[KARAZHAL]

At night, Crowface liked to come here and capture fireflies between her splayed paws. In the daytime, the scent of warm grass and prey could fill the nostrils. The Star Field was one of the most beautiful places claimed by LightningClan. This part of the great meadow only got its name at night though. At the moment, Crowface sat sunbathing on the lightning-struck remains of a tree. The sun passed over its highest point in the sky, and wind blew strongly across the sea of grass and wildflowers. She'd caught sight of a brightly plumed pheasant and hoped it'd hop nearby so she could drop down on its back. There seemed little to attract it in her direction, though. It must've found food.

Without an apprentice to train, the sleek she-cat spent her working hours hunting for the clan. Leaf-fall had started. The sun was setting faster. Soon, the rains would blow through the meadow and turn everything cold, stripping all the leaves off the trees in TreeClan and blowing them across the four territories. The dead tree Crowface perched on was the only one for fox-lengths around. She pulled herself upright, standing on her hindlegs. Her large ears swiveled as she heard distant clucking, followed by a loud sudden crowing.

Crowface dug her claws into the burnt bark and slid down to make a quick descent. Charcoal stirred up, and her paws stunk of ash. Her claws were blackened. Hopefully she'd smell more less like cat. She was not the only hunter in the vicinity. There were others, spread out in order to quickly close in at a signal. The pheasant had finally given away its position. She hoped everyone was on target right now or she'd be very annoyed. She trusted Owlmind to have a strategical mind but other members of their hunting pack, like Desertblaze and Nutfur, were likely to flush the damn thing into the sky before Crowface had a chance to take its pinions out. The trick was waiting for the pheasant to get comfortable under the interwoven blades of grass and force it to run instead of fly away.

The sounds of cats brushing through grass was hidden by the wind blowing through it. But she heard the pheasant give a startled cry. Crowface broke into a loping run toward the source, only to be cut off by flapping wings and flailing tail feathers. The male pheasant cuffed her with a wing, but he was clearly more focused on the rambunctious Maine Coon happily chasing the long tail plumes.

"Idiot! Take its wings!" Crowface blustered. She tried to seize upon the prey but her clanmate was in her way, and panic ensued. The pheasant bolted away from them both. Hissing, Crowface fell into pursuit through the tall overgrown meadow. She hoped that the noise was enough for Owlmind and Nutfur to trap the big bird between the lot of them.


--------------------

OUT OF CHARACTER
I saw in the LC Clan Info thread that hunting patrols take a group so I used two NPCs from the Clan Ranks. I rolled a d20 twice to see how NPC!Desertblaze and Crowface would perform when confronted with the pheasant. Desertblaze rolled a six and Crowface consequently rolled a two lmao so I had her fail and just fall in pursuit behind Desertblaze. Tagging Ghost the Undead Goddess for Owlmind!

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Owlmind

LightningClan || 69 Moons || Deputy

She knew her clan's territory like her own paws, both the grassy morlands above and the dark tunnels below. She used the layout of the land like a map, able to stratigicly work out senerios that could aid with whatever task she was working on. This time it happened to be for hunting, and using her natural instincts the gray feline snuck her way into the opening of an old rabbit burrow, only the faint glowing of Amber eyes indicated her placement.

Long tail flickered slightly, irritation at the slowly cooling weather despite the warmth of the tunnel she was in. Leafbare was always her least favorite time, she swore the cold weather would eventually be the death of her with her short cut pelt and lanky, scrawny form. A large ear shifted atop her narrow head, catching sounds of both her clanmates and the pheasent that was carefully being stalked through the tall, swaying grasses of the open moorlands.

This wasn't her hunting party, as it was Crowface who lead it, and so she followed along despite being the deputy of clan. There was no need for her to step on paws to prove her authority. A good leader or deputy listened to all of her subjects, different cats had different minds and as such different situations were created. This also gave her a chance to study each cat within the patrol, Crowface, Desertblaze and Nutfur. It was part of her job as deputy to make sure things ran smoothly, cats knew their skills and could preform adequately as a team.

