pafp WHOOPS | interrupted training session

[FERNDANCE]

Life had been a neverending nightmare for ShadowClan, but life still went on. Hours after the first string of vigils, the ticked tabby had opted to lead a training session out towards the burnt sycamore, the sky above a myriad of reds and blues as dusk settled upon the swamplands. The group session had already been going on for some time, little nicks and bruises covering Ferndance's body where she'd advised for a more physical practice session than previous ones. Her paws squared, she eyed her apprentice as they prepared to take to spar once more, her ears and paws warm from over-exertion. "So being on your back isn't always a bad thing. You can use your hind claws to-" OOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEUH. Ferndance almost stumbled with how quickly her paws turned to jelly. She had often professed to misbehaving kittens that the marsh was haunted, but never did she think she would actually hear a scream that sounded like a devil there to collect its due. Her pupils narrowed into slits, she scanned the nearby area. Others had begun to take note, some even fleeing to where it was safe. Ferndance didn't budge. "You- you can use your hind claws to rip open your opponent's belly like a- like..." She trailed off to gawk at an unknown shape lurking between the pines. "Excuse me? You are trespassing on ShadowClan territory."

A large creature, larger than any twoleg, slowly strutted into the clearing. Thin antlers pushed through the thinner branches of the trees to reveal an impressive cervidae. It's body was a fallow colour whilst its neck and head was the colour of chocolate, its spherical eyes darker than even that. If it had noticed the cats, it paid them no mind, its strong legs bringing it to a halt a respectable distance away from them. The great beast slowly craned its neck towards the earth to sniff at sniff at the newleaf growth and for the first time, Ferndance noticed a cream, heart-shaped pattern to the fur around the creature's practically non-existent tail. Ferndance didn't move, her wiry tail swinging left and right as she tried to figure out what on earth such a creature was doing so deep into ShadowClan's swamp. Had something driven it here? Was it lost? Did it like to explore just as much as she did? Ferndance wished she could ask it. "I don't think it understands me... which is very odd. I've been told I can speak deer." Or was it goat? She tilted her head to try and remember the lie.

The deer raised its head and let out a huff, the air condensing heavily around its snort. "Can. We. Help. You?" Still, nothing. This time, there wasn't even a glance from the cervine. She ought to give it a piece of her mind for ignoring a she-cat but... the longer she dwelled on it, the less keen she was to irritate this being. It could be dangerous and, she didn't doubt other clanmates had already begun to disperse to keep themselves safe. If there was an off-button for the tabby's boldness, it had not yet been found. Keeping one eye on the magnificent creature, she turned to her apprentice. "It's best to just let him pass. He'll get bored and want to find a lady-deer or something. We'll continue afterward. If he suddenly looks at us, well..." She smiled and aimed to ruffle the fur atop Wolfpaw's head, her movements deliberately slow as to not spook the elk. "It was nice knowing you Wolfpaw."

[ please wait for @Wolfpaw. to reply first !! ]
​

 

[Wolfpaw.]

❝ on the outside always looking in ✧°.☀ ———————————— Wolfpaw's dense cotton-like fur was coated down in dirt and whatever else was mixed into the swamp. He had been tossed and batted at for awhile now. Ferndance teaching him how to recover from each misstep he took. She had tripped him up and he had landed on his back panting, he figured that would have been the end of him if she had been of some other clan. He squared up again and was ready to try and defend his squishy tummy when a screech came from the surrounding trees. He paused. Not exactly scared but not at ease, he wanted to ask Ferndance what the noise was, but she had already started her lesson again. Well, she made an effort to start training again. As other cats cleared the area Wolfpaw followed his mentor's gaze to the shadow that now lurked. It seemed reasonable to assume this was the thing that made the first noise. His already large and fluffy tail doubled in size as his eyes swapped rapidly between the figure and his seemingly insane mentor. He wanted to hiss that it probably wasn't helpful to reprimand a seemingly very large monster, but if his legs weren't willing to budge neither was his tongue.

As the graceful creature blessed the clearings presence Wolfpaw kept growing in size. What had started at his tail slowly moved up the back of his spine and onto his neck. He looked adorable, but not happy. His large round ears flattened against his head and he started to tilt his body to really emphasis how not scared and big he was. His grey eyes were still darting from deer to Ferndance as she happily babbled at it. Her laid back attitude to the stag was making Wolfpaw confused, which although he would have preferred a feeling of safety, honestly the feeling of confusion was helping him slow his breathing. Ferndance's ridiculous claim at knowing how to speak deer made him snort some air out of his nose as the mane of fur around his neck started to settle to it's average level of poof.

He jumped again however at the little huff of air. Unsure if that was a warning sign or not. Ferndance apparently didn't think so. Then she finally addressed someone that could actually understand her again. She tried to assure him of the deer's true intentions, Wolfpaw was skeptical, this thing seemed malicious. Why else would it be so large? So as his mentor patted his head and reinforced the creature's potential power Wolfpaw's intense grey eyes kept glued to the beast. With every fiber in his being Wolfpaw would not let this thing out of sight. His back was now flat but still his tail was more like a raccoon's than a cat's.

[penned by user - [tags☀]]

———————————— ☀.°✧ will i ever be more than i've always been? ❞ ​

​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

---

"frightened by the hooved beast, hm?"

the honey rasped voice seems to speak out quietly, as they managed from behind the trees they'd been behind. they'd come out here to try and find a good spot to train, later, but only found ferndance and wolfpaw... along with a new friend it seemed. ferndance thought him a trespasser and wolfpaw was nearly scared out of his fur. chilledstar remained on guard because a beast this large could surely do a lot of damage but fear was not something that could be tasted... not from them. not this time. had it been a badger, or a fox... or even a dog, then yes. but not for this large buck who seemed to mind its own business.

"just let him pass. as long as he doesn't... rear up to stomp you, you'll be as cool as a puddle. no need to be so worked up. just move out of the way, slowly, and he'll leave ya be."

unless he got spooked. now that... that would make things a hell of a lot more interesting for everyone.
​