| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Jan 18, 2013 21:25:14 GMT -5
Brokensong
~~~~~~ The tortoiseshell tabby shifted slightly from paw to paw. She was suddenly feeling quite nervous. She had been selected to participate in a hunting patrol. It wasn't that she was going out hunting, but rather... She was used to going hunting by herself, where she didn't have to try to communicate with others, and she stayed out of their way. This time, however, she had been assigned to an actual patrol. She was a bit early, she knew, but it didn't bother her. It gave her a moment to calm herself. Her hazel-green eyes shut tight as she took a deep breath, letting it out in a silent sigh. The stream of steam billowed from her maw as she sat in silence.
A sound caught her attention, causing her to slowly lift her head and blink open her off-green eyes. She hoped that the cats she was on patrol with were kind... She couldn't remember who had been assigned with her, as she had gone cold and numb when her name had been announced, but she was sure that, as soon as she saw them, she would know their names. She was good with names. Not that she could use them at all. [/size] |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2013 22:24:22 GMT -5
B A R K B I T E Barkbite was disappointed to go on a hunting patrol instead of surveying the borders, but as a senior warrior, the tabby tom figured he might as well try to be a better hunter. A senior warrior... In his mind, the tom was too old for such a title, but the new clan deputy was younger than he was. That was a worrying thought. Best not to dwell on it.
Anyway, the fellow cats in his hunting patrol (he was the senior warrior, so he might end up leading it, and wouldn't that be a mess) were Brokensong, the pretty but mute black, white, and orange she-cat, and Littlepaw, a small tabby-and-white apprentice. He remembered mourning when Brokenpaw's mother died in battle, and being surprised as all the other cats when Littlekit managed to live. Great StarClan, these cats were so young. Right, not thinking about age-related things. Nevertheless, at least he would know these cats somewhat, such as knowing Brokensong had never learned to talk for some reason, and that Littlepaw would probably be using a different strategy than he used for hunting.
The tall tabby tom casually walked over to the striped calico she-cat and briefly touched noses in greeting. "Hello Brokensong," Barkbite mewed cheerfully, not expecting a response as he sat down to wait for Littlepaw. Olive-green eyes made sure to keep the mute cat in their sights as he asked, "Looking forward to a hunting patrol?" He figured he shouldn't voice his own hesitation over trying to hunt, as the senior warrior and everything, but the tom couldn't remember going hunting with her before, so he didn't know if she was a skilled hunter or as bad as he was or even worse. |
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| We are born with a DNA blueprint into a world of scenario and circumstance we don't control |
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Co-Captain
INVENTORY
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Post by Phoenix on Jan 19, 2013 8:50:04 GMT -5
A hunting patrol? She supposed that made sense. After all, they could use the any prey that they could get their paws on. That was the problem: getting their paws on it. What little prey existed seemed to have vanished underground, and though the older cats promised the return of new weather and more prey, Littlepaw was doubtful. They said that leaf-bare had almost run its course, that new-leaf would arrive soon. As small paws carried her over to the group of two, she found herself remembering the time when she had asked Leafscar about snow. Granted it was a hard substance to describe - she realized that now, after having layer upon layer fall from the sky throughough the season - but she thought that her mentor had done a decent job of explaining it. Flicking her tail, she knew that she would never have to ask about leaf-bare again. Though it had its own beauty, it was a dangerous, deadly beauty.
Littlepaw arrived just in time to catch the tail end of Barkbite's question flicked an ear, apologizing silently for interrupting a conversation. "Hey Brokensong," She greeted the other she-cat quietly with a respectful dip of her head, while simultaneously reminding herself that the warrior could not talk. It would not do to forget that tidbit and make the rest of the patrol an awkward, uncomfortable experience. "Barkbite." Turning to the senior warrior, she repeated the action. inclining her head out of respect. Tail flicking somewhat anxiously by her rear paws, she was somewhat surprised to note that she was a little nervous about being placed on a patrol with a senior warrior and another cat who was probably just as good as he was. Recently, she had been successful in her endeavors, often bringing home a small mouse to show for her efforts. But unlike the others, she attributed most of her catches to luck, rather than skill. Perhaps they were supposed to trade tactics or something..? She was probably thinking too much into it, and though that eased her anxiety some, the desire to succeed was still as strong as always.
"Hunting patrol, right?" She asked, wanting to make sure that they were all on the same page before they started out. Green eyes turned to look at Barkbite, for she assumed that, as senior warrior, he would be taking control. "Are we going anywhere in particular? Or just around to see what we can find?" [/blockquote] |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Jan 19, 2013 9:52:15 GMT -5
Brokensong
~~~~~~~~~ The familiar form of Barkbite, one of the senior warriors she had seen around camp, made his way towards her. She was suddenly a little stunned at his height. He was rather tall for a cat. It didn't help that she herself wasn't of a very impressive height. She was fairly average, actually. She was fairly certain one of the apprentices, who was quite lithe and tall, was nearly as tall as she was. She didn't let that bother her, however. She was quite happy with her size, covered evenly by her long, soft fur. She touched noses with Barkbit as he approached, giving him a large smile and a rather enthusiastic nod of her head. She wasn't so sure she was excited to go on the patrol, but there was no point in being negative about it.
