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Post by Solaris on Oct 5, 2022 1:27:48 GMT
Day 2 of Prey Moon 2021Pawsteps
Prey Moon 2021
Day 2 | Greenleaf
Galaria
SUMMARY: Luna learns self-defense after a close encounter with a fox.
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Post by Solaris on Oct 5, 2022 1:38:53 GMT
Prey 2, 2021 | GalariaIt was only yesterday since the fox fight, and Luna could still remember the putrid cloud of fox-breath that scarred her poor nose, as if she were inhaling toxic fumes. She nearly choked on the stench.
She remembered how close the fox’s fangs were to her head. One bite and she would be missing an ear. But with a morbid thrill, she enjoyed the idea of having a missing or torn ear. It would would add an air of mystery and a look that said, “Don’t mess with me.” But in that moment, all she could think about was escape.
Here, facing off against Morpheus, the stakes were much lower, but there was also nowhere to escape to. Not too far away was treecut place and twolegplace, and any sign of twolegs was bad news. She squinted at Morpheus, who stood a few fox-lengths away. She was supposed to make the move first, but she was unwilling to be tackled to the ground by a cat who easily overpowered her. It was an unfair fight, how was Luna supposed to win?
“Do I really have to go first?” she begged, tail sweeping side to side anxiously. “I’ve never fought any cat before!” |
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Oct 5, 2022 16:24:30 GMT
 "I am too INSANE to explain and you are too NORMAL to understand." |
OOC: Any OOC notes can go here | TAGS: Solaris |
If there is one thing that Morpheus regretted is not being there for the people who needed him most in life. Whether it was his past with his family or the feeling of not being there enough for Luna when she needed it most. He did not claim to be the best feline on this planet let alone the father of the year award. He knew little on how to raise a youngling but he had tried his best; he had enough practice with his sister before she went off with another tom to start her own life and get away from the horrors the siblings endured together. Morpheus would not admit it but Luna was in a way his saving grace. She kept his mind from wondering too much on the past and thus allowing room for him to heal while at the same time focusing on another who needed him. She didn't know this or as he had figured as much between their squabbles and love-hate relationship as a teenage daughter would to a single father figure. But he felt like crap when he'd been so distracted that he had missed the fox in the area before it was too late.
He did not want to let Luna see his weakness or how panicked he had felt when he'd caught sight of those fangs nearly getting her head in it's large jaws of death. He'd briefly thought of flashes of crimson staining her pretty pale coat and that kicked him into gear. There was no shame in running. Especially if one was outnumbered or the opponent much larger and stronger then they. Luna had some training sure; but not enough to fight off a fox under an ambush attack alone. This he planned to rectify immediately. If by any chance he and she may separate he needed to know she would have the ability to protect herself; a reminder that she no longer was a helpless kit he had once saved from the pile of abandoned corpses of her siblings.
He blinked at her from across the space at which he stood facing her; legs braced apart and half crouched as his pale eyes studied her carefully. He had insisted on an impromptu training session after the fox attack as soon as the shock waned from her mind. He was not going to allow a single chance to train her for the future slip from his paws. At her whining he allowed a sigh to escape his nose as if exasperated but in fact his voice was rather patient and calm as he replied to her question.
"That is why we are training, moon child. You faced a fox yesterday and managed to survive in tact. I do not wish for an incident like that to replicate itself. It's high time we begin your training a little more seriously now." he told her not moving an inch from his position.
"I will not attack you; this is purely for me to see where you are mentally and adjust you as needed. Imagine I am a hostile feline you've come across the woods and will not for whatever reason back down and you are forced to make the first move. Remember, this scenario is a battle to the death but simply to subdue the other." he gave her a pointed look "Don't forget to sheath those claws." template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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Post by Solaris on Oct 9, 2022 13:19:08 GMT
Prey 2, 2021 | Galaria “Okay, okay! My claws are sheathed!” cried out Luna, fur bristling at the pointed look he gave her. She kept her calm, lowering her head to acknowledge his words. “I’ll try my best.”
Deep down, she knew Morpheus’s intentions were right, and his words did bring a level of reassurance to her nervousness, and it wasn’t as if Luna wasn’t excited to learn how to actually fight. But she’d seen the way Morpheus fought before, the way he dealt with other predators they encountered. She didn’t want the humiliation of defeat again, like her fight with the fox. Though, it wasn’t really a defeat so much as a—
Luna, just attack him!
