WindClan Territory

[phoenix]

EGRETPAW
she/her | 5 moons | dark brown and lilac tabby with dappling, cream markings and blue eyes
[ sticky pads ]

strawbs is very quiet, egretpaw learns - after her cousin doesn't answer. she doesn't dwell on it, attention swiftly turning to miss lichenshock. "yeppp!! excited as can be!" she beams nodding repeatedly. "I ain't ever caught a rabbit before. I bet papa's fur'll be knocked off if I do!" she comments. actually, knowing hawkfur, he'd probably cry if she brought him back a rabbit. her papa's silly like that. by the sounds of it, it'll be strawbs, windflowertrail, and her all catching one rabbit. what's that saying? oh, yeah - teamwork makes the dreamwork!

it sounds pretty easy for the most part, considering they just had to hide until miss lichenshock scared the rabbit their way. "got it, miss winds!" she chirps, crouching down moments after strawberrypaw. downwind, of course. she wonders if, once she manages to catch a rabbit of all things, she can eventually catch a pheasant like uncle crows had. those were pretty tasty!

[ @Rose @Neptune. @GoldenHoneycomb! @BEAR. ]

[Rani]

Originally Posted by Estelle

Coldpaw
[ 4 moon | She / Her | Wc Tunneller Apprentice | Heightened Perception: Touch ]

Left… Right… What? Coldpaw pulled a confused grimace as Crowtooth spoke to her, but sure, she would just smile and nod as if she understood. In truth Coldpaw had no idea what he was talking about with ‘right’ and ‘left’, but she could figure it out as they went along. It was just walking in a tight, underground space. How hard could it be? It wasn’t like she could get lost and lose her orientation like in some large open space with no landmarks. With tunnels she was… Well, tunnelled in! There was only way to go, and that was straight ahead.

Ducking her head low on instinct – even if it really wasn’t needed with her young child size – Coldpaw followed the tremors in the ground Crowtooth left behind as he stomped. Going into the tunnels, unlike anything she had ever expected, was an overwhelming experience. She could smell the scent linger at the side of her, but most of all, she could feel… Everything. Her fur prickled at the walls surrounding her every inch so closely, her paws tapped the ground and she felt echoes run through her legs and all around, as if she could feel where the walls lifted up above her head. Never before had the young apprentice experienced this, and she was so distracted by the feeling, that she hadn’t noticed Crowtooth – that is to say, she walked face first up against his leg, unless he moved away and let her sprawl onto the ground.

It startled her out of her reverie, and Coldpaw stumbled over her words for a few moments. Dreamlight?
“Erm… I-I haven’t met… Dreamlight.. yet.”
She cleared her throat.
“But I’d like to.”
She added, more composed. She had heard her older sister lived in the same darkness as she did. Coldpaw would like to meet her for that reason; and for being just that: her older sister. Leechscar was always around them, but Coldpaw felt that Dreamlight was avoiding them on purpose. Or maybe she got lost somewhere along the way too.
“What about Cinderpaw?”
She remembered her brother was assigned to Crowtooth.

Coldpaw nodded to Crowtooth’s words, making herself small from here on out. She had always been bad with orienting herself, she realised, constantly getting lost in the clearing. She had no doubt she’ struggle to find these warm areas of skittering creatures, much unlike her mentor and Crowtooth, head angled towards the ground as they moved along. Vinesmoke spoke up too, but naturally the apprentice didn’t understand what he meant.

She decided to let the adults talk, following behind their steps while she focused her hearing. But strangely that wasn’t her most alert sense. No matter how much she tried to focus her ears on any surrounding sound, the sensation of the tunnels surrounding her were overwhelming in comparison. It was annoying to a degree; did Crowtooth and Vinesmoke have that too? The eyeless apprentice was about to ask when she stopped dead in her tracks, head raising in alarm and ears erect.