Another voice caught her attention, and the she-cat turned to see Littlepaw joining them. Brokensong returned the inclination of the head, smiling softly at the apprentice, waving her long furred tail in greeting. She guessed that Littlepaw wasn't much younger than she was, being only just a warrior. Even so, she knew from her days as an apprentice, a name could mean so much. The fact that she had her warrior name could erase all notion of age difference, leaving only the fact that she and Barkbite were warriors, and Littlepaw was not. She only hoped she didn't scare the apprentice. How horrible would that be?
The mute born she-cat nodded in response to Littlepaw's first question, before considering the next one rather curiously. Just as the younger apprentice had done, the pretty tortoiseshell tabby turned her gaze to Barkbite, wondering if he had any good ideas for them. After all, it wasn't like she could answer that question, no matter how much she moved around or tried. [/size] |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2013 16:18:02 GMT -5
B A R K B I T E The considerably larger tom managed to watch Littlepaw approach and Brokensong's response at the same time. Good, one cat needs to be excited. The tip of his tail lightly poked Brokensong's fluffy pelt ash he turned his attention to the apprentice, just to let the silent cat know that he wasn't ignoring her. The worst part he could think of about not talking to other cats would be how easily a cat could get ignored, and the extremely social tom couldn't imagine anything worse.
"Hello Littlepaw," the senior warrior meowed cheerfully. He noticed the little apprentice might have been slightly intimidated, but the tom wasn't too concerned; Littlepaw wasn't a new apprentice, from what he could remember. She was certainly far enough into her training where she could go hunting without her mentor. Barkbite's own hunting skill never quite developed once he became a warrior, so he certainly wasn't expecting to teach her much. Maybe Brokensong would teach them both something?
"Hunting patrol," he confirmed, only slightly less upbeat than when he said hello. Oh great, now both the she-cats were looking at him to lead the patrol. He didn't mind leading a group, of course, but his new seniority would take some getting used to. The tom searched his memory, trying to remember where the most prey had been caught and reported. Truthfully, he had no idea as to the formal figures, but most of the cats he talked to had luck around the Great Maple. "I'd figure we'd head over to the Great Maple, hunt along the way and back." This was mostly just an instruction to Littlepaw, but olive eyes glanced at the calico as he said it. "Unless you can think of a better place?" The tall tom stood up but didn't walk off to lead the way to the Great Maple, instead waiting for Brokensong's cue. If she thought up a better place to hunt, he'd easily follow her there. On a patrol, he tended to be the last cat in the line, and he expected hunting to be the same. |
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| We are born with a DNA blueprint into a world of scenario and circumstance we don't control |
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Co-Captain
INVENTORY
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Post by Phoenix on Jan 21, 2013 22:15:18 GMT -5
Brokensong's warm smile had been a comfort, and though they had both turned to look expectantly at Barkbite for further directions, she found herself returning the gesture, her own lips curling up into a small grin. Though Littlepaw knew better than most that size did not equate age, the other she-cat couldn't have been much older than herself. She was certainly nice enough, it seemed.
Barkbite's reply made her think. She had been expecting an order, an unquestionable one, and the request for an opinion had her hesitating. In her short experience, the Great Maple had proven itself to be a good hunting spot, and it had wormed its way into her heart because that was where she had won Lionstar's hunting competition early in leaf-bare. Not that the success meant much to her; if anything, it allowed her to prove to herself that she had improved since the beginning of her training. In any event, the whole forest was blanketed with a layer or two of snow. Their paws would crunch, and their fur would stand out, regardless of where they were. At least there was more permanent cover around the Great Maple, whereas all of the plants died in the meadow. Shrugging lightly, the apprentice replied quietly, "The Great Maple's fine." Green eyes flicked over to Brokensong, giving her a yes or no question that was easier to answer. "Any objections, Brokensong?"
OOC: Shorter than usual due to lack of muse, sorry x.x [/blockquote] |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Jan 21, 2013 22:29:55 GMT -5
Brokensong
~~~~~ The tortoiseshell tabby listened silently as Barkbite spoke, her hazel-green eyes watching him to show that she was listening. Upon his suggestion of the Great Maple, she bobbed her head slightly, indicating her approval of the place. The conversation continued and she listened politely, her soft gaze flicking to each of them as they spoke. Her head tipped slightly as she listened, until a question was directed at her. Her ears pricked as she listened, before pausing to consider what the younger she-cat has asked. Did she have any objections?