Puffing out her fur and narrowing her gaze, she stalked around to Morpheus’s flank, making sure to keep her tail tucked in. If there was anything that’d been drilled into her head before, it’s that awareness of the placement of her tail was crucial for survival. She halted when she reached his side, crouching low to the ground. She counted in her head, One, two three… and!
She kicked her hind legs upward, launching her across Morpheus’s body, a low enough distance from the ground, so that she landed on his other side. She then attempted to wrap her paws around his form—one paw over his back, the other sliding under his stomach—and imitated the raking motion. Unfortunately, her tail found its way out from under her haunch, swinging up high like a target. |
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Oct 9, 2022 18:06:51 GMT
"I am too INSANE to explain and you are too NORMAL to understand." |
OOC: Hope that made sense. I'm rusty with teachings | TAGS: Solaris |
Luna was still young; not even a third of his age in moons yet but she had potential. That is, as anyone living such a life - can ask for. Morpheus knew greatness could come from such potential if treated the right way. He regretted not trying sooner for her training to begin but time sure does fly a lot more quickly when one was distracted by a youngling...especially if the youngling was the opposite of her caretaker. But alas, Morpheus took comfort that at least despite her nervousness to begin this part of her life she was smart and resourceful enough. She trusted him enough to know that she could get somewhere under his teachings and that he would not allow anything to happen to her if he was present.
When she finally took it upon herself to focus he could still tell she had some nerves but she was keen to still them in favor of pushing forward. His eyes watched with keen intent as she began to circle him he stayed true to his word and made sure not to move himself and allow her to make the first move but he did follow her with his eyes and ears as she circled towards his flank. When she finally leap towards him she used a little too much oomph so that she soared over his back; or perhaps she'd meant to do that so that she could leap over him to catch him unaware on his other side? He felt her paws try to grabs at his spine while she descended on his other side; using her second free paw to try to catch his belly but her movements were not clean enough and the flash of pale tail crossed his vision. He turned then and reached up to lightly bat at her appendage to pin it to the ground and spin lightly around on well trained paws to place a large black appendage against her neck in a move to force it down at the same time his other went to pin her tail.
"One must always be aware of all their limbs. When you go to attack foresee where you want your paws and otherwise to be placed before you do it. Never move mindlessly." Morpheus instructed
"If you are against an opponent that is larger then you like myself you should keep to the low grounds. There will always be a pro and con to any move you do. But since you are smaller that means you are more agile on your feet which will compensate the strengths of size and power the larger opponent may have."
He put slighter pressure on her where his paws had yet to move. "Take this for instance. If we were to claws you would have given me minor damages. Going for the belly should never be the first move; it is too obvious as well as the throat. Leaping above me as you had gave me ample opportunity to twist and catch you either midair or your belly; if I were slower then you as I am larger I could still have used my strength right where my paws were if this was a real battle." he added releasing her and stepped back before crouching again but in a little bit more of a controlled stance than she had been .
"Be a little mindful of that tail; it can easily be snatch and used against you. Now, let's try again but this time don't be too obvious of what you're planning on doing. Keep your gaze focused on your opponent's and watch for their own cues of what they may give away to what they will do but never reveal where you are planning to strike with roaming eyes." he began to move and circle her to return at a safer distance and crouched.
"Never go for the killing blow immediantly; battle is never swift or easy and no one leaves unscathed but you must be smart with your moves because it could mean life or death." his eyes softened slightly before his grew serious with his words. "Cats like us do not always fight for the death but simply to have the other yield to us to show dominance so never think that if you are pinned against someone that they must die. Death should never be the end result." he stated before blinking
"Now try again."
There was much one could learn and many ways of perceiving others. Morpheus needed to see how she learned but there was one thing he needed to drill into her. Death should never be the end result to any fight unless there is not any other choice in the matter. Luna needed to use her brain to make the smartest options when in battle - even if it meant that she flee if she had no other choice. Unless there was a comrade that needed her help. template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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Post by Solaris on Nov 6, 2022 17:08:51 GMT
Prey 2, 2021 | Galaria Stopped midway from her attack, Luna batted at the paws that pressed her down, pinned down like the birds Morpheus hunted for her. And she had to admit, being in this position was humiliating, with one paw over her throat, and the other on her tail. Were the weaknesses in her movements that obvious? How was Morpheus so quick to defeat her? In a real battle, she knew exposed weaknesses would lead to death.
