Hawkbite waved his tail with delight about killing two birds with one stone here. The Commander would glance around the brightly lit forest around them and inhale to take in the scents surrounding them. "Well, this is one of the newest parts of our territory. It's been pretty safe so far, but predators love to hide around here so we must be careful. However, I brought you here for something different. An herb," Hawkbite spoke, pinpointing the scent he was searching for.
The Commander led the apprentice further along, his tail tip twitching with anticipation at the treasure ahead of them. Then, a patch of the sweet scented catmint came into view and Hawkbite picked up his pace. "This is catmint. It's my favorite herb to look for," Hawkbite spoke, coming to a halt at the patch of herbs. His gaze shifted over to Bitternpaw, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Take a sniff," Hawkbite gestured, giving the apprentice a moment to do so. The scent was intoxicating to the tom.
Then, the Commander broke his stoic character and dove face first into the herb patch. He sprawled out, twisting and rolling over the patch of herbs with a deep purr erupting from him.
Would Bitternpaw join?
Hawkbite would pause and gesture for the tom to join him.
Then, after a few minutes, the Commander would get back up on his paws and gather up a few of the loose herbs to bring back to the medicine cats. "And of course, we don't waste them!" He chirped, suddenly more chipper than he'd been in a while.
What a more pleasant part of the territory. It was a bit drier than the rest of the somewhat marshy terrain of Shadowclan and the trees climbed up high into the sky, tempting him to just try to climb them. But more training wasn't what they were out here for. Hawkbite tells him that they were out here for something specific... He tilts his head at the eager way the Commander moves through the foliage until they happen upon a patch of sweet smelling herbs.
Bitternpaw had never seen or smelled this kind of plant before. But before he knows it the older warrior is diving headfirst into them and rolling in their scent with a pleased purr. Not... At all what he was expecting. Never had he seen Hawkbite act like this. Was this herb some kind of miracle plant or something?! Did it cast some kind of spell-- or rather a curse-- on the tom to cause him to act like a playful kit?
When the invitation is offered out to him he's hesitant. Nervous that he, too, would lose himself to the magic of this 'catmint'. But Hawkbite did seem to be enjoying it... And if it were something to be brought back to the medicine cats then maybe it wasn't so bad after all? Approaching the patch slowly, tall ears perked and at attention just in case any nearby predators wanted to take advantage of the calm moment, he sniffs at a leaf. A delicious, sweet, wonderful smelling leaf. Almost at once his pupils blow wide and he can't help but rub his face against it's pleasant scent. The first rub is where it all ends.
Though he's not as cheerful as the Commander, he's obviously more lax. Flopping onto his side and continuing to rub his cheek up against the lovely smelling leaves. It's almost as if all his worries were just melting away. It was scary but at the same time... It was nice. Not having to worry so much about everything for once.
Oh, he was delighted to see Bitternpaw partake in the rolling. His tail waved in a pleasant manner before he'd gesture for the apprentice to grab ahold of some of the herbs. "Grab some and we can head back, yeah?" Hawkbite spoke in a friendly manner through the mouthful of herbs he had. His pupils were still dilated with the scent fresh in his nose. The herbs in his mouth held a sweet flavor that his tastebuds couldn't ignore, but he tried his hardest not to chew on them or swallow any of it.
Once Bitternpaw had grabbed some of the herbs, Hawkbite would turn and lead them back to the camp.
[ @Marigoldwhisper - sorry for the delay! feel free to have them head back whenever. ]
FOXFURY
The black she-cat wandered along with the others, letting her orange gaze drift around the territory in morbid curiosity. Usually she'd be chattier, perhaps try to annoy this skittish patrol leader for her own amusement. But this was the first time she'd been out in the territory since her joining, and she was entranced by visually mapping out the land. The pine trees were very different than her temporary territory in the outskirts had been, but somehow she felt right at home. It was perfect for her. Her dark pelt blended in perfectly with the shadowy patches of long grass. Plus there was minimal dust to get stuck in her fur like it had constantly done in the Windclan tunnels. That had been a nightmare.
