[ti]Private[/ti]"I can do anything you can do better."

[Cosima]

BROOKSONG - -

Brooksong had been Starlingpaw's mentor for a while now. She was improving greatly, but Brooksong was starting to get the feeling that her young apprentice was trying to one-up her. Brooksong decided it was time to put her to the test!

"Today, we'll be hunting by the river," She meowed, walking side-by-side with her apprentice to the destination she had in mind. "I want to catch a big fat fish. Don't you?" Brooksong purred in a playful tone. Brooksong wasn't the best at hunting, but she was great at fishing! She was certain she would catch a bigger fish than Starlingpaw. After all, she was one of the most agile swimmers in Ivyclan! The fish will throw themselves at her paws!

They arrived by the river and Brooksong sat beside it. Her eyes turned to slits as she watched the fish swim back and forth in the water. "There's a lot of fish here. Go ahead and give it your best shot."

((Tagged: silverfang218 ))

[silverfang218]

Starlingpaw trots alongside her mentor, a quiet confidence in every pawstep in similar fashion to her mother. She nods, a graceful touch in her movements as she seems to accept her mentor’s plan for the day. Starling’s fur coat isn’t meant for the water, but as long as she was careful not to fall in there should be no trouble. No trouble at all.

As they stop at the edge of the river, Starlingpaw nods again. She approves of this location; there are plenty of good fish here to be caught. She trots a few paces down the the river away from Brooksong; she can’t have the older cat scaring away all of Starling’s good fish, now can she? She crouches down, eyes intent on the river and all the prey it held. After a few moments of silence and perfect stillness, Starling lashes out with a paw and hulls up a massive fish. The weight of it nearly pulls her into the river, but she twists to the side with her hindquarters which allows her to pull the fish up onto the bank beside her. Ending the fish’s life with a swift bite and putting a paw on the fish so it doesn’t slip back into the water, the apprentice looks back towards her mentor to see what kind of fish Brooksong has managed to catch. There is a smug glitter in Starling’s eyes and a bit of a smirk on her face even though she doesn’t say anything.

Starling’s brand of diva is a quiet one; she lets the cats around her know that she is better than they are by the look in her eyes and the expressions that flit across her face. Silent or not though, she is the best.

[Cosima]

BROOKSONG - -

She was pleased that Starlingpaw accepted her challenge. The warrior didn't waste any time and hopped to the other side of the river to begin fishing. Because she was smart, she made sure that her shadow did not hit the water, because that could scare the fish off! The last thing she needs is to lose to someone younger than her, her own apprentice, at that!

It took time and lots of patience, but eventually, a fish swum in front of her. With claws unsheathed, she quickly swiped at the water and caught it in her paw. She tossed it onto the riverbank and gave it a killing bite, making certain that it didn't swim another day. She was rather proud of her fish until she looked over at Starlingpaw's. It was slightly larger and heavier. Brooksong's fish was longer in width and slimmer, but her fish had cooler looking scales! She knew her fish would win in a coolness competition.

Brooksong picked up her fish in her jaws and proudly trotted over to her apprentice and laid her fish between her paws. "I believe we know who the winner is!" She meowed, puffing out her chest. "Mine is much larger than yours, by far!" She knew that if they were to lay the two fish side by side, Starlingpaw would see that hers was indeed bigger. Brooksong refused to let her apprentice get a closer look at her fish for that reason.

[silverfang218]

“Actually Brooksong I think any cat with two good eyes would agree mine is bigger and heavier. It’s okay though if you don’t want to admit it, I understand; it’s very hard for a warrior to admit defeat to an apprentice, hm? No matter. We both know who really won, don’t we now?” Starlingpaw replies in a sweet tone as she looks over Brooksong’s fish. It was a great catch, but her own was clearly bigger. She didn’t hate her mentor or anything, but it was so satisfying to lord over her. The apprentice holds her head high in pride and her eyes clearly say I have beaten you, Brooksong. If Brooksong doesn’t admit defeat, then they both know that the warrior looks childish, but if a warrior admits defeat to their apprentice… now that’s not very good either is it? Particularly not for one as proud as Brooksong.

That was, of course, the reason that Brook didn’t want the fish lying side by side. That would be proof would it not? Not that it wasn’t clear enough to see from where Starling was standing, but still. It may have worked if Starling was stupid or blind. If she was Scorchpaw perhaps. She tilts her head to the side as she looks up at Brook, her gaze asking, what now, mighty warrior? with a bit of a teasing air. I’ve won so what are you going to do about it, oh so powerful mentor?

[Cosima]

BROOKSONG - -

The bengal she-cat's scruff began to rise with irritation. She absolutely couldn't believe it! She was being outdone by some silly apprentice! All of these moons of training to be mocked by a scrappy kit like her? Hah!

"That's it." She childishly batted at Starlingpaw's dead fish and it flopped pitifully down the riverbed. "You and I are going to find out who is really better at fishing. Whoever catches the most fish before the sun sets below the trees, wins. Capiche?" Brooksong challenged. She didn't give the apprentice enough time to reply and turned tail to begin catching fish. This time, she was going to win. No if, ands, or buts.