Awkwardly, she angled her head to get a good look at Morpheus. He still hadn’t released his paws yet, and though he wasn’t pressing down too hard, she still felt a weight pushing down on her. At least she knew her mistake: her lack of awareness of her body. She groaned internally to herself, why were there so many things to keep track of?
“The belly shouldn’t be the first move, and I need to watch where I put my limbs and my tails. Got it,” Luna said, reciting some of his words. She nodded vigorously along, partly in a fueled desire for improvement, and partly so that Morpheus was stop talking and let her go. When at last, the pressure on her tail was released, she let out a relieved sigh.
”How do you… do that?” She asked, leaping up to her feat and stretching out her neck from side to side. “Like, not being too obvious about my intentions? If I don’t look at where I want to hit, how do I make sure I land a blow on my opponent?”
Luna’s head spun with all of his cautionary words of what to do, what not to do, of what to look for and watch, this and that, and this and that. The way Morpheus fixed his gaze upon her, as he spoke of refraining from a killing blow, sent critters crawling down her spine. Death should never be the end results. There was no arguing with Morpheus here.
She groaned to herself. Why were there so many rules to fighting? It was so easy to get lost in the moment, to act on instinct. Bat a paw there, claw at an ear. But Morpheus knew what he was talking about, and if she wanted to avoid another fox encounter, she needed a lot of practice.
Nodding after Morpheus told her to try again, she slinked back, facing opposite from him. Then, she dropped into a crouch and kept her paws firmly on the ground. She pictured herself as a rock, firmly in the center of a river, standing tall and strong. Then she approached him, cautiously, making sure to lower her tail so that he would have no chance to pin it down. One time was enough.
Luna gulped as she moved to his flank. Feeling her mind drift as she struggled to find what the next move should be, she peeled back, knowing that Morpheus had ample opportunity to attack her if she stayed frozen. As she did the motion, an idea blossomed into her head. If she had the advantage of agility, why not use that to attack him?
She went around to his other side, tracing her sight from his neck then to his shoulder. Swooping in, she swiped a sheathed claw at his throat, and then ducked away before he could hit. So far so good, she thought to herself. Then Luna ran to his other side and moved in at his hind leg, slapping a paw against the shin. She jerked backward as she did previously. |
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Dec 5, 2022 16:35:03 GMT
"I am too INSANE to explain and you are too NORMAL to understand." |
OOC: Sorry for the lateness! | TAGS: Solaris |
If there was one thing he had always admired about his little moon child was the fact that she was so determined to succeed. Even when she acted all sassy and sarcastic he had always seen that look of determination to prove herself lurking in the depths of her eyes. Even now, as he pushed her into uncomfortable scenarios of her training she still held that strong flint in her gaze. At least she was ready to learn and with learning came with putting yourself out there for mistakes to learn from. So as he drew back from her and watched her body language he nodded slightly to himself.
The first thing he had learned when training with his father was never to go for the most obvious of moves. Just because they could deal damage did not mean that they should be the first move as battle was more for survival then anything else. Sure enemies fighting would want the end to draw near either in defeat or death depending on the situation but even a fight could not be won through a one hit.
"When you are in a battle patience and precision is key. There is a lot to know about keeping one's guard up but roaming eyes allow the opponent to see just where you'll be planning to hit and they can intercept. No cat can know the weakness of another without first analyzing their physical prowess of course, but what I mean is to never allow your eyes to linger in one spot for too long. Even a second longer then any other glance would key a keen eye to the next spot that you'll strike that they can easily block." he tried to explain patiently as he rolled his shoulders a bit and stood up.
"Look but do not stare." he added with a tip of his head as if to summarize. He knew he talked too much during training but to explain the situations often gave a clearer image as much as physical training did.
She would understand eventually. Morpheus did not expect for her to know everything and get everything right of course or else there was no point in training her then. But at least she was perceptive to criticism. With time and practice she would find her own rhythm and make her own moves but until then he needed her to be comfortable with the scenerio of battling. This was not to train for a wrestling match when they play but to save lives; hers and others if it came to it.
