RUN THIS NOTHING TOWN — spar

[SNAKEHISS]

❪ TAGS ❫ — The boy wasn't sure why his mentor had decided that his sparring partner was going to be Sparkpaw today. Had it completely been a result of chance, or had the bi-colored tom sensed a tension between the two and figured that fighting things out would ease it? Either way, Snakepaw couldn't tell if he was eager to take some jabs at the other tom or dread having to even look at him. Every time Snakepaw was around Sparkpaw, unpleasant memories of the RiverClan battle cropped up in his mind and only reminded him of how much of a pathetic coward he had been. If Sparkpaw hadn't abruptly abandoned him in the midst of fighting, then they would have either fought the large warrior off or honorably accepted defeat. Snakepaw wouldn't feel so guilty, so bitter about the whole thing. His reputation had been put on the line all because of him.

The lithe midnight-black feline stands across from Sparkpaw now, folding his ears back and giving a lash of his tail. He frowns and assumes a readied stance, words overlayed with ice rolling off of his tongue, "Your move." Snakepaw would not let the two-toned chimera win at any cost. He had been humiliated enough.

"Pretend I'm a RiverClan warrior." Serpent-like eyes narrow.

// @sparkpaw. and mentor tag @Badgermoon ​

 

[sparkspirit]

The funny thing in all of this? The tension wasn't even mutual. How silly could it get? He looked at Snakepaw and felt a twisting in his gut, a miserable churning that came with the occasional nip of pain, but never hatred. Not the way that the other apprentice seemed to look at him, anyway. At least in his own head, Sparkpaw figured it best to simply avoid the other tom. Better to not think on it at all than to think too much, and he knows that if he doesn't manage the former he'll fall into the latter. It's also why standing across from him now is as devastating as it was. Weaselclaw had trained him well. He was a lead warrior, the one who had stood longest by Sootstar's side. He was a skilled warrior and a clever tom; he would never lead Sparkpaw astray. Whether or not that would be enough to give him victory here, though...that, he could not say.

His ears flick a little, a singular gesture of unease betraying the blow that Snakepaw's words had landed. A RiverClan warrior. Like the one he had promised to fight alongside him. No, no, he shoves the thought away. Buries it deeply, but not deep enough. He can nearly feel the damp soil beneath his paws again. The lush verdancy, dredged over by a flooded river. Why had they gone there? Why had he come along? To save his mentor, of course. He'd done the right thing. Weaselclaw would not lead him astray. (He should have been better; he should have managed both. Now he's left with the dark tom's disdain, and a bruise close to his ego.)

Though his claws are unsheathed, it is a rather half-hearted rush towards the other apprentice. For a moment, it seems that he might strike headlong– instead, Sparkpaw darts at the last second towards Snakepaw's side, and aims to sink his teeth into the other's tail and tug him off balance.

˗ˏˋ  †〚  OOC REFERENCE INFORMATION 〛

• ooc: tagging @WEASELCLAW for mentor stuff too >:3c
• 
• sparkpaw, sparky. dmab male, he - him - his.
  ──── apprentice of windclan. loyal to windclan and weaselclaw.
  ──── 06 moons old. born on 12.15.22, and ages 85% real time.
  ──── echolight x elmbreeze, adopted by yewberry. brightfam.
• "speech"

​

 

[WEASELCLAW]

There are Clanmates Weaselclaw does not care much for, particularly any of kittypet descent, but the tabby finds fostering bad feelings towards fellow WindClanners to be a waste of time. The other Clans would trespass and assault them -- there's no reason in-fighting should exist, as well. He had agreed with Badgermoon that their apprentices should spar. Sparkpaw had shown immense bravery in the battle with RiverClan by attacking Cicadastar, and though he'd been forced to abandon Snakepaw, Sparkpaw had saved three lives.

On the other paw, he does understand Snakepaw's frustration and sense of betrayal. He wishes the young tom wasn't so stubborn. He doesn't envy Badgermoon's task of turning Snakepaw into a respectful and diligent warrior.

Weaselclaw watches Sparkpaw ready himself. He can see the distortion of guilt cross his face like a cloud. The tabby shakes his head gently, willing his apprentice to see it. You did nothing wrong. Someday Snakepaw would see that, he's sure of it.

He watches Sparkpaw's feint, and pride wells up in his chest. "Good job! Keep yourself light on your paws!" He is pacing, unable to sit still when a battle is unfolding in front of him.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[SCORCHSTAR]

Snakepaw and Sparkpaw’s sparring is quite the spectacle, especially for such a slow day. Scorchstreak’s duties have already been mostly fulfilled, and she’s resting to gather enough energy for her next hunting patrol. But for now, she finds that passing the time is the perfect excuse to watch the sparring session. She can practically feel the tension between the two—but despite that tension, they’re both working hard, and she commends them for that.

The two apprentices had fought so bravely at the warriors’ sides during the battle against RiverClan. But that does not make them above training—they are still apprentices, not yet warriors. And if WindClan is to face even more fights in the coming months, even the apprentices must be able to defend themselves against larger, faster, more powerful cats.

"They’re shaping up to be fine fighters," she comments, tone light, to Weaselclaw or any other observers. She refrains from offering corrections or encouragements, mainly because she isn’t sure how. She is neither of the young cats’ mentor, and she is not a moor runner like the both of them. Her skill set overlaps with theirs only tangentially, and so she keeps her mouth firmly shut as she observes.
​

[ LIKE A RATTLESNAKE ]​

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[SNAKEHISS]

❪ TAGS ❫ — The voices of the warriors are soon drowned out as Snakepaw's focus hones in on the task at hand, sharpened like a blade readied to slice. He tenses, ivory incisors gnashing, fully preparing himself to strike Sparkpaw as he begins bounds in his direction. Snakepaw could note the hesitance in Sparkpaw's gaze, his movement. Maybe this would be an easy win after all—

What Snakepaw doesn't expect, though, is for Sparkpaw to shift direction at the last moment. Badgermoon has told him before that he must expect the unexpected, but perhaps he hadn't thought of his opponent to be one for surprises. So, the midnight black apprentice is caught off guard, his arm lifted to strike but instead a dumbfounded look chases Sparkpaw as he skirts around him. He grunted as his tail was tugged, his balance being completely thrown off as expected.

Having fallen onto his side, Snakepaw hisses lowly, "You are not making a fool of me again." before striking a hind foot out from his position atop his back, aiming to kick Sparkpaw in the jaw. Whether he was successful or not, the lithe tom would scramble back onto his paws and attempt to launch himself onto the two-toned apprentice's shoulders. Snakepaw knew that he was not strong enough to be throwing his weight around, so his strengths lay in tactics such as attacking from hard-to-reach angles.​