“There.”
She pointed out all of sudden without thinking, pa directed towards a wall some ways ahead of her, ears angled straight towards there as if she could hear something. But she hardly heard anything;
“I can feel them.”
It was the soft tremors in the ground that vibrated up her paws and alerted her of a skittering presence behind the wall. Were that the voles they were out for? She angled her ears around, awaiting a comment from either tunneller.
“...Do you feel them?”
She asked, a bit unsure.


[ @Rani @Tallstar - I am so sorry for how late this is sweats ]

Originally Posted by Tallstar

Vinesmoke
12 Moons
He/Him
Moving quietly along the tunnel floor, Vinesmoke's ears caught every soft sound, yet the rhythmic silence of the underground corridors steadied his racing mind. With a measured step and a cool, collected tone that belied the lingering tension at the threshold, he addressed Crowtooth, “Crow, do you want me to flush those critters out like last time?” His words, now imbued with the tunnel’s quiet assurance, carried the weight of experience and the subtle hope of proving himself once again. @Rani @Estelle

Crowtooth
Windclan Deputy | He/him | 55 Moons
Power Card: Cold Gust

Honestly at some point Coldpaw needed to get accustomed to voicing her confusion or frustration or she'd flounder in her training because of course two sighted cats didnt understand the many minute issues she encountered. How could they? As is Crowtooth didnt have a clue anything was wrong, instead musing "Nah, the three o' us are tunnelers here, I say we all just dig the vole wall an' snag anythin' we unearth, no need ta make it complex this time." to Vinesmoke before focusing on Coldpaw.


"Im sure yer sister will enjoy yer company an' 'ave some good knowledge ta pass on. She always struck me as awkward an' antisocial but a good cat." To be honest that was all of Twilightstars first litter in a nutshell, even Leechscar was a bit strange and quiet despite his exemplary service. Some of the second litter too. "Eh yer brother is....." A brat "Opinionated. Honestly Im a bit confused why I got 'im. I thought it was 'cuz he wanted ta be a tunneler but he was a bit confused by the concept when we did our first session...." That baffled him a bit but if Twilightstar wanted her son to be a tunneler Crowtooth would train that and more.


He mused on that a bit, padding along as he listened before stopping at Coldpaws confident declaration. "Ya got somethin' kid? Lets check it out, dont feel bad if its not right, I even make mistakes someti- huh." After following the paw with a tail in the dark the deputy had set to check the area and found rather baffling that the young molly was right. First try too and without even checking hard. That was downright weird but he wasnt gonna look a gift horse in the mouth even if he shot her a baffled look disguised by the darkness.

"Well good job kiddo. I guess we got a vole wall now.


Alright so the tactic is simple. Behind the wall 'ere is a burrow o' voles. All we gotta do is dig 'em out an' grab 'em, voles are really exposed not in the ground, an' its easy given the dirt is already soft from their burrows. Follow scent, warmth, sound, anythin' an' when yer paws hit a warm wigglin' furball bite it. Dont bother stashin' it just keep goin', lest they all escape.
Me an' Vinesmoke will make sure the structure o' the tunnel stays strong so just focus on diggin' voles up an' gettin' a feel fer how ta dig the fastest an' most efficiently.


Vinesmoke start us off if ya will?"


@Tallstar @Estelle

[Tallstar]

Vinesmoke
12 Moons
He/Him
Vinesmoke chuckled softly at Oriole's wide-eyed enthusiasm, clearly entertained by the younger cat's excitement. He gave the younger cat a sideways glance as they continued walking.

"Well, it’s not just about cats digging all the time," Vinesmoke began, his tail flicking with amusement. "Though we do spend a lot of time down here, it’s not like we’re always digging. Some cats, especially the older ones, maintain the tunnels. It's a bit of a necessary thing for our safety and survival. You could say... we’re more like mole-cats than regular cats, in a way."

