMT -5
Frozenstream shivered as Sorrelpaw jumped into the river, water splashing against his pelt and matting down his fur. His eyes were narrowed in a glare at Sorrelpaw, until he noticed her giggling. It was all good fun, Frozenstream assumed, and he just shook his fur and watched as Sorrelpaw excitedly pranced about in the shallows of the river. Frozenstream could feel a smile spreading across his face, but the white tom was quick to shake it off. "Alright, just remember, the current it always a shock to cats who fall in or try swimming for the first time, but it's just like walking in the water. I'll show you."
The RiverClan warrior walked forwards into the deeper center of the river, where he started to swim. "Just remember that you have to keep kicking out with your hind legs and pulling with your front legs as if you were scooping out mud. Try in the shallows first - the current is stronger in the center of the river." Frozenstream spoke as he started to head towards the shore, so that he could more easily supervise his apprentice.
"What most cats don't understand is that it's pretty much natural. You should see it when a ThunderClan cat happens to fall into the river - they act as if they've just fallen into a pack of dogs. Usually you just have to tell them to stand up though, they don't usually land in the center of the river." Frozenstream added with a sly grin, he wasn't usually the one to tell an amusing story or insult another clan, but Sorrelpaw's excitement had obviously been rubbing off on him. [/size]
|
|
|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 22, 2010 18:15:07 GMT -5
--Sorrelpaw pranced about happily in the shallow water, her grin almost as wide as her face. She found that she loved swimming- but maybe not in the deep part. The water was so cool and refreshing against her hot pelt that had been soaking up the sun's rays all day long.
--As Frozenstream spoke, Sorrelpaw looked towards him, trying to pay attention. "Alright, just remember, the current it always a shock to cats who fall in or try swimming for the first time, but it's just like walking in the water. I'll show you." Frozenstream waded out into the deep part of the water, and he swam, his head bobbing in and out of the water. Then he started towards shore again. "Just remember that you have to keep kicking out with your hind legs and pulling with your front legs as if you were scooping out mud. Try in the shallows first - the current is stronger in the center of the river."
--"What most cats don't understand is that it's pretty much natural. You should see it when a ThunderClan cat happens to fall into the river - they act as if they've just fallen into a pack of dogs. Usually you just have to tell them to stand up though, they don't usually land in the center of the river," Frozenstream meowed with a smile on his maw. Excited to try, Sorrelpaw pushed her back legs off from the shallow end and into the deep end, forgetting her mentor's wide words of wisdom. She tried to swim, kicking her legs furiously, but all she did was make splashes, and her head disappeared beneath the water's surface, then reappeared. "Help!" she cried out to her mentor, choking on the water
|
|
Sare «
moderator
[M:0]
Posts: 386
|
Post by Sare « on Jul 22, 2010 20:02:43 GMT -5
Frozenstream watched as Sorrelpaw gathered her haunches and made a powerful leap into the center of the river. His expression of relaxation quickly turned into that of fear and anticipation as his apprentice tried as hard as she could to swim - he'd warned her not to go right into the center of the river where the current was strongest and where a young, inexperienced apprentice would likely fall victim to the slithering river. Horror overwhelmed him as Sorrelpaw's orange head fell beneath the water, and Frozenstream found himself as frozen as ice with fear. 'Move, Frozenstream, Sorrelpaw won't make it if you don't help her!'
At that moment, a shrill wail called out, "Help!" [/i] as Sorrelpaw's head once again bobbed on the surface, threatening to go back under any moment as she choked on the water that she had swallowed. Frozenstream was quick to pounce back into the deeper water, as he frantically tread in the water and searched for an orange bundle of fur. He could see Sorrelpaw's bright fur and did not delay as he swam towards her and grabbed a hold of her scruff. Tilting his head back so that Sorrelpaw would stay above the water, Frozenstream skillfully swam back to the shores of the stream and gently placed his apprentice down on to the ground. "And that is why you can't always jump into things. You have to be careful and observe first - what may appear to be safe is not always as it seems. Always remember this, Sorrelpaw, you've got a lot to learn." the white tom scolded as his crystal blue eyes gazed down at his apprentice. 'It's been one day and I've nearly lost her twice.'[/blockquote][/size]
|
|
|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 23, 2010 6:29:02 GMT -5
--Sorrelpaw was choking, her fur was heavy and wet, and the water was dragging her under. She was completely submerged, then her little head bobbed to the surface of the river again. She could see Frozenstream frantically swimming and kicking with his legs before she went under again. "Oh, please, get here sooner," she thought desperately.