The probationary warrior stopped behind Mudslide, craning her neck to hear her soft command. "Alright alright alright!" she grinned, angling the opposite direction as the strange molly. However, before she even took a step, Magpiepaw dashed past her, screeching in excitement. Foxfury returned a toothy smile. "That's the spirit, furball," she encouraged. Wait. Oh shoot.
"Hold up!" she called after the apprentice, darting after her with sudden urgency. Eat them?? How dumb were these clan cats? Thankfully the berries that Magpiepaw stumbled upon were out of reach for the smaller she-cat. Phew. Foxfury didn't need a dead apprentice on her paws during the first time she was placed on a patrol. "I'll show you how to climb this, c'mon," she said, leaping onto the trunk and digging in needle-sharp claws. "But don't eat them!" she ordered, "because I'm not lugging your limp body back to camp."
She launched herself up a couple tail lengths with a push powerful back legs, detaching and attaching her claws swiftly. Turning her head over her shoulder, she slashed her tail as a signal for Magpiepaw to follow. "Your turn Mags," she called. "Use your hind legs, that's where all your strength is. And don't forget to move your front ones so you don't trip."
With that, Foxfury bounded up twice more, orienting herself against the bark so that her neck could reach the spindly branches off-shooting from the main trunk. [ rolled a 1/20 for first attempt ] Unfortunately, she overestimated the strength of the neared branch. When she reached out a paw to pull it close, the whole thing split off, plummeting to the forest floor. "Whoops," she cackled, tipping forward a bit with the momentum before catching herself. [ rolled a 1/20 for second attempt ] She tried the next branch, but to no avail. The same thing happened, and a second branch fell out of reach. Why couldn't they have been assigned hunting instead of flower picking?
Foxfury scrambled around the trunk to the other side, hoping to have more luck with the branches over there. [ rolled a 16/20 for third attempt ] More gently, the she-cat hooked a branch with one of her nails and drew it close. With gentle teeth she snipped a small twig of the berries off the stick, careful not to puncture the fruits. Not the ripest, but they'd do. [ rolled a 6/20 for fourth attempt ] The next one was just out of reach. Grumbling to herself, she repositioned again. [ rolled an 11/20 for fifth attempt ] This time, she succeeded in snagging a branch, but in her impatience she accidentally shook a couple of the berries off. Whatever, good enough.
She was about to head back down when a rustling nearby caught her attention. Ooh, a squirrel! Gripping the tree trunk tightly with her back legs, she stretched out across the rodent's branch silently, hidden by the foliage. [ rolled a 13/20 for hunting ] In a swift movement, she brought a heavy paw down. It dashed forward, but not quickly enough to avoid her grasp. It was dragged back by the tail and smacked against the tree trunk abruptly, putting an end to the brief misery.
Juniper branches and squirrel clenched in her jaws, Foxfury began the descent down, shimmying backwards until she was back on solid ground to await the others.
[ +2 juniper branches, +1 squirrel ]
Mudslide
She, Her\Warrior\16 moons\Shadowclan
"I miss the yellow. I miss the yellin' and the shake downs."
Mudslide was still on her quest for thyme, picking and pulling them at every turn, failing at almost every one. Which was obviously disappointing. But she'd stumbled across a few bundles and decided to go for it, viewing it as all or nothing. Nothing was more likely, but she'd rather come back to camp with full jaws. Thus, she opened her mouth and readied herself for a bitter taste of her teeth snapping at nothing.
ROLLING FOR HARVESTABILITY... MUDSLIDE ROLLED A 20
(harvest complete!)
ROLLING FOR CONDITIONS... MUDSLIDE ROLLED A 10
(slightly damaged but usable)
[+3 thyme]
INVENTORY FULL!
Well, that was all she could carry, no jumpier berries but hopefully the rest of the patrol made up for that. Mudslide eventually found her way to her patrol mates, expecting to see the ordinary slow and peaceful nature of a herb patrol. But she was wrong. She watched at Foxfury attempted to climb a tree with Magpiepaw at her tail. She saw how the branches snapped easily, saw how the newly made warrior was quickly running out of options. The fur on her neck threatened to rise but she pushed it back down, breaking out into a gallop towards the two cats taking notice of Foxfury's successful gathering of a few jumpier berries. Great, now please get down. Mudslide knew that not everyday was suited for climbing. Sure, they can all do it, but they could all fall too. Mudslide didn't care about these cats but she still had some level of respect for them. If they both ended up dying on this patrol Mudslide wouldn't know what to do with herself? Cry? Panic? Run?
