Last but not least //p

[Hazepaw]

Hazepaw just followed Dappledleaf around, nodding respectfully since he knew it wasn't really much of a choice, which he just followed after her.

[Dappledleaf]

Once they'd arrived at the small stream, she turned to the tom, flicking her tail. Before speaking she paused to think: fishing or swimming? Lifting a hesitant paw, she turned to the tom, and gestured to the flat stones crossing the river.

"Before crossing over to reach the base of the mountains," she began, "we're going to fish." Leaping onto one of the large, flat stones used to cross the river, she found one near a good spot, and gestured for the tom the join her.

[Hazepaw]

Hazepaw just sort of gave Dappledleaf a blank stare as she beckoned him to come over, this was the only thing he hated most, water. Of course the irony in his favorite prey being bass, thanks to Otterpaw, but he just didn't like fishing or swimming because of how his thick fur would plaster to his body and he's basically be dead weight if he fell into the water on accident. With all of this in mind, he just sort of blankly stared at his mentor, not sure what to do.

[Dappledleaf]

It took her a moment to realize the tom wasn't listening too well, and had a semi-petrified look plastered across his dimly lit features. She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again, thinking.

"Are you afraid of the water, Hazepaw?" she asked, curious. "It's fine if you are," Dappledleaf added after a moment. "I was planning to teach you swimming, but if you don't wish to, tell me, OK?"

[Hazepaw]

Hazepaw felt a small spot of shame as he had realized he had gone against his mentor for the moment as he just gave a blank stare until he snapped out of it and looked at Dappeledleaf and just finally answered, "I'm sorry, water isn't my strongpoint." He said, still feeling the spot of shame as he said that, hoping that he didn't disappoint her on the first day of training.

[Dappledleaf]

"You don't have to be sorry," Dappledleaf began. "You don't have to swim, but I'd be glad if you tried fishing at least." Although she was a bit surprised the tom was afraid of the water, since it rarely ever happened or was heard another cat in any of the clans was afraid; it was rare.

"Fishing doesn't require swimming, would you like to give it a try?" she asked. Fishing was very effective and one of the more popular hunting techniques... it was important he learned it.

[Hazepaw]

Hazepaw still had the mindset of resistance from getting anywhere near the water, he was fine being near it, he just didn't want to be IN it. Which he just pushed that thought away and slowly approached where Dappledleaf was so he could at least learn since it was part of his training, didn't mean he was going to like it a single bit.

[Dappledleaf]

(sorry, been busy lately)

She took the silence as well, nothing... but acted regardless. "All right." If he was afraid of falling in she'd give him another option. They'd hunt on land later of course, but if he didn't want to fish off the rock, he could fish off land.

She jumped back onto the bank, paws splashing the water lightly, then headed to one of her favorite spots. Underneath the tree was where she first learned to fish from her mentor. "The shade from the tree gives you an advantage, as it disguised yours in the process." she mewed, instructing the tom to watch as she spoke.

Watching the surface intently, she waited some time until a scale flashed from beneath the surface, and she shot her paw in the water, while keeping it cupped and pulled the fish out. While it was still stuck to some of her claws, she took it and slammed it against the rock, killing it upon impact. "It's sort of... violent, but it's effective." she added, after placing the fish on the stone. "Would you like to try?"

[Hazepaw]

(it's fine)

Hazepaw did take a moment to give question to where Dappledleaf was going, especially after he willed himself onto the area where she was, but followed her back off of the rocks and back to the mainland. Which he did still wonder what she was doing when she was just sitting still but quickly came to the realization that she was fishing once she had pulled the fish out and smashed it against the rocks. Yet now he was wondering whether he wanted to take a shot at it, or maybe just try it later since he did learn by sight most of the time. "I'm not sure." He said, figuring that his quietness was probably unnerving for Dappledleaf since she had to work without feed-back.

[Dappledleaf]

She'd never met a cat so unwilling to do something. Blinking slowly, she thought momentarily, then picked the fish up gingerly between her jaws.

"Your training will end today then," she mumbled between the fish. "You'll start training tomorrow with Otterpaw, and then you'll have to fish. If you're more comfortable learning with someone like him, even though very lacking in experience, fine..."

She raised a tentative paw, then trotted in direction of the camp, waving her tail for him to follow. "See you in the morning, Hazepaw." she mewed firmly. She would give him many options. Being strict wasn't something she wished to be known for. Hopefully the tom was grateful to train with his friend.

[ i believe this would be a good thread ending. please PM me if you have any questions about the otter and haze training. if you disagree with it, please tell me. ]

[Hazepaw]

Hazepaw had the idea that she didn't want to be strict about it, yet he knew very well he was being defiant just because of a personal fear of falling in. At the moment he was also kind of confused at how she stated that he would be training with Otterpaw the next day, yet then immediately got the catch to it. He figured she was going to take that approach just to see if he'd actually fish or whether he would just go against it more. Which he then followed her, giving a nod, and kept behind her.

(Yeah this is a good spot to end. I don't disagree, just I'm not sure how active Otterpaw is because she's been busy with school and friend stress lately.)