He thought for a moment before answering the next question. "As for who started them, that’s something I can’t say for sure. It’s something I’d have to ask Blazingstar about—he’d know more about the history of it. The tunnels have always been a part of this place, though. No one really remembers when they first appeared, but they’ve been here for as long as any of us can remember. Maybe they were here even before us, built by those who came before."

Vinesmoke's voice became a bit more serious when Oriole asked about how deep the tunnels went. "They go pretty deep, deeper than you’d probably want to go yourself. Some stretch for miles, going beneath the territory—there’s a whole network down here. And yeah, it can get cold the further you go, but not freezing. More like a steady, cool breeze that doesn’t leave you shivering. It’s strange, how it feels like the deeper you go, the more the land seems... alive."

He turned his gaze back to Oriole, eyes gleaming with a hint of mystery. "But... no matter how deep, we’ve learned to work with it. It’s a home, just like above ground. And I wouldn’t want you to be too eager to dig your own tunnels just yet, alright? There’s a lot down here that could catch you off guard."

@Dust

[Tallstar]

Vinesmoke
12 Moons
He/Him
Vinesmoke’s paws twitched with that familiar energy, his body restless and eager as he took a step forward. His tail flicked with anticipation. "Alright," he said with a quick glance at Coldpaw and Crowtooth, "let's get this started." He crouched low to the ground, eyes narrowing slightly as he focused on the spot Coldpaw had identified. His claws flexed against the soft earth, finding the right position, then he began to dig with quick, efficient motions. The dirt moved easily beneath his paws, soft from the voles’ burrows. He followed the warmth and scent beneath the earth, feeling for the right places where the voles would be hiding. The air in the tunnel smelled faintly of the earth, the warmth of the voles’ nests just beneath the surface. Vinesmoke’s claws scraped at the ground, pushing aside dirt in rapid movements, and soon enough, he felt the first sign of the voles. The earth shifted, revealing the small, wiggling creatures. "Found one!" Vinesmoke’s voice was quieter now, excitement creeping into his tone as his paw reached down and grabbed the small vole. It squirmed briefly in his grasp before he bite into it

@Estelle @Rani

[Dust]

[Image soon to come...]
[ Oriolepaw - 6 Moons]
He/Him | Windclan Apprentice Tunneler | 7/100

Oriolepaw seemed intent on keeping close to Vinesmoke. His original curiosity for the world outside of camp faded as his gaze remained locked on his mentor - aside from the occasional glance down at his paws to make sure he wouldn't trip. It was easy to assume that Vinesmoke had his full attention. Ori nodded his head as he spoke, remaining silent through the small speech - though a sly grin crept across his features at the mention of 'Mole-cats.'

"Blazingstar?" Amber eyes peered inquisitively at Vinesmoke. "Twilightstar is our leader..." He mumbled softly, confusion laced in his tone as he trailed off. This was, perhaps, where Oriolepaw had failed in learning the clans history by sitting out from one too many elder story-times. Granted, it was easy to assume that this 'Blazingstar' cat must have been a leader... Did he leave the clan to live as some strange wise loner giving tunnel advice? DID HE LIVE IN THE TUNNELS?! Gears visibly turning, Oriolepaw side-eyed his mentor as he spoke. He didn't want to interrupt, so he'd hold all his questions until Vine was done. Truthfully, he was glad he did! Mentions of the depth and the cool breeze that blew though the tunnels had the hair along his hackles raising with nervous anticipation.

"It sounds like fun! Are we going to be doing safety training then?" He mewed, giving a genuine smile to the other, though there was a clear waver of his voice, "Also... Vinesmoke, does Blazingstar live in the tunnels? Since Twilightstar lives in camp... is that why he lives in the tunnels?" Ori's head tilted slightly in thought.

[ @Tallstar ]

[Estelle]

Coldpaw
[ 4 moon | She / Her | Wc Tunneller Apprentice | Heightened Perception: Touch ]

Antisocial was one word for it. She hadn’t heard nor hide or hair of Dreamlight up until this point. It was almost as though her older sister was a ghost. She hummed in response, a chuckle escaping her maw at the mention of Cinderpaw’s behaviour. Just wait until he meets Rainkit.

