Dapplebreeze's nose wrinkled the closer to the border they got. Her disdain for ShadowClan was too heavily ingrained in her, simmering from a young age and fully cementing itself when her son died at the paws of a rogue ShadowClan patrol that had decided to trespass and hunt down apprentices. It had been a different era, back then. Apprentices had been allowed to exit the camp alone. It had only been thanks to Whisperbreeze's actions that they had been spared... But the anger had been too much. The sorrow of having left on bitter terms with her son, never to speak to him in this life again had turned into a deep hatred of the clan, no matter how well their relations ran nowadays. It was only her diplomatic nature that allowed her to speak in an educational, almost impartial tone about the vermin clan to the darlings that accompanied her on patrol today. Almost. She couldn't help it, after all, if a purr of amusement escaped her at Shrikepaw's admission to the clan's repulsive stench.
"Nowhere near as stinky as the marshes they come from, no, my dear," the lieutenant responded amicably as she turned her gaze towards the youngest of the two paws. "Although their texture certainly explains the slimy nature of the clan they feed. I would take a rabbit over them any day, but if we spot some over the border, it would be unwise to not partake of whatever food we can muster, my loves."
Nose taking to the air, Dapplebreeze's eyes flashed dangerously, said stench fresh in the air. There was either a ShadowClan patrol in the area, or there had been. The patched warrior's tail lashed out behind her, having a good mind to mark the border and be done with it, but Crowtooth had sent them here for hunting purposes... running wouldn't do. She understood the circumstances, of course. ShadowClan rats were a better opponent to face than the twolegs that invaded their lands so close to newleaf. The thought made her no less uneasy, however, and she made a point of avoiding the very edge of the border altogether. Best to hunt where there could be no chance of the young dears being accused of trespassing... or worse, could accidentally do so themselves.
"Now, my dears. Let us stay alert while we hunt, shall we? We stay close to our side of the border... you see that mossy tree over there? That is the mark of where the borderline lies. We do not want to cross it or venture too near it while hunting. After all, a prey that scampers in that direction is a prey lost, and we best save our efforts to feed our own clanmates. We might be close to newleaf, but that is no reason to become complacent. Tell me, my darlings... do you both know how to hunt?"
The question was uttered with curiosity, her round head tilted to the side as she politely waited for a response. She had no doubt Cottonpaw had his hunting training in. His mentor was a fury, after all, and a reliable warrior always. Shrikepaw, on the other paw, was a bit of a mystery. She had no complaints on Falconbeak as a warrior, but the apprentice was young, and with the threat the loomed over WindClan, she wouldn't blame the tom if he had deemed the situation too dangerous to take his darling paw out and about until he was of an older age! Neither response was a problem, of course. If they did not know, they would learn here today. And if they did, well... hopefully prey would be plentiful enough to bring back a sizeable amount for the clan to feast on.
@Daragca [Cottonpaw] | @sleepyyjax [Shrikepaw]
| Sorry this took me so long to get to! I fully intended to respond to this when I got home from dinner last night, but it ran longer than I thought and I got sidetracked. I'll ask for an extension if necessary, especially if your characters do not know how to hunt though, so they can get some practice in if you'd like! |
__________________
Lightningstorm is WindClan's current medicine cat.
She has a semi-closed den policy.
Cottonpaw
he/him | Windclan Apprentice | 11 moons The Collector - Lucky Duck T3 The Stowaway Child
Cottonpaw felt his face wincing at the thought of something slimy, but was interrupted by a well timed croak. He had flashed a look in the border’s direction before turning and nodding at Dapplebreeze. ”I.I d.d.don’t like h.h.hunting much, b.b.but I know h.h.how.” The resolve in his eyes was clearly there but he turned his face to save embarrassment. He always found an explanation helped to ease the worries of whoever he was with when he started getting teary after killing.
