ENDS OF THE EARTH // mass tunneler training

[SOOTSTAR]

SOOTSTAR ♀​

A small group of mentors and apprentices have gathered outside of camp. The one thing they had in common; they were tunnelers. Sootstar had invited a few to join her and Bluepaw for some battle training, she wanted to teach the she-cat a technique that could only be properly done in a group. ”Apprentices, today you are going to learn two things. How to follow an above ground enemy when in the tunnels, and how to ambush from the tunnels.” She watches the intrigue flash in their eyes before proceeding. ”The hard part will be tracking. You will have to listen to the paw steps above you and follow them, if you lose them you’ll be darting out of the tunnels and ambushing absolutely no one.” ”I want one mentor to go with the apprentices to correct them if need be. The rest of us will be walking on the moors for you to track. If we pass an exit and you’re prepared, you’ll be able to leap out and attack. If we were a real enemy patrol, we’d be in for a real surprise!” She then looks to any of the tunneler mentors present, ”Would any of you like to go with them?” // mass training thread for tunnelers! Let your guys learn how to track from below ground and ambush! @BLUEPAW

 

[Cloudedsky]

( ♬ ) A training technique, one that Cloudedsky had been excited to use one day in battle, had arrived. With tunnels leading into ShadowClan, and hopefully into more clans for an upper hand in an ambush attack, she was certain this would go well. No clan would have any idea of what would come of them when they're suddenly surrounded from tunnelers. Tunneling was essential—a necessity for WindClan's way of life, and she was honored to be apart of that.
She sits idly by whilst Sootstar speaks, ears craned forward to give get the utmost attention. Sootstar wanted a demonstration, a trial run and the bi-colored tunneler practically burst from the seams with the anticipation. Cloudedsky wanted a chance, any chance, to show Sootstar what she could do—that she was good, good enough for whatever was thrown at her. But alas, she was no mentor. Just a warrior in the crowd, keeping her head low and working hard. Her haze flits to the others that were present, waiting for someone to step up to the task. "If no one volunteers, I—I could try?" Her tone lacked the confidence that brimmed inside of her, making sure not to step upon any toes. She could do it, she could and she would succeed just out of that dwindling desperation that clings to her like the soil and grit she digs in. Tracking wasn't so hard, she had developed a decent knack for it. She learned the scents, and she had heard the soft thrumming of paw steps before when in the tunnels.

​

( You should see me in a crown ; I'm gonna run this nothing town )

 

[Badgermoon]

A tunneler he most certainly was not - his broad body would have ensued that even if his horror at the prospect of being underground didn't - but he was a member of WindClan, and WindClan relied on its tunnelers. Moreover, his own personal life was studded with tunnelers who were important to him - or future tunnelers, as the case may be. Whether that person was one of his children, his leader, or one of his tunneler friends, he wanted to try to understand what compelled them to work underground, or how they managed to endure their days toiling endlessly in the dark. Besides, he found he was also simply curious to know what educating a tunneler looked like - what skills did they need to learn that was different than a moor-runner? This was a perfect opportunity to observe. Offering Cloudedsky a small smile of greeting - for he considered the younger warrior a friend - he settled down to watch, white-tipped ears perked. Tracking an aboveground cat's steps...that must be how they know how to pop out of the tunnels on patrols. ​

 

[Mouseflight]

Of course, Mousepaw had tried to track down other cats from inside the tunnels before - it was a part of training - but he wasn't very good at it. Due to just how bad the apprentice had been, his mentor had decided that it would be best to focus on his strengths, get those better, and then come back around to the tracking and the ambushing. He had a couple more moons of training left, and it would work itself out in the end. Although he hadn't wanted to work on his tracking skills in the tunnels, when Sootstar had decided to hold a mass training for the tunneling apprentices, Mousepaw had been dragged their by his mentor.

Sitting in the sidelines, the now grumpy apprentice watched and waited, ears pricked as he looked over towards his leader so that he knew what to do next.

