pafp OLD TIME BATTLES | training

[SILVERSMOKE]

Butterflytuft had never been known for her fighting skills. The spotted tabby had always blamed it on timidness - as if she hit someone with more than a gentle tap, they would disintegrate into dust. The pair moved in different circles: one was a permanent Queen, caring for the clan's next generation diligently; the other did not leave the comfort of the sandy ravine when he was not on patrol. There was little room for cross-over, but a question here and a suggestion there later, the spotted tabby found himself staring the other down, the nursery at his back. She wasn't much younger than him, but she was totally different and soon, Silversmoke was wondering if Blazestar had ever done battle training with her. The late leader had never been known as a bruiser, gentle giant was a title that could follow him around as easily as 'Kittypet King', but he'd seen the Ragdoll raise his claws for SkyClan before. The longer he talked to Butterfly, the longer he ran circles around her in practice, Silversmoke had to wonder if the same could be said for her.

Teeth gritted as he lowered his body into a hunter's crouch. He waited a breadth before charging towards her, ears flattening as the other seemed to shrink in on herself. 'Foxdung! Silversmoke threw himself to the side, kicking up slush as he leaped away from the Queen before he struck her. When he whipped his head around, eyes were narrowed down towards the tortoiseshell and claws curled into the soft earth. Sides rose and fell quickly, as if working overtime to hide the worst of his bite. "You need to take this seriously," he mewed, unable to mask the frustration in his tone. Fighting had been the tom's world for so long, it was difficult to remember it wasn't everything anymore. It seemed important for Nursery cats to be stronger than him, given the weight of what they were protecting, but... he didn't doubt this grown cat could be taken down by an apprentice. "You leave yourself and your kittens vulnerable if you flinch or flee from every attack. Get it together, a rogue won't go easy on you." Paws squared in a defensive stance, his lashing tail whacking repeatedly against the holly bush. "Attack me."

@butterflytuft

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[butterflytuft]

// OMGGGG IM SORRY THIS IS SO LATE I HAD TO TAKE A BIG BREAK WITH MY OTHER OCS

This feels like a waste of time, and deep down, Butterflytuft knows it is. She's never been a fighter, never been one the other apprentices picked to go against in a spar. Even the shine of a claw in the sunlight is enough to lock her legs up and send her toppling over in the dust like a frightened lamb. He crouches now, the frustration trained on her clear in his narrowed gaze. She tries her best to copy him, muscles falling in a sloppy memory of the crouch Blazestar had taught her all those moons ago. On shaking limbs, she waits for him as he charges, and she tries to be brave! But...as his paws thud closer and closer to her, she finds herself leaning back, away, ears flattening (again) to her skull.

Before he can collide with her, he veers off and lands in the mud next to her. She cowers a bit in embarrassment, head ducking when he whirls on her. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm trying!" She responds, voice soft as ever, and it wavers with apprehension. His scolding falls on flattened ears, face turning to the ground in shame. He's right. She needs to be able to protect her kits, she just...has never known how, or really had the instinct for it. "O-okay..." She finally mews back to him nervously, bracing herself to attack. She swallows hard before "charging" forward (it's really more of a gentle, slow jog), and when she reaches him, she recoils a forepaw with all her might. She swings it at him, and if it lands, it will do so with about as much force as a bird's wing would. ​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

Pinned ears twitch in frustration - somehow, he didn't think her apology would change a thing. To be as timid as Butterflytuft seemed like an intervention from StarClan, and there was little he could do to fight against a star-given nature. Still, he'd worked with Dawnglare (which was more like training a tree to do somersaults), he could try and work with Butterflytuft, even as it became more tempting to stomp the ground like a frustrated bunny. "Don't be sorry, be better." She did not need to hunt or mark borders, but her claws were still just as important as anyone else's - he realised, waiting for the other's attack, that he'd never seen them. Were they black or white? Did Butterflytuft herself even know? He blinked incredulously at the first sight of movement and reclined on his haunches as the tortoiseshell strolled towards him. He looked to the earth, then back to her, she still hadn't reached the tom. Claws unsheathed and the spotted tabby breathed in sharply. 'StarClan give me strength.' The hit came, the Lead Warrior hadn't attempted to dodge it, and he shook himself as if assaulted by a stray leaf in the wind. He gave a look that spoke for him when words failed: seriously?

'Blazestar... you failed this cat by sending her out into the world so utterly helpless.' Speaking ill of the dead was frowned upon, but it was all he could do: Butterflytuft had been made a warrior before all else, someone had decided she was ready to be one whether she passed her assessment or not. His lashing tail increased in speed. "I don't know why you're not getting this. If I was a trespasser, you'd have been killed three, maybe four times by now. Clanmates will die to keep that nursery safe, to keep you safe." He thought of Brightflame, how readily she'd given her life up to protect SkyClan from rogues, and felt his stomach spin in disgust. It was duty, dying for one's clan should've made him proud, but all he could think about was how it should've never happened to begin with. SkyClan should've been able to protect itself from intruders, SkyClan should've been as free from death as possible. Silversmoke stood once more, backing away and lowering his belly to the earth, ready to pounce again. "If your kittens and your clanmates won't motivate you to hit harder, then what will?"

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[APPLEFROST]

A set of pale blues had been set on the pair as they circled around each other. It was no secret to the Clan, Butterflytuft was not a fighter, but there were plenty under the sight of the stars that struggled to raise claws and bare teeth at another cat. Applefrost was aware of her own lack of skills as such in hunting. How much she loathed being placed on patrols for it knowing she was the least likely to return with anything at all and when she did it was rather meager.