His ears swivelled as the croak came again. He supposed this was what toads sounded like, the youngster moved forward beckoning Shrikepaw to follow with a wiggle of his nubby tail. Making sure he marked along the border as he went, Cottonpaw figured amphibians didn’t have the same sense of smell as furry prey. They must not be quite as alert.
He saw it in front of him and the smell hit him, somehow it event smelt slimy. Warts and slippery skin, its throat bulging in and out with every strange noise it made. It stopped him in his tracks, his head cocking. Did he just bite it to kill it? He presumed so.
[ @sleepyyjax @Alchemist Kitsune ]
[ No problem! An extension might be good so they can have a little extra fun <3 Jax if Shrike also wants to steal cotton’s catch by accident or on purpose go right ahead as he is currently super perplexed by the slimy beast c: ]
She shook her head dramatically, "nope nope!" She'd only had a territory tour so far - so she was totally clueless when it came to hunting. But, she did a lot of running, and surely it was just running after prey, right? She gave a small head tilt as Cottonpaw explained that he didn't like hunting. How come? Was it really way harder than just running after prey? Or, even worse... Was it. Boring?! She sure hoped it wasn't boring - she'd been getting excited all this time!
Well, Cottonpaw was calling (with his tail, that was). She came chasing behind, attempting to mark the border as he did - and - oooooh! That must be it, a toad! Hm. Cottonpaw was being awfully still - was that right? Surely they're meant to start chasing. Without a single thought, she went dashing out, and ended up - oh - oh no - jumping over the toad. Ah. That makes sense. That's probably why they're meant to be still. But!! Now it was jumping toward Cottonpaw!
@Daragca @Alchemist Kitsune [all good ^^ && unfortunately i think there'd have to be a miracle for Shrikepaw to manage the catch lmao !!]
Birdecho
ShadowClan Warrior
she/her | 13 moons
[Grey tabby with a dark overcoat, white underside and amber eyes] Purrks: Lyrebird's Lullaby [ACTIVE], Don't Mind if I Do! Header art by: @/Daragca
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Fool ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
· · ────────────── · ·
[Rockjaw - @korok ]
· · ────────────── · ·
The look on Rockjaw's face when he heard he'd be patrolling with her was priceless. Birdecho traveled alongside him through the territory and toward the WindClan border, tail held high and a smug grin on her face. His disdain for her was amusing, but only because she was the one that fostered it. See, Birdecho was used to cats thinking she was slow, annoying, and irritating, but if she controlled their perception of her, it made her feel less icky. ... Birdecho had a lot of childhood issues to work on, but now was hardly the time.
The border murmured dreamily at her, and Birdecho scanned the distant horizon that stretched beyond the moors. What would it be like to run across them and never stop? Never gasp for air, never feel your lungs shutter and constrict? As if on command, Birdecho coughed to the side, out of breath from the walk over. She couldn't wait until Newleaf; at least her cough was more manageable in the warmer seasons.
"Alright, handsome." Birdecho chirped, whirling on her partner. "Splitting up or going together? Instruct me, oh Great Patrol Leader."
header by @/daracga
He/Him | ShadowClan Aid | Herbal Knowledge Tier 1
Scoffing at the she-cat's words, Rockjaw jerked his head away from her. Ears flattened in...slight embarrassment? No, surely not. He was just annoyed with her. Certainly not caught off-guard. However, he didn't miss her cough. He brought his gaze back to hers, glancing down at her through narrowed eyes.
"Better get tha' under control." Was all he said on the matter before padding past the she-cat and beginning to mark the border. "There' no need to split up. Is' justa border patrol." Rockjaw mewed gruffly, thoug he would never admit a flutter of concern lit his belly after her cough. Should he send her to be checked out by Sleepysunrise? Would the medicine cat blame him? He suppressed a shudder at the thought. That she-cat creeped him out a bit.