He was keenly watching her as she circled around him seemingly sizing him up and he watched her positioning with care. When she froze for a moment; that look in her eyes showing tale signs of her mind wandering he could have struck her there and gotten her on her back once more but he chose to allow it to slip. Unlike his old man he was not keen on training through acts of humiliation of failure. So he stayed where he was waiting with patience until she realized what she doing. The next thing she was circling him around with a strike towards his shoulder neck area. He jerked back slightly at the hit as it made contact with him and he spun around on his paws to try and catch her in his sights as she ran to his other side to swipe at his shins causing him to lose his footing a bit and stumble.
"Good good! There we go." he praised getting back to his paws and shaking his feet a few times. "Good thinking." he added before he took a few steps back and crouched.
"Now, instead of exhausting yourself with running around by using your agility I want you to face off with me. Sometimes the most obvious and riskier moves are what people don't often think will happen. Racing straight at an opponent on most terms would be stupid but as you are smaller than me and more agile you would easily be able to dart from my grasp. So I want you to charge me from the front just like the first time around but this time use the same tidbits you just learned to try and get me to the ground and pinned."
template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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Post by Solaris on Dec 31, 2022 2:09:32 GMT
Prey 2, 2021 | Galaria Luna struggled to conceptualize these words as she dove in for a quick hit at Morpheus’s shoulder. She wrestled with the questions that kept bombarding her mind like a string of endless pricking burrs that she wanted to nip off. Sure, maybe Morpheus was right about how fights required patience and precision. But in a heartbeat, all rationale melted away, leaving behind the bare instinct of “Fight back!” She felt it hard and fast when she faced the fox.
Despite her skepticism, five words echoed in her head, probably the firmest line of advice that she heard all day from her father. Look but do not stare. This, she understood. She needed to absorb as much information from a single look as she could without lingering for too long. But how? How could she think that fast? Was that even feasible?
When she managed to trip him with her speed, she breathed out a sigh of relief. Though she was panting hard, her sides caving into her ribs and then rapidly expanding, she still strode over to Morpheus. Puffing out her chest as she panted, she tentatively nodded, “You have to admit, that was pretty good!”
The tensions in her shoulders eased at Morpheus’s compliment. Okay, Luna was getting somewhere! Finally! Her legs were aching from all that running and leaping, and her head buzzed with Morpheus’s long, droning lecture, and all she wanted to rest. And eat fresh-kill. And lay in the sun. It would be so much easier that way. She wouldn’t have to contend with being beaten again, even if she wanted to learn how to fight. Even if she had been begging to be taught how to fight for a while. But this was hard. “So, are we done yet or…?”
Instead, Morpheus continued on with another piece of criticism, and Luna groaned, mumbling a, “Yeah. Fine. You’re right.”
But as she started to digest what Morpheus was saying, Luna paused and thought it through. Now he was telling her to charge at him? No way! She wasn’t going to… But Morpheus already moved back to his original position, waiting for her to move. Gaping, she glanced at him. “You want me to pin you down? But you’re so much bigger than me!”
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Jan 5, 2023 19:07:44 GMT
"I am too INSANE to explain and you are too NORMAL to understand." |
OOC: Any OOC notes can go here | TAGS: Solaris |
Luna had to learn. It was basic survival and he could only pray that she would not have to face the chance of battle but he could never be too careful. He was not his father and she was not his sister but Morpheus refused to allow the only connection of a form of normalcy he snuffed out because he was neglectful of her upbringing and fighting was part of survival. Still, watching her out of breath he felt a tad guilty for pushing her so hard. She had the spirit to fight but not the stamina; made sense but she managed to survive the fox out of pure adrenaline. Sighing the dark tom shook his head with a slight smile tugging at his maw when she seemed to frustrated and a flabbergasted that he has suggested his next instruction. To pin him down. Now, pinning down didn't always mean her having to physically pin him down; she needed to use her head as much as her body for this. He promised this would be the last technique before he allowed her to rest regardless of whether she managed to pull it off or not. She was still small and he often forgot she did not have the strength and stamina a larger tom like himself would have.
He nodded towards her. "Yes. I want you to pin me down. You are small and agile. But, that does not mean you cannot do it. You have to be smart about this. I see you are tired but I need you to tap into your reserve for this next move." he couldn't believe what he was actually about to suggest and he knew she would be reluctant to do so. But a few claw marks wouldn't kill him.
