- Feb 9, 2023
- 523
- 170
- 43
Cottonpaw is a dutiful apprentice - as much as a kitten of her kind can be, at least. She listens, asks questions, and often preforms to the best of her ability! However, just as she is a model apprentice to some, she is a disaster to others. Her curiosity comes across as impatience more often than not, her lack of skill still incredibly notable as she attempts to find her way around the territory or the tunnels (being so young, she's yet to gain a sense of direction.) Icebreath is a capable mentor, although young themself, and where Cottonpaw falls short, the blue point picks up where they can.
Unfortunately today is a day where they misjudge one another too easily.
They're exploring some shallow tunnels out in the moors - Cottonpaw recalls her mentor wanting to focus much more on the grey apprentice's ability to tell her left from her right, so to say. In no circumstance should the little moor princess find herself lost in the caverns that run below their home! And Cottonpaw is more than eager to take the lesson on in stride. It takes a few tries, and a few unnecessary forks in the tunnels, to finally guide them back to an exit of sorts - and she's ecstatic to do so! She nearly spins around to share with her mentor that she can spy light up ahead, that she did it (even though Icebreath helped her incredibly several times,) when she smells something off about the tunnel.
Gritty and damp earth shift into something warmer, and if she focuses beyond her loud thoughts she can hear unruly scratching up ahead. Pupils shrink to pin points as her gaze trains on a set of too-tall ears closer to the mouth of the tunnel. All Cottonpaw can think is great! Two birds with one stone! Maybe she can pin the bunny rabbit well enough for Icebreath to dispatch it, and then the two of them can go home with not only the pride of being masterful navigators, but an amazing hunting team! The day gets better and for a second, she's grateful that Sootstar isn't her mentor - Icebreath's leash on her is loose enough for her to try new things, after all. Bluepaw seems tied to their mothers side. Ha!
She says nothing to the older feline, kicking up dirt and dust as she instead pursues the rabbit ahead. She's clumsy, she's loud, and the prey animal doesn't waste time racing away from her. It escapes the tunnel and Cottonpaw is hot on its tail, silently noting that she's close in size to the damn thing, if not smaller. (How do they catch rabbits normally, she wonders?) She fumbles over her paws and trips, the rabbit skating ahead with no issue. Before Cottonpaw can properly mourn her loss of a perfectly good meal, she hears a shout - Icebreath? Someone else, maybe? - and then a sudden sharp pain anchoring itself around her backside.
Fear isn't quick to fill her - not until the apprentice tilts her gaze back and gawks at the beast that grips her. Talons scrape her sides, and wings several times larger than herself hold themselves outward, ready to take off once again. A hawk. A hawk. This'd be cool if she weren't to be taken by it! Cottonpaw finally let's out a screech of her own, the initial numb reaction fading quickly as terror instead makes itself at home in her chest. She twists as best she can, swiping needle-sharp claws feebly up towards the feathered beast, however with little luck. She can feel her legs leave the ground, little by little, as the hawk moves to take off again. She doesn't even have it in her to shout for help, limbs tensing up as she's unsure what she can do, if anything at all.
[ pls wait for @VULTUREMASK <3 also tagging @icebreath ! ]
Unfortunately today is a day where they misjudge one another too easily.
They're exploring some shallow tunnels out in the moors - Cottonpaw recalls her mentor wanting to focus much more on the grey apprentice's ability to tell her left from her right, so to say. In no circumstance should the little moor princess find herself lost in the caverns that run below their home! And Cottonpaw is more than eager to take the lesson on in stride. It takes a few tries, and a few unnecessary forks in the tunnels, to finally guide them back to an exit of sorts - and she's ecstatic to do so! She nearly spins around to share with her mentor that she can spy light up ahead, that she did it (even though Icebreath helped her incredibly several times,) when she smells something off about the tunnel.
Gritty and damp earth shift into something warmer, and if she focuses beyond her loud thoughts she can hear unruly scratching up ahead. Pupils shrink to pin points as her gaze trains on a set of too-tall ears closer to the mouth of the tunnel. All Cottonpaw can think is great! Two birds with one stone! Maybe she can pin the bunny rabbit well enough for Icebreath to dispatch it, and then the two of them can go home with not only the pride of being masterful navigators, but an amazing hunting team! The day gets better and for a second, she's grateful that Sootstar isn't her mentor - Icebreath's leash on her is loose enough for her to try new things, after all. Bluepaw seems tied to their mothers side. Ha!
She says nothing to the older feline, kicking up dirt and dust as she instead pursues the rabbit ahead. She's clumsy, she's loud, and the prey animal doesn't waste time racing away from her. It escapes the tunnel and Cottonpaw is hot on its tail, silently noting that she's close in size to the damn thing, if not smaller. (How do they catch rabbits normally, she wonders?) She fumbles over her paws and trips, the rabbit skating ahead with no issue. Before Cottonpaw can properly mourn her loss of a perfectly good meal, she hears a shout - Icebreath? Someone else, maybe? - and then a sudden sharp pain anchoring itself around her backside.
Fear isn't quick to fill her - not until the apprentice tilts her gaze back and gawks at the beast that grips her. Talons scrape her sides, and wings several times larger than herself hold themselves outward, ready to take off once again. A hawk. A hawk. This'd be cool if she weren't to be taken by it! Cottonpaw finally let's out a screech of her own, the initial numb reaction fading quickly as terror instead makes itself at home in her chest. She twists as best she can, swiping needle-sharp claws feebly up towards the feathered beast, however with little luck. She can feel her legs leave the ground, little by little, as the hawk moves to take off again. She doesn't even have it in her to shout for help, limbs tensing up as she's unsure what she can do, if anything at all.
[ pls wait for @VULTUREMASK <3 also tagging @icebreath ! ]