She wondered if Silversmoke judged her the same way for it, as he currently did Butterflytuft. She wondered what venom he would spit at her in the disguise of 'encouragement' or 'rallying'. Every word he growled sent her own lance of steaming anger down her spine and through her tail.

"I think you've done enough, Silversmoke." The former daylight chirped up in her breathy tone. "I don't know if you're doing this for some sort of sick entertainment, but this is quite... unnecessary. Bullying someone isn't going to get what you want." Flame tinged paws pad forward and she faced the queen to press a kind nuzzle into the tiny mollys ear.

"The Clans have protected their queens for moons without expecting anything in return, don't let him make you think any different. Your strength in being a mother is certainly something I don't have, and I would never expect a Lead warrior to belittle me over it. Not to such a degree like this." Applefrost made a pointed switch of her gaze to Silversmoke before focusing back on the tortie.

"Speech"​

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I KNOW SHE LIES ALONE, SHE'S MY CALLER​

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[SILVERSMOKE]

"Your accusations are lazy and I have no time for them. I am doing my duty as a Lead Warrior and a SkyClanner. Finding what motivates someone to fight is the first step to helping them learn, you'd know that if you didn't spend your time throwing insults at me like a child." Ears pin back at Applefrost's outburst, the way she interrupts the battle to groom Butterflytuft, and sickness grows in his belly in place of disgust. Cats like Applefrost were the reason why rogues had made storming their camp look like a kitten's game, Butterflytuft didn't have to be a fighter like Slate or himself were, but she had to try. The future was a wild and unpredictable thing, there was a possibility, however slim, that the Queens would be the only cats left one day. He spoke only once more to Applefrost, voice frigid from warning: she may have thought herself immortal as a relative to the leader, but Silversmoke had never been bothered by such relations. "If you keep getting in the way of my job, you and me are going to have a problem. If you are going to help, help. If you're just going to stand there, then back off."

He looked past Applefrost and towards Butterflytuft, gesturing with his head, a polite request to move away from the interference so they could continue. Bristling fur brought about the promise of consequences for further interruption.

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[butterflytuft]

He doesn't seem all that affected by her blow, if one could even call it that. With a self-conscious frown on her face she takes a step back after he shakes off the contact and ducks her head. The scolding causes her ears to flatten and her sunflower eyes to avert to the ground. Her feathery tail is tucked low as his angry words bounce painfully off her pelt. If your kittens and clanmates won't motivate you to hit harder, then what will? Embarrassed, tears begin to gather in the sensitive queen's eyes as she continues looking away. He's right. She's a failure, she had been as a warrior and now she is as a mother, as well. How could she ever hope to defend anyone, any of her kits, if she can't even land a decent swipe on someone? She's hopeless.

Her ears twitch in surprise as Applefrost's speaks up and comes to her side. She feels the she-cat's muzzle against her ear and closes her eyes tight to listen to the words. Though she sniffles and can't quite muster any words, she tries to nod along to show her she hears her. Still, doubts plague her mind. But Applefrost is quickly scolded by the lead warrior, causing Butterflytuft to cower a bit. She ducks down, eyes flicking between the two of them. She wants to say something, anything, but her mouth is dry and frozen. She doesn't want Applefrost to get in trouble on her behalf!​

 

[APPLEFROST]

"Butterflytuft, look at me." The molly lowered her voice to a soft hush. Applefrost did not move from her place, keeping her back to Silversmoke now as she focused on the queen. "Does this make you feel good about yourself, at all? Does this feel helpful?" Telling from the tears welling over honey hues it's obvious that it's not.

"You're allowed to tell him no. Hear him yapping over there? Sounds like flies, doesn't it." And she laughs, not a trace of tension to be seen as she tried to support Butterflytuft to stand up tall. "You're not an apprentice anymore, Blazestar had his reasons for why that is. Stars forbid a queen not be ready to face the frontlines- if this were a real concern we can ask Orangestar to place a nursery guard, not this."

Applefrost flicked her tail to hold around Butterflytuft's side as she moved to guide her away. Her smile-curled maw turned to face Silversmoke again, her voice cheery once more. "Maybe you should use this time training Crowpaw, your actual apprentice? We're going back home, see you later!"

"Speech"​

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I KNOW SHE LIES ALONE, SHE'S MY CALLER​

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[SILVERSMOKE]

He watched the tears form in Butterflytuft’s eyes, and found himself gritting his teeth: Stars, was this what Blazestar had to deal with everytime he’d taught her her to cuff someone? The Lead Warrior’s mouth was pulled taut from the internal strain he now felt, a pose once ready to strike now recoiling into something more relaxed (as relaxed as Silversmoke could be). The tom’s head reclined slightly to better assess the situation, a sharp sigh escaping him. If he made her fight now, she’d just hate the idea even more in the future. “Training session is over,” he declared, ears pinned against his skull. There was little point in prolonging things if she was too upset to learn… but it didn’t stop the frustration from swirling in his gut like a bad piece of prey. ’She was fine until Applefrost came over… what in StarClan’s name did she say to her?’ He tilted his head somewhat, perhaps that wasn’t fair, the tortie had never been fine since the moment he’d offered to help her train. “Heal your head, we’ll continue another time.” ’This isn’t over…’ It couldn’t be, not for the sake of them kittens that relied on her.

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