But eventually Foxfury slid down and so did a very excited apprentice. Mudslide let out a breath she didn't know she holding and held a slightly frustrated gaze to the warrior. Mudslide didn't have to know Magpiepaw at all to know that she was reckless and she was positive Foxfury only amplified her behavior.
Okay. This was it. They were done. She blinked slowly before giving her clanmates a halfhearted nod. Time to go she thought, flicking the tip of her tail in a quick jabbing motion before she headed back to camp.
[Inventory - 5 thyme]
Magpiepaw
She, Her\Apprentice\11 moons\Shadowclan
"Why pick them when I can do it so much better?"
This was going to be great! Magpiepaw was very glad that somecat had the brains to actually offer her some useful knowledge. Magpiepaw knew everything except how to climb a tree so this was a welcome lecture. She was quick to scramble after Foxfury, a wide smile splitting her furry face. The falling branches had somewhat shocked her though, but it added a good layer of thrill! She dodged the falling debris as best she could as she listened to Foxfury's instructions. She'd never been quiet for this long, it felt weirddd. But it's not like she would be able to talk much after she'd get the berries in her mouth so...
"HA! I won't die, I'm sure the berries are completely harmless!" Magpiepaw wasn't sure what they were used for, but they couldn't be life threatening, they were a herb for a reason! They HEAL! For all they knew Magpiepaw could just suddenly develop super strength, that would be cool. She had sure to dig her claws straight into the bark. Not only did it keep her from falling, but it also felt nice her have to claws latch onto something that wasn't a toad.
Once the warrior reached a stopping point, the brown eyed apprentice looked around to see the oddly colored berries and snag some for herbalist. She spotted a few, maybe three, and because she was impatient she decided to reach for all of them.
ROLLING FOR HARVESTABILITY... MAGPIEPAW ROLLED A 20
(harvest complete!)
ROLLING FOR CONDITIONS... MAGPIEPAW ROLLED A 17
(completely intact!)
[+3 jumpier berries]
Since she still had some space left in her maw, the apprentice climbed up a bit more, angling herself towards another bundle. Their were at least three but Magpiepaw knew she wouldn't be able to carry all of them. So, she'd just eat the other, simple!
ROLLING FOR HARVESTABILITY... MAGPIEPAW ROLLED A 1
(harvest failed!)
Perhaps the berries were just being overly stupid and stubborn because as soon as she gave them a good tug the bundle immediately fell from the tree much like the branches that had fallen earlier. Now way could those things be of any use now. Ugh, stupid! The apprentice snarled at the ground below before climbing a bit father up. The early was starting to blur beneath her, but Magpiepaw wasn't a coward, she was an adrenaline junkie.
So, when she saw another line of berries she made haste to grab a few, two this time.
ROLLING FOR HARVESTABILITY... MAGPIEPAW ROLLED A 1
(harvest failed!)
Same thing happened and Magpiepaw watched with scorn as the berries fell and splattered dramatically on the ground. Now, Magpiepaw wasn't the kind of cat to deliberately hold others back (unless she hated them) but this had become a competition now. She was going to get AT LEAST one more berry and then she'd eat the rest! Easy! She tried to grab
one from the nearest bundle her jaws could reach.
ROLLING FOR HARVESTABILITY... MAGPIEPAW ROLLED A 20
(harvest complete!)
ROLLING FOR CONDITIONS... MAGPIEPAW ROLLED A 14
(slightly damaged but usable)
[+1 jumpier berry]
HAHAHAHA! TAKE THAT, YOU LOUSY FRUITS! Magpiepaw grinned triumphantly at her accomplishment while she readjusted her jaw to keep her herbs nice and secure. As if right on que, Foxfury started to climb down the tree and Magpiepaw quickly followed suit. Once her paws finally hit the floor and trotted excitedly up to the warrior. "Stars, that was so fun!" Her voice was muffled and thick with the berries in her mouth but she didn't care enough to repeat herself. Once the patrol leader (she'd honestly just forgotten her name, not Magpiepaw's fault they were so unapologetically BORING!) ushered them out Magpiepaw broke into a prideful trot and followed.
