[Dolomedes]

Morningpaw
He/him | TC apprentice | Moons: 6 | No purrks

Morningpaw only internally winced as his actions finally registered in his mind now that he wasn’t as tunnel vision-y on getting his pounce right. Oops. Though he would keep in mind that while he isn’t actually that sorry he would be nicer in the future because in the end he was just an apprentice and Orange Guy was being nice enough to teach him hunting. Whatever though. The guy has probably done it before likely having his own apprentices. They were lucky that they got a mentor that could do the main minimum, which Morningpaw shouldn’t be praising the bare minimum but his dear mentor showed it was possible to be that much of a failure. “Right. Sorry.”

The apprentice followed after the warrior as he started to lead them out further into unknown territories. He should really find someone to do a territory tour with him because this was pathetic. Though that part of Morningpaw’s short comings is his fault and his stupid stupid stupid dream that got him lost for two freaking moons! The apprentice sighed and focused on what Orange Guy was saying rather than his own thoughts even though this guy said a lot of words that were more unnecessary than not. Annoying though Morningpaw has tolerated worse.

Finally Orange Guy gave Morningpaw the all clear to get going and the apprentice wasted no time. Setting off at a brisk pace until Orange Guy was surely away enough to get some prey that wasn’t scared off by the warrior’s yapping. The apprentice rolled his green eyes before, after a yawn, tunnel vision-ed on the task at paw. Hunting. He could do this. Just remember what you were literally just taught. Morningpaw needed to find prey before he could do practice what he learned which was a very important over sight Orange Guy had but it was probably because it was so natural that he didn’t even think yo explain it. Right?

The apprentice slowed down and came to a complete stop besides a grand oak tree and some ferns. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep, stilling all of his body besides the slow controlled breathing. One two three. There was nothing that Morningpaw could recognize as prey over the over whelming scents of the forest. The apprentice snorted roughly. Annoying. With a couple lashes of his tail the apprentice growled. Well then he just needed to move again. Easy enough. He would need to be careful of accidentally crossing any borders but he was sure that thunderclan’s territory was much larger than the distance he and Orange Guy have gone through. Surely if it was enough to sustain Thunderclan.

Morningpaw eventually came to another stop and strained all of his senses. Searching carefully through each smell and sound slowly as his inexperienced brain tried to pick them out separately. Maybe his getting lost did something good because when the subtle scent of vole reached his nose he recognized it immediately. It was probably under the ground somewhere close enough. The apprentice slowed and though about it. If he was here then the scent was coming from in front of him because of the downwind thing. Right, yes. Morningpaw was understanding this hunting thing.

Morningpaw creeped slowly through the undergrowth. A fern, covered in dew yet to burn off, brushed over his shoulder and he almost lost focus. Ew. Water. The apprentice blinked and as much as he wanted to shake to get rid of the seeping liquid, his eyes locked on something of interest right ahead. He approached like Orange Guy taught him but when he got close enough he realized it was a little tiny hole into the earth. Probably barely big enough to fit him if Morningpaw squeezed enough. Indecision gripped him like claws on a mouse.

The scent of vole was flooding from the tunnel and Morningpaw was probably big enough to squeeze his way down there to follow but at the same time…memories flashed from his night leaving Thunderclan. Then falling down into a crevice in the earth when he was too tired to think and see straight. He was stuck. It hurt. He was scared. The apprentice blinked the forming tears away and with a growl tearing through his young body Morningpaw shot forward. Down the hole even as the earth churned and pulled at his fur as he passed. He only dug his paws into it and tore backwards, flinging dirt every which way behind him. He was going to get this vole because Morningpaw wasn’t a failure. He was going to bring it back to his family, Wolfpaw. To Bumblestar and say, I’m not the failure you think I am, I don’t know what I am, who I am, but I am not a failure.

The apprentice broke through as dirt churned and collapsed under his weight into a small tunnel. Morningpaw’s lungs felt tight in his chest despite the way his breaths quickened. His heart was beating faster than it ever has. He forced herb colored eyes open and forced his breaths to slow. The scents were different down here. Stagnant. Dead. Like he would be. Morningpaw winced and looked at the tunnel he came in from. It was fine. He could easily climb back out. But he only would when he got this prey. Which he would.

The apprentice tried to scent but everything was still and so much that he couldn’t tell which way the vole had gone. Carried on four, shaky paws, the dark feline moved his way through the tunnel. Squeezing through tighter sections until something finally caught his attention a few tail lengths into the walk. A skittering right in his ear. Morningpaw whipped his head around and stared at the sound but all that was there was dirt. Well voles tunnel. That’s why you’re down here, of course they do, stupid! Morningpaw snorted and continued his train of thought. If they tunnel they may be in a different close tunnel, right? So if he dug into the wall he would hit it, right? Yes. That was sound logic.

But what if the tunnel collapsed. Oh. That would be an issue. Yea. Never mind. The apprentice rolled his eyes at his own cowardice. He would keep walking and hope for the best if he didn’t find something soon he would climb out and find some normal prey. Morningpaw continued down the tunnel and followed the turns and twists, he really didn’t like the slight dip the path started doing, deeper into the earth. But he wasn’t a failure and he wasn’t a coward. Except when he was. Annoying.

The apprentice looked around and finally as nothing more turned up he sighed and made the awkward and tight turn around to head back. What a waste of time. Well what kind of idea was it to come into the tunnel anyways. A stupid one. Why was Morningpaw so stupid? The apprentice sighed and then padded at a brief pace back down the way he came. Eventually the glow of sun came through the darkness and at the same time a horrified squeak followed by scrambling. Oh, the apprentice stared wide eyed for a moment as a mouse tore down the tunnel. Oh no you don’t!! Morningpaw was off, running as fast as he could in the enclosed space.

“Stop running! From! Your ine-inevitable! Death!” Morningpaw panted as he slowly closed on the mouse except not really that was just wishful thinking. But eventually the mouse did come to a stop as the tunnel ran into a dead end! It doubled back but Morningpaw managed to slam his paws down on it as it passed and sloppily slammed his fangs into its body. It stopped moving and there was blood on his face. Ew. Maybe even ranked lower than water. Actually yeah it was. Annoying. But! Morningpaw wasn’t a failure.

The apprentice managed to trail back and then crawled up to the surface. Dust settled down in his fur but he was happy enough not to care. Though also he was worn out. Morningpaw shook out his fur as he stood outside of the hole. He blinked and suddenly there was an Orange Guy in front of him and oh wow- “Personal space buddy! Ever heard of it!?” The warrior had immediately gotten in Morningpaw’s face and the apprentice jumped back with a slight hiss to his words. A glare settled on Orange Guy.

[ Uhhh Orangeblossom is also my character but uhhh just in case Power Play perms for the end from @/Dolomedes ]

[ @/Dolomedes - Orangeblossom ]