The Clan Renaissance

An Alternate Universe Warriors Roleplay

Truth be told, Prowl paid little attention to the younger cats—apprentices they were called?—only a passing acknowledgment of their names. He didn’t think much of Heronpaw, only knowing that he was one of Shellspots’s kits. When the young cat was assigned to teach Prowl how to fish, he pushed aside the flare of humiliation rising up in his nostrils. Living in a clan surrounded by water, it was inevitable that he needed to learn how to swim and to fish; he knew that much. And yet, he couldn’t ignore the embarrassment of being treated like, well, like a… kit.

Keeping his head up high as he trailed after Heronpaw, he reminded himself that he would have to endure embarrassment for the next few moons, if he wanted to thrive in RiverClan. By the time they reached the river, Prowl had mentally prepared himself for the possibility of his fur getting… slightly damp.

He moved to the water’s edge, sniffing reproachfully, and then turned to Heronpaw. “What should I expect from fishing?”

If perhaps Prowl was like any other cat, he might have laughed at Heronpaw’s pitiful attempt at dry humor. But unfortunately, he had a head on his shoulders and nose that could pick up on fox-dung. At Heronpaw’s words, the crease in his forehead deepened. He was not liking the apprentice’s attitude thus far, but for his sake (and Prowl’s sanity), he would keep his thoughts to himself.

He moved away from the edge, but not without a subtle huff at the pointed comment at the beginning. “I was only inspecting the water, I’ll have you know!—but I trust your judgment. So if I don’t loom right over the edge, pray tell, how am I supposed to position myself?”

He watched Heronpaw carefully for further directions. “And say I do find a fish in the water after waiting a long time, what would be the best way to catch it?”

He crouched down from his distance, noting the differences between normal hunting versus fishing. Hunting was more straightforward. There was a bit of cleverness involved, but as long as you were quick and ruthless, you could catch your prey. But fishing? There was a level of finesse and dexterity required from what he was hearing from Heronpaw.

“So I need to catch the fish without being too forward with my movements, and I study the water instead of watching above,” said Prowl. He narrowed his eyes, blocking out the glare from the sunlight and honed in on the water’s surface, trying to pick out even the slightest change in direction. He imitated Heronpaw’s motions, swiping at the air to grab with his paws, but not to slash. Another crucial difference between hunting and fishing.

He nodded to Heronpaw and confidently said, “I can do it.”

It made him think of his time at twolegplace, when he first joined Chainsaw’s gang. He couldn’t be a hunter, at least not unless he wanted to be overpowered by the other cats. He was like the fisher then, tucked out of sight, watching for the ripples on the surface, and striking when least expected. In this case, his brother was the fish.

He brought that energy into his fishing, keeping as still as a rocky as he watched the water.

More than a few heartbeats passed until the surface stirred a half-whisker amount. His heart leapt, knowing exactly what was causing the movement. Quickly, his paws shot out from underneath, striking at the fish like bolts of lightning. He felt the smooth, glossy scales of the creature between his paw pads. He felt its helpless, squirming body inflating and then deflating in breaths. How much power he held in his paws, and in one moment, he would end it.

But before he could toss it to the ground, it slipped out of his grasp and then its slimy form on to his snout, promptly triggering him to shriek. The fish flopped to the ground and back into the water with a soft splash. And just like that, the power he once held in his paws was gone.

It did not go unnoticed that Heronpaw’s voice quivered with a distinctive quality like laughter. Prowl huffed with all the restraint of trudging badger, but he kept his fur down and his expression cool. Some of the water got into his pelt, and he made sure to clean off those spots first. He was reassured by the fact that there were other cats whose first attempts went more poorly, and more thankful that he hadn’t been forced into the water.

He flexed his claws again and leveled his head to the younger cat.

“I was not aware of how slippery the fish would be,” he explained calmly. “My claws were unprepared, but I should know what to expect now. Would you have any advice for a future attempt?”