OOC INTERACTION FIGHTING 彡⛧

• [ooc] text
  
• dislikes anyone outside of windclan
  if known to be a kittypet or skyclanner, will immediately hate
  is a bully
  -------------------------------------------
  friendly/non-violent powerplay okay
  tag if needed/wanted in a thread
• dirty fighter
  likely to attack first
  will "accidentally" try to kill character if skyclanner or kittypet
  mention when attacking please

​

 

[SCORCHSTAR]

Training the next generation of tunnelers is an important task—a noble one, in Scorchstreak’s eyes. So when the leader had invited herself and her apprentice to train alongside some of the clan’s other tunneler apprentices, the calico had agreed readily. She hadn’t paid close attention to Cottonpaw’s training under Icebreath, but she’s seen and heard enough about Cottonpaw to understand that the young warrior had been entrusted with an apprentice far too soon. And now that Cottonpaw is older, there is less time to teach her everything that she needs to know, if she is to become a warrior on time.

"I’ll join you, Sootstar," she says to the smoky-furred leader, dark ear flicking. It will certainly be interesting to see which apprentices are observant enough to catch onto her typically light pawsteps. She’s not particularly keen on being ambushed, but if it is for the sake of training strong, smart warriors for their clan, then she is willing to get her pelt a bit dirty. To her blue-furred apprentice she offers a nod and a pointed glance—this is a test as well as a lesson, her expression attempts to convey.

// apprentice tag @cottonpaw​

[ LIKE A RATTLESNAKE ]​

​

 

[SOOTSPOT]

WindClan was a family, his home that he'd never dare replace, but his side was empty as he moved toward his mother. It was almost a relief to have no apprentice, knowing the insolence of the recent youths was enough to make his blood boil, but the image of a cat on their lonesome with so many young that needed training was a troubling one. He moved to his sister's side, perhaps as a gesture of support, perhaps to support himself, and listened to Sootstar's words with white-tufted ears pointed towards the small leader. The idea of walking on the moors caused his fur to ripple like a wave - already he had to squint to make sense of the cat's features in the sunlight, he'd prefer not to make daywalking a habit. Bright eyes flutter towards Cloudedsky, his tail gently swaying like a brush. The rest of the clan seemed to fall silent at the suggestion, marked only by the occasional murmur that Sootstar would be joined on the surface. He thought about recent events and felt tension brew in his chest as he tilted his head upwards. All he had been tasked with recently was sitting pretty, it was... vexing, more vexing than he would ever like to admit when he saw others around him serenaded with important tasks.

Sootspot offered a smile, deceptively empty for a familial gesture. "I can assist Cloudedsky wherever it is needed," he offered with a muted trill, refusing to look at the two-toned molly as he offered his assistance. It was not an attempt to undermine his sister, but rather, an attempt to not allow himself to be undermined anymore - a delicate balance between ensuring the security of his family and ensuring his own security, as if the two had somehow separated somewhere down the line. He loathed to think it, but with his mother's attention almost solely on his little siblings, it was better safe than sorry.

​

 

[WeepingWillow]

WeepingWillow observed, her icey blue gaze watching under a curtain of grey and white hairs. She rolled her shoulders, snapping of her bones as she stretches, before lean muscles help stride her gracefully to the group of warriors and the darkened gray leader.

She went through gruelling training to be who she was, and she would not let that training go to waste. And she knew as well that she was supposed to pass it down to the generations coming, whoever she could.

"If you need my help, I will be of assistance," she offered, dipping her head in a small bow of respect toward Sootstar. But if she was not needed, she would step aside. There were many warriors here, and little apprentices.

 

[✧ Marmotbite.]

