Deep dive | training

[Snakeblink]

MAYBE I'D BE A SAINT IF I WEREN'T ————————————​

Newleaf water is clear and cool against Snakeblink's paws, the sand and mud of the river's shallow soft between his toes, the sun warm but not burning on his back.

The perfect weather to throw his apprentice into deep water.

He turns to Turtlepaw with an expression that could, with some generosity, be considered a smile. It's a lesson he did not want to have while leafbare still rendered the water silver with frost, but that last reticence has disappeared with the cold. "Are you ready? We will only be diving for now: I want to see how deep you can go before I make you haul a fish back up. Currents can be treacherous further beneath the surface."
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——————————————————————————————————— so god damn lonely​

ooc. information.

• @turtlepaw
  
• 
  
  
  — Snakeblink • he / him. 51 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

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[turtlepaw]

come along with me​

---

The water is RiverClan's lifeblood, and the cool, clear water ran through Turtlepaw's veins. Swimming came instinctively to her just like breathing and hunting. Of course, both needed to be refined through training, but they were coming along! She gave training her full attention during sessions and even practiced on her own time. She wanted to make everyone so proud.

She padded behind her mentor faithfully with a wide grin. Everyday was something new and exciting, especially with Snakeblink. She looked to the water he indicated and nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yeah! Easy peasy!" she chirped.

The dark tabby, with no hesitation, leaped into the water. Coolness pressed into her fur, and her breath halted on instinct. Jewel green eyes opened to see the underwater world she was eager to explore. Green fronds of river plants billowed with the river's current, and small silver fish swam against it. If she could have purred, she would have. It was just so mystical.

Turtlepaw churned her paws in the water to press deeper to the stilt below. She could feel the river's grip growing stronger as she submerged. Snakeblink had said it would do this, and he was right! Her mentor was so smart. When she felt herself having to really paddle against the current, Turtlepaw stopped paddling and let it carry her further down river. It was kind of fun!

Her lungs started to burn, so she pushed her way to the surface. When her head breached, she gasped in air fitfully. That was probably her limit until she got stronger. Turtlepaw scanned the bank and beamed when she saw her mentor up river a couple of foxlenghts. She paddled to shore and bounded back up to him.

"The current! Carried me!" She explained between gasps. Water clung to her pelt and dripped into puddles at her feet.

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‎‎┌── ooc ⋆⋅☾⋅⋆ info ──┐‎

• 
  
  speech color
  
• TURTLEPAW ✩ she/her/hers, apprentice of riverclan, 6 moons (ages every 1st)
  ⭃ stocky silver charcoal tabby. tail is a stub. energetic, naive, dim
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / roughhousing and wrestling encouraged / underline and tag when attacking ↛ see battle info here
  ⭃ penned by muddly ↛ @/muddly on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[Snakeblink]

MAYBE I'D BE A SAINT IF I WEREN'T ————————————​

With the same enthusiasm as always, Turtlepaw throws herself into the water—a dark shape beneath the surface that swiftly disappears as the river carries her deeper and downstream. She had taken to the water like a fish, or like a true River cat; Snakeblink does not feel the need to worry as his apprentice briefly goes out of sight, and indeed her head pops back up with a big gasp, sending droplets raining around her.

He waits until she’s back at his side to speak, nodding as she exclaims about the current. ”You did well in spite of your size,” he praises, though in truth she is on track to become bigger than he is before long; not yet though. ”Fighting against the current without good muscle mass would only exhaust you. And now you see why I will not have you fish today: one fish dragging you along was enough for now.”

Uncoiling himself from his position on the bank, Snakeblink slips past her and into the water. This is an exercise he was excited about: deep swimming is one of his favorite activities, for the opportunities it brings and the peace he feels doing it. ”Muscle mass will only come with age and training, but there are a few things I can teach you in the meanwhile. You felt the current get stronger, yes? Now let us see whether you can avoid it.” Nodding at her to follow along, he takes a deep breath and ducks under the surface, paddling toward the deeper part of the river.

Fishing requires stillness and patience, both of which are harder to find in the middle of the river, where air is in short supply and the water constantly tugs you away, as opposed to the safety of the shore. But Snakeblink has been swimming in these waters for many seasons, and he has found his ways; finding pockets of stillness, or tucking himself against stones and debris, letting the current pass him by. Today he digs his claws into the silty bottom of the river and tilts his head up, narrowing his eye to peer through the watery distortion at the shape of his apprentice and watch how she deals with this small challenge.​

——————————————————————————————————— so god damn lonely​

ooc. information.

• 
  
• 
  
  
  — Snakeblink • he / him. 53 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

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