Sighing, he turned back to Birdecho. He may not like her, but he wasn't heartless. "Maybe Sleepysunrise should check out yer cough." He suggested, looking up to avoid eye contact with her. "Finish up and les go back."
Birdecho
ShadowClan Warrior
she/her | 13 moons
[Grey tabby with a dark overcoat, white underside and amber eyes] Purrks: Lyrebird's Lullaby [ACTIVE], Don't Mind if I Do! Header art by: @/Daragca
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Fool ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
· · ────────────── · ·
[Rockjaw - @korok ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Oh how Birdecho loved watching Rockjaw squirm. She wasn't sure why, but the tom just drew her in like a fly to honey. And she should know, because Mama gave her plenty of honey to soothe her throat when she was a kitten. Shame she's no longer here! Chirped Birdecho's voice in the back of her mind, and she flicked it away like a particularly irritating tick.
He wanted to stay together, which definitely didn't make Birdecho's heart sing with delight. Someone not taking the chance to be rid of her? Why, its a stars-damned miracle! The smaller feline trailed alongside him, amber eyes wide and sparkling. Newleaf was on its way, and every breath of fresh air reminded her.
Birdecho's cheery demeanor fractured when Rockjaw mentioned her cough, ears flattening to her head and eyes narrowing to slits. Though, just as quickly as it came, the expression dissappated. "Oh, my sister already knows about my cough. This is what happens when your body hates you~" She hummed. "Pretty sure its why I'm so damn tiny, too! My dad is Darkfall, he's flipping huge! But nah, here I am, little tiny Birdecho, nothing but a speck on the floor, perfect to ignore, ha HA!" The young warrior's lips split open into a wild grin, like a wound opening along someone's side, exposing the most vulnerable parts of them.
Whispers caught the frayed edges of her mind, pulling her this way and that, promises of violence and peace and affection and loss. For a heartbeat or two, Birdecho was still, staring at nothing on the ground, seemingly lost in her own head. Then, she snapped back to the present, the dangerous wildness in her face gone, leaving only cheery old Birdecho. "Had it since I was a wee kitten." She explained, voice pitching dramatically between words. "Dunno why, but I guess it was my payment for being born." She shrugged, swallowing past the scraping in her throat. She'd managed just fine on her own, she didn't need anyone to shove herbs down her throat with false promises of healing. She wasn't stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. stupid.
As the pair finished up, Birdecho stretched languidly and peered at her patrol partner. "Y'know, I think I like you, Rockface. You're so fun to watch."
A look of sympathy ran across Dapplebreeze's eyes as Cottonpaw admitted towards his distaste for hunting. He must be a softer heart, just like Cowtuft had been... and on more recent times her grandson Snowybreeze and her greatgrandaugther Seedpaw as well. She could never fully empathize with the feeling, believing the needs of the clan were too great to mull over the hunting of sustenance, but she would never take the life of that which she caught for granted. The young darling would learn to do much the same in time, she hoped... or perish. Such was the life of a wild cat, after all.
"Perhaps..." she mulled over, her voice soothing as she spoke. "You can do as I do, and offer a prayer to StarClan and thank the prey for their sacrifice. It is not death for the sake of death, after all. Their life will sustain the clan, and nothing is more noble than a cat who understands this and takes a moment to appreciate the weight of their actions. It is not weak to feel for those whose lives we take, even if it is a must."
Hoping her words of gentle encouragement could bring some peace of mind to the older apprentice, she turned her gaze to the youngster in turn, a small purr of amusement meeting the enthusiastic denials. Well, she most certainly had the spirit! Hopefully Falconbeak would be alright with a small, impromptu lesson here today? He could always take over the much more important skill of hunting rabbits with ease which WindClan needed to master in order to survive in their open fields.