CAUTION TAPE AROUND MY HEART
marmotpaw | 08 months | female | she/her | physically easy | mentally medium | attack in bold #9ab973

---

Though mismatched gaze is locked onto their queen with single minded focus, the girl says nothing, only waits patiently, tail swinging slowly from side to side. Her battle-scarred frame is diminutive even alongside her fellow tunnelers, but marmotpaw expected to excel today - this is a task she has preformed before after all, team hunting nothing new to her. But to fight in battle - that, she has only done once - only a strange two-leg scrape to show for her efforts of chasing off the starclan be damned kittypet from their moors. She wants to grow stronger, become better - wants to be like azaleafrost, though she knows she has many moons to go before she will ever get her own name. She only hopes it will be just as worthy of learning.

​

​

 

[heathermoon !!]

The ruddy tabby had trudged his way alongside the crowd of apprentices gathered, not focusing too much on anything but his paws. Bi-colored gaze flitted between where his steps were placed and the heels of whoever was in front of him, which appeared to be Marmotpaw. He noted how, even though the she-cat was an entire moon younger than him, she had faced more heavy foes than himself. Bearing the scars of defending the moors while his pelt was barren of anything. He flattened his ears in a bit of jealousy.

Sootstar took his attention, and Heatherpaw nodded affirmatively. He would make sure to focus on task for the success of his friends. ​

WINDCLAN APPRENTICE ✦ RED MACKEREL TABBY ✦ 9 MOONS ✦ TAGS​

 

[cottonsprig]

Cottonpaw approaches alongside her mentor, blue eyes falling over the other tunnelers that idled nearby. She makes a point to smile towards her older siblings, as well as offer Badgermoon an odd look for his appearance. (A part of her wonders if he's planning on swapping professions, though she discards the idea with reminding herself of how broad the tom is.) Her gaze finds her mentor once again, just as the other gifts her a hardy expression. She sucks in a deep breath and nods before trotting closer to the apprentices.

"Hey," she whispers, namely towards Heatherpaw and Mousepaw, though the conversation remains open for each of the apprentices there, "Which way do you guys think they'll bring us? My dinner's on towards the horseplace." Cottonpaw figures that, if anything, they can also make a fun bet out of the exercise.​

 

[heathermoon !!]

So isolated within his own thoughts, Heatherpaw nearly forgot Cottonpaw had been attending. Unusual, as he normally floated closer toward his friends, but he tried not to think about how different he had felt recently. Her attention is welcomed and brought an even smile on his maw, though became forced at the mention of Horseplace. He hoped not, stars he hoped anywhere but that picket fence. He couldn't even share why, the identity of his father unknown to all his Clanmates.

"I'm hoping we end up in Rabbit's Run. Maybe we'll get a good meal from winning." There was no option in losing this. Heatherpaw would make sure of it for himself. A bet didn't sound so bad... "I'll give up hares for a week if it's not." The smile that split his maw turned genuine once again, pushing Cottonpaw to bet something higher.​

WINDCLAN APPRENTICE ✦ RED MACKEREL TABBY ✦ 9 MOONS ✦ TAGS​

 

[BLUEFROST]

Bluepaw’s first and only experience with battle had been disastrous. She’d never been in terrain with so many trees, and she’d never seen a cat leap from branches the way the SkyClan warriors had. The small gray apprentice can still remember the weight that had dropped onto her, pinning her in place—she’ll never forget that tortoiseshell she-cat, never forgive her for tearing her ear and ruining her perfect appearance. She sits solemnly, waiting for Sootstar’s instructions—perhaps she is thinking of Bluepaw’s failure in the battle. Perhaps this is a lesson based on her weakness.

Ambushing. Perhaps this is something she could be good at. SkyClan had ambushed them, and they had used trees. It’s only fitting Bluepaw could learn the same thing, but from the tunnels. She gives her mentor a determined nod, watching the warriors walk away in preparation.

She feels pelts brush beside her. Heatherpaw, Cottonpaw, Marmotpaw, and Mousepaw all begin to ready themselves. She sighs, centering herself and focusing on her breathing. “It does not matter, as long as we do it right.”

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — bluekit . bluepaw
  — she/her, apprentice of windclan
  — bisexual ; single
  — long-haired blue she-cat with white and green eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — art by Meg

​