As it were, Nutfur was not far from where Owlmind hid. The grass covered the cat's form and the wind blew his scent away from where the other two Lightningclan warriors were waiting, stalking. The bird was clueless until it wasn't and the sound of flapping wings and honking brought a different type of attention from the deputy lying in wait. It seemed this kill would not be as easy as first hopes for. Pheasents were fairly large birds, and though not nearly as dangerous as eagles or Hawks, they still had an arsenal of claws, beaks and heavy wings.

Bunching long legs under her lanky body, the gray feline was poised and waiting within the dimness of the burrow entrance, catching movement through the tall grasses with glimpses of both the prey they were hunting along with the colorful forms of Crowface and Desertblaze. There was another flicker of a wide ear as the lanky black she-cat in lead of the patrol snapped at her clanmates, negative tones never aided or assisted in tasks. However, the deputy's attention was pulled away from mild disappointment as Nutfur suddenly took off without warning or signal from Owlmind, heading straight for the fleeing pheasent as it made its way towards their direction.

Nutfur!

The feline's name shot through Owlmind's head but nothing broke past her muzzle as strategy fell apart before her wide, amber pools. A million different scenarios phased through the general like she-cat's mind as the brown tom went streaking forwards to meet the pheasent head on. Most of which ended with something terrible happening, like a cat getting seriously injured by that sharp beak. Darting from her position, long legs giving fast stride as Owlmind weaved through the tall blades of grass, amber pools locked into Nutfur as he went crashing into the bird, a cry echoing fr both their throats. Shock came from the bird as it flailed about, heavy wings wapping Nutfur as claws scratched at the tom's flank while they tumbled through the moorland grasses.

A snarl bubbled within Owlmind's throat, irritation clear within amber pools before it withered away into a near unreadable expression as she shot forwards to launch herself at the large prey in an attempt to help her clanmates as well as tackle the bird. Claws out stretched, Owlmind ripped into a flapping wings which sent feathers flying in every direction. She succeeded in diverting it's attention from Nutfur long enough for a sharp beak to come slamming into her shoulder, the preciously injured limb searing with pain.

Wisdom. Courage. Strategy.

694 Words || KARAZHAL

[KARAZHAL]

In pursuit of the running pheasant, Crowface's muscles could be seen straining under her sleek pelt. Her fur was beautiful, but quite useless when the wind turned cold and blew across the land. Running would only keep her warm for so long, and she was grateful that her lifestyle kept her fit enough to keep up with the gamebird. The birds were fast, requiring both speed and dexterity to catch them. At any moment, the bird could attempt to beat the grass aside with its wings and take off.

The sound of a cat's yowl and a pheasant's crow burst out, startling other birds into the sky at the danger. Her ears swiveled. Adjusting direction, her paws pushed off the ground and her wedge-like head became a ram through the grass. Crowface's rat-like tail whirled before steadying as she prepared for a jump. The bird's heavy wings could be heard flapping wildly. Grass and dust flew into the air.

Crowface leapt through a wall of grass into the scene of Nutfur and Owlmind shredding feathers off the brightly plumed male pheasant. "Desertblaze, pin it!" she ordered the heavy tom into action. The fluffy Maine Coon rushed past her to practically sit on the bird.

"Owlmind!" Crowface burst out as she witnessed the deputy get struck by the pheasant's beak. Rather than run to her, she leapt at the bird instead, unsheathing claws and biting into its neck. Soft feathers filled her mouth, threatening to clog her windpipe, followed by blood as she pierced through with her sharp incisors. The bird lurched to dislodge her before ultimately buckling under the cats' combined forces.

Releasing it, the dark she-cat spat out tiny feathers and blood, glaring at the prey beneath her. She turned her head on Nutfur and Owlmind. In her opinion, the two didn't look that bad. She nodded at her deputy.

"The funnel worked. Thank you, StarClan, for this prey," Crowface said.

Desertblaze backed off of the pheasant to bat at its tailfeathers some more while Crowface wasn't looking his way.


