[ti]Open[/ti]we're on the front line [open]

[foggy]

-- smokeshade --

---

The thick grass was soft under his paws, a great contrast to the smooth floor of the camp. He didn't usually come here, to the meadow, as he had no apprentice of his own yet but the maine coon felt like his combat skills could use some practice. It was nearing midday so he expected there to be some warriors with their apprentices either learning new techniques or just practicing. He didn't mind, he'd prefer it even. As long as he didn't get slashed in the face, that is. Putting that one ill-fated incident aside, Smokeshade found it easier to learn with a partner or in a group. Maybe it was just easier to learn from others strengths and weaknesses. He remembered when he was an apprentice, there was a she-cat around the same age as him and all she did was talk, and talk, and talk some more. It drove him crazy, he'd fall asleep at night with his ears flattened, still hearing her shrill voice in his head. However, she was much better at hunting than he was so their mentors thought they could get together for a training exercise and learn off each other. He'd hated it, of course, but once he'd got out of his petty dislike for the situation, the tom cat had actually become much better at hunting due to her technique.

For now, though, it seemed like most of his clanmates were already engaged in their own training or teaching, so the warrior padded off to the side to observe until he found an opportunity to practice with someone else. Mistclan were lucky enough to have avoided so many hostile rouges wandering onto their territory and there hadn't been a border skirmish in quite a while, so battle training wasn't exactly a priority, but that didn't mean they could let their skills diminish until it was too late. Still, battle training was definitely more exhausting than hunting, in his opinion, therefore Smokeshade stretched his body in preparation, hoping to give his body a warning so it wouldn't be too sore tomorrow.

[silverfang218]

Sootpaw was off by himself on one side, his head tilted awkwardly so that he could watch the other apprentices training. His mentor is nowhere to be seen; the snowy apprentice is merely watching and trying to learn. With his limited range of sight, Soot had never been able to master combat. It was near impossible for him to react correctly once a cat managed to get on his blind side, which was extremely easy to do. He hoped that watching might help him.

Of course, watching likely won’t do much for him. The battle moves practiced here weren’t meant for half blind cats after all; no matter how much he practiced those moves it wouldn’t become any easier to protect his blind side. His tail lashed behind him at the thought. Even so, he wouldn’t dare stop practicing. He wanted to be the best warrior possible, to prove to himself that he was worth saving from that fire so many moons ago and to uphold his promise to Frostheart. He would find a way to learn even if he has no idea how. He would find a way.

[foggy]

-- smokeshade --

---

The warrior had spotted the bright white pelt of the half-blind tom, it was hard not to. Most of the Mistclanners had darker pelts, mainly black or brown, so a pure white cat walking amongst them was blindingly clear. However, Smokeshade hadn't actually looked at him, more noticed the glaring blast of colour in the corner of his eye as he passed through. When he saw the younger feline's head tilted at an odd angle, it jolted into him that Sootpaw only had partial sight, unfortunately a common occurrence in white blue-eyed cats, but he recalled that Sootpaw had been lucky enough to escape that fate, only to have it cruelly forced onto him. He watched for a second or two longer, seeing how he was perched awkwardly to the side, a little like him, but Sootpaw was watching the training with a far more intent focus. Of course, learning combat was going to be hard for him, but Smoke had no idea how hard.

He padded over, dodging paws and legs being flung all over the place, to sit beside the apprentice, who Smoke thought looked like he glowed as the sunlight hit his white pelt. For the first few seconds he didn't say anything, looking for a sign that his presence was unwelcome. "You look fierce," referencing the young tom's lashing tail. However, Smoke tended to think white cats looked too sweet and fluffy to be fierce, but the heated look in Sootpaw's eyes nearly enough to make him change his mind. Nearly. "Why don't you put that energy to some use?" Smokeshade had no idea how far he was in his training or if his mentor had placed him in a different training schedule due to his different abilities. He shrugged internally, regardless, Sootpaw would have to learn the same techniques as his full-sighted peers, probably more to compensate. He had a hard time ahead of him.

[silverfang218]

Sootpaw has long since killed the habit of jumping in surprise when a cat sneaks up on his blind side. Not that Smokeshade was trying to sneak up on the younger tom, but he had been staring so intently at the training that he hadn’t noticed Smoke’s pawsteps. Even so, the surprise had faded by the time Sootpaw turned so that he could easily look at Smoke with his green eye. “You startled me. I’m not all that good at fighting so I better look fierce. Scare my enemies away with their tails between their legs.” Sootpaw jokes, but he nods indicating that he’d be more than happy to join Smokeshade. He takes a couple steps sideways away from the other pairs of cats training, keeping his green gaze on his new training partner as he drops down into a defensive stance. In a fight, Soot has gotten somewhat decent at defending. When you are up close, the distance you need to leap forward in order to attack isn’t in question and when you know you are up close you can still guess at where they are even if you can’t see them.

Sootpaw tilts his head forward to let Smoke know that he can attack first, his green gaze staying fixated on him the whole time. “I assume that was an offer for a little one on one training?” Soot asks, perfectly ready to be beaten into the ground by the warrior.