Fighting Techniques and Battle Moves
One of the most important skills a mentor must teach an apprentice is how to fight. Warriors are often called upon to defend the borders or protect the Clan from attack, whether by enemy Clans or predators like badgers, foxes, and dogs. Even medicine cats must learn enough fighting techniques to be useful in battle.
The Battle Moves
(Note: Claws unsheathed means claws are out. Claws sheathed means the claws are retracted and won't harm you. During training, mentors instruct their apprentices to always keep their claws sheathed, so they won't hurt their Clanmates. In a real battle, most moves have claws unsheathed.)
Back Kick- An explosive surprise move to catch your opponent from behind. Judge your opponent's distance from you carefully; then lash out with your back legs, taking your weight on your front paws.
Belly Rake- A fight-stopper. Slice with unsheathed claws across the soft flesh of your opponent's belly. If you're pinned down, the belly rake quickly puts you back in control.
Front Paw Blow- A frontal attack. Bring your front paw down hard on your opponents head. Claws sheathed.
Front Paw Strike- Another frontal attack. Slice downward with your front paw at the body or face of your opponent. Claws unsheathed.
Killing Bite- A death blow to the back of the neck. Quick and silent and sometimes considered dishonorable. Used ONLY as a last resort.
Leap And Hold- Ideal for a small cat facing a larger opponent. Spring onto your opponent's back and grip with unsheathed claws. Now you are beyond the range of your opponent's paws and in position to inflict severe body wounds. A group of apprentices can defeat a large and dangerous warrior in this way. Watch for the Drop And Roll countermove, and try to jump free before you get squashed.
Drop And Roll- A good countermove to the Leap And Hold attack. Drop to your paws and roll over onto your back, squishing any cats holding on to you. Get to your paws quickly.
Partner Fighting- Warriors who have trained and fought together will often instinctively fall into a paired defensive position, each protecting the other's back while fending off an opponent on either side. Slashing, clawing, and leaping together, battle pairs can be a whirlwind of danger for attackers.
Play Dead- Effective in a tight situation, such as when you are pinned. Stop struggling and go limp. When your opponent relaxes his or her grip, thinking you are defeated, push yourself up with a lot of force. This will throw off your unwary opponent and put you back in an attacking position.
Scruff Shake- Secure a strong teeth grip in the scruff of your opponent's neck; then shake violently until he or she is too rattled to fight back.
Teeth Grip- Target your opponent's extremities--the legs, tail, scruff, or ears--and sink in your teeth and hold. This move is similar to the Leap And Hold except your claws remain free to fight.
Upright Lock- The final, crushing move on an already weakened opponent. Rear up on back legs and bring your full weight down on your opponent. If your opponent does the same, wrestle and flip him under you. This move makes you vulnerable to the belly rake, so it requires great strength and speed.
Credit goes to: theescapedclans.forumotion.com because I'm to lazy to get this info from the books.
