{{counting the ways to where you are

[Aiko]

Monarchwing

[/b]
_{do all these roads lead me back to you?}[/color][/center]

Monarchwing shot an annoyed glance at Rainpath, her tail flicking against the ground. "Honestly, you'd think it was against the warrior code to take an evening stroll." Fleetingthunder had already let them hear it; was it necessary for Rainpath to? Her eyes found Badgertail, and she flicked an ear.

"Why, sure," she said, blinking at him. She got to her paws, stretching. She lashed her tail out behind her. "It's all in the tail," she purred jokingly, striding to the closest tree, looking up at it's branches.

"Let's try not to make too much noise, now, it's so late," she purred sarcastically, flicking her tail toward Fleetingthunder and Rainpath. She suddenly launched herself at the trunk, her claws digging into the bark. Quickly, she climbed a bit farther up the bark, glancing down, her eyes meeting Badgertail's. She purred. "Come on, try it!"

[warblersong]

Badgertail sat watching as she gathered herself together and jumped up the side of the tree. It hardly even looked difficult. He watched closly the places she put her claws trying to remember them for when he tried. She looked down at him and he stood and walked slowly towards the tree.

He was silent as he padded to it but in his mind he was growling at himself. Why did he have to talk about tree climbing. He hated having his paws leave the ground. The only time he didn't mind was if he was leaping at another warrior to defend his clan. He gathered his legs under him and sprang. His legs were strong, he leapt high into the air, higher than Monarchwing had. He reached out with his claws to grasp the tree at the height his jump. His claws sank in the bark, but he was too heavy for them to hold him and he slid a tail-length down the trunk. And there he stayed for a moment, his body almost refusing to move. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." He called up to the she-cat he was sure was laughing at him.

[ŖáIň]

Of course, in her opinion, it was quite amusing, his irritation. She speculated him with her insightful eyes, brimming with bemusement as she flicked her ears dismissively.
"Oh, alright then." she chortled, her soprano voice a twilight's fowl, the air was chilly; the nape of her neck had bristled slightly, the darker hues outstanding the obvious white.
In her opinion, speaking to this Medicine Cat was rather easy, no longer defensive. It seemed he could tolerate her dismissive mew, therefore, she speculated, bearing an easier tone to converse simply among.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, screwing upward at the outlandish twilight. A low snort, emitted from her jaws, and she stretched, the coarse hairs along her spine arising cordially, dismissing the frigid moon with the quiver of each strand.
"As much as I would adore to stay in this wonderful meeting, I suppose I'll leave you to your activities." she cogitated, arising to her dainty paws.
Intiment came a shadow that melted into the beyond, leaving only footprints to tell her tale.

[Nothing]

"Don't blame me if you are hurt and I won't heal you. Fall from that tree and break your back, but don't come to me. You're all old enough and apparently can all stay up so late walking around here, so you can all sort yourselves out." Fleetingthunder meowed, the medicine cat had had quite enough of it, "See you all back at camp."

[Aiko]

Monarchwing

[/b]
_{do all these roads lead me back to you?}[/color][/center]

Monarchwing purred at Badgertail. "Nonsense!" she meowed, looking down at him. "It just takes practice!" Lashing her tail, Monarchwing climbed up until she reached the closest branch. With a sigh, she climbed onto it, settling down and wrapping her tail around her paws. Glancing at Badgertail, she gave her paw a quick lick. "See? It just takes practice! I think you can do it!"

At Fleetingthunder's voice, she rolled her eyes, glancing down at him. For some reason, terrorizing the poor medicine cat brought her amusement. "Like I said, you worry far too much," she meowed. "But okay. See you at camp." She licked her chest fur, looking back down at Badgertail. "Looks like it's just us."

[warblersong]

Badgertail grumbled and relunctany sheathed the claws on one paw and lifted it little more than a wisker and placed it back against the trunk. He extended his claws again, sinking them as deep into the trunk of the tree as he could. He did the same with one of his back paws, then his other front paw, then the last. Each time he moved his paws just a little further, but never reaching as far as a tail length. His muscles started to ache and he constantly reminded himself not to look down. His black tail twiched, threatening to throw him off balance.

Finally he scrambled onto the branch Monarchwing sat on. He dropped himself onto his belly, his claws still sunk into the bark and tail refusing to stay still. The branch lowered slightly under the added weight. "There." He sighed relieved still not wanting to look to see how high he was, "Made it."

[Aiko]

Monarchwing

[/b]
_{Do all these roads lead me back to you?}[/color][/center]

Monarchwing watched him closely, although she wasn't sure what she would do had Badgertail fell. To her relief, he managed to reach her, his claws clutching to the wood. He seemed very wary of the height, and she flicked an ear, glancing down. He must think I'm half squirrel, she thought, looking back at him, purring.

"Good job," she meowed, touching him gently with her tail. "I suppose, next time, we stay on the ground?" She purred at him.

[warblersong]

Badgertail nodded. "Yeah that seems like a much better idea." He mewed. His pelt prickled, hot with embarrasment. He attempted to distract himself by giving a patch of black fur a few licks. she must think I'm more kit than cat! he hissed in his mind. "Next time I'll have to show you a few battle moves"

He adjusted his position, still not sitting up, and looked up at Monarchwing. He purred along with her. "Since you already got me up here, what do we do now?"