[Inventory - 4 jumpier berries]
(Sorry for typos! It's a bit early lol)
__________________
❝And the cats kill one by one!❞
- Hartebeest by Yalokre
SQUIRRELRISE she/her. 14 moons. small, scarred russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.
[ chill of death, hulk SMASH ]
with the restriction lifted, warriors were now allowed to leave the camp on their own again. which, squirrelrise is more than fine with because the camp gets too crowded at times and she craves some alone time. not only to just relax (but does she ever truly relax?), but she's on a mission to find gutspaw a feather! they're friends now..um..she hopes, at least. so she needs to find teeth a suitable friendship token. speaking of..one of the braids has fallen out, sadly, and only the other side of her cheek furs managed to stay braided.
the thin, tall pine trees grow sparse as she continues to venture into the territory. large, giant trees become more apparent the further she explores into one of the newer landmarks, dawning woods. sunlight filters through the trees, bathing the lush grass in sunshine -- a stark contrast to the usual dark, foggy marshlands of the majority of the territory. perked ears catch the sounds of birds overhead, parted jaws scenting an abundance of prey and the stale scent of something she isn't able to fully recognize. I probably shouldn't stick here too long..just to be safe, she thinks, yellow eyes flitting about the scenery. completely unaware that her left paw stepped in an ant hill due to the numbness in it.
that is, until she feels a small, burning pinch out of nowhere near her ankle. she lets out a squeak, looking at her paw, finally spotting the ants that have decided her fur makes a good home. "ack..no!! oh, s-stars!" she gasps, shaking her paw wildly to fling off the ants and scurrying a few tail lengths away. slowing to a stop, she frowns. augh..now she has ant bites. those are gonna itch later. her impending sogginess fades away when she turns and spots the reason she came here in the first place, a feather! it looks similar to the ones the starlings have in the prey pile, so she figures it's safe to assume it's a starling feather.
ears twitching at a rustling sound, she swiftly picks up the feather and makes her exit, heart racing. she's not sure what made the rustling sound – most likely a mouse or chipmunk – but she doesn't want to risk anything bad happening.
rookfire was feeling a bit dizzy, the world in front of him dipping and spinning to the side with every step, forcing him to stop moving. cowered down, his head placed upon front paws he exhaled shakily, pulse drumming loudly in his remaining ear and feeling like it could shake his entire body. like a rabbit pelt flapping in the wind and colliding with an object with every burst, dull yet so far inside him head he felt like only splitting open his skull could free him from the relentless noise echoing. discomfort stirring in his stomach, the enforcer curled into himself more as if hiding from the blindingly bright light would offer any relief. with the world, or rather, mostly his own fur, blurring in front of his eyes, rookfire weakly and desperately questioned his racing heartbeat and the growing nausea before thoughts because just something he couldnt form, drifting losely between foggy cool and the unbearable heat. with nothing more in on his mind than the gentle image of waves of fog, a soft buzzing where thoughts should thrive, the enforcer barely recognised what lay in front anymore, as if a deep dim dark had settled over his one functional eye. there shouldve been panic, the loss of his vision entirely being easily one of the fears keeping him up at night, yet it appeared he wasnt able to take a hold of what should be one of the easiest things to imagine. fear was a powerful thing, but no match for overheating induced reduced consciousness.
rookfire was feeling a bit dizzy, the world in front of him dipping and spinning to the side with every step, forcing him to stop moving. cowered down, his head placed upon front paws he exhaled shakily, pulse drumming loudly in his remaining ear and feeling like it could shake his entire body. like a rabbit pelt flapping in the wind and colliding with an object with every burst, dull yet so far inside him head he felt like only splitting open his skull could free him from the relentless noise echoing. discomfort stirring in his stomach, the enforcer curled into himself more as if hiding from the blindingly bright light would offer any relief. with the world, or rather, mostly his own fur, blurring in front of his eyes, rookfire weakly and desperately questioned his racing heartbeat and the growing nausea before thoughts because just something he couldnt form, drifting losely between foggy cool and the unbearable heat. with nothing more in on his mind than the gentle image of waves of fog, a soft buzzing where thoughts should thrive, the enforcer barely recognised what lay in front anymore, as if a deep dim dark had settled over his one functional eye. there shouldve been panic, the loss of his vision entirely being easily one of the fears keeping him up at night, yet it appeared he wasnt able to take a hold of what should be one of the easiest things to imagine. fear was a powerful thing, but no match for overheating induced reduced consciousness.