--Frozenstream had arrived by Sorrelpaw's side. Her teeth sank into her scruff and she was gently cared back to the shore. When Sorrelpaw had been dragged to land and her teeth had stopped chattering, Frozenstream spoke sternly to her. "And that is why you can't always jump into things. You have to be careful and observe first - what may appear to be safe is not always as it seems. Always remember this, Sorrelpaw, you've got a lot to learn."
--Sorrelpaw bowed her head and muttered and low, "Sorry," fot the third time that day. It was her first training day and she didn't know what she kept messing up. She felt so bad, disgracing her mentor. "I will pay more attention to your words from now on, and I will always look before I leap," she mewed softly.]
|
|
Sare «
moderator
[M:0]
Posts: 386
|
Post by Sare « on Jul 23, 2010 12:46:37 GMT -5
"Good. You just have to learn from your mistakes." Frozenstream pointed out as he looked back over at the river. "Just do as I said - swim in the shallows of the water. You need to get used to a slower current first before you are able to swim in the middle of the river, where the pull of it is strongest." Frozenstream beckoned his apprentice with his tail as he waded out into the shallow area of the river, to an area where Sorrelpaw would be able to swim and he would be able to watch and recover her, if necessary.
"And do remember, it's sort of like walking. Just kick out with your hind legs and scoop in with your front legs. It's simple and natural, you just need to master the way of the river first." Frozenstream smiled at her warmly, knowing that it would take a little while before he would be able to successfully train his apprentice. 'So eager, and yet she seems to forget my advice as soon as it is best needed. We'll work on swimming today, and maybe after we'll have time to try hunting once more. But first, let us see how Sorrelpaw does.' he thought as he carefully watched his apprentice. [/size]
|
|
|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 23, 2010 16:53:26 GMT -5
--Sorrelpaw shivered as the cold water soaked her coat, but she was relieved to be safe again. She looked up at her mentor, very sorry for disgracing him, as he spoke. "Good. You just have to learn from your mistakes." Sorrelpaw nodded. Maybe Frozenstream was right. Maybe it was good to mess up but learn for it once in a while. "Just do as I said - swim in the shallows of the water. You need to get used to a slower current first before you are able to swim in the middle of the river, where the pull of it is strongest."
--Frozenstream gestured with his tail that Sorrelpaw should follow him, and she waded out into the stream again, but stayed in the shallow end this time. "And do remember, it's sort of like walking. Just kick out with your hind legs and scoop in with your front legs. It's simple and natural, you just need to master the way of the river first." Sorrelpaw nodded, this time keeping everything in her head. Her mentor smiled at her and gave her the confidence that she needed.
--Sorrelpaw bent over so that she could not touch the bottom anymore, and then she kicked and scooped with her, and she began to move, slow but then getting faster. "Hey! I am doing it!" she called out.
|
|
Sare «
moderator
[M:0]
Posts: 386
|
Post by Sare « on Jul 23, 2010 18:17:56 GMT -5
Frozenstream watched as swimming came naturally to his apprentice. It only took a few moments before Sorrelpaw grew accustomed to the water, and before he knew it his apprentice was swimming. Her movements grew quicker and quicker as she became more confident in her ability to swim, and Frozenstream nodded with approval. "Wonderful. See? It comes naturally to most cats, as long as they aren't panicking their fur off because they got a little wet." The white tom padded further into the water until he could no longer touch the ground with his paws.
"Let's try deeper out. Don't go straight into the center, slowly get used to the current every time you make one movement further. Once you get used to it, just take another step forward and take it from there. Don't panic if the river proves stronger than you - I'll be here to make sure you don't go anywhere." Frozenstream idly paddled in the water as he made sure to keep his eye on the orange tabby fur of Sorrelpaw. By now he knew better than to even look away from her for one second - she was almost certain to get in trouble if someone didn't keep an eye out for her. [/size]
|
|
|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 24, 2010 5:51:53 GMT -5
--As Sorrelpaw looked back at her mentor, he nodded his head in approval of her swimming. "Wonderful. See? It comes naturally to most cats, as long as they aren't panicking their fur off because they got a little wet," he meowed. Sorrelpaw was a bit ashamed by his last sentence, it reminded herself of her, just minutes before, panicking. "I can swim now, I can do it!" she cried out with joy, swimming in circles and loops.
--Frozenstream started to paddle into deeper water, saying, "Let's try deeper out. Don't go straight into the center, slowly get used to the current every time you make one movement further. Once you get used to it, just take another step forward and take it from there. Don't panic if the river proves stronger than you - I'll be here to make sure you don't go anywhere." His eyes stayed on Sorrelpaw, surely watching her to make sure she stayed safe and out of harm's way from the current. She blushed again.
