Ferretstar groaned quietly as she stepped out of camp, stray raindrops hitting her nose. It would seem the group battle training was to be in bad weather. Not ideal for one of Frecklepaw's first outings, but perhaps would help him learn more quickly in the long run.

As the pale molly continued lightly down the slope, her ears twitched as a faint squishing sound in the distance.

Ferretstar took this as a sign to duck.

Molepaw flew past her whiskers, just barely missing her. The dusky apprentice quickly starts to turn back around, but Ferretstar was ready for her; she swatted a pawful of muddy moss at her face, sending Molepaw stumbling backwards.

"Agh- no!" Molepaw yelps as she is tackled over by Ferretstar.

"Nice try," Ferretstar smirks, "But you'll have to do better to get the drop on me."

Molepaw sputtered and shook the debris out of her face. "Apparently so!" She giggles breathlessly.

"Always take advantage of the terrain, if you don't, your opponent surely will."

Molepaw nods. Ferretstar gives her daughter a few quick licks before letting her back on her paws.

"So where's Dustclaw and Frecklepaw?" Ferretstar prompts, "Are they plotting to ambush me as well?"

"You think I'd tell you if they were?" Molepaw meows back playfully, but doesn't delay her answer for long, "They're down just a little way more. She's showing him some more basic moves."

Ferretstar frowned a bit at that. She knew Frecklepaw and Molepaw were fairly far apart in terms of learning experience but she hoped the older apprentice hadn't wandered off without her mentor's permission.

"Don't tell me you were too bored to help out with that." Ferretstar chides.

"Wha- Oh no, no, nothing like that!" Molepaw blurts out quickly.

"I just had to make dirt and well- I mean at first- but then I had the idea to try and surprise you and- well I guess that didn't work out, but I was planning on going right back!"

Ferretstar chuckles a bit and shakes her head, "Alright, alright, let's let them know I'm here now."

The two mollies continued to the bottom of the hill, where it has become even more slippery with all the mud and moss. Frecklepaw and Dustclaw were wrestling in the ditch and Ferretstar was able to catch the tail end of their practice spar.

With a huff of effort, Frecklepaw managed to push the warrior into a puddle. Ferretstar had a feeling Dustclaw didn't have the heart to use too much of her strength against her own son.

"Wow, great job Frecklepaw!" Molepaw chimed, dashing over.

Frecklepaw blinks and backs away a few steps. He nods appreciatively at Molepaw before turning to Dustclaw. "Are you okay, mom?"

Dustclaw nods and gets to her paws, nodding slowly. "I'm fine."

Molepaw wrinkles her nose and giggles a bit. "Oh geez, we're all going to be just as soaked as her by the end of this, huh?"

"We'd actually be lucky if BreezeClan attacked on a day like this," Ferretstar comments, finding a teachable moment. "Tell them, Dustclaw."

Dustclaw nods bit. "Its true. Many BreezeClan cats usually have longer coats than ours; the rain would weigh them down and make it easier to outspeed them."

"I thought we already outsped them?" Frecklepaw asks quietly.

"Heck yeah we do." Molepaw grins, dashing from side to side in some puddles.

"For the most part, yes," Ferretstar murmurs, "Why don't you tell is what you know about BreezeClan cats, and we'll go from there, hm?"

Frecklepaw shuffles his paws a bit. "Oh uh- Alright, but I've only heard stories."

Ferretstar stays quiet and lets him continue.

"Besides bigger coats, they are bigger cats in general- and use brute force in battle. Foxstar is and aggressive leader, and that's why were being attacked to begin with." Frecklepaw says.

"Not a bad start, but I think you still need some frame of reference." Ferretstar says, standing up a bit straighter.

"Some of their apprentices alone are bigger than I am- bigger than Dustclaw even."

Frecklepaw's ears twitch attentively.

"Foxstar and her brother are possibly the two largest cats in all of the clans right now."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ferretstar noticed Molepaw's claws flex.

"-Which is why neither of you should try fighting them yet," Ferretstar finished, staring at the apprentices seriously, "We've only got a few more days before the Half-moon, and not nearly enough time to teach you what to know about defeating a foe that much stronger than you."

Dustclaw nods, "Don't be a hero. Tricks won't save you from every opponent. A good fighter recognizes when they need help."

"If you assume you know more than your opponent, you will be taken off guard when they know something you didn't give them credit for," Ferretstar adds,

"Remember there is risk and reward to every trick. It may be easier to knock your opponent off balance when it is slick and muddy, but it will also be just as easy for them to knock you over."

Frecklepaw nods, seeming to be hanging on every word. Molepaw paces in place a bit.

Ferretstar decides to test them with a challenge. "So let's try it out with a team battle. Molepaw and I versus you and Dustclaw."

The apprentice's eyes widen a bit at that.

"Oh, it's on!" Molepaw shouts, quickly hiding any apprehension.

Frecklepaw goes quiet, but seems determined.

"What do you think, Dustclaw?" Ferretstar asks.

"We'll go on the count of three." Dustclaw says simply.

Molepaw quickly drops to a defensive position.

"One.."

Frecklepaw darts towards higher ground.

"Two..."

Molepaw blinks and chases after him.

"Three!"

Frecklepaw spins around and launched himself at Molepaw's head. It seemed the calico apprentice hit exactly where he's aimed. He holds on, paws sheathed, but the momentum of the collision sends them both rolling down the hill.

Dustclaw chases after them, trying to grab one of them to pull away, but Ferretstar pounces on her back to stop her. Dustclaw twists and rolls to escape and Ferretstar pounces again. The two mollies suddenly find themselves wrestling down the hill as well.

The apprentice's wrestling eventually ends up with Molepaw on top.

"Whoa.. Whoa... Dizzy." She laughs, standing over Frecklepaw, disoriented.

Ferretstar's ears twitched in their direction.

The moment Ferretstar looked away, Dustclaw used as an opportunity to kick her hard in the stomach. The leader feels the breath knocked out of her as Dustclaw de-tangles from her and immediately goes after Molepaw.

Molepaw narrowly managed to dodge once. Then Frecklepaw sticks out a paw to trip her and Dustclaw easily tackles her into the mud and pins her down. Molepaw struggles to push her off, but finds herself outmatched.

"Eep-!" Molepaw yelps, "Okay, Okay you got me!"

Frecklepaw then turns to Ferretstar and arches his back at her fiercely.

Ferretstar smiles, "Alright, that's enough. Good spar."

"Oof. That was quick!" Molepaw exclaims as Dustclaw let's her back up. "Really just 0 for 2 on the Molepaw wins today, huh?" She chuckles, catching her breath.

Frecklepaw takes a deep shaky breath as well. Before he is able to get his bearings completely, Molepaw is already bustling on again.

"Wow Frecklepaw that move was insane! Just crazy good! I didn't know you had it in ya!"

Frecklepaw smiles a bit, "Thanks."

Ferretstar nods a bit too, "Something like that could definitely catch some BreezeClan cats off guard."

"Dustclaw's the one who gave me the idea," Frecklepaw mews sheepishly, though his eyes glowed with admiration as he looked over at his mother.

Dustclaw fidgets a bit. "I did?"

"Y..yeah, when you were talking about knocking bigger cats off balance and needing to throw all your weight into it!"

Ferretstar flicks her tail a bit, "An interesting way to to about it. But not perfect. It left you completely wide open once you stopped rolling."

Dustclaw nods, "Don't ever try something like that alone- if I hadn't been around to stop Molepaw in a real battle that could have been really bad."

"R..right, sorry..." Frecklepaw starts, but Molepaw cuts him off.

"Hey, don't apologize! You're still learning!"

Ferretstar purrs, "She's right. Be proud of your decisions, it's better than being too afraid to try. I think a move like that could be quite good with some work."

"Really?"

"Yes. But you'll need to work on your technique."

"Molepaw as well," Dustclaw adds.

"Right, well we still have time. Let's work on something more specific..."

Original Poll Options:

22 total votes

1. Balance - Another group spar focused on balance. Frecklepaw still needs the basics and it wouldn't hurt to give Molepaw a refresher. Learning a good defensive pose would help them the most. Risky tricks can do more harm than good sometimes. (22.7%)

2. Agility - Another group spar focused on agility. Although younger apprentices usually start with balance as a foundation, flexibility has always been HailClan's best strength. If they can practice flexibility with their tricks, it might help them thinking on the fly and acting in instinct better. (27.3%)

3. Indoor - Move the group training to camp. If BreezeClan are planning to attack HailClan's camp, then they should practice fighting in close quarters. It might be a bit annoying to any cats trying to rest, but it's worth the experience. You might even be able to get some warriors in camp to join in. (9.1%)

4. Frecklepaw - Split into individual training so you can focus just on Frecklepaw. He needs to learn different skills than Molepaw right now, and that will be easier to do with 1 on 1 attention. You promised to make sure someone keeps up Frecklepaw's training while Leaffur is away after all. (36.4%) X

5. Molepaw - Split into individual training so you can focus just on Molepaw. She needs to learn different skills than Frecklepaw right now, and that will be easier to do with 1 on 1 attention. Dustclaw might have better insight on how to teach Frecklepaw than Ferretstar and you may not get a chance to talk to Molepaw alone for some time. (4.5%)

Note: My vote does not count I just need to see results!

Took a bit longer this time because I realized I didn't really have a reference for the timeline in this story. I'll probably be a bit flexible with it, but I decided to make the story start in the mid-Newleaf (late April). After looking at a moon cycle chart I figured out from full moon to half-moon only takes about a week*, and I think three days have passed in the story already so Foxstar should be making her appearance pretty soon.

* there are two half-moon in the cycle so medicine cats actually meet twice a month