Her ears flickered, a brief scowl flashing over her face. What does he mean, make mistakes? She was certain of her findings. She could feel them skitter across the ground just as much as she could feel tug of air on her fur from the tunnel’s entrance. Scowl turned to pride in the form of a slight grin when the deputy realised as much. So what next?

Crowtooth was quick to explain, her ears drifting to angle in his direction. It sounded like she just had to dig. She couldn’t place it, a part of her felt like it was physically retreating at the mention of killing these critters, but Coldpaw set her paws in the ground. Prey was dead too, what difference did this make? She felt unsettled, but the lilac she-cat felt she had to prove herself. She couldn’t shy away from some hunting, the clan needed food.

She could feel the shifts in the earth when Crowtooth and Vinesmoke began to dig; hesitantly, Coldpaw positioned herself between them (not without walking into one of their sides first), edging her paws closer to the soil until they hit the wall. She recalled Crowtooth’s lesson when she was a kit; claw dig in, paw scoop, and pull. Something like that. She wasn’t sure, all she remembered was miserably failing at it.

A ruckus alerted her that one of them had already caught a vole, and her ears perked before her focus returned on the wall. She huffed, then moved to finally press her claws into the dirt, scoop her paw around it and – with much struggle – dislodge the soil from the wall until she had made her first gap. She needn’t worry about cave-ins, the adults were taking care of that. After some tiresome digging, Coldpaw suddenly felt a loud pitter patter over the ground and a rush of air brush past her. She looked around, confused; the vole had escaped.

Her ears angled back, and Coldpaw returned to digging, trying to pin point where these voles were hiding. But with both warriors digging and hunting at her side, she struggle to tell the voles apart from mere soil or new holes that were created. Without a doubt, Coldpaw ended up in their path several times.

But eventually, her paw came to unearth one such burrow; the critter just too slow and Coldpaw making short chase before she managed to snap her jaws around its throat, a trickle of blood filling her maw as the animal fell limp and she scowled.
“This stinks.”
She muttered, referring to the animal’s blood she was actively removing from her tongue and landing on the ground.


[ @Tallstar @Rani | +1 vole ]

[Rani]

Originally Posted by Tallstar

Vinesmoke
12 Moons
He/Him
Vinesmoke’s paws twitched with that familiar energy, his body restless and eager as he took a step forward. His tail flicked with anticipation. "Alright," he said with a quick glance at Coldpaw and Crowtooth, "let's get this started." He crouched low to the ground, eyes narrowing slightly as he focused on the spot Coldpaw had identified. His claws flexed against the soft earth, finding the right position, then he began to dig with quick, efficient motions. The dirt moved easily beneath his paws, soft from the voles’ burrows. He followed the warmth and scent beneath the earth, feeling for the right places where the voles would be hiding. The air in the tunnel smelled faintly of the earth, the warmth of the voles’ nests just beneath the surface. Vinesmoke’s claws scraped at the ground, pushing aside dirt in rapid movements, and soon enough, he felt the first sign of the voles. The earth shifted, revealing the small, wiggling creatures. "Found one!" Vinesmoke’s voice was quieter now, excitement creeping into his tone as his paw reached down and grabbed the small vole. It squirmed briefly in his grasp before he bite into it

@Estelle @Rani

Originally Posted by Estelle

Coldpaw
[ 4 moon | She / Her | Wc Tunneller Apprentice | Heightened Perception: Touch ]

Antisocial was one word for it. She hadn’t heard nor hide or hair of Dreamlight up until this point. It was almost as though her older sister was a ghost. She hummed in response, a chuckle escaping her maw at the mention of Cinderpaw’s behaviour. Just wait until he meets Rainkit.