"I want you to charge me. Use the zigzag pattern you just did but I want you to leap at me. You have to do this precisely for this move to work. Do not jump too high over my back but just enough for you to get over me - this part is very important." he stared her down intently.
"Full speed. Really launch yourself at me as if you were trying to take me down. Sink your claws into my shoulders right before you leap and use the strength of your backlegs as both to jump and shove me at the same and and try to flip me as you launch. Grasp onto my shoulder and drop yourself when you are in the air to move me." he told her
He braced himself with legs apart again in his usual balanced stance. He wouldn't move or block since he was the one to give her the move instructions. But he wanted to see if she could do it. She needed to work on her core strength and stamina so he was already planning on some early morning training exercise in the form of early morning running sessions to get her breathing patterns under control as well as her stamina.
"You can do it. Don't worry about hurting me." he added quickly with an encouraging nod. "We can rest after this; just humor me." template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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Post by Solaris on Jan 7, 2023 21:36:43 GMT
Prey 2, 2021 | Galaria This was ridiculous! Before today, Luna barely knew how to fight, and now she had to take down her father? Precision, precision, precision. Those words made her sick. If precision was what Morpheus wanted, then fine. So be it. Her tail slashed at the dirt, and she felt a rumble in her neck. A growl. She fought against the cramps and the sores that clawed at her body. She fought against the fatigue and the frustration and fury that burned inside of her.
The worst part was that Morpheus *believed* in Luna, and that gave her the smallest hope that she, too, could take him down. And if he had so much faith in her… Fox-dung! She couldn’t prove him wrong.
“Fine. I’ll do it. But after this, no more lectures. Deal?” Luna shot him an expectant glance, to say imply “no” was not an option.
She breathed in, letting his words not just sink into her head, but to be absorbed like a ball of moss taking in water. She stared hard at Morpheus, squinting her hazel gaze at him. Her expression was all wrinkled up, like the ridges of a piece of bark, and at a glance, it might have looked as though she were giving up. But then she closed her eyes and shoved her paws hard in the dirt.
She needed to be smart and precise. Morpheus already told her what to do. The next step was executing his words, and that was the hardest part.
When her eyes flew open, Luna sprung into action, approaching Morpheus in a quick, zigzagging movement so that his gaze could not follow her linearly. She ran, swiftly swinging from point to the next. She was here, and then there. As she moved, she never took her sight off of Morpheus, mentally evaluating the distance between them and trying to find the right spot to jump. When the distance was close enough for her claws to dig into his shoulders, a cramp in her left hind leg screamed for her to stop.
Instead, she slammed both of her back legs into the dirt, wincing as the pain crept through her joints, and then bent them with all the force she could muster in her small frame. She shot forward, like a hawk slicing through the breeze, and tried using the force of her jump to flip his body over.
Then, as if time froze around her, she could hear the thundering of her heart and the gusts of air that she exhaled. She angled her body in a downward arch, clinging to Morpheus’s shoulders with her claws while she swung her back legs forward. It all happened in slow motion. And yet, it felt like reality was speeding infinitely faster than she could keep up.
When Luna woke back to reality, all the wind went out of her body, but she found herself standing above Morpheus’s prone form, pinned down by her of all cats. She erupted into a fit of laughter, collapsing to the side, her chest and belly aching from the sores, laughing so hard and uncontrollably for a moment too long.
Eventually, the laughing subsided, and she stared up at the sky in silent wonder. Her stomach grumbled.
“I’m hungry,” said Luna.
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Jan 9, 2023 22:13:56 GMT
"I am too INSANE to explain and you are too NORMAL to understand." |
OOC: Any OOC notes can go here | TAGS: Solaris |
Was it unfair for Morpheus to demand more than she could give? Perhaps, but in his eyes it was not that he was pushing her over her limits but pushing her to realize her capability. Not all their training sessions would be this difficult of course, the more she trained with him the more she will start to understand the way his mind works and thus in time finding her own feet. Every young apprentice had to endure this - the only difference was who was at the head to guide them. Luna was either fortunate to have someone who'd endured as much as Morpheus that allowed him to push her this far or she was unfortunate because the training would not be easy.
