Post by Wolf Tears on Sept 23, 2007 17:39:48 GMT -5
Small pawsteps carried her carefully through the grass, moving slowly across the ledge as she sneaked ever-so-quietly up on her prey. The mouse munched noisily on a nut, oblivious to her silent, deadly aproach...
Abruptly Irispaw sat up, unable to go farther. Hearing the presence of a much larger animal, the mouse squeaked and ran off, leaving the nut behind as is tiny paws pumped hard to get away from its pursuer. After a moment it stopped, confused at the fact that it wasn't being chased, and sat down again.
"Irispaw!" Heartflight's voice was exasperated but not surprised as he padded over to join his apprentice, who hung her head guiltily.
"I'm sorry, Heartflight, but-I just can't." She raised her head to look at her mentor with tear-filled eyes. "It's not right-the mouse can't fight back, can it?"
"No, and you don't even like killing tings that can fight." Having seen her in battle, real and fake, several times, Heartflight could say this with certainty. His apprentice just wouldn't kill something in cold blood; he doubted she would kill Shadow himself if he fell at her paws with his last life fading away. This wasn't the first time they had had this conversation.
"I know. I'm sorry, Heartflight. I just-"
"Want to keep it fair?" The tom grinned as he finished the sentence for her. "I know. Just try to be a little more... not vicious, but at least dangerous. Okay? For me." A grin split his serious face as he gazed at her. "After all, don't you want to be a warrior?"
"Yes!" Irispaw drew herself up defensively. "Of course!"
"Well, then, let's keep practicing." Heartflight licked his apprentice's ear affectionately as she nodded, then crouched down to try again.
Abruptly Irispaw sat up, unable to go farther. Hearing the presence of a much larger animal, the mouse squeaked and ran off, leaving the nut behind as is tiny paws pumped hard to get away from its pursuer. After a moment it stopped, confused at the fact that it wasn't being chased, and sat down again.
"Irispaw!" Heartflight's voice was exasperated but not surprised as he padded over to join his apprentice, who hung her head guiltily.
"I'm sorry, Heartflight, but-I just can't." She raised her head to look at her mentor with tear-filled eyes. "It's not right-the mouse can't fight back, can it?"
"No, and you don't even like killing tings that can fight." Having seen her in battle, real and fake, several times, Heartflight could say this with certainty. His apprentice just wouldn't kill something in cold blood; he doubted she would kill Shadow himself if he fell at her paws with his last life fading away. This wasn't the first time they had had this conversation.
"I know. I'm sorry, Heartflight. I just-"
"Want to keep it fair?" The tom grinned as he finished the sentence for her. "I know. Just try to be a little more... not vicious, but at least dangerous. Okay? For me." A grin split his serious face as he gazed at her. "After all, don't you want to be a warrior?"
"Yes!" Irispaw drew herself up defensively. "Of course!"
"Well, then, let's keep practicing." Heartflight licked his apprentice's ear affectionately as she nodded, then crouched down to try again.