Mudslide was looking for beetles as any sane cat should be. She also wanted to explore a bit without the pressure of being on patrol, and now that restrictions were lifted, Mudslide finally felt that going outside of camp walls was fully at her clawtips. She hated to be locked up or isolated, so actually going out and doing something was much to her taste, as long as nocat noticed her doing it. There was confidence in her stride when she stepped her multicoloured paws into the light of Dawning Woods. In truth, Shadowclan was growing hotter and hotter as days passed, so Mudslide knew she had to work quickly and efficiently if she wanted to make it back to Roachflare without a charred pelt.
Her large ears perked up and bounced lightly with each trot, her muzzle twitching at the ends as if attempting a small smile. So far, everything had gone well. She'd seen some pretty cool bugs with metallic shells, others with large and overbearing pinchers. Personally, the leaf patterned beetles were her favorite because they were so hard to find.
She found something new at every turn and eventually her eyes adjusted to see what lay hidden in the shade. She was positive some beetles must be hiding near roots or holes in the cedar trees and Mudslide was determined to find them and admire their stealth. In her haste, Mudslide tripped on something. The warrior almost plummeted down face first, but her paws were quick enough to catch her. She thought it was a root she tripped on until she turned her head to actually look at it. The warrior immediately tensed. A dead body? No, no, if it was dead she'd certainly smell it. And plus, it looked like they were breathing. Rookfire was breathing. Mudslide would've felt annoyed by his presence if she wasn't so startled by his unconscious state.
Her paws began to tremble in protest as she reached out to paw at his thick black fur (thicker than she thought it would be, but that didn't matter). It was hotter than the ground beneath her, even the spots with the most sunlight. Mudslide began to squirm slightly, finding her current situation uncomfortable and being with this strange cat only amplified that feeling, a feeling she already had whenever the enforcer was anywhere near her.
Mudslide then crouched down and reached out to touch his nose. Wet. He was sweating. Oh god, he passed out. Mudslide murmured a curse to the stars above under her breath. Why was he even out here? Had he not taken hed to the heat? Now somecat had to deal with him (ahem... Her). She didn't want to care for another cat, she only had space for two, but she wasn't about to leave somecat out to die, no matter how strange they were. Plus, if she just left him no doubt she'd be dragged into some situation involving his possible death as a suspect.
Mudslide remembered there being a stream or body of water nearby. In... Evergreen Grotto? Would she even be back in time? Plus, how would she get the water to him? Mudslide pondered herself into a corner, her ears twitching back slightly but the she-cat refused to allow any signs of fear other than her labored breathing and shaking paws. Moss maybe? Worth a shot. Though he'd probably need something before she went or else he might just die from overheating before she can get back.
Oh god, this was the worst. Mudslide opened her maw and licked down the fur on his forehead and his nose. Basically anywhere the sun might've hit him the hardest. Mudslide dreaded every second, every swipe, but she didn't stop until he was at least slightly damp. It reminded her of the faint memories she had of licking down her sisters matted fur after a long rain of if she went to tumble in autumn leaves. She knew mother wouldn't properly clean them, so she'd always take it upon herself to make sure Squeaks didn't have burrs in her pelt. Then Mudslide stilled, her throat growing tight at the resurfacing memory. No. She refused to link that to whatever this was. It was like Squeaks was dead. She wasn't... she wasn't.
Suddenly, the warrior jolted up and ran for some moss, [rolled a 20 for harvestability and 19 for conditions] then darted out of Dawning Woods to Evergreen Grotto. Welp, she sure hoped Starclan was enjoying the fiasco to her expense, what joy.
