Sunkissed Creek

[popsicle dream]

An agreeing answer. Birchsplash was pleased. It wasn't the exact answer she was looking for, but at least Flamecrackle thought it was just a great day. "Yes, it is a good day for hunting," she agreed, continuing to search for the vole nest. The spring was still in her step as she cheerfully sniffed around. A couple of minutes later, she caught the scent of vole. It was strong. "I think I may have found it," she mewed in Flamecrackle's direction. @Willowfern

[Willowfern]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Fire

An agreeing answer. Birchsplash was pleased. It wasn't the exact answer she was looking for, but at least Flamecrackle thought it was just a great day. "Yes, it is a good day for hunting," she agreed, continuing to search for the vole nest. The spring was still in her step as she cheerfully sniffed around. A couple of minutes later, she caught the scent of vole. It was strong. "I think I may have found it," she mewed in Flamecrackle's direction. @Willowfern

Flamecrackle padded forward and sniffed,
“I think you’re right, it must be under that bush,” He meowed, pointing toward said bush with his tail, “What about I flush them out and you catch as many as you can?” He asked, smiling at her.

[popsicle dream]

"Will do," Birchsplash said as she crouched nearby the bush, ready to strike. "Just tell me when." She stared at the bush, daring the voles to make a move towards her. @Willowfern

[Willowfern]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Fire

"Will do," Birchsplash said as she crouched nearby the bush, ready to strike. "Just tell me when." She stared at the bush, daring the voles to make a move towards her. @Willowfern

Glad that she agreed with his plan, Flamecrackle padded to the back of the bush, tail held over it for a universally known signal, as soon as his tail dropped it would be go time for Birchsplash.
He took a deep breath in, the vole scent was almost overwhelming here!
He dropped his tail and rushed forward, letting out a yowl, about four or five voles came rushing out of the bush, hopefully into Birchsplash’s waiting claws.

[popsicle dream]

Birchsplash waited. And waited. And waited. And attacked. The tail slapped down, that meant it was time for a Great Birchsplash Wow Moment. She brought a paw down on one of the voles, and bit another's neck. And then she took off after the others. She caught one of them with a paw and clawed it, then continued after the others. But they ran under a bramble bush. Birchsplash did not want to deal with painful thorns, so she went back and picked up the other three. So maybe it wouldn't be a Great Birchsplash Wow Moment. Maybe it'd be a Birchsplash Good Job Moment. It was better than nothing, but she coulda got the other two. If there weren't any brambles. And maybe, if she had been on her own, she would've darted in there. @Willowfern

[Willowfern]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Fire

Birchsplash waited. And waited. And waited. And attacked. The tail slapped down, that meant it was time for a Great Birchsplash Wow Moment. She brought a paw down on one of the voles, and bit another's neck. And then she took off after the others. She caught one of them with a paw and clawed it, then continued after the others. But they ran under a bramble bush. Birchsplash did not want to deal with painful thorns, so she went back and picked up the other three. So maybe it wouldn't be a Great Birchsplash Wow Moment. Maybe it'd be a Birchsplash Good Job Moment. It was better than nothing, but she coulda got the other two. If there weren't any brambles. And maybe, if she had been on her own, she would've darted in there. @Willowfern

”That was really quick, Birchsplash!” Flamecrackle purred, popping out of the bush, “You have good reflexes!” He tugged a few sticks out of his long pelt.
“Those voles’ll feed at least one queen and her kits!” He tugged an especially entangled twig out of his tail, “So, you wanna continue hunting or do you want to call it a day?” He hoped she’d still want to hunt, it was fun to hunt with someone else for a change.

[popsicle dream]

Birchsplash's awkward brain had no idea what to say to that. Neither did her tongue. She hadn't ever really been complimented. Well, she had a few times, but it was honestly kind of rare. So what came out of her mouth? "I'm sure it will. I mean, feed a queen and her kits." Vrooooooooooooom crash and boom. The Birchsplash Wow Warrior landed with a crash and a boom.

At the mention of continuing to hunt, all of Birchsplash's awkwardness floated away like a kit in the river. That was a bit of a dark comparison, she thought to herself. "Let's go on, see what else we can catch." She almost said "I" instead of "we". It would take a moment to get used to not hunting alone, like she preferred to do. She smiled at Flamecrackle, her sky blue eyes lit with excitement, and scented the air again. Nothing! @Willowfern

[Willowfern]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Fire

Birchsplash's awkward brain had no idea what to say to that. Neither did her tongue. She hadn't ever really been complimented. Well, she had a few times, but it was honestly kind of rare. So what came out of her mouth? "I'm sure it will. I mean, feed a queen and her kits." Vrooooooooooooom crash and boom. The Birchsplash Wow Warrior landed with a crash and a boom.

At the mention of continuing to hunt, all of Birchsplash's awkwardness floated away like a kit in the river. That was a bit of a dark comparison, she thought to herself. "Let's go on, see what else we can catch." She almost said "I" instead of "we". It would take a moment to get used to not hunting alone, like she preferred to do. She smiled at Flamecrackle, her sky blue eyes lit with excitement, and scented the air again. Nothing! @Willowfern

Flamecrackle, who had also been scenting the air, turned to Birchsplash, “Looks like there’s no prey here, what about we go farther upstream?” He asked, again scenting for smells, still, nothing.

[popsicle dream]

Birchsplash nodded and trotted on ahead. Her head was stuck on the fact that it was such a nice, cold day again. Oh, how she loved leaf-bare. She scented the air for prey again. Still nothing, just the stale scent of a fox. Nothing to worry ab- wait, fox? Ohhh, she was gonna rip the little termite to shreds! She kept her eyes open for signs of the familiar red pelt, or the green glow of malicious eyes, hiding in the bushes. And then she thought she heard a growl. She jumped and ran straight for the cover of a bush. Then realized it was probably her imagination. She padded back it from under it, watching, watching, watching for her old nemesis. She turned to Flamecrackle, to see how he was reacting to the fox-scent. @Willowfern

[Willowfern]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Fire

Birchsplash nodded and trotted on ahead. Her head was stuck on the fact that it was such a nice, cold day again. Oh, how she loved leaf-bare. She scented the air for prey again. Still nothing, just the stale scent of a fox. Nothing to worry ab- wait, fox? Ohhh, she was gonna rip the little termite to shreds! She kept her eyes open for signs of the familiar red pelt, or the green glow of malicious eyes, hiding in the bushes. And then she thought she heard a growl. She jumped and ran straight for the cover of a bush. Then realized it was probably her imagination. She padded back it from under it, watching, watching, watching for her old nemesis. She turned to Flamecrackle, to see how he was reacting to the fox-scent. @Willowfern

Flamecrackle had already scented the fox before Birchsplash reacted, he had clambered up a young sapling to try to see if it was nearby, or just a stale scent-
A red pelt flashed for a moment near a snowdrift.
“Birchsplash!” He hissed urgently, climbing a bit higher on the sapling to make room for her, “Get up here! There’s a fox nearby!”
He kneaded his paws into the branch, worrying for his friend.