SHARP - EDGED GLORY ♥︎ SPARRING

[DOEBLAZE]

She may have been avoiding polishing her battle training ever since her return to duties. Climbing has sharpened along with her claws back to the finely - honed blade of instinct it'd once been; her paltry hunting skill restored to its semi - competency; nose and eye attuned to the correct tracking frequency to tail a cat across the entire territory. Combat, though . . . combat remains dull and she knows she's let that sword grow far too rusty . . . she can hardly expect to pass on the skill to her apprentice, though, if her own is lacking. But . . . any time she thinks of flesh under her paws and the clashing sounds of battle, all she can think of is Harrierstripe's blood souring on her tongue.

@Johnnyflame, she hopes, will be a good reintroduction to the skill; collar - adorned and ginger - patched, cheery and chipper, the lead warrior is both a Clanmate she likes and the polar opposite of the last cat she'd really had to fight. That, and a good match of skill, perfect to test her limits and scrub the rust away. The light, mist - like rain that descends from the sky does nothing to deter her as the two of them square off on the damp ground of the Sandy Ravine, a traditional place for sparring . . . and for good reason. Its soft, forgiving ground will no doubt be appreciated by her today, given her rusty skills.

" Ready? " she mrrows in attentive tones, nodding when she receives an assent. The tabby paces a half - moon of a battle circle and then throws herself at the chimera, aiming to deal a heavy - pawed but clawless blow to the junction of chest and shoulder and leap just as quickly back.

OOC : No need to wait for Johnnyflame to post!

♥︎

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[SILVERSMOKE]

Try as he might, the spotted tabby could not feign disinterest for very long when it came to Johnnyflame, especially when it came to combat. Even if a strong self-confidence in sparring made Silversmoke believe he was the better fighter, there was much to learn by watching the chimera. That was, at least, one excuse he had decided upon as to why he needed to be there to watch his peer win. Another was that he wanted to use the Sandy Ravine after the newly-named Doeblaze had finished to finalise some of Emberpaw's training. They were both truthful reasons, but not the whole truth. His expression could not remain taciturn as it settled upon Johnnyflame, an uncharacteristic softness to his sharp gaze as he lamented not being the one to spar with the other instead. Their last one had not been serious, brought about by a simple splash of water which too much of the clan had been privy to. But, he also realised a spar at the moment would likely not work, given how twitterpated he had become. Ears twitched uncomfortably at the internal battle, with Doeblaze being his unlikely saviour as she announced the start of the battle.

The she-cat leaped and Silversmoke crouched as if it she launched herself towards him, his neck craning left and right as he tried to find the best angle to watch Doeblaze's defeat. He did not think she would lose because he didn't like her very much, it was just a little too easy putting the cats he deeply respected on a pedestal. Ears pinning back, the spotted tabby called, "Get her, Johnny!"

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[LIONPAW]

〔✦〕Lionpaw had never witnessed his mother unsheathe her claws, not in the context of combat anyway. They had been told tales of perilous journeys, of battling eagles and rogues ( namely the one who killed their father ), but never had Lionpaw seen Doeblaze fight like a warrior. They had grown all too used to her curling up in her nest, often sitting and staring at the same spot for hours. So, needless to say, the young apprentice was eager to spectate a fight between one of the lead warriors and his mother. Maybe they could pick up some tips... just in case they ran into that ThunderClan warrior again.

Seating near Silversmoke ( though not too close—the lead warrior was intimidating ), the chocolate torbie point's blue eyes lit up in awe as Doeblaze threw her weight at the collar-wearing tom. "Go, Ma!" Lionpaw calls out his own words of support.

coming down ( is the hardest thing ) //

• ooc. mentor tag @CROWSIGHT
  
• LIONPAW —— apprentice of skyclan , mentored by crowsight ✦ penned by beatles
  ✦ trans male / he/they pronouns / 7 moons & ages every 9th
  ✦ single / bisexual & monogamous
  ✦ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
  —— easy combat difficulty / won't start fights, won't kill
  
  ✦ "speech", thoughts, all opinions are ic
  ✦ biography — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
  
• 
  
  

  a longhaired chocolate torbie point with blue eyes. a silky, cream-colored pelt is adorned with chocolate points. his points are splashed with ginger spots. tabby patterns also stripe around their dark limbs and face.

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[Johnnyflame]

MY WORLDS ON FIRE, HOW 'BOUT YOURS?
THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT AND I NEVER GET BORED."​

---

Johnnyflame had been thrilled to be the one to accompany Doeblaze to the ravine that day for a bit of sparring. Her re-emergence into the world had been a relief to the tom, who’d honestly been worried for a good while there. Romance was… well, it was new to him, and he couldn’t imagine what the pain of that loss must have felt like to her. He knew it was no small thing, though, and so a part of him had breathed a sigh of relief that day she seemed to return to herself- and in turn, Skyclan.