The fury had a mind to begin her lessons when Cottonpaw motioned with his tail for Shrikepaw to follow him, and Dapplebreeze couldn't help but wonder what he had in mind... until she spotted the toad. Was the older apprentice perhaps trying to get the younger one to help with training? For certain not the most orthodox way of learning how to hunt, but if it worked, she would be happy to allow it. Learning together seemed like a much more enjoyable exercise, regardless. Of course, the more time passed... the more it became obvious that training might not be the outcome of their little exercise if left to their own devices.
She should have intervened. It was no doubt the right move to make. Hunt the toad and teach them. But the darlings seemed to be having fun, and she admittedly did not have the heart to get in the way. It had been so stressful these past few moons, and with the dears being cooped up, she couldn't help but relish in seeing them thrive in discovery. Besides, Cottonpaw was of an age where hunting should be second nature to him already, regardless of his reservations. Shielding him from the act would do nothing to aid him, and she would not hurt his chance for survival in such a way.
Instead, Dapplebreeze stood back. Senses alert to any dangers that might reach the younger felines. Ensuring they stayed within the boundaries of their own clan even as they enjoyed each other's company. She would make sure to hunt on the way back, of course... but surely Crowtooth wouldn't find fault in letting apprentices be apprentices for just a little while.
Cottonpaw
he/him | Windclan Apprentice | 11 moons The Collector - Lucky Duck T3 The Stowaway Child
Dapplebreeze’s words found comfort with him, in fact it had been something he’d already been doing. It did seem to make the burden a little easier on the heart, that and knowing the life wasn’t to be wasted. Somehow Shrikepaw jumped over the poor creature sending it barrelling towards him in a surprising graceful jump for something that resembled the shape of a blob of muck.
Now or never, he had no more time for fascination, instead he found his mouth snapping over its head. It didn’t exactly have a neck to break but he didn’t have much time to think about that. It was dead.
Wait.
It wriggled in his mouth, legs attempting to pull its head out. He wasn’t used to this type of prey, he hadn’t been firm enough or possibly just hadn’t chomped quite right. Cottonpaw forced his teeth to sink deeper and he finally heard a crunch. His eyes attempting not to well up, it hadn’t been a painless death. He’d made the poor thing suffer, it knew it was going to die. He quickly dropped it to the ground and muttered a sorry prayer, one for forgiveness. Recollecting his thoughts then putting on a brave face before turning to properly face Dapplebreeze and Shrikepaw. ”G.g.g.g.got i.i.i.it.” His stutter seemed to worsen at every emotion and he silently cursed himself. ”M.m.maybe w.w.we c.c.can all share i.i.it l.l.l.later?” The grin that accompanied his words was a forced one but was a firm one nonetheless. Better not it go to waste, he’d force down every last mouthful if he had to.
Cottonpaw’s stubby tail vibrated with his nerves, he’d get better at compartmentalising this with time. His first catch he sobbed himself silly, but this one still hurt. Every single catch hurt. Sweet sweet Cottonpaw, with not a bad bone in his body. It was a guilty feeling that this death didn’t come painlessly, despite him feeding the clan.
header by @/daracga
He/Him | ShadowClan Aid | Herbal Knowledge Tier 1
The tom was only half-listening as Birdecho spoke, continuing on with marking the borders as told. Stars, this girl could talk. Rockjaw watched her from the corner of his eyes, emotions veiled. "Mm." Was the only reply he gave as the she-cat listed off her backstory, or whatever it is she was saying- like I said, only half-listening. "Specks don' talk much." He grumbled, tail tip twitching.
It was a lame attempt at a joke, but cheering up wasn't exactly Rockjaw's forte.
When she mentioned liking to watch him, all he managed was a snort. "if anything I'm studying you." He paused, as if debating what to say. "'ve never come across a cat like ya." He narrowed his eyes, jerking his head away. That came out wrong. "Don' take tha as a compliment." He quickly corrected before beginning the trek back towards camp. "We're done here. Les go."
