Training an Apprentice

[Hazel Swiftbrooke]

Alright, so. If you are or planning on training an apprentice, then here is a guide that you can follow. But feel free to use your own tactics and opinions.

First off...
It is very important that your apprentice knows the rules and laws set down for the clan. Make sure they've been taught that as a kit and they know it at heart.

A good first lesson would be based on your apprentice's knowledge.
They must be sure they know a cat's weak spots, about what to do if someone pins you, how you can use your surroundings for hunting and fighting.
An extra thing I forgot to add.... show your apprentice the borders of the clan's territory. Show them good hunting spots, places to hide in case of trouble, herb gathering spots, places to avoid like two-leg farms or roads.

Next lesson would be about Action and different movement.
This is the lesson where the apprentice becomes familiar with hunting and fighting. (This lesson can take two days to three days.)
Feel free to review this lesson from time to time to your apprentice.

HUNTING

Silent Fishing - A very good way to test your apprentice's patience. Once fishing at a lake or small creek, keep your reflection away from the water. When the fish comes, quickly hook your paw into the water and scoop the fish onto the surface. Finish it off with a quick killing bite or slash.

Squirrel Race - When the squirrel runs up a tree to escape, you quickly run up the trunk beside the squirrel until you're fast enough to block it to the top of the tree. You chase it down next and hopefully catch it. Another could way to test flexibility is to chase the squirrel into the tree branches. That way, your apprentice will have to be flexible and wind their around the obstacles.
A good way to improve your apprentice's speed and stamina is to run around the territory, maybe even race. Make sure your apprentice is familiar with the terrain and how to steady your running when it is an uncomfortable footing or hilly.

Bird Leap - When the bird is aware that it is being hunted and begins to fly up, you leap as high as you can and bat the bird back down.
Feel free to teach your apprentice to jump very high.

Mouse Stalker - Keep your pawsteps light on the surface of the ground and try to slide them so the mouse won't feel your pawsteps.

Rabbit Fishing - A technique when you are desperate for prey. Find a rabbit hole and make sure a rabbit's in there. Then, wait silently until rabbit's head pops out. Scoop it out like you are fishing, and hopefully catch it.


Mice and voles: Drop into a crouch and take all your weight into your haunches so that your paws have no impact on the forest floor. Pounce and when you are close enough kill it with one swift bite to the neck.

Rabbits: A rabbit will smell you before it sees you so approach it with the wind blowing in your direction. Pounce as soon as your close enough and kill it with one swift bite to the neck.

Birds: Pad up to the tree and leap up. Snag your claw in the birds feathers and bring it down. Quickly bite the neck. Try to, if you can't get a killing strike in, disable its wings.

Fish: Sit beside the river but make sure your reflection and shadow does not fall on the water. As soon as you spot a fish at the surface, dart out your paw and swoop it out of the water. Then quickly bite it to the neck. Make sure to keep it away from the water's shore.


FIGHTING

Approach from behind your enemy - The advantage is gaining the higher ground is that you can charge at greater speed at the enemy, who will be weakened by having to fight uphill.

Know where the wind is coming from - If there is a strong wind, it should be blow from behind you toward the enemy, blinding them with dust and holding them back like a current of a river. If you wish to preserve the element of surprise, the wind should blow from the enemy position toward you so your scent is carried away from them.

Use the light from the sun - The sun should be behind you to dazzle your enemy. Use the light from the sun.. In green leaf, the midday sun is especially bright and cruel to cats who are used to sulking under the cover of the trees. In leaf bare, the low sun hovers around the eye line, keep your enemy from facing it, and they'll have trouble seeing an attacker from any direction.

Conceal the size of your force - The number of cats in your battle patrols can be hidden to confuse the enemy from a distance. Cats packed tightly together will appear as a small attacking force, encouraging the enemy to be over confidant and make poor strategic decisions. Alternatively, is cats are spread out in signal file, they will look like a solid border of warriors, which will seem impenetrable to an advancing enemy.

Attack from both ends of the your opponent first - If both ends of the enemy line are defeated, the cats in the center of the line will have to fight the two fronts. Even if they are outnumbered, the will be out flanked, vulnerable, and in disarray.



Next Lesson should be about strengths and weaknesses.
Remember your apprentice's strengths and weaknesses. If they're faster than stronger, try to find a way to use their speed as a way do dodge quicker.

A very important lesson is building relationships.
Apprentices who help out other cats in the Clans are very respected. They can sometimes even help the medicine cats to gather herbs. Just because they're training to be a warrior doesn't mean they can't learn something different. Help your apprentice repair dens or clean out the nests. Also have a good conversation with other warriors or apprentices.
Partnership also goes with this lesson.
Make sure your apprentice works well with other apprentices. Team work is an extremely important thing to have no matter what.
With permission from other mentors, you can uphold a large training session and train multiple apprentices.


If your apprentice does something disrespectful, punish them!
Elders need help cleaning out their ticks. Even send them off to clean out the dirtplace. Or clean up the woodchips that have fallen in camp that always gets in everyone's paws.