--------------------

OUT OF CHARACTER
Tagging Ghost the Undead Goddess for Owlmind!

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Owlmind

LightningClan || 69 Moons || Deputy

Pain and irritation rippled under the pelt of the gray warrior as she fought through to keep grip upon the struggling pheasent. A growl found its way to her throat as the beak struck at the once injured limb again, a splash of warmth built up within the joint as blood trickled from the fresh wound punctured into her shoulder. She could feel Nutfur struggling against the heavy beating of wings before their two clanmates joined in to aid in taking their prey down.

The metallic scent of blood reached her nose, coming from a source far more intense than her small wound as Crowface sanm her teeth into the pheasent's neck. There was a cry out of pain, wings flapping and a shudder before it was silenced with a final breath.

Unseathing her claws from the feathered wings and body, Owlmind pulled away to examine first her three clanmates for any injuries or bleeding before turning those wide, amber pools towards her sore, and now throbbing shoulder. The limb had been internally injured back in her youth, a fight with a fox as a fresh warrior had torn something within the joint and caused the gray pelted cat many nights of rest and therapy and caution before being able to fully use it again. Every time the cold started up again it would ache from age and temperature, sometimes it would even happen if she slept or stepped wrong. Having a beak jam into it definitely didn't make it feel any better.

Ignoring it for now, though making a mental note to see Kindleflare and Tigereye when they got back, she turned her attention towards the evaluation of the hunting party, both the whole result and individual assessments. "Nutfur, I appreciate your willingness to preform and provide for the clan but next time I encourage you to wait for a signal. Certain types of prey can be dangerous when cornered, your health is just as important if not more so than providing prey for the clan. Keep that in mind." Owlmind's tone was sharp as always, with that signature rasp as she held the brown tom in her observational ber gaze before she turned to Desertblaze.

"As for you, perhaps spend more time focused on actually catching the prey rather than bounding around like a deer. However, despite the beginning, you aided us at the end when you held down the pheasent for Crowface to finish it off." Finally those unreadable amber pools turned towards the lanky, black Oriental as the deputy assessed her quickly. Owlmind rather liked the pair of twin black warriors, including Crowface and her sister Batear, but it seemed as if the latter of the two had more of a mouth than the more quiet sister. Crowface was a strong she-cat, brash perhaps and confident.

"Crowface, I was impressed with your suggest for the funnel, your placement of the cats in the patrol was well done and though the execution went a little off-path it still was completed with success. You should be proud of the accomplishment. Perhaps next time try a less negative approach when getting your clanmates attentions." Owlmind's whiskers wriggled slightly as she pointed out the name calling, but flicked it away with her long tail once more.

Wisdom. Courage. Strategy.

557 Words || KARAZHAL

[KARAZHAL]

Crowface's tongue swiped blood off her teeth. She spat some more feathers out. She would definitely be biting this one by the feet to take it home. Once she was certain it was dead, she could admire its motley plumage.

Her green eyes glinted as she smelled cat blood and saw the fresh wound on Owlmind's shoulder. She opened her mouth to speak when the deputy spoke first, addressing the toms who'd been partnered with them. Crowface's triangular face turned on Nutfur first. She fixed a glare on the brown tom and then on the big fluffy tom, the mousebrain who had got in her way! She mistakenly believed she'd be exempt from any criticism since it'd been Desertblaze's fault. She wouldn't have ran into him and missed the pheasant if he hadn't been goofing off as always.

Her tail curled in deep pleasure, an almost preening gesture as Owlmind commended her on the patrol's execution. Her toothy smile transformed into one forming protest at the deputy's suggestion. Desertblaze had the sense to look apologetic, but Crowface was not satisfied with just that. "But he is an idiot!" she burst out. "If he had pinioned it, you wouldn't be dealing with that right now." With a huff, she pointed her nose at Owlmind's wound. The jackal-like cat rounded on the larger tom and arched her back. "I believe a little shame can go a long way in reminding you not to do that again!"