Cottonpaw
he/him | Windclan Apprentice | 11 moons The Collector - Lucky Duck T3 The Stowaway Child
Dapplebreeze’s words found comfort with him, in fact it had been something he’d already been doing. It did seem to make the burden a little easier on the heart, that and knowing the life wasn’t to be wasted. Somehow Shrikepaw jumped over the poor creature sending it barrelling towards him in a surprising graceful jump for something that resembled the shape of a blob of muck.
Now or never, he had no more time for fascination, instead he found his mouth snapping over its head. It didn’t exactly have a neck to break but he didn’t have much time to think about that. It was dead.
Wait.
It wriggled in his mouth, legs attempting to pull its head out. He wasn’t used to this type of prey, he hadn’t been firm enough or possibly just hadn’t chomped quite right. Cottonpaw forced his teeth to sink deeper and he finally heard a crunch. His eyes attempting not to well up, it hadn’t been a painless death. He’d made the poor thing suffer, it knew it was going to die. He quickly dropped it to the ground and muttered a sorry prayer, one for forgiveness. Recollecting his thoughts then putting on a brave face before turning to properly face Dapplebreeze and Shrikepaw. ”G.g.g.g.got i.i.i.it.” His stutter seemed to worsen at every emotion and he silently cursed himself. ”M.m.maybe w.w.we c.c.can all share i.i.it l.l.l.later?” The grin that accompanied his words was a forced one but was a firm one nonetheless. Better not it go to waste, he’d force down every last mouthful if he had to.
Cottonpaw’s stubby tail vibrated with his nerves, he’d get better at compartmentalising this with time. His first catch he sobbed himself silly, but this one still hurt. Every single catch hurt. Sweet sweet Cottonpaw, with not a bad bone in his body. It was a guilty feeling that this death didn’t come painlessly, despite him feeding the clan.
Aha! Yes! Cottonpaw caught it! So that's how it was done. "Oh yeaaah!" She cheered, totally oblivious to the emotions the older apprentice was feeling, she wasn't really at a point where complex emotions - or any emotions that weren't her own - were understandable. Biting and killing sounded fun to her, it wouldn't even occur to her to contemplate the life of prey. "Look at you go!" She bounded over to him, admiring the toad. Eugh - it looked kind of weird, actually. She wasn't all too sure about taking any bites out of that thing - but - well, she didn't want to miss out on socialising. "I'll give it a try... Looks slimey though." She stuck her tongue out, then instantly started smelling the air, hoping she'd magically pick up the scent of their next catch. But, uh.... All she smelt was a bog combination of everything. Like, everything. WindClan, ShadowClan, trees, grass, mud - and, of course, the toad.
Ƹ̵❉Ʒ*:.*:..*:...｡o○:*Ƹ̵❉Ʒ
"as an otter swims, it can always learn to run with the right teacher"
┌───͙⊱••✩••̩̩͙⊰•── ─┐
Otterfur of Windclan (she)
20 moons old
└───͙⊱••✩••̩̩͙⊰•── ─┘
-------- ≪ ｡❅*⋆ the she-cat lead her patrol, hoping the other two would catch up, she made sure to stay on windclan territory...it was too dangerous for a fight...they just needed moss...that's I t. "hawkpaw? do you know how to get moss?" she called over her shoulder "if not then you and hollysap can go over a little to the left and i'll go to the right, if you do, then we can separate to gather as much moss as possible, when your done meet me here!" she hopes they hear her as she bounded forward towards the first tree she could see that had moss, it ran along a stream..probably into shadowclan...she sits down and laps up some water before she goes to scratching up some moss. its not a lot but she hopes to find more... ⋆*❅｡ ≫ --------
[had rolled a 5 so that's why so little was found]
[1 moss collected]
@Beaan (hollysap)
@Crown_Sage (hawkpaw)
Hawkpaw peered forward, spotting some moss.
[rolls 13, +2 moss]
{ OCC, Sorry for short replies <3 }
Re: Whispering Wetlands
