{Rainpaw} The Territory

[Greenlily//Topaz]

Greenlily padded along the SunClan border, refreshing scent markers as she went along and occassionally glancing back to make sure that Rainpaw was keeping up. At the moment, she was showing the young she-cat the territory, keeping it basic but important. The apprentice showed potential, and she couldn't wait to start the combat training.

It was then that they drew near the Thunderpath, and Greeny paused so that Rainpaw could catch up. "Scent the air," she mewed, sniffing delicately at the choking reek of monsters and pavement. "That's the Thunderpath. Things called monsters carry twolegs in their bellies along it. Don't worry though, they rarely stray from the path. Come on, let's get a closer look."

Greenlily led the way through the last of the underbrush until they were just tail-lengths away from the foul-smelling blacktop. She smiled at her apprentice, remembering her first time seeing the Thunderpath. She'd been fascinated... but also terrified, to be honest. Despite her fear she'd acted brave, having sensed her mentor's eyes on her.

"On the other side of the Thunderpath is unclaimed territory. Plenty of loners live out there, but so do a lot of foxes and badgers. It's dangerous enough crossing the Thunderpath, let alone exploring on the other side, so don't you go getting any ideas!" she purred in amusement.

She only knew too well how curious young cats could be. After all, her son, Pinekit, had died on this very expanse of road. Her eyes stung at the thought, and she pushed it back. Now was not the time to dwell on the past. She had an apprentice with her now, and she needed to train her to the best of her abilities.

"Shall we move on?" she mewed, nodding along the border.

[Ember~Rain]

Rainpaw soaked up every bit of her surroundings. The forest smelled strongly of frost. Rain didn't even know frost could smell. The only thing she couldn't smell was vegetation. All of the plan life was dead, covered by a blanket of snow. She sniffed at the sow and some sprinkled on her nose, causing her to leap backwards and fall awkwardly. "Ow," she meowed with a sneeze. She got back up and followed Greenlily. The Thunderpath wasn't as intimidating as everyone claimed. But, they quickly moved on. "What are we going to learn next? Are we going to go battle train?" she meowed curiously, hoping the answer was yes.

[Greenlily//Topaz]

Greenlily smiled at Rainpaw's enthusiasm. It wasn't unsual to find eager apprentices, but it had been a while since she'd last trained anyone, and she was glad to have the chance again. She'd almost forgotten what being a mentor felt like. It was nice.

"If that's what you'd like to do," she purred in response to the young she-cat's query. "Follow me." She led the way through the trees, padding to a small clearing just beside the Thunderpath. She then whirled around and seated herself gracefully in the centre of the clearing.

"Attack me," she ordered laxly, curling her tail over her paws. "Let's see how good your skills are so far. Then I can assess what needs to be done."

[Ember~Rain]

Rainpaw surveyed the clearing. It was large and high; no tree branches were blocking her from a high attack. Which was good becaus her high attack was her best; or at lest that's how it had turned out with her siblings. But she would try some skills that had grown on her over the past few moons. She glanced at Greenlily, taking in where her paws were place and how her balance was centered. She checked to see if anything around her would be a give away to her next attack.

Rainpaw tensed her muscles a bit, but not enough to get Greenlily suspicious. She quickly looked around to find her target where she would land a blow. Greenlily's chest seemed suitable enough. She pictured it in her head; if she got a good enough jump and aimed correctly she could knock her mentor right off her paws. Without wasting another second, Rainpaw did a strange back flip and was now farther away than ever. Still being able to pin point her target, she sprinted fast and hard. When she was within a fox length of Greenlily, she lunged, looking as though she would jump right over Greenlily's shoulder. But as she passed over her shoulder, she shoved one paw into her belly with force. She then sprang away and ended where she had started, her eyes gleaming.

[Greenlily//Topaz]

Greenlily studied Rainpaw's movements, trying to guess what her apprentice would do. When the young she-cat flipped away from her, she blinked in confusion, but then a huge smile split her face as Rain sprinted at her head on. Interesting technique, she thought, impressed.

Paws hit her hard in the stomach, and she had to scramble to regain her footing before she fell. If Rainpaw had been a full sized cat, Greenlily wouldn't have had a hope in Hades of staying upright. This pleased her--it meant that the apprentice was going to be an excellent fighter.

"Well done!" she purred, beaming. "Attack me again."

[Ember~Rain]

Not good enough! Rainpaw snarled in her head. She had to be better than any apprentice. Better than her sister. Better than Weepingpaw. This angered her and gave her strength and will to get stronger. This was more than just training. This was a war inside her head.

She narrowed her gaze and crouched down low to the ground. Her tail began to whip back and fourth. Her focus was strong and she easily found a weak spot in Greenlily. Her hind paw seemed angled a bit differently for balace. If she rid of it completely Green would crash simultaniously. Good plan, she thought to herself. Just how do I get there?

The plan bubbled up in her head. She took a deep breath and then sprang. She used her agile frame to leap all around the clearing. She skidded back behind Greenlily and let her paw steps disappear completely. She then leapt straight in the air and looked as though she would land on Green's back, but she did an odd twist and lashed out at her back paw, weakening her defenses. To complete her move, Rainpaw flipped forward several times and landed perfectly on her paws.

[Greenlily//Topaz]

Greenlily was startled by the sudden fire in Rainpaw's eyes, the determination. It was good that she was eager to learn, but the almost murderous glint in her glare worried her. This was just training, after all. She opened her mouth uncertainly, but Rainpaw leapt into action then and she let it fall shut again.

Thinking that Rain was aiming to land on her back, Greenlily tried to side-step her, but only made the apprentice's actual intent all the more easy. She felt a sharp blow connect with her hind paw and she stumbled, flopping down on her side involuntarily. Greenlily was suddenly acutely glad that Rainpaw was a SunClan cat, because if she'd been an enemy cat that move would have been the end of her.

"That was very impressive, Rainpaw," Greeny mewed, keeping her voice neutral despite the growing concern that tingled in her paws. What had happened to make Rain so angry? Yes, that had definitely been anger in her eyes and the set of her shoulders. The question was, why? And would she tell her the truth if she asked?