"I'm sorry, Owlmind, Crowface," Desertblaze pleaded, looking to the deputy for mercy. The fluffy brown and white tabby lowered his head. "I just got excited that we were all hunting a real pheasant."


--------------------

OUT OF CHARACTER
Tagging Ghost the Undead Goddess for Owlmind!

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Owlmind

LightningClan || 69 Moons || Deputy

"Enough."

It was one simple command given in that sharp, general type tone of the gray deputy as her long tail lashed behind her. Irritation wriggled under her short cut pelt but her face remained neutral and wide amber pools as unreadable as ever as she fixed Crowface and Desertblaze with that liquid gaze. From the corner of her vision she could see Nutfur take a small step back, ears flickering somewhat nervously as if she were worried about getting in trouble by the staunch Lightningclan senior warrior.

Granted, the oldest of the four cats was not about corporal punishment or public embarrassment, but constructive criticism was not out of the question. She had mentored several young minds, molded several youngsters in the way of the clans, the way of the warrior code, and above all the way of team work in which Lightningclan was proud to prove every time patrols for hunting and borders took leave of the open camp. Without such a strong foundation then they were nothing more than a pack of rogue cats racing around through the moorlands.

"We work as a team, this is not a singular cats problem and unless we all work on it then it wont get fixed." Owlmind stated after a moment, nodding towards the large bird that lay dead at their paws while she continued to ignore the throbbing wound in her shoulder. The walk back to camp would not be fun, as that shoulder already had a pre-exisitng issue that irritated her from time to time unless it was cold outside. In which it was constantly an issue, though she usually ignored it and pushed through.

"Desertblaze, I appreciate the apology, but injuries happen. We are warriors, scars and wounds come and go, we just have to learn and improve how we act in situations." Her tone didn't waver as she continued to speak, turning her attention from Desertblaze to Crowface as the black oriental stood nearby. "Next time, try and help him understand what went wrong rather than berating him. There is no need to cause strife between clanmates, and in the end we got what we wanted didn't we?" The gray she-cat flicked her long tail towards the pheasent to prove her point. "Everything can be used as a point of teaching and learning."

It was practically a motto Owlmind lived by, it's what she tried to instill within every apprentice she taught and molded. Even at the Gatherings, listen and watch, learn everything that is offered to you even if it comes from a cat from another clan. Knowledge was power.

"Come, lets get this back to camp. I'm sure the Queens and Elders will be thrilled with such a catch." And I need to see Kindleflare... Though the senior feline would prefer to continue with her duties, she was sure both tender-hearted Medicine Cats would not be pleased with her ignoring an open, bleeding wound. Even if it seemed like a small thing to the gray pelted deputy.

Wisdom. Courage. Strategy.

510 Words || KARAZHAL || Thread Finished?

[KARAZHAL]

Owlmind cut her short.

A low ragged breath gusted through Crowface's nostrils, and the beautiful she-cat glared her ugly sullen expression some more at that fool Desertblaze. Her tail whipped in short angered lashes side to side before Crowface could bring herself to sit down in case Owlmind's wrath broke harder than a thunderstorm. Crowface grimaced and looked away with her ears completely pinned back. She didn't meet the deputy's eye until she was being spoken to, trying to not seem completely impudent. Although reluctantly, she nodded at the deputy's request and spared a less acidic glance at her Clanmate. As much as she didn't approve of his horseplay, Owlmind was right--he was a part of LightningClan and she had to tolerate him much like he had to tolerate her.

"...Yes, we did," Crowface grunted. Her claws brushed over the pheasant's feathers.

Rounding on Nutfur and then turning her slanted eyes to Desertblaze, she added, "When we get to camp, tell your apprentices to pluck this brute and fill the nests." Owlmind had no business carrying this thing with her injury so Crowface yanked up the rooster's scaly feet. Desertblaze and Nutfur hoisted up the other end and together, they trailed after Owlmind back to LightningClan camp.


--------------------

OUT OF CHARACTER
i would say we are finished! Ghost the Undead Goddess if you want to make a closing post with Owlmind for the sake of a HR post, feel free!