__________________
❝And the cats kill one by one!❞
- Hartebeest by Yalokre
Blow after blow after blow. “You never get tired of getting beat up, do you?” Lostspark scoffed at her ice-eyed companion as he got to his paws after his latest defeat, that stupidly irritating roguish grin on his face. She was going to smack him into the afterlife so fast he’d get whiplash.
— “I live to serve, sweetie.” That received him another blow, one that caused his front right limb to buckle momentarily. But Icethroat’s grin only widened. “So violent. I like it.” An afterthought. And then he was ducking when another paw swung for his head. Except… sigh, he really should have expected the second paw that met his cheek a moment after. “I despise that move.” The light-furred tom sighed as he sat back on his haunches to rub his aching jaw. Okay, every part of him hurt. Lostspark had not pulled her punches at all. It was good, though. He was getting under her skin, and she was not holding back. Probably because he’d been following her around nonstop lately.
Five minutes later and Icethroat was pinned again. Not that, from Lostspark’s position over him, eyes narrowed furiously, he seemed to mind. “Stop smiling.” Her lips twisted into a scowl. “It’s uncanny.” His ego should be smithereens by now!! Why did he look so smug?
Stupid.
Not wanting to linger any longer, Lostspark prowled off. She’d already finished scent marking the landmark before Icethroat had tried to sneak up on her, for what she didn’t know. All he’d done was tail her and be a nuisance.
Mudslide was looking for beetles as any sane cat should be. She also wanted to explore a bit without the pressure of being on patrol, and now that restrictions were lifted, Mudslide finally felt that going outside of camp walls was fully at her clawtips. She hated to be locked up or isolated, so actually going out and doing something was much to her taste, as long as nocat noticed her doing it. There was confidence in her stride when she stepped her multicoloured paws into the light of Dawning Woods. In truth, Shadowclan was growing hotter and hotter as days passed, so Mudslide knew she had to work quickly and efficiently if she wanted to make it back to Roachflare without a charred pelt.
Her large ears perked up and bounced lightly with each trot, her muzzle twitching at the ends as if attempting a small smile. So far, everything had gone well. She'd seen some pretty cool bugs with metallic shells, others with large and overbearing pinchers. Personally, the leaf patterned beetles were her favorite because they were so hard to find.
She found something new at every turn and eventually her eyes adjusted to see what lay hidden in the shade. She was positive some beetles must be hiding near roots or holes in the cedar trees and Mudslide was determined to find them and admire their stealth. In her haste, Mudslide tripped on something. The warrior almost plummeted down face first, but her paws were quick enough to catch her. She thought it was a root she tripped on until she turned her head to actually look at it. The warrior immediately tensed. A dead body? No, no, if it was dead she'd certainly smell it. And plus, it looked like they were breathing. Rookfire was breathing. Mudslide would've felt annoyed by his presence if she wasn't so startled by his unconscious state.
Her paws began to tremble in protest as she reached out to paw at his thick black fur (thicker than she thought it would be, but that didn't matter). It was hotter than the ground beneath her, even the spots with the most sunlight. Mudslide began to squirm slightly, finding her current situation uncomfortable and being with this strange cat only amplified that feeling, a feeling she already had whenever the enforcer was anywhere near her.
Mudslide then crouched down and reached out to touch his nose. Wet. He was sweating. Oh god, he passed out. Mudslide murmured a curse to the stars above under her breath. Why was he even out here? Had he not taken hed to the heat? Now somecat had to deal with him (ahem... Her). She didn't want to care for another cat, she only had space for two, but she wasn't about to leave somecat out to die, no matter how strange they were. Plus, if she just left him no doubt she'd be dragged into some situation involving his possible death as a suspect.
Mudslide remembered there being a stream or body of water nearby. In... Evergreen Grotto? Would she even be back in time? Plus, how would she get the water to him? Mudslide pondered herself into a corner, her ears twitching back slightly but the she-cat refused to allow any signs of fear other than her labored breathing and shaking paws. Moss maybe? Worth a shot. Though he'd probably need something before she went or else he might just die from overheating before she can get back.