But as he watched her take in his words. Tap into that inner self he spoke about he could slowly see the formation of something within her. Perhaps it was within the way her eyes held that sort of gleam. It was perhaps an unfair demand of her; of someone who had not done much hand to hand combat before with a larger creature like himself who actually could think for himself. But it was the fact that she was so obedient - that she trusted him despite the questionable request. She was not soldier of course nor would he treat her as such but there was a pride in him that could not be denied to know that despite his instructions she chose to follow through with them when in all reality she had every right to say no. To tell him she was too tired and she could not do it. So when she despite her shock and disbelief of his instructions she pulled herself together to follow them.
As promised he had not moved from his spot. He rooted himself to the ground and watched her. Trying to keep up with the smaller form of her silvery body as it darted back and forth across his vision. There was the slightest of hiccups he caught right before her jump but Luna pushed through it and the wind ruffled his fur a bit at her jump. He could feel her presence and shadow at his back right before her claws sank into the thickness of his pelt. The pricks of pain like hot iron was nothing to him as he had worse and there was a slight thrill in the fact that he felt his legs buckle beneath him at the impact. His world went upside down a moment disorienting him just before his body impacted the ground. He wheezed out a bit of a breath and blinked up at the smaller female. Seemingly just as surprised but proud of the fact she had been able to do it. He didn't know if she could because of their size differences but because she believed in herself and trusted him despite his efforts to stand his ground she managed to achieve the task.
Her laughter brought a rough rumble to his chest as he began quietly laughing alongside of her as she tumbled to the ground beside him and he heaved out a sigh. "See, even when faced with something you may not think can be done when we are at our wits end there is nothing we cannot do when we put our minds to it regardless of size." he grinned at her before he was staggering to his feet.
Shaking himself a bit he looked around the clearing with a hum. "I could use something to eat too. Go ahead and rest. I'll go find something for us to eat." he turned to look down at her a moment and squinted. "Good job kid."
He padded out into the brush to go find them something. After awhile he returned just as the sun was starting to fade into the horizon. Within his jaws he held the tail of a squirrel and a wing of a bird as he rejoined his companion. He plopped the carcasses down in front of her and flopped onto his side to the ground with a heaved sigh feeling more tired than he had in awhile. Instead of eating though he rolled onto his back to stare up at the darkening sky where the first twinkling stars were shining among the expenses above him.
template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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Post by Solaris on Jan 11, 2023 3:43:58 GMT
Prey 2, 2021 | Galaria “Yeah, yeah, Dad,” Luna rolled her eyes, and shifted to her side, away from Morpheus so that he couldn’t see the smile creeping up on her face. “I admit it. You’re right about putting your mind to it and all, and everything will turn out fineeee.”
She turned over to watch as Morpheus padded off to find food, watching his form disappear into the bushes. In his absence, she thought over the events of the day. The excitement and thrill of victory thrummed in her veins, surging inside of her like lightning. Her limbs were covered in aches and sores, and her chest hadn’t recovered from having the wind knocked out of her, but she somehow, by some stroke of miracle or a flutter of luck, she did it. She pinned him down. Even if she knew he could have easily overpowered her, she was the one who took on his weight and flipped him over.
She sat up and relished the way the wind ran through her fur. It was only yesterday since the fox fight, and yet, Luna thought—no, believed—that she could take them on again.
After some time, Morpheus returned with a squirrel and a bird, and plopped them in front of her. As she started tearing apart the squirrel, she noticed her father laying on his back and staring upward. Darkness now enveloped the sky, and soon, the stars would shine through the night.
“Are you going to eat?” she asked, pawing the bird toward him.
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Jan 14, 2023 23:28:38 GMT
"I am too INSANE to explain and you are too NORMAL to understand." |
OOC: Any OOC notes can go here | TAGS: Solaris |
Morpheus could say with finality that Luna had a bright future ahead of her; he was proud that she managed to pull off his request as much as push through the aches and pains. Because of that he'd let her take tomorrow off from training but he planned on starting a training regiment to help control her breathing and build up her stamina. But for right now, she was at least taking steps in the right direction. He blinked from his thoughts at the sound of her voice and he turned his head to look over at the light furred feline.
"Yeah...yeah, sorry. Just thinking." he rolled back over and pulled the carcass towards him. As he took the first bite he chewed thoughtfully while studying her as she ate and he tilted his head slightly.
"I'm not going to lecture you...but I'm curious. What were you thinking when you took on the fox?" he asked in between bites. "How did it feel?"
