Training / Mentoring Guide

Kay, so I made this guide (wasn't really sure where to post it x3) by the request of Willow. So here it goes.


MENTORING GUIDE

So you have been assigned an apprentice! Ugh. Don't know where to start? Well here are a few traditional things that you might want to cover on your first day(s).

* Territory
* Boundaries
* Alliances/Enemies


Battle Moves

The Front Paw Strike: Frontal attack. Bring down your front paw down hard on your opponent's head. Claws out.

Back Kick: Explosive surprise move to catch your opponent from behind. Judge opponent's distance from you carefully; then lash out with your back legs, taking the weight into your front paws.

Killing Bite (Teach a few moons later!): A death blow to the back of the neck. Quick & silent and sometimes considered dishonorable. Used ONLY AS A LAST RESORT.

Leap-n'-Hold: Ideal for a small cat facing a larger opponent. Spring onto opponent's back and grip, claws out. Now you are beyond the range of you opponent's paws and in position to inflict severe body wounds. Can work effectively for a larger group of apprentices to bring down a older/larger cat. Watch for the drop-n'-roll countermove, try to jump free before you get squashed.

Partner Attacking: Pretty basic but effective. Two partners are back-to-back and fending off opponents from their side.

Play Dead: Yep. Effective in a tight situation, such as when you are pinned. Your attacker will relax his grip, thinking you are dead. Stop struggling and go limp. When he relaxes, thinking you are defeated, push yourself up explosively, and will be put into a attacking position while throwing off an unwary attacker.

Scruff Shake: Take hold of scruff and shake violently until victim is too rattled to fight back.

Teeth Grip: Target a body part, sink your teeth in and hold. Like the leap-n'-hold, except your claws are free to fight.

Upright lock: Final, crushing move on an already weakened opponent. Rear up on back legs and bring down full weight down on your victim. If the victim does same, wrestle and flip him under you. Move makes you vulnerable to the Belly Rake, so requires great strength, speed, and skill, but is effective. A little risky.

If you are not satisfied and want to teach more advanced moves, Google them.

Hunting


--Stalking--


Taste the air. If the air is going in the wrong direction, the prey could smell you.

Get in a hunter's crouch. Make sure your tail is not dragging, and not wiggling in the air. Keep it pointed like a stick.

Slowly creep forward. Look out for any twigs, leaves, or anything that could give you away. Make sure every paw step is as lightly as possible. NO NOISE!!!!! That is very important. Make a noise and you will scare away any close prey.

Pounce on the prey.

Bite it's neck so it's dead. Then you've caught your own prey.

More specific (How to catch specific prey)

Fish: Sit down by the water and wait without moving until you spot a fish that you can reach with your paw. Make sure your shadow isn't on the water, or the fish will know you're there. Then reach out your paw quickly and hook the fish with your paw. Bring it onto the shore.

Mice and voles: Use the hunter's crouch. You crouch down low to the ground, upwind of your prey. You stalk it silently, and when you're in jumping distance, if it hasn't detected you yet, you pounce on it. Note: Mice can usually feel your pawsteps when you're hunting them before they see, smell, or hear you, so remember to step lightly!

Birds: Hunter's crouch, but if it spots you and tries to fly away, you might be able to jump up and grab it out of the air.

Rabbits: Hunter's crouch, but you might be able to chase it and catch it if it spots you. Note: Rabbits can usually hear you coming up behind them before they see or smell you, so step silently.