private SPLITS AND CRACKS (KOIPAW)

[LIGHTNINGSTONE]

Sand coats the blue tom as he leaps away from his apprentice, eyes narrowed. His chest rises and falls rapidly with pants as he circles her slowly, head low and tail lashing. Battle training has become a staple in their daily routine. He needs Koipaw to be able to defend herself from any threat, and so he won't stop until she's mastered every move in the book. A cool gust blows through the Beech Copse, breathing light sand into the air and the warrior takes the opportunity. He lunges towards and tucks his shoulder towards the ground, aiming to slide beneath her belly and drag his forepaw across her exposed stomach. Of course, he keeps his claws sheathed; he'd never unleash his talons upon a clanmate, especially not his own apprentice. If his move is successful, he'll slip back onto all fours on the other side of her and whip around to face her again.

// @koipaw Training thread!​

 

[koispots]

Koi doesn't exactly fancy battle training, finds it... slightly useless, she'll never need it, but deep down she does not mind. When Lightning brought it up for the first time she had stared blankly and nodded and now here she was, where she was countless times before, facing off against her mentor. Theres sand in the air and she couldn't exactly see with the fear of it getting in her eyes. Shes stepping back, ears pinned as she tries to locate her.

He's a blur and hes sliding forwards and, dammit, he catches her stomach and a stressed hiss leaves her mouth. She'd be dead if this were real! He's on his paws again and she has to yank herself to follow. Her hearts hammering in her chest and she darts quickly, aiming to batter his side with her own sheathed paw, not exactly confident yet to go for any places more well guarded than that. She almost wants to ask why she can't pick up the nerves to do so.
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"speech"​

 

[LIGHTNINGSTONE]

Lightningstone quickly barks out, "Never leave your underbelly exposed. You'd be bleeding out by now if this were a real battle." His voice is stern, cold. He's not a warm mentor and never has been. His goal is to turn this apprentice into a formidable and well-rounded warrior, and he won't hold back his criticisms. That's how he'll get her there. She lunges forward and her paw swipes out towards him. He steps to the side and swings a heavy leg at her, aiming for her shoulder. "Again!" He growls, dancing backwards, waiting. She's almost there. He knows it.​

 

[koispots]

Another hiss leaves Koi's mouth as Lightning barks out an order, frustrated at the prospect of his tone. Shes trying, dammit! She grits her teeth, a heavy breath exhaled as she collides straight in to his leg. Anger, it rears its ugly head as it has so many times before and shes trying to not let it gain control, sheathing and unsheathing her claws.

Again!

So be it! If he wants her to do it again then she will, and this time she'll do it right. She knows what she had signed up for when they were first assigned together and in the back of her mind all she wants to do is make him proud. She jumps back, stubbed tail lashing, before she darts forwards and lets the anger manifest in to a different way. Heart beats fast, she aims to slam her paw in to his cheek and swipe with her other one towards his chest. Shes blinded now, fight, fight, fight, she quickly darts away and purposefully twists her stomach away from him this time. Shes learned her lesson, whats battle training without a few bruises?

"Hit me with all you got, then! Don't go easy." a rumbling growl as she stares him down, waiting for his next move. She will prevail, she will make sure of it. She'll be the best so she could finally protect the ones she loves.
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"speech"​

 

[LIGHTNINGSTONE]

He bares his teeth as she prepares to attack again. He can see the growing frustration within her, and he hopes it will motivate her. When she comes at him, his eyes lock onto the paw swiping for his chest. It's a fake-out; her right paw smacks him in the cheek with enough force to earn a grunt. His head is knocked to the side and he side-steps to catch himself from falling. Before he can counter, she's twisting away from him, notably keeping her back to him after his previous correction. A smirk finds its way onto his lips.

"That's it!" He growls, smirking with a small bit of pride. With a huff, the slim tom darts forward, flinging a foreleg out to try and catch her around the neck. If successful, he will try to grapple her to the ground in a pin. ​