[Aiko]

Monarchwing

[/b]
_{Do all these roads lead me back to you?}[/color][/center]

Monarchwing felt rather comfortable, sitting in the tree with Badgertail. Most cats weren't for sitting in a tree, but he, while uncomfortable, wasn't making any attempts to leap back down, to leave her alone. She took a moment to answer, her ears twisting slightly. Battle moves? she thought, suddenly hungry for a good battle session. She looked back at Badgertail, getting to her paws slowly. Her tail was high, and her eyes sparkled with a challenge.

"You've intrigued me, Badgertail," she purred. "I would love to learn some new battle techniques. And I'm sure you have a few hidden in your fur." She flicked her tail, looking down. "Now, getting down; it's easier than climbing up. We're low enough to where we can almost jump." She stepped toward the trunk, claws gripping the bark as she began her descent down, jumping after a few short paw steps. She looked back up at Badgertail, lifting her tail.

"Give it a try!" she meowed. "Then you can show me those battle skills of yours!"[/size]

[warblersong]

Badgertails ears perked when she mentioned battle. That was something he could do. Getting down from the tree on the other paw was a much more complicated matter. He watched her as she climbed down almost envious of how easily she did it. He pushed his belly off the branch and it trembled slightly due to his nervous paws. The smaller branches rattled lightly as it did only making it worse. He wasn't sure ifhe could balance well enough to turn around. Then he remembered what she said. So he closed his eyes and jumped.

Falling had to be the worst thing he had ever felt. Thank starclan it only lasted a heartbeat. His paws landed heavily and he flopped on one side before he could steady himself. Then he stood and gave his fur a good shake promising never again. "Now," he mewed circling her, studying her build, "what should we try?"

[Aiko]

Monarchwing

[/b]
_{Do all these roads lead me back to you?}[/color][/center]

Monarchwing watched the tom carefully in his descent, sighing in relief when he landed rather ungracefully. She padded toward him, studying him as he circled her. She shrugged, the fur on her shoulders raising in anticipation. "Show me something," she meowed, tail high. "Anything." She could feel adrenaline pumping through her veins at the thought of battle practice.[/size]

[warblersong]

He studied her like he would an enemy. She wasn't large like him, more lean than muscular, her body more concentrated on muscles that give agiligy instead of strength. Almost like a Windclan cat though not nearly as wiery as them. Her speed she could use in battle to her advantage.

"Alright," He mewed nudging her flank gently so she stood away from some of the trees, "You be the Shadowclan warrior then." He backed up a few lengths, watching her as he mewed, "This move works best on Shadowclan and Riverclan cats and best in open lands. Windclan cats tend to be too quick for it to work and if there's too much undergrowth then your own paws might have some trouble. Not that that would be a problem for us Thunderclan cats."

He sprang towards her, covering the distance between them in a few strides. Instead of striking at her face with a paw he leapt, his body sailing over the length of her and landing clpse to her tail. His strong legs fought the momentum that tried to keep him running. He twisted and sprang again, his paws grasping Monarchwing's rump and wrestled her to the ground. After a heartbeat he released her and strode a few paces away. "Your turn."

[Aiko]

Monarchwing

[/b]
_{Do all these roads lead me back to you?}[/color][/center]

Monarchwing nodded, bracing herself for his attack. Watching him approach her, he seemed much more confident, and she wasn't expecting the attack. When he leaped, she stiffened, but before she could move, he struck, wrestling her to the ground. She yowled in surprised, totally unprepared for the attack. When he leaped off, she got to her paws, looking at him. Pride stinging, she blinked at him, impressed.

"Good move," she told him, tail lashing as she thought about her attack. "Now here's mine." She broke into a run, zigzagging toward him, covering the distance quickly. Once she was a few tail lengths away, she ducked left, running by Badgertail so closely her fur brushed his. When she was beside him, she twisted, and, with claws sheathed, she bowled into him, flipping him onto his back. She hovered over him, whiskers twitching.[/size]

[warblersong]

badgertail stiffened ready for her attack. When Monarchwing raced towards him darting back and forth as she did he watched with his his head tilted. He wasn't sure if she was doing the move he had just shown her or one of her own design. She continued past him before turning and running into him. She was stronger than he expected and fell along with her. He told himself it was because he was unprepaired. If he had known how strong she was she would have never gotten him down.

"Well done." He mewed like a mentor to his apprentice. Not that he thought of Monarchwing as a 'paw anymore. He was simply used to it. "Where'd you learn to to the rush?" He wasn't sure if he'd be able to go back and forth like she did. He was perfectly happy with charging through the undergrowth like an angry badger. But if there was another cat he could sharpen his claws and skills on he had to know.

[Aiko]

Monarchwing

[/b]
_{Do all these roads lead me back to you?}[/color][/center]

Monarchwing purred, ruffling her fur. "Thanks," she meowed, holding her head high, letting the praise flow over her. "It's just...my speed makes up for what I lack in strength. So I use the momentum in running to make myself appear more stronger. And zigzagging confuses my foe, so that's just an extra paw up." She twisted her head at him, studying his build. It was no surprise he was a good warrior. "You're built for battle; I'm built for speed. But we find ways to make it work!"[/size]