Her ears flickered, a brief scowl flashing over her face. What does he mean, make mistakes? She was certain of her findings. She could feel them skitter across the ground just as much as she could feel tug of air on her fur from the tunnel’s entrance. Scowl turned to pride in the form of a slight grin when the deputy realised as much. So what next?

Crowtooth was quick to explain, her ears drifting to angle in his direction. It sounded like she just had to dig. She couldn’t place it, a part of her felt like it was physically retreating at the mention of killing these critters, but Coldpaw set her paws in the ground. Prey was dead too, what difference did this make? She felt unsettled, but the lilac she-cat felt she had to prove herself. She couldn’t shy away from some hunting, the clan needed food.

She could feel the shifts in the earth when Crowtooth and Vinesmoke began to dig; hesitantly, Coldpaw positioned herself between them (not without walking into one of their sides first), edging her paws closer to the soil until they hit the wall. She recalled Crowtooth’s lesson when she was a kit; claw dig in, paw scoop, and pull. Something like that. She wasn’t sure, all she remembered was miserably failing at it.

A ruckus alerted her that one of them had already caught a vole, and her ears perked before her focus returned on the wall. She huffed, then moved to finally press her claws into the dirt, scoop her paw around it and – with much struggle – dislodge the soil from the wall until she had made her first gap. She needn’t worry about cave-ins, the adults were taking care of that. After some tiresome digging, Coldpaw suddenly felt a loud pitter patter over the ground and a rush of air brush past her. She looked around, confused; the vole had escaped.

Her ears angled back, and Coldpaw returned to digging, trying to pin point where these voles were hiding. But with both warriors digging and hunting at her side, she struggle to tell the voles apart from mere soil or new holes that were created. Without a doubt, Coldpaw ended up in their path several times.

But eventually, her paw came to unearth one such burrow; the critter just too slow and Coldpaw making short chase before she managed to snap her jaws around its throat, a trickle of blood filling her maw as the animal fell limp and she scowled.
“This stinks.”
She muttered, referring to the animal’s blood she was actively removing from her tongue and landing on the ground.


[ @Tallstar @Rani | +1 vole ]

Crowtooth
Windclan Deputy | He/him | 55 Moons
Power Card: Cold Gust

Aaaaaand they were off! Tail flicking happily behind him in a way Crowtooth enjoyed the process of all this more then the prey it created, even if the clan desperately needed it. Coldpaw, even if clumsily at the start as she bumped into the tunnelers paws, was learning through action and quickly. She even had the proper digging actions to boot, and Crowtooth quickly set to work packing the dirt unearthed from the roof and walls to prevent it crumbling on their head.


He wasnt even fussed about the little escape vole, ears flicking to track it as it skittered away from under Coldpaw. It was learning, and now knowing that she needed a bit of time to figure out how to catch them the deputy split his time snagging any that escaped the apprentice in between packing the dirt.


He made two easy catches that way, purr-chuckling when the molly got one of her own. "Funny ya think that kid, cats usually like the fresher prey the better. Though Ill give ya that they usually prefer it less dirt dusted~" The preference was Coldpaws business, so long as she managed to catch at least a couple more.


"Keep it up yall, I dont care if we're overhuntin' this spot, the clan needs prey I fear we aint gonna get from the surface."
Following his own guide Crowtooth sank paws in deep, unearth a squealing vole that he quickly killed before finding something... Odd. The spot he was digging in particular had wider burrows then voles usually made, and the scent was.... different, if obscured with the scent of dirt.



Head cocking silently the tom dug into the area, wincing as something sharp bit his paw, not releasing as he pulled it out still attached. Ah, gopher.
"Smell here kiddo, down in the tunnels it aint rare that different prey shares a burrow. Ive seen mice in rabbit warrens an' the like so always keep aware an' alert. This 'ere is a gopher, basically a kinda tailless fat dirt squirrel but they got a mean nip."
Killing it quick the tom chuckled, pleased at its heft, and kept going.


[+3 voles +1 gopher] (last posts yall lets wrap this up before the 13th)