Well... From her knowledge, the Great Maple was one of the best hunting grounds in their territory. She'd caught something there more than once in her life, so it would be logical to head down there to see if they could catch something for the Clan on this particular day. With a smile, she shook her head, rising to her paws. Her tail flicked towards the entrance, as she glanced questioningly at the both of them. If they were ready to go, she was too and they should get going. [/size] |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2013 0:32:05 GMT -5
B A R K B I T E The tom nodded his head when both the younger cats agreed to his suggestion of hunting at the Great Maple; hopefully they would come back with enough prey for a senior warrior, a warrior, and an old apprentice. When Brokensong flicked her tail and tilted her head, he realized that they were both looking at him like they expected him to lead. Senior warrior status benefits, I suppose. "Alright then," Barkbite meowed lightly as he walked out of camp, leaving the she-cats to figure out their own order but keeping his tail within striking distance in case the mute cat was behind him and wanted his attention.
He kept an open nose the entire time, but it wasn't until they were halfway to the Great Maple itself that a scent finally drifted past his nose. Squirrel! And fresh; it's around here somewhere... Instantly, the long-legged tom crouched down, although his crouch wasn't as clean as one might expect from a senior warrior. Slightly embarrassed by his lack of finesse, Barkbite glanced back at the patrol. "Well, Littlepaw?" he addressed in hushed tones. "Care to make the first catch of the day?" She was the apprentice, after all, even if she was almost a warrior by now. |
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| We are born with a DNA blueprint into a world of scenario and circumstance we don't control |
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Co-Captain
INVENTORY
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Post by Phoenix on Jan 26, 2013 22:46:34 GMT -5
A moment after the senior warrior caught the squirrel's scent, it floated over to Littlepaw, and she had lowered herself into an easy hunting crouch an instant later. Perhaps due to a slight natural ability or her added confidence after winning Lionstar's competition, hunting had never been as challenging for her as it had to some of the other apprentices. In a way, she enjoyed it, for in most situations, it was all up to the cat herself to decide how well she would preform. If the cat messed up, then there was no one to blame but herself. While it added some pressure, she also thought it provided a healthy challenge and an easy way to see improvement.
Nodding to Barkbite's question, she scented the air again, carefully following it and wincing as her paws crunched lightly on the snow. At least she did not move as loudly as a larger cat would, a newfound perk to her small size. Stepping as lightly as she could, she neared the tree where the squirrel sat, perched on an exposed root. The apprentice stilled as the creature looked up, bushy tail swaying and small nose twitching as it scented the air. Claws silently unsheathed themselves as it turned away, and she gathered her thoughts, barely breathing. Green eyes latched only on her prey, she counted to five and then pounced with outstretched claws. As expected, she hit her mark, the pleasant feeling of success washing through her as her paws connected with the stunned squirrel. Ending its life with a quick bite to the neck, she rose to her full height, her catch in her mouth.
It did not take long for her to make her way back to the other two cats on the patrol, and she couldn't help the pleased grin that she made around the squirrel's fluffy body. Prey had become a rarity this past Leaf-Bare, and she was pleased with any catch she could make - perhaps overly so. Still, she thought it an accomplishment, and a small part of her was pleased that she had been able to maintain the kit-like excitement that came with every success despite her hunting ability. After digging a hole through the snow and into the frozen ground, she placed the squirrel in its new grave, shoving the muddied snow back over the spot. That foolish smile still on her face, she turned to her two companions. "You guys are up next," She whispered lightly, completely confident that they would all have prey to bring back to camp by the end of the patrol. [/blockquote] |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on Jan 26, 2013 23:20:09 GMT -5
Brokensong
~~~~~~~~ The tortoiseshell tabby caught the scent of the squirrel around the same time Barkbite did. She was about to follow its scent, when Barkbite suggested Littlepaw take it. Brokensong nodded her head, allowing the younger she-cat to move forward. She watched with soft, and interested eyes, wondering how the apprentice hunted. She'd never had an apprentice before, and didn't expect to get one. After all, how could she teach if she couldn't speak. Even so, she was curious to see what Littlepaw had learnt. When the apprentice landed on her mark, killing the squirrel easily Brokensong felt the infectious smile grab her own lips.
She gave Littlepaw a gentle nudge and a soft smile, congratulating her before she slipped away, jaws parted and ears alert. She searched the area silently, finally catching the scent of a black bird not far away. She froze, everything motionless except her ears as pinpointed its location. Her body slowly sunk into a hunter's crouch that could have very well been that of a warrior twice her age. Her lithe body was easy to manoeuvre, in this position, not even considering how many times she had practiced it, determined to get it perfectly during the time she'd focused on nothing but training.
Her soft white paws were nearly silent as she moved, even with the snow, something that seemed almost impossible. Her long furred tail stayed low to the ground, without dragging and alerting her prey. Slowly, she moved up towards the black bird, her green eyes catching sight of it as it pecked at something on the ground. There was barely a hesitation, very little time to prepare herself. In a flash, Brokensong had rocked back on her haunches and sprung forward, the moments blurring together. Her leap was fluid and she landed quickly, jaws locking on the bird to deliver a killing blow as she came down upon it.
She glanced up to the sky, thanking StarClan for her catch, before turning back toward the patrol, black bird dangling from her jaws. She trotted up, flicking her tail against Barkbite's shoulder with a friendly smile. His turn. [/size] |
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