[silverfang218]

“The most and the biggest fish.” Starlingpaw adds onto the challenge, the quiet confidence not leaving her voice. Fishing is no problem; Shadowgaze had taught her well. He had taught himself how to fish while he was gone, and while Starling hated getting her fur wet and she hated the thought of swimming even more… her adopted big brother had been able to teach her this. Admittedly her technique of pulling the fish up onto the bank looks a bit odd as she pivots around a hindleg and uses her momentum to lift the fish, but that’s because it was developed by a small cat for small cats to avoid falling in.

It doesn’t take overly long for Starling to start getting into the groove. Her technique avoided causing too much chaos in the water and therefore somewhat avoided scaring all the fish away with every catch. Within not long she has three more decent sized fish sitting on her pile. And yes, she dragged the fish further from the river so they won’t accidently flop back into the water.

[Cosima]

BROOKSONG - -

Brooksong, being the competitive cat she was, was filled with haste as she fished. The first two times, she was a bit too quick in her advances toward the fish and it swam away. She took a moment to rest and collect her thoughts before making another attempt. Any other mentor would be watching their apprentice closely and giving tips, but she was adamant she would return home victorious.

Her fishing technique was rather ornate... and looked really silly. She would balance on her haunches and use one paw to bat wildly at the fish's tail and the other paw to scoop it into her jaws.. Doing this technique was more effort than needed, but secured the fish was caught. It was nearing time and she had only caught two paw-sized fish. She took a quick glance at Starlingpaw's fish behind her back. Her apprentice had just finished catching a third fish, and all three of hers were larger than her measly two. She knew that she had to make a bold statement and catch an enormous fish to make up in size.

She skittered downstream to where the water was faster. Luckily for her, in the water was the shadow of a trout bigger than any of their fish! The bengal grinned and hopped onto a rock to get closer. In one swift motion, she swatted the fish out of the river and bit into it. She was very satisfied with this feat and could just smell the victory!

The sun was just below the tree-line. With a pep in her step, she skipped over to Starlingpaw and dropped her three fish at her feet. "How about that?"

[silverfang218]

Starlingpaw, already having her pile of fish behind her, was looking for a big fish to add to the pile. Her eyes found one, a fish large enough to promise that Starling will have trouble pulling it in herself. Even so, she trusts her little technique. She can do it. The smoky apprentice readjusts her place on the bank of the river a few times, following the fish’s movements.

She’s still watching it, waiting patiently for it to swim just a bit closer. At her mentor’s smug “How about that?” Starling raises her tail in an order for silence. Seriously, the nerve of some cats. Starling doesn’t bother turning around and instead keeps her eye on the prize. The fish, the stupid fish, didn’t seem bothered by Brook’s declaration and instead creeps a bit closer to shore. That’s when Starling strikes, grabbing the fish in her claws and yanking it onto the bank.

She finally glances over at Brook’s haul. Not only does Starling now have one more fish than her mentor, but the large fish she just pulled is equal to Brook’s largest fish and the rest of Starling’s are bigger than the rest of Brook’s. Starling’s expression becomes a big smug, and she gives her mentor just the biggest smile. How do you like that, Brooksong?

[Cosima]

BROOKSONG - -

That's it. She was now infuriated that this annoying, bratty, ball of fluff was better than she was. "Your- your fish smell. I bet they're mostly bone and organs, no meat." She spat. She then turned tail and sat, pouting. There had to be something that Starlingpaw couldn't do better than her...

Her eyes drifted further down the stream where she had caught her trout. The stream was moving quickly and crashing against the path of rocks leading to the other side... and she had an idea. "Starlingpaw, my dearest apprentice," Brooksong purred on a bright, mischievous note. "For the final round, I dare you to cross the river on those slippery stones... with your eyes shut. Eyes open, you fail, and I win. Make it across, and you're the better cat, fair and square."

She rose and hopped along the rocks to the other side so she could see if she would actually do it. "You up for the challenge?"

[silverfang218]

“In my experience, all fish smell, Brooksong. And they do all seem to be mostly organs and bones; that’s why you have to catch the big fat ones like this.” Starlingpaw’s tail gestures to the largest of the fish caught today, which is on her own pile. Her ear twitches in discomfort as Brooksong challenges her to hop across the rocks with her eyes closed. It’s absolutely ridiculous, of course, but Starling isn’t one to back down from a challenge… even if she knows she’ll fail.

“Well, we already know who is better at fishing.” Starling smiles, a bit of innocence in her expression. “And we know who’s braver, since you want me to do it with my eyes closed while you hopped across with eyes open.” Even though Starling will inevitably fail at least she’s made the bigger cat known. Brooksong walked right into that trap.

And now for that challenge of hers. Starling takes a very good look at the rocks she’s to hop across, memorizing their locations. She positions herself so that she can hop to the first one before closing her eyes. She leapt to the first one, and she makes it though her hindleg slips a bit. Her memory is excellent and she accurately turns towards the second rock; however, when she leaps for it she misjudges and slips. Her eyes snap open but it’s a little too late now. Her claws are useless against the rock and there’s a sharp pain in one of her forelegs as it slides down the side of sharp stone. She starts to paddle once she’s fully in the water, but she’s not very strong and the weight of her long, thick fur soaked with water and quickly moving stream soon pulls her under. She doesn’t cry out or anything though. Cats who are as glorious as Starling don’t scream even if they are going to drown.