--But he had good reason to watch over her every second, Sorrelpaw knew all the trouble that she had caused, even on her first day of apprenticeship. First, the gorge, and then the river. But now Sorrelpaw was better at swimming, and when she went into the deeper end, she could withstand the currrent and keep swimming.
|
|
Sare «
moderator
[M:0]
Posts: 386
|
Post by Sare « on Jul 24, 2010 13:58:07 GMT -5
Frozenstream watched as Sorrelpaw continued to swim deeper into the water and grow accustomed to the strength of the flow in each area. 'Good, she's heeding my advice. Perhaps she's learned her lessons today, to always listen to your superior and not dash into things. But I doubt it's permanent, tomorrow she'll be as eager as ever, jumping into every challenge she finds despite the fact she's only been an apprentice for a couple of days.' The white tom cat watched as Sorrelpaw swam, a satisfied smile forming on his features.
Eventually she headed into the center of the river, the deepest part where the current was the strongest. The young Sorrelpaw was holding up well, not losing a fight against the strength of the pull of the river, and not tiring... yet. Or perhaps the endless energy that she seemed to have would prove to hold out against the greater force of the river? He'd have yet to see an apprentice who could handle the strength of the river where it was fastest and strongest for over a few minutes. But perhaps Sorrelpaw would prove to be the first.
"If you begin to feel tired, swim back to shore. You can't fight against the river forever." Frozenstream meowed as he swam closer to Sorrelpaw, so that he could more easily save her if she lost her strength and if she forgot to swim back to the shore. [/size]
|
|
|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 25, 2010 7:42:20 GMT -5
--Sorrelpaw was enjoying the feel of cool and refreshing water against her pelt. She found that she could even fight the current for a while. Her head swivled in the direction of her mentor when Frozenstream spoke, but she kept on swimming. "If you begin to feel tired, swim back to shore. You can't fight against the river forever."
--"Alright," Sorrelpaw cried excitedly over her shoulder. "Just a few more minutes." Her paws were scooping the water tirelessly, propelling her forward. She seemed to have endless supply of energy and was enjoying beating the current. She pulled and scooped with her front paws, and with her back paws she kicked the waterand splashed.
-She saw Frozenstream waiting for her and decided to go back. She maneuvered her body so that she was facing the bank and then she scooped and kicked all the way to land. When she got there, she hopped out and shook her pelt lightly, spraying water everywhere, including her mentor. "But he was already wet," she thought. "Where to next?" she asked excitedly. "Can we go hunting again, I think that I could do it now!" Sorrelpaw was waiting for a chance to prove that she could hunt just as well as she could swim.
|
|
Sare «
moderator
[M:0]
Posts: 386
|
Post by Sare « on Jul 25, 2010 14:17:57 GMT -5
Frozenstream nodded as his apprentice promised to leave the water in a few minutes. 'She sure is enjoying swimming - it is a shame that we're the only cats that can truly understand and enjoy the water. I swear, if they weren't so afraid of it they'd love it! All of my friends think I'm insane, but... swimming in the river and living off of fish, I could imagine it no other way. How dreadful it must be to live in a dark forest, out in the open, or in a place where the foliage is so thick you can barely walk through it?' he thought as he kept his eyes on Sorrelpaw.
Seeing as she was beginning to swim towards the shore, Frozenstream followed his apprentice and as soon as she got out of the water she shook her fur, splashing her mentor with droplets of water. Frozenstream shrugged it off, his fur was already plastered to his back because of the water, what harm would a bit more do? "Alright, if you think you can try out hunting we'll do it. We'll go further upstream, where the fish will be more plentiful. Watch me do it first, alright? It will be much easier if you can observe how another hunts and then try to mimic me."
The white tom began walking upstream, hoping that his apprentice would follow him without getting into some kind of trouble again. [/size]
|
|
|
Post by ♥ Riro ♥ on Jul 26, 2010 7:01:36 GMT -5
--Sorrelpaw climbed out onto the top of the bank, her nails digging into the dirt as she scrambled up. It felt sort of weird to be out of the water, having something solid to stand apon. "Alright, if you think you can try out hunting we'll do it. We'll go further upstream, where the fish will be more plentiful. Watch me do it first, alright? It will be much easier if you can observe how another hunts and then try to mimic me," her mentor meowed.
--Sorrelpaw nodded her head and replied, "I will watch you closely, then I will catch lots of fish for our clan!" Her excitement still knew no bounds, as she leaped all over the place, splashing water everywhere too.
--Frozenstream started walked up stream and Sorrelpaw came quickly behind him. She watched the ripples and waves and the current in the river, easily mesmerized by the pattern. She picked up her pace to get there sooner, wanting to taste a bite of fish caught by her own apprentice paws for the first time ever. "Of course, the fish will go to the clan," she thought. Then her mentor stopped and Sorrelpaw stopped behind him.
|
|