Thus, he wasn’t about to miss his chance to help things along. If Doeblaze wanted to sharpen her battle skills then Johnny was more than happy to help her do so. He’d keep her on her toes and give her a proper run for her money, and afterwards they could rest up and go over the fight together. The bobtail would rather a clanmate point out his weak spots than an enemy during their next skirmish.

”Aye.” he answered with a short nod, glancing off toward the sidelines when he noticed they had an audience. Silversmoke. Without thinking he shot the other a wink and smirk, all but preening under the attention as his focus went back to the task at hand- and not a moment too soon, as Doeblaze was lunging toward him.

He sprang backward backwards in surprise, a knee-jerk reflex rather than the purposeful move it should have been. He managed to avoid the heavy-handed strike, but his momentary distraction with the silver warrior had cost him any sense of finesse or tact.

Ears burning red from embarrassment, and chuckling at the fact that they each had a cheering section, he sprang after her retreating form with playful growl,, snaking low and striking out at her front legs in a sweeping motion to try and knock her onto her side.

---

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[Orangestar]

Orangestar does enjoy watching her Clanmates spar. Without the strain of battle shoving them into a frantic headspace, they're given the chance to hone their skills at a more relaxed pace. Johnnyflame, a lead warrior for moons on end, is far more of an experienced fighter than Doeblaze is; but the lilac tabby had been trained by Blazesta- ... actually, no, Orangestar decides with her stare souring briefly into exasperation, that means nothing. Blazestar had not been an experienced fighter either, often using his size more than any real skill to his advantage in battle. If Orangestar had to choose one of them to win based on her own understanding, it would be Johnnyflame.

Lionpaw's cheer for his mother Doeblaze is to be expected, but SIlversmoke joins in on the encouragement from the crowd, earning a curious glance from Orangestar - when had the two toms become such close friends? She sits down to watch from a perpendicular angle, tail curling across pale paws, separate to the other audience members so far but watching keenly regardless. The other thing about sparring, she's learned over moons of witnessing them, is that it's a good opportunity to pick up skills or tactics that one might otherwise miss.

ooc ✧ 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦

•  
• 
  
  [ art by pin ]
• ORANGESTAR ✧ she/her, leader of skyclan | eight lives
  
  
  — "a scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes."
  — single ; mentoring springpaw & ashpaw
  — speech is in #F18C47
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

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[DOEBLAZE]

As with any spar, waiting Clanmates lend their voices, their opinions, their cheers, to the air from their places on the sidelines. Lionpaw's encouraging shout towards her is expected ( and appreciated), as is Orangestar's pine - wreathed silence. Silversmoke's own cheer of support for Johnnyflame ( couldn't he have worded it a little nic—oh, wait, it's Silversmoke) is not, though, and while it doesn't quite manage to catch her off guard, it clearly does Johnnyflame . . . the faux - torbie actually winks at the spotted tabby, very nearly being caught by her arcing clawless slap. Dammit! she thinks, privately cursing Johnnyflame's proficiency, though it's exactly the reason she'd sought him out for this.

Letting her maw crook into a devious grin, she calls between harsh breaths, " How about you call him handsome next, Silversmoke? I could use all the help I can get! " And indeed she could, for despite all her sudden skill with the verbal parry, she's quickly becoming aware of how painfully she's lacking for a physical one. Her breath's already coming short from the spar, muscles long unused creaking in protest, and she can feel herself lagging. This is why you asked him to spar, she reminds herself, though the embarassment of a public and easy defeat is quickly beginning to outweigh the net benefit of said failure.

Don't hold your breath, Lionpaw, she wants to say—but then Johnnyflame's springing towards her with a jesting growl, his stocky foreleg shooting out low before her unpolished instincts can notice. Suddenly, her own white paws are going out from under her, her fragile center of balance thrown entirely off its course as her tabby - striped side meets the soft earth with a hearty oof. Doeblaze manages to get back onto her paws quickly, but only just in time to avoid a further attack, skittering back with the crutch of her saving grace—speed—and then steeling herself for another attack ( and, she's sure, another ass - beating ).

She looses a playing snarl of her own and darts forward anew, aiming for a hard slam of her fur - crowned head into the softness of Johnnyflame's throat. The idea behind the move is good, but the execution is undeniably sloppy—even she can feel the weakness in her still off - kilter legs, unsure how to remedy it. Her center of gravity still rolling about, her stance is weaker than it should be, easy to cut down. Blazestar had been an adoring mate, an excellent diplomat, but a lacking instructor when it came to fighting, and without instinct to guide her, she struggles. She cringes, especially at the painful obviousness of her failure in front of her son, Orangestar, and Silversmoke—who will no doubt have something smart to say.

OOC : —

♥︎

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