Life 2:15
Things settled into something akin to normalcy in Windclan. Cats hunted and patrolled the way they always did, but behind the scenes, a lost part of their culture was reviving. Snakepaw along with Tallstar were the instruments of this change. A small collection of warriors were gathered with the duo to propagate this change. The art of digging was being fully revived.
Tallstar stood front and center with his apprentice beside him. Today would be the beginning of change for Windclan. If today's lessons went well, the way Windclan operates may change entirely. Barkface had told Tallstar of his vision, and Tallstar had to agree that the way Windclan had been heading was stagnation and eventually death. This was finally a chance to correct their course.
"Warriors of Windclan, I am proud to see that so many of you are not only willing to learn something new but also are willing to take the risk. You see, tunneling is a long forgotten art that was unique to Windclan. It allowed us to move beneath the earth where no clan could ever detect us. It created warriors who had unmatched strength in close quarters single combat. You may be asking yourselves why we would ever give up such an advantageous ability. We did not discard this skill for no reason. Windclan was split. Two factions existed, the moor runners and the diggers. Our clan was on the verge of a civil war when Heatherstar put a stop to it. She stopped us from digging tunnels, and our unity was restored. Unfortunately, that weakened us over time. Moor runners are fast, but they aren't physically strong. We can't currently match enemy clans in terms of strength or endurance. What we've got is the ability to hit fast and nothing else. Given our display after fighting and being driven out by Shadowclan, that tactic does not work. We need our diggers back, but at the same time, we can't have our unity shattered again. For that reason, Snakepaw here will assist me in lessons. Snakepaw here was uniquely gifted by Starclan the knowledge of how to dig as well as how Windclan used to maintain our unity in times of old. For that reason, I expect that you remain polite and accept Snakepaw's aid despite his age and status as apprentice. Snakepaw, if you would." Tallstar mewed, gesturing for Snakepaw to speak.
"Hello. As you all know, my name is Snakepaw. I'll be the one teaching how to dig safely and give advice on how to keep the clan unified. I apologize if my youth throws you off and that I can't give all the answers. Like any skill, digging is something you develop an instinct for but can be highly dangerous while learning. For that reason, I'd like to show you the full danger of what you'll be learning right away. In the nursery are two tunnels that I regard as potential dangers. We'll be collapsing those tunnels. You'll get to see as a space you could previously occupy be filled with dirt. You aren't safe from cave ins or collapses when you dig. If you are caught in one, you'll either be crushed or suffocate, both horrible ways to go. I'm only telling you this because I want you to realize that this is not something to take lightly or experiment with without supervision. Diggers of old had a buddy system. No cat ever dug alone. Now follow me to the nursery. Morningflower is taking the kits out already, so we don't have to worry about one of the kits being caught in the collapse." Snakepaw lectured before guiding the warriors in.
It was already clear that a few were starting to display claustrophobia. With how Windclan almost never slept in dens and how connected their culture was to the freedom to run, it wasn't all that shocking. Snakepaw noted them and let Tallstar know those few will likely not take well to digging. Tallstar assessed the few, double checking that they were willing to continue. One warrior left at the chance. This was it. These warriors would witness the dangers of the underground.
"Alright. I'll be collapsing this left tunnel. The reason is because I sense no air flowing through it. I do not know how deep it is, and I do not know if there are any potential dangers in it. It is simply safer to remove access to it. I will show the process of destabilizing the tunnel entrance. Please note that loose dirt will flake from the ceiling and that cracks may appear on the walls of the tunnel. These are the primary indicators that an area is unstable. Another indicator that you will not see is that a tunnel may shrink. If you could stand up in a tunnel yesterday and now you have to crouch, it means that the area is unstable. Let every cat know to leave the area before collapsing the dangerous section." Snakepaw mewed before beginning to dig into the support of one of the two tunnels.
Tallstar remembered lessons like this long ago, but once again he was reminded by the sheer magnitude of what a cat could do and the dangers they could face. The ceiling in the bad tunnel began to flake and chip as it was forced to bear more weight of the earth above. The sound of stone grinding could be faintly heard as a hairline crack began creeping the length of the wall. Snakepaw was clearly controlling this, changing where he was digging to increase instability in the bad tunnel. More dust began to fall. Tallstar's instincts screamed to fall back. Then, with a whoomph, a wall of dirt fell into the tunnel, sealing it.
"That is what a tunnel collapse looks like. There are many things that can cause a tunnel to go bad. Sometimes, it just can't support itself forever. Sometimes underground water degrades the support. Sometimes a digger or some digging critter makes the area too unstable. These are all things to look out for. A tunnel may not remain stable forever. This is why we will check them routinely and perform maintenance when possible. Now, I'd like a volunteer. The volunteer will be collapsing the second tunnel. I will be providing aid as they work, ensuring that things proceed safely. I'll be digging some small tunnels later for you all to practice collapsing. Knowing how to safely get rid of a tunnel is more important than knowing how to dig. Always remember to double check that no one is in the tunnel before you close it off. Dying in darkness is an awful way to go." Snakepaw lectured, before looking through the available warriors.
Eventually one volunteered for the lesson. He scraped at the spot Snakepaw showed him, and a similar process of destabilization occurred. As the warrior went, Snakepaw would adjust where the warrior would dig and how high to force the collapse to occur as intended. Eventually, the second tunnel collapsed. This time, it was more crumbly with dirt flowing in slowly, creating a mound that soon filled the entire tunnel. Tallstar commended the warrior on his bravery in volunteering before adjourning the lesson for the day. While today had been terrifying, Tallstar knew things were starting to move in another direction. Windclan was shedding its skin, becoming something new, reborn.