Medicine Cats must spend time out and about to gather herbs. In accordance they must be able to handle defending themselves enough that they can escape from dangerous situations and drive away smaller dangers that might come for them.
Blocks
Blocks are movements designed to turn away a strike by an opponent. Blocks should be trained in a face to face situation to begin with, and then elevated into working from angles.
Right/Left High Paw Block
Used to: Block a strike aimed at the head, neck & upper chest.
Best against: Smaller or equally sized opponents.
Cautions: Blocking an attack with the opposite side paw as the attack originates from opens the body to followup strikes.
Keeping a firm center of balance, reach out and guide the striking paw away from your body. Bringing the paw to the ground is safest as it helps to keep it from being used to repeat the same strike again.
Right/Left Low Paw Block
Used to: Block a strike aimed at the legs & chest.
Best against: Smaller or equally sized opponents.
Cautions: Blocking an attack with the opposite side paw as the attack originates from opens the body to followup strikes.
Keeping a firm center of balance, reach out and guide the striking paw away from your body. Bringing the paw to the ground is safest as it helps to prepare yourself to return with the same attack.
Forward Block
Used to: Block a strike aimed at the throat.
Best against: Smaller opponents.
Cautions: Opens the paws and legs to strikes using the teeth. Best followed up with a reverse dodge.
Firmly planting the hind legs, reach forward with the forepaws and plant them on the face, neck, throat or chest of the opponent.
Variation(s): The use of only one paw, or the use of a strike in place of a block.
Left/Right Dodge
Used to: Evade a strike aimed at the head, neck & upper chest.
Best against: Larger or slower opponents.
Cautions: Too much time spent dodging without making your own attacks can given an opponent control of the fight. Dodging too close to the enemies other paw can open you to attack.
Launch your body out of the reach of the enemies claws using the power of the hind legs.
Reverse Dodge
Used to: Evade a strike aimed at the throat.
Best against: Larger or slower opponents.
Cautions: You might leap into something you cannot see.
Launch your body backwards using all four paws in as graceful a movement as possible.
Strikes
Strikes are movements designed to damage or hamper and opponent.
Right/Left High Strike
Used to: Strike at the head, neck or upper chest.
Best against:
Cautions: Reaching too far up before striking can make your attack obvious and expose your chest.
A strike made by reaching up and moving the paw at the opponent in a downward motion.
Right/Left Low Strike
Used to: Strike at the legs or chest.
Best against: Any opponent.
Cautions: reaching too far down or lowering the head too far can open the back of the neck to an attack.
A strike made by reaching down and moving the paw at the opponent in an upwards motion.
Forward Bite
Used to: Strike at the throat of the enemy.
Best against: Smaller or equally sized opponents when you have a clear upper paw in the contest.
Cautions: This is a risky attack because it puts your face within striking distance and biting distance of the enemy.
lunge forward with your mouth open to bite the throat (or whatever part of the enemy you succeed in grabbing hold of) of the enemy.
Diving Rake
Used to: Strike at the exposed flank of an enemy preforming a left or right dive.
Best against: Slower or tired opponents.
Cautions: This strike does open you to a retaliation with the same move, be prepared for evasive action.
When the opponent dives to the right or left in a dodge, lunge forward with paws extended to catch their flank as it goes by. Smaller opponents might be born to the ground by such a strike.