He would not lecture her but his questions came more from curiosity of what was running through her head during the battle between herself and the fox knowing that she although slightly smaller than the average sized fox who was slightly bigger than Morpheus himself Luna still managed to fend it off. Every cat had an instinct to survive but even instinct could not always save them. He was curious to see what thought process caused her to act the way she had and how she survived. If he were against an opponent of the same he would have used his strength but Luna was small and as he had been trying to teach her in their little training session a smaller frame had as much pros as it did cons. template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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Post by Solaris on Jan 17, 2023 2:31:51 GMT
Prey 2, 2021 | Galaria “What was I thinking?” Luna blinked, not sure how to answer the question at first. Then she closed her eyes and tried to relieve the moment. It was fleeting, the feeling probably only last a few seconds, but everything was blocked out—the heat of the sun, Morpheus’s presence, the pounding of her heat. The world was a tunnel with only one way anyway: she had to give in to the fox. She felt herself being backed into a corner, and yet… she knew there had to be way out. She couldn’t let herself die, not here, not now. If there were no options given to her, she would make an option herself.
She faced the fox and hissed back, refusing to be killed by a ruthless fox. She looked into their eyes—dark brown, she noticed, they were like the color of honey, under the sun—and she saw the way the pupils shrunk, as the fear overtook their bodies. In that instance, Luna realized what she needed to do.
All she had to do was make them run.
“The fox wasn’t invincible,” she said. “They had fears like I do. When they realized that I wouldn’t back down, that’s when I realized their weakness. They weren’t used to others fighting back, and I wasn’t about to let myself be defeated.”
Luna shyly lowered her chin to the fur on her chest, the way she always did as a little kit, admitting the truth. “With you, when I was fighting you, it was different. You felt impenetrable and impossible to defeat. Invincible even, like you didn’t have any weaknesses.”
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Jan 17, 2023 3:58:32 GMT
"I am too INSANE to explain and you are too NORMAL to understand." |
OOC: Any OOC notes can go here | TAGS: Solaris |
One could find many expressions when reliving a moment of an attack. There could be doubt, there could be fear, or a worry that perhaps details were missed or blocked out in the moment. It isn't uncommon for some to not remember everything that happened during a crucial moment of life and death; especially one so young as Luna was during her attack. But Morpheus did not say anything of the sort and merely examined her features as she thought back to the moment of the fox's presence.
"Foxes are common opponents to cats like us. They may seem threatening at first glance. We are programmed to fear higher predators like hawks, foxes, badgers, and even things like snakes. But being a predator does not mean that they are all evil." Morpheus mumbled looking back up at the starlight above them. "In fact, it's probably not at all uncommon that the fox grew intimidated even by a tiny kitten like yourself. They are good with numbers but if prey fights back they will often lose interest in the kill. It is good that you fought back even if at the time is seemed scary."
The tom stretched himself out onto his belly and looked over at the silvery outline of the smaller feline with a slight frown as her words itched at his brain. She felt more intimidated by facing him than she had the fox and for some reason that irked the older cat. Perhaps it was from her lack of knowledge of fighting or perhaps he'd pushed her too far.
"Hey, even I have my weakness. I am not as impenetrable as you think I am. The purpose of training is not only to learn fighting skills to survive but to learn to see others differently. Training helps to show us that every cat and every opponent has a weakness that can be exploited as much as it is to find our strongest attributes and our own weakest points." he told her with a slight smile.
"Of course it'll seem impossible at the beginning; you are not familiar with the training. That is why we are practicing it. We all have to start somewhere and in my opinion you have a great start already." his maw turned up in an indulgent smile.
"You want to know a secret? When I was younger - no older then yourself right now in this moment I couldn't perfect that move that I asked of you today. I couldn't pin my own sister down and she was as small as you at this age. You'd think as a bigger cat even when I was younger I'd have been able to do that but I couldn't. So the fact that you managed on your first try just from sheer determination is a huge step."
There was a slight tone of pride in his voice as he recalled the memory of his youth as much as the memory of Luna's achievement. It was true though, when Morpheus was younger he was a lot weaker than his sister - it wasn't until his father really began to tear into him that he was forced to try harder. Forced to grow up past his limitations until the carefree tom was gone. But it was not something he wished to tell Luna. He wanted her to stay away from that dark part of his life as much as possible. If his sister could see him now he was sure she'd be proud.
"She'd have liked you I think. You're a lot like her, you know." he sighed returning to his meal. template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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