Oh god, this was the worst. Mudslide opened her maw and licked down the fur on his forehead and his nose. Basically anywhere the sun might've hit him the hardest. Mudslide dreaded every second, every swipe, but she didn't stop until he was at least slightly damp. It reminded her of the faint memories she had of licking down her sisters matted fur after a long rain of if she went to tumble in autumn leaves. She knew mother wouldn't properly clean them, so she'd always take it upon herself to make sure Squeaks didn't have burrs in her pelt. Then Mudslide stilled, her throat growing tight at the resurfacing memory. No. She refused to link that to whatever this was. It was like Squeaks was dead. She wasn't... she wasn't.
Suddenly, the warrior jolted up and ran for some moss, [rolled a 20 for harvestability and 19 for conditions] then darted out of Dawning Woods to Evergreen Grotto. Welp, she sure hoped Starclan was enjoying the fiasco to her expense, what joy.
the world pulsing hot and red before his eyes, vague, ghosting touches lingered on dark fur, going unnoticed almost entirely, within his head, rook reached out for whatever it was in front. vague shapes and feelings were the first thing resonating in his mind, fighting open eyes that felt like they were glued shut with thick sap.
rookfire felt...soggy. soggy and like he had slept (had he slept? why??) in the center of a raging fire. shuffle of paws nearby that couldnt possibly be his, with his entire body feeling as heavy as the largest bolder he could imagine, a bolt of panic rushed through him. most muscles tensing yet too weak to move much, he turned his head towards the sound, broadly missing due to the lingering struggle of only having one ear and his eyes squeezed shut and made a halfhearted attempt at getting away. apart from heavy breaths wrecking through him, he lay, motionless, until the world stopped spinning and the outside wasnt bright enough to feel blinding anymore.
the moment squinting silver eyes found mudslide and the steam had cleared in his head, the overwhelming, hot white shame was almost worse than the pulsing headache and heat still burning down on him. with a forward motion originating in his hind legs and swinging forward into the tips of his front paws, intend to help him get to his paws easier, the enforcer fought himself back into a standing position like a foal trying to stand for the first time, miserable, dizzy and wet. remaining ear laying flat against his head he stood, shaking slightly, trying to figure out where the hell he was without looking at mudslide or actively showing how disoriented he was, before staggering in the direction of camp. with limbs as heavy as trees and a conscious heavy with shame, no words left his maw, dead set on ignoring this had ever happened, get back to camp, and sleep until he didnt feel like death anymore. this shouldnt be of his concern anymore than tripping, no need to let anyone else know this had happened, and even the lack of recollection on how and why he had ended up in the middle of dawning woods was fought down enough to ignore.
petalrot and hazelstripe, how had rookfire ended up in this situation..rookfire actually knew very very little about petalrot, having barely ever seen the warrior at all, but hazelstripe seemed to have taken a certain interest in bug and since she had asked him for patrol he couldnt really turn it down. though a bit less than enthusiastic about this, rookfire had agreed to this, yet couldnt quite bring himself to supress the creeping suspicion that hazelstripe had something planned. whatever it may be, rookfire was the only enforcer of the three so he had at least that bit of power, deciding that he was both going to lead this little endeavour.
rookfire himself was very much fancying some chervil picking, whilst the other two could pretty much do whatever, he didnt mind as long as they actually did something. dawning woods was overall a part of the territory rookfire preferred to visit with at least another warrior, not only because of the predators known to frequent the sunlight flooded clearing, but because the sun has absolutely knocked him out the last time he was there alone. large dark form moved ahead the group, exiting the thick blanket of shadow in exchange for the warm embrace of the rising sun. whilst the sharp bite of a cool night, typical for the tail end of green leaf stretching thin, still lingered in the air, the thick smell of both fresh herbs covered in a fine sheen of condensation and prey was noticable almost immediately. more so the prey part, the herbs took a bit more focus to pick up amongst all the other smells, wet soil to name one, and rookfire was quick to doubt the other two would bother with something as miniscule anyway. "i dont care what you gather or hunt but you better come back with three bits of whatever" the enforcer ordered, angular head and like half his body turned towards his patrol mates before dismissing them with a flick of his tail and